Florida church sends $1,000 collection notice to single mother because she didn’t tithe

Florida church sent a delinquency notice to a new member reminding her that worshipers were expected to pay $1,000 in required fees or face possible removal.

Candace Petterson said she started attending the Greater Mount Moriah Primitive Baptist Church about six months ago after moving to a new home in the Tampa area, but she received a troubling letter last week from the church, reported WFTS-TV.

The single mother said she received what amounted to a delinquency notice from her new church asking her to contribute $50 a month, along with other assorted fees, to remain a member in good standing and vote on church matters.

The predominantly black church, which has operated for more than a century, asked her to pay a yearly $250 anniversary fee and another $150 for Mount Moriah Day – amounting to $1,000, some of which would be set aside to pay off church debt.

“What church charges you to help pay off what they’re going through?” Petterson said. “I’m not there for that.”

The letter, from assistant administrator Ladreda Spencer and Pastor B.R. Fulton Jr., also reminded Petterson that children – including her 11-year-old daughter – were expected to pay $5 a month to the church in addition to two annual $15 fees.

The letter notified Petterson, who said she had been unaware of the required contributions, that members fell into delinquency if they failed to make payments for three months or more, reported the Christian Post.

“In order to not be removed from the church roll, your attention to this matter [is] greatly appreciated,” the letter warned, but offered to grant her a 90-day “hardship” exemption.
www.rawstory.com...

Mods sorry in advance, if this thread is in the wrong forum.
What is wrong with religious leaders and institutions especially African American religious leaders, if I had the power and thank Gaawd I don't I would phase out religious institutions or tax them heavily they have served their purpose, they gave us great art and music they were there in times of need and served as a meeting place for information and comfort that said, it's high time to phase out the rot is in and cannot be undone.

a reply to: Spider879

Godless heathen bastards!

What sort of Christian charges for access to ministry? The hell with it. Worship in your own homes, in your own time, with those who do not believe that faith is something to be billed for. Disgusting. Outrageous, and disgusting.

a reply to: Spider879

Considering God does not actually need money, only people do this is disgusting behaviour

Praise the Lord!!!!!
Pass the collection plate............

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Spider879

Godless heathen bastards!

What sort of Christian charges for access to ministry? The hell with it. Worship in your own homes, in your own time, with those who do not believe that faith is something to be billed for. Disgusting. Outrageous, and disgusting.

Just about every religious institution that ever was including so called pagans asked for a God tax, Truebrit I agree with you find God with in not in some ornate house dripping with wealth.

originally posted by: Spider879

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Spider879

Godless heathen bastards!

What sort of Christian charges for access to ministry? The hell with it. Worship in your own homes, in your own time, with those who do not believe that faith is something to be billed for. Disgusting. Outrageous, and disgusting.

Just about every religious institution that ever was including so called pagans asked for a God tax, Truebrit I agree with you find God with in not in some ornate house dripping with wealth.

I see nothing wrong with acception donations but I have a real problem with the 'God tax' you speak of - it's just wrong to force people to pay for salvation.

This is spiritual prostitution.

Good, now maybe this woman and her children can see the "church" for what it really is.

I would call that a learning experience.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Spider879

Godless heathen bastards!

What sort of Christian charges for access to ministry? The hell with it. Worship in your own homes, in your own time, with those who do not believe that faith is something to be billed for. Disgusting. Outrageous, and disgusting.

G,day mate
Well said
and may i add
i hope their chooks turn into emu's
and kick their dunny's in
pack of bloody philistines

a reply to: AdmireTheDistance

I would think contacting the irs to look into their tax exempt status would get more results, but I wouldn't know honestly, I'm not religious either.

originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: AdmireTheDistance

I would think contacting the irs to look into their tax exempt status would get more results, but I wouldn't know honestly, I'm not religious either.

Judging by some of the comments on that Facebook page, I think some people have contacted the IRS. I wonder how long these clowns have been running this racket?

Next thing you know there will be bouncers greeting Sunday worshipers demanding coin before they give you a stamp and let you in.

Catholic priests used to charge a pretty penny for indulgences too.

If you want to see what a real church is like go to one in in places like Ghana, or some other god forsaken 3rd world country wherechurch is not all adorned in riches but fairly basic, sometimes a hut or mud structure - just a place where folks can congregate and hang......and the people, the people - they are fiery, charismatic, loving and poor.............no $1000 entry fee required.

I stopped going to church in the 80's when mega churches began, and grab it and claim it propaganda started. Obviously, money took the place of Jesus. From then on, I left bibles out for the family to choose to read during reading time. Mostly, they would ask me questions then ask me to show them in the bible. I was baptized in a country church out in the woods in Mississippi. I never heard the word dem or rep, or even the word vote. The member board boasted 79 members, counting children. Some of my best memories. I miss fellowship like that.

What's the IRS gonna do?

This is just another organization that requires its members to pay dues. You don't join an organization and expect to not have to contribute, do you?

Or are you guys going into conniption fits over this simply because it's a Christian church?

If it was the f# Kiwanis Club you wouldn't care.

It's for the "building fund."

I suggest everybody watch Bernie Mac's "building fund" stand up routine from years ago. It's both hysterical and, from what I can recall, pretty spot on.

ETA - I think it was Steve Harvey actually. Whatever. Original Kings of Comedy was the movie.

originally posted by: NthOther
What's the IRS gonna do?

Revoke their tax-exempt status, for one...

originally posted by: NthOther
This is just another organization that requires its members to pay dues. You don't join an organization and expect to not have to contribute, do you?

If I join an organisation which charges a membership fee, I expect them to say so when i join.
Apparently these people did not.
I'm a Christian myself, so I don't have an anti-Christian bias.

a reply to: NthOther

Audit them. That sounds like it would be a whole lot of unpaid taxes.

originally posted by: AdmireTheDistance

originally posted by: NthOther
What's the IRS gonna do?

Revoke their tax-exempt status, for one...

Nothing for a variety of reasons in this case. For one, they will find some loop hole. Second is, the pastor and devoted members will start yelling racism and that they are being targeted, then Al Sharpen will get involved and all hell will break loose. Next the New Black Panthers will put bounties on the IRS agent's head because you know he/she will be white and then Obama in his un-greatness wisdom whom is a Muslim and not a Baptist will give some asinine speech about how the church is right in their ways and shouldn't be bothered. But of course, if it was a white pastor with a majority of white members, they would be paying a tons of fines, and never hit the news or the attention of the president. Nor will they riot in the streets and burn down their town.

The society we live in sucks and we all just have to deal with it.

originally posted by: Vector99

Audit them.

For what? Because they're jerks?

Let's audit the labor unions then, too. Many (if not most) are tax-exempt, they charge their members dues, and they're jerks.

Same criteria met. Is it ok if we give them the shaft too?

Or just the Christians?