Comment on Xmas at the mega church
mcv@lemmy.zip 6 days agoThere’s definitely a difference between faith, and organised religion. I think the worst thing that can happen to any religion is to become an official state religion. At that point it becomes a tool for politics and social control. It unavoidably gets corrupted in some way. People aren’t part of it because they believe, but because they have to.
Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 6 days ago
Horrible indeed. Being force-joined into a cult. Where I live I was joined by my parents at birth (just because “it’s that way”, not because they were believers) and I had to PAY to leave that church officially much later. Incredible. I didn’t sign a contract or was at a legal age to do so, I wasn’t asked and couldn’t even speak anyway, yet I had to jump through a lot of hoops to get out of that contract 18yrs later.
At least in this country it’s without consequences (except saving a shitton of money) or social pressure. Other societies have it much worse :-(
mcv@lemmy.zip 6 days ago
How does that work? How can you be made to pay? That does not sound legal to me. Can’t you just leave and ignore it?
Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 5 days ago
Through taxes. You pay (I forgot how many) percent of your salary/income. So, very legal. Church makes a buttload of moneyz and still asks for spare change in mass 😂
mcv@lemmy.zip 5 days ago
I’m afraid I still don’t quite get it. Do you pay less taxes now? Do members of this church pay more taxes?
It all sounds completely at odds with the concept of freedom of religion.