Wonder why they could not simply have said "no payment needed thanks" rather than inserting the "if you couldn't afford it" rider? On the other hand these sort of financial dealings are obviously a matter for the parties involved and ultimately no business of mine as a non member of the organizations involved.
Archbishop in pot calling kettle black shock
- Thread starter ClubMan
- Start date
No - my specific criticism of fortune tellers etc. was not meant to imply that I thought that religious were any better.
We've had five Christenings, no payment sought nor tendered, although I have no problem with any suggestion for voluntary donations; after all, it costs money to run any organization and who better than it's members to fund it. Indeed AAM has a 'Support Askaboutmoney.com! [Make a Donation]' tag at the end of each page, but I am untroubled by this.
Yeah - but at least with AAM you get something tangible for your money or for free if you choose not to donate - and not just promises of a better hereafter etc.Indeed AAM has a 'Support Askaboutmoney.com! [Make a Donation]' tag at the end of each page, but I am untroubled by this.
Well no disagreement here then. A clear rip-off as neither churches nor fortune tellers can deliver what they explicitly promise. However, they do appear to deliver what is implicitly promised - reassurance, a sense of connectivity or whatever it is makes people buy these services.
That said, I don't believe the customers actually expect the seller to deliver. It's not as though the consumer agency is inundated with complaints from customers who never met a tall, dark, handsome, stranger ...
Hi Clubman,
I missed this yesterday. That statement wasnt an attack on you, or on anyone in particular in this thread for that matter. In all my posts on AAM Ive always tried to remain within guidelines and (homiem) attacking is not my style.
The statement is a reflection of a certain type of "Atheist" that I meet a lot. My general point is that type of Atheist (the Catholic-grudge type) do as much dis-service to Atheists and Agnostics as they do Catholics.
I am not talking about respecting Catholicism/Catholic Church or any religion. I am talking about respecting the fact that people are different and practice different things and have the right to even if someone else think its a mistake. This does not mean that I feel religion/church/atheism shouldnt be challenged. It should, in a respectful manner. Phrases like "useless"/"twaddle" are not respectful nor good debate.
A whole other debate we can take on
is your point there about anti-scientific. For the record I am also a scientific person. Science and religion for me both contradict and compliment. Like brother and sister, they dont get on but they are related. Another day perhaps.Have a nice weekend,
Casiopea.
Fair enough - as far as I know the only contentious term that I used was "brainwashed" but this was simply an accurate description of the case in point and not used just to cause controversy in spite of you finding it "disrespectful".
Yes, I saw that I misunderstood the context, a mixture of the downside of debating online and me reading/scanning too quickly.
The mistreatment of any child by any institution is the highest form of betrayal - I think you'll find we'll all agree on that!
Yes - but some argue that religious indoctrination of children (who are not in a position to make an informed decision) itself is fundamentally a mistreatment or abuse.
Yeah - but at least with AAM you get something tangible for your money or for free if you choose not to donate - and not just promises of a better hereafter etc.
If you are having a wedding or a christening or a funeral you get the use of the church (heating, light, cleaners, flowers etc) and the priest's time and that of his secretary if he has one.
I believe that apart from the religious side priests play a very practical role in parishes and helping their parishioners. I don't believe that I have any indepth knowledge of priests and their work but I have seen them visit the elderly, terminally ill, sick, housebound and just plain lonely and bring comfort by just being there and being someone to listen. They organise events that bring the parish together. They help celebrate some of the most happy occasions in our lives, births, weddings and so on.
I don't know how much they are paid but I know it's not a fortune. I wouldn't begrudge them voluntary contributions.
I don't know how much they are paid but I know it's not a fortune. I wouldn't begrudge them voluntary contributions.
Neither would I, voluntary or not. They provide a service to their members and have a right to expect payment for that service. I was merely trying to counter a claim that a major difference between organised religion and new age psycho-babble was that organised religion didn't demand money for the service it provided. It would appear from the replies that they mightn't necessarily demand it, but they may well expect it (with an exemption for those who cannot afford to pay).
Yeah - but at least with AAM you get something tangible for your money or for free if you choose not to donate - and not just promises of a better hereafter etc.
Clubman - can you quantify the tangible 'something' people get from AAM ? I don't doubt that it's a 'good', but I can't measure it, I can't weigh it, I can't value it, I can't see it . . . does it exist ?
Would it be good and bad advice, help getting through some of lifes complications, a sense of community and shared values, advice on how to deal with issues, etc . . . a little like some of the ancilliary functions which members of various churches receive perhaps.
z
I guess you can measure it indirectly - e.g.
- Money saved using budgeting tricks posted here
- Money earned from savings/investments you might not otherwise have known about
- Blood pressure levels while reading The Depths forums
- Etc.
That too - except usually without the bias or constraints imposed by a rigid belief system involving mystical beings and other associated hocus pocus and mumbo jumbo.
I don't think it necessarily disrespectful to call religion mumbo jumbo - that's ClubMan's belief. If I mentioned I believed in fairies and elves people nobody would feel the need to tip-toe around it, or make believe there was some kind of credibility to my claim.
Having respect for something is not the same as tip-toeing around it. You can say everything you wish/believe only edit jibes/taunts/mockery/insults. Your point in turn will have more credibility.