Are you catholic?

[Rollo Tamasi]

I always wondered about things.
When I was young, the catholic church gave me an envelope with numbers on it that identified me.
I didn't know that at 9 years old.
So when my mother gave me a dime to put in the envelope, I use to take the dime out and give an empty envelope.
How would they know I figured.
Then I would go spend the dime on penny candy and be happy.
We were poor and I rarely got money for penny candy.
Well one day the church called my house and told my mother I was giving empty envelopes.
Boy, did I get in trouble.
I was shocked that I had my own number.
I was offended.
Who were they to number me?
I guess I was always independent, growing up in the city projects and surviving on a daily basis.
Well, after getting blasted by my parents, I decided "well, they never go to church, so who are they to tell me what to do with my dime".
And I deduced that since the catholic church was jam packed for 3 services every Sunday morning, that they didn't need my dime.
I needed it more than them.
Now when you think about it, giving a dime to the catholic when I did, I gave rebelliously.
But when I kept it and spent it on penny candy, I was happy and thank you.
And people tried to tell me I was sinning.
But I kept doing it.
Until my mother no longer gave me a dime.
I forget what happened after that.
I still had to go to church but I forget about the envelopes.
I doubt I gave in to my mother, I was far too rebellious.

But I guess my problem is, who are these church people that they felt they had a right to number a 9 year old boy and keep- track on my giving?
Why if I was a few years older I probably would have punched them out.

 

[mjrhealth]

2Sa 24:10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

2Sa 24:10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

Yeah, we can go punching out these people together.

 

[mjrhealth]

Yeah, we can go punching out these people together.

Supposed to resist teh devil not fight him, that Gods job keeping him in His place, besides it s to tiring.

 

[GodsGrace]

They had to keep the people numbered so if someone's kid wanted to go to catholic school, they'd know how much was donated and they actually accepted the kids whose parents gave more.

This is because there was so much demand to send kids to Catholic school. I know this for sure because my mom wanted to send me but they wouldn't accept me for this reason. She was very hurt and didn't participate much after that.

OTOH, a friend was smarter than my mom. They gave the right amount of money every Sunday. The father would show up at collection time, put the envelope in the basket and then turn right around and go back home.

Great system.

 

[Butterfly]

They had to keep the people numbered so if someone's kid wanted to go to catholic school, they'd know how much was donated and they actually accepted the kids whose parents gave more.

This is because there was so much demand to send kids to Catholic school. I know this for sure because my mom wanted to send me but they wouldn't accept me for this reason. She was very hurt and didn't participate much after that.

OTOH, a friend was smarter than my mom. They gave the right amount of money every Sunday. The father would show up at collection time, put the envelope in the basket and then turn right around and go back home.

Great system.

What an awful way to allocate the places avaliable -

 

[Stranger]

I always wondered about things.
When I was young, the catholic church gave me an envelope with numbers on it that identified me.
I didn't know that at 9 years old.
So when my mother gave me a dime to put in the envelope, I use to take the dime out and give an empty envelope.
How would they know I figured.
Then I would go spend the dime on penny candy and be happy.
We were poor and I rarely got money for penny candy.
Well one day the church called my house and told my mother I was giving empty envelopes.
Boy, did I get in trouble.
I was shocked that I had my own number.
I was offended.
Who were they to number me?
I guess I was always independent, growing up in the city projects and surviving on a daily basis.
Well, after getting blasted by my parents, I decided "well, they never go to church, so who are they to tell me what to do with my dime".
And I deduced that since the catholic church was jam packed for 3 services every Sunday morning, that they didn't need my dime.
I needed it more than them.
Now when you think about it, giving a dime to the catholic when I did, I gave rebelliously.
But when I kept it and spent it on penny candy, I was happy and thank you.
And people tried to tell me I was sinning.
But I kept doing it.
Until my mother no longer gave me a dime.
I forget what happened after that.
I still had to go to church but I forget about the envelopes.
I doubt I gave in to my mother, I was far too rebellious.

But I guess my problem is, who are these church people that they felt they had a right to number a 9 year old boy and keep- track on my giving?
Why if I was a few years older I probably would have punched them out.

Sounds to me like you are the problem. You were stealing a dime. Your mother was trying to teach you to give and instead you stole it. Then you're upset cause you get caught stealing.

Stranger

 

[aspen]

I always wondered about things.
When I was young, the catholic church gave me an envelope with numbers on it that identified me.
I didn't know that at 9 years old.
So when my mother gave me a dime to put in the envelope, I use to take the dime out and give an empty envelope.
How would they know I figured.
Then I would go spend the dime on penny candy and be happy.
We were poor and I rarely got money for penny candy.
Well one day the church called my house and told my mother I was giving empty envelopes.
Boy, did I get in trouble.
I was shocked that I had my own number.
I was offended.
Who were they to number me?
I guess I was always independent, growing up in the city projects and surviving on a daily basis.
Well, after getting blasted by my parents, I decided "well, they never go to church, so who are they to tell me what to do with my dime".
And I deduced that since the catholic church was jam packed for 3 services every Sunday morning, that they didn't need my dime.
I needed it more than them.
Now when you think about it, giving a dime to the catholic when I did, I gave rebelliously.
But when I kept it and spent it on penny candy, I was happy and thank you.
And people tried to tell me I was sinning.
But I kept doing it.
Until my mother no longer gave me a dime.
I forget what happened after that.
I still had to go to church but I forget about the envelopes.
I doubt I gave in to my mother, I was far too rebellious.

But I guess my problem is, who are these church people that they felt they had a right to number a 9 year old boy and keep- track on my giving?
Why if I was a few years older I probably would have punched them out.

Yeah! Who were these people - trying to teach a 9 year old boy honesty and responsibility! Just because you decided to steal from your mom and lie about it, dont blame the catholic church for holding you responsible

In fact, i hope your current church would do the same

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Supposed to resist teh devil not fight him, that Gods job keeping him in His place, besides it s to tiring.

Yeah, but I just thought it would give us something to do

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Sounds to me like you are the problem. You were stealing a dime. Your mother was trying to teach you to give and instead you stole it. Then you're upset cause you get caught stealing.

Stranger

A nine year old boy was the problem.
I suppose you would have thrown me into reform school.
Wouldn't have mattered, half my neighborhood was in there anyway.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Yeah! Who were this people - trying to teach a 9 year old boy honesty and responsibility! Just because you decided to steal from your mom and lie about it, dont blame the catholic church for holding you responsible

In fact, i hope your current church would do the same

Oh, so you too want to chastise a 9 year old boy.
Where is your son today, living in the opposite side of the country?

 

[Stranger]

A nine year old boy was the problem.
I suppose you would have thrown me into reform school.
Wouldn't have mattered, half my neighborhood was in there anyway.

That age and younger is when you teach your children things like 'don't steal'.

Stranger

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

That age and younger is when you teach your children things like 'don't steal'.

Stranger

Fine, tell that to my alcoholic father who's only interest in me was beating me when he was drunk, which was everyday.

 

[Stranger]

Fine, tell that to my alcoholic father who's only interest in me was beating me when he was drunk, which was everyday.

Why should I tell I tell him. You want to attribute that to you stealing. Everyone has a story. Your mother was trying to teach you right. You can probably come up with a hundred reasons making it sound 'right' to go ahead and steal. But it wasnt'. And she was doing right in trying to teach you and the Church was doing right in reporting you.

Stranger

 

[GodsGrace]

Why should I tell I tell him. You want to attribute that to you stealing. Everyone has a story. Your mother was trying to teach you right. You can probably come up with a hundred reasons making it sound 'right' to go ahead and steal. But it wasnt'. And she was doing right in trying to teach you and the Church was doing right in reporting you.

Stranger

The church didn't "report" him.
The church was concerned that the envelope was empty and there was no money inside it.

As to the teaching, kids should be taught BEFORE they steal. It's kind of late when they do steal -- but I agree that it's better late than never.
THEN it also matters HOW one is taught.

I think it says a lot that a 9 year old was willing to go to church without the parents. Have you ever heard of something like this? Doesn't sound like they set a good example and kids learn from example and feeling loved.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Why should I tell I tell him. You want to attribute that to you stealing. Everyone has a story. Your mother was trying to teach you right. You can probably come up with a hundred reasons making it sound 'right' to go ahead and steal. But it wasnt'. And she was doing right in trying to teach you and the Church was doing right in reporting you.

Stranger

And I did exactly what an abused child would do with no one to help him.
I rebelled.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Why should I tell I tell him. You want to attribute that to you stealing. Everyone has a story. Your mother was trying to teach you right. You can probably come up with a hundred reasons making it sound 'right' to go ahead and steal. But it wasnt'. And she was doing right in trying to teach you and the Church was doing right in reporting you.

Stranger

You know, you can point fingers and tell a child what's right and wrong and chastise him for choosing wrong, but it's another thing to reach out and try to help that child.
Which one do you think is the Christian thing to do?

 

[aspen]

And I did exactly what an abused child would do with no one to help him.
I rebelled.

You are the person blaming the church......no one blaming you, we are just naming behavior. Blaming your childhood is also shifting blame

 

[GodsGrace]

You are the person blaming the church......no one blaming you, we are just naming behavior. Blaming your childhood is also shifting blame

You really think this?
A person's childhood affects his entire life.
I don't believe one can get totally over a bad childhood, maybe just learn to accept it with God's help.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

You are the person blaming the church......no one blaming you, we are just naming behavior. Blaming your childhood is also shifting blame

And you have just evaded your responsibility to humankind