I think your premise is wrong. Many churches of all denominations do an awful lot to help in their communities and around the world....If you do not want to donate, it's ok... you don't have to....

They shouldn't have been so mean not buying insurance, I wouldnt give but Im sure plenty of suckers will! Tell them it was a sign from God they should be helping the needy not themselves!

Which is why I'm turned off by organized religion. I'm doing my own thing now.

Many churches do a lot of good with the money they collect. It is a fallacy that all churches are selfish, money hoarding organizations. I'm quite sure there are a lot like that out there. And quite a few I wonder about personally, after watching them build million dollar buildings right and left. But by and large, most churches do a LOT of good community work.

It is truly unfortunate that the church was uninsured. It is quite possible that the donations of the congregation were insufficient, due in large part to confiscatory levels of taxation to which the congregation is subject. This also explains other financial shortfalls. There was a time not long ago when there was no government "social safety nets" and charitable-giving satisfied the needs of those who were unable to fend for themselves. Government was much smaller and less oppressive then. We used to have a name for those who chose homelessness back then as well. They were called bums, vagrants, hobos, and gypsies. Moreover, they were not exalted (and their numbers exaggerated) back then.

I don't think that they should beg for donations. I'm sorry about what happened but they did have the responsibility if they owned a building to have insurance. Most churches have business meetings to account for how money is spent -- accountability and responsibility. That said, many, many churches contribute to local families in need and charities. Mine has a food drive right now and if families even outside of the church have needs, they take up special donations -- they don't mention names. But, I understand where you are coming from. Some years ago, I went to a church that kept asking for $(more than tithing). The church was large..and kept wanting to build more. It was a total turn off for me. I stopped going to that church. Sorry, for rambling.

Our local Churches are all about helping around here. Several of them have their own food banks and they distribute to the needier people, they also have what is called "Honey Do Ministries" where they actually go out and fix peoples homes etc for free and all voluntary workers. But I know that some Churches are all about the money.

Well considering myself and about 10 others spent the entire day yesterday delivering food boxes and free turkeys to all the shut ins and poor people in our area yesterday that was all supplied by a local church (of which I'm not a memeber, I just volunteered) I'm not quite sure what you are talking about. I already volunteered to help with the Christmas distribution of both food and presents also supplied by this same church. So I don't know. Maybe you just go to the wrong church. I don't go to church myself but it was a good cause so I helped them.

My church donates thousands of dollars to the needy so this statement is off base. We recently helped rebuild homes for hurricane victims, and we send gifts and daily need items to 3rd world countries all the time.

Can't speak for everyone but the church near here does a lot to help the community.

Spanky's mom, when was the last time you were active enough in a church that you actually knew what their operating budget was and where they spent their money? Again, this is a "known fact" popular opinion that is just dead wrong. Our church and the churches of several neighbors practically carried us while my daughter and mother were both having chemo. They finished home repair projects that I had started and couldn't finish, including buying the materials. They brought us meals, bought us groceries, cut our grass and bought us Christmas presents. Our church is building a hospital in Africa, we send about 70 shoeboxes to Samaritan's purse every year, we give boxed dinners to needy families in our community for Christmas and Easter, we help run a clothing bank with several other churches in our county. We put meals in a cabinet at the children's hospital so the parents won't go hungry while their child is hospitalized. We are buying a SUV for our bishop in Africa, because his died and he couldn't get another to get to his congregations. We are providing part of the operating budget for the diocese over there. We have sent teams to New Orleans to pump out basements and put houses back in usable order.

Personally I think they were some stupid NOT to get insurance!!! its provided for a reason! this is one of the stupid things that makes Christians look dumb! And I have to agree with the second part, why the heck cant churches do more for the homeless, the can build multi million dollar churches, they can buy planes and cars for their spoiled little pastors, while people in the congregation (not to mention their town, state, country, world) STARVE to death...please!!!! and this said from a christian...is it a wonder...NOT in my eyes its not!!!!