And Before You Know It The Holidays Will Be Here.

And with them comes the bell ringers.

What do all feel about the SA and their kettles?

I know I'm not for them at all. But how do you feel?
And why do you feel that way?
 
I don't understand. In Mark 12:42, Jesus watches the poor widow put two coins in the treasury. She was doing this publicly and He commends her for it.
 
I don't understand. In Mark 12:42, Jesus watches the poor widow put two coins in the treasury. She was doing this publicly and He commends her for it.

Is the
I don't understand. In Mark 12:42, Jesus watches the poor widow put two coins in the treasury. She was doing this publicly and He commends her for it.

The widow was paying not alms, but tithes to the temple within the temple.

There is a difference between tithing and alms.

The SA collects in public, before men. Men see it and say that was nice of you.

Guess what? The King says you have your reward. The praise of men.

That's why he says do them in secret.
 
I am for Salvation Army's kettles.

It's true that many who give are giving for the wrong reason. Though just because someone walks by and offers some money, it doesn't mean they are doing it to make a scene and bring attention to themselves. If one's heart is truly involved in giving because of the love of God, then I think he is doing the right thing. We can't assume everyone who offers charity to these kettles is doing it to bring attention to themselves just because it is out in public. Some are discrete and do it for the purest reasons.

We can't assume we know every individual's reason. When the collection makes its way around church, it is still out in the open, though we give back to God regardless of our neighbors -- but we don't do it to so that everyone else can see it.
 
The King said not to give alms before men. But do them in secret.

So instead if you want to donate to the SA you should send it to their headquarters in an envelope without your return address.

The SA is making people stumble.
The Salvation Army uses the money people donate to do good things in God's name. Not making people stumble.
 
The King said not to give alms before men. But do them in secret.

So instead if you want to donate to the SA you should send it to their headquarters in an envelope without your return address.

The SA is making people stumble.

Wow! It amazes me how you can't see what Jesus meant.

If your intention is to give in public so others will see you and think you are good then that will be your only reward. If you give out of Christian love and are not concerned about someone seeing you then your reward will be in heaven.

Jesus also said to pray in private. Do you think it is wrong to pray in public? I can tell you it is not.

Jesus doesn't want you to do things in public with the desire to reap public recognition. Its all in where your heart is.
 
Wow! It amazes me how you can't see what Jesus meant.

If your intention is to give in public so others will see you and think you are good then that will be your only reward. If you give out of Christian love and are not concerned about someone seeing you then your reward will be in heaven.

Jesus also said to pray in private. Do you think it is wrong to pray in public? I can tell you it is not.

Jesus doesn't want you to do things in public with the desire to reap public recognition. Its all in where your heart is.

The King showed that it was a stumblingblock. As people are by nature sinful, they could easily be tempted into doing it and then feeling justified because of it.

Prayer in public can also lead to people feeling pious. Piety is not something that The King wanted.

Just like porn is a stumblingblock for adultery.

He said to avoid things because he knew it could precipitate a stumble.

Why place yourself into a situation that could potentially lead to a fall? I'll stick with The King's word over my own or any man's self-confidence.
 
The King showed that it was a stumblingblock. As people are by nature sinful, they could easily be tempted into doing it and then feeling justified because of it.

Just because some may give in order to bring attention to themselves doesn't mean all will give for that reason. Otherwise why do anything good at all if we may just do it for the wrong reason?

Prayer in public can also lead to people feeling pious. Piety is not something that The King wanted.

Piety for the sake of trying to appear holy is wrong. Piety for the sake of trying to please God is good.

Just like porn is a stumblingblock for adultery.

Porn IS adultery and self-pleasure because it's sexual energy toward something other than one's spouse. Porn isn't a stumblingblock, it's the fall itself.

He said to avoid things because he knew it could precipitate a stumble.

Well yes, but that doesn't mean avoid things we ought to do, like help others, offer compassion, and show charity in any way we can provided it is done for the right reasons, not doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.

Why place yourself into a situation that could potentially lead to a fall? I'll stick with The King's word over my own or any man's self-confidence.

I don't think alms giving, provided it is done in Godly charity, is wrong. God calls us to do these things. We're saved FOR good works.

I understand being weary of certain activities so that they don't transform into sins, but to avoid virtues because they can become sins is failure to do good.
 
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I don't think alms giving, provided it is done in Godly charity, is wrong. God calls us to do these things. We're saved FOR good works.

I understand being weary of certain activities so that they don't transform into sins, but to avoid virtues because they can become sins is failure to do good.

Here's my issue. The King said to give in secret. Which can be done with a handy envelope, a money order and no return address.

So WHY put it IN public where all can see, when you can do the secret way The King prescribed?

You know it is one thing if your friend says, I'd do it this way if I were you, and quite another when your Sovereign says to do it this way.

I'm going with The King when he made it very clear how to do something. There must be good reason for the method.
 
Here's my issue. The King said to give in secret. Which can be done with a handy envelope, a money order and no return address.

So WHY put it IN public where all can see, when you can do the secret way The King prescribed?

You know it is one thing if your friend says, I'd do it this way if I were you, and quite another when your Sovereign says to do it this way.

I'm going with The King when he made it very clear how to do something. There must be good reason for the method.
Do you give at church?
 
Here's my issue. The King said to give in secret. Which can be done with a handy envelope, a money order and no return address.

So WHY put it IN public where all can see, when you can do the secret way The King prescribed?

You know it is one thing if your friend says, I'd do it this way if I were you, and quite another when your Sovereign says to do it this way.

I'm going with The King when he made it very clear how to do something. There must be good reason for the method.
Being a bit legalistic aren't we.
 
Here's my issue. The King said to give in secret. Which can be done with a handy envelope, a money order and no return address.

So WHY put it IN public where all can see, when you can do the secret way The King prescribed?

You know it is one thing if your friend says, I'd do it this way if I were you, and quite another when your Sovereign says to do it this way.

I'm going with The King when he made it very clear how to do something. There must be good reason for the method.

The King also said to hate your mother and father. Do you hate your parents?
 
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