5 February 2017. Vox Pop on Tithing

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Editor:

I find the following “read n’ heed”… I’d only add that tithing has never been a part of Orthodox churchmanship and it’s been pernicious amongst us. There are priests who refuse the chalice to “non-tithers”. That’s putting a pricetag on the mysteries, and I can imagine nothing more demonic. It puts Christ up for sale. If that doesn’t offend you, then, I’ll say that you need to look at what you call “Christianity”… it just may well not be so Christian after all.

BMD

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I know the tithing scam isn’t Orthodox, that’s why I said, “Even the Americans who do tithe”. I didn’t want to single out the delusional by name [though I did hint at it]. What I’m trying to say is that most American generosity has motives that benefit the giver in a superficial way. I’m not sure about consumerism, materialism, selfishness, and greed in Canada… but they’re virtues here. You live near the liberal Northwest corner. They’re not as self-consumed, they’re more ideologically consumed, but philanthropic in many regards. Come to the Midwest or the South for a year or so. Even the smiles are fake and have an ulterior motive. The realest Americans are poor. The higher up the socioeconomic ladder you climb, the more boujee Americans are.

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RT Stepped in a Juicy Cowpat… Righties DON’T Give More to Charity… They Give Tons o’ Cash to Greasy Preachers and Tin Tabernacles… Get it Right

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Here’s a crank article from RT… let’s keep it simple. The right doesn’t give more to charity… it gives more to religious cranks, which is another thing altogether. In short, this entire article is rubbish, as it has a flawed and cracked foundation… it equates charity with religious giving, which just isn’t so. Shame on you, RT… who put you up to writing this POS post? Righties do NOT help others… they put their money into their tin tabernacles… where the “preachers” live high off the proceeds. In short, it’s “anti-charity” of the foulest description. For instance, some sources listed Willy Romney’s forced “tithes” to the Moron Church as “charity”. That isn’t charitable giving… that’s a tax levied by a religious organisation… do note that the Church doesn’t do that… but “Evangelicals” do! That is, religious giving isn’t charitable in the least, and we shouldn’t treat it as such.

This time, RT struck out… and struck out badly.

BMD

NO TIP FOR YOU! I ALREADY GAVE THE MONEY TO GOD! Tips aren’t Optional… They’re How Waiters are Paid in America

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Editor’s Note:

Read this through to the end. It’s why I oppose tithing, and why I detest the mindset that it creates. In any case, “tithing” is a quirky Evangelical notion; why should we pick up such arrant nonsense? The Church NEVER put a price on the Mysteries… that’s called simony, kids, and it sets up a nasty, self-righteous, and smug attitude in those who practise it. Truly, if the parish needs money, bingo is better spiritually, unbelievably (you see, it’s corporate and requires cooperative effort, it’s not something individual and pridefully personal). Anyone who advocates tithing wants to bring all sorts of Proddie nonsense into the Church that we don’t need. Tithing is insidious and corrosive… think on that.

OPPOSE “TITHING” WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT. God demands it of you…

BMD

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I was a waitress at Applebee’s restaurant in St Louis MO. They fired me on Wednesday for posting a picture on Reddit.com of a note a customer left on a bill. I posted it on the web as a light-hearted joke. This didn’t even happen at my table. The note was for another server, who allowed me to take a picture of it at the end of the night. Someone scribbled on the receipt, “I give God 10 percent. Why do you get 18?” I assumed the customer’s signature was illegible, but I quickly started receiving messages containing Facebook profile links and websites, asking me to confirm the customer’s identity. I refused to confirm any of them, and all were incorrect. I worked with the Reddit moderators to remove any personal information. I wanted to protect both my fellow server and the customer. I had no intention of starting a witch-hunt or hurting anyone. Now, they’ve fired me.

The person who wrote the note came across an article about it, called the Applebee’s location, and demanded that they fire everyone… me, the server who allowed me to take the picture, the manager on duty at the time, the manager not on duty at the time, everyone. It seems that they fired me not because I misrepresented Applebee’s, not because I did anything illegal or against company policy, but because I embarrassed this person. In light of the situation, I’d like to say something for wait staff everywhere… we make 3.50 USD (115 Roubles. 3.75 CAD. 3.85 AUD. 2.50 Euros. 2.15 UK Pounds) an hour. Most of my pay-cheques are less than pocket change because I have to pay taxes on the tips I make.

After sharing my tips with hosts, bussers, and bartenders, I make less than 9 USD (295 Roubles. 9.60 CAD. 9.90 AUD. 6.50 Euros. 5.50 UK Pounds) an hour on average, before taxes. They expect me to skip bathroom breaks if we’re busy. I go hungry all day if I have several busy tables to work. They expect me to work until 01.30, then, I have to come in again at 10:30 to open the restaurant. I’ve worked 12-hour double shifts without a chance to even sit down. They expect me to portray a canned personality that they found is the least offensive to the greatest amount of people. They expect me to do all of this, every day, and receive change, or even nothing, in return. After all that, they can fire me for “embarrassing” someone who directly insulted their server on religious grounds.

In this economy, 3.50 USD an hour doesn’t cut it. I can’t pay half my bills. Like many, I’d love to see a reasonable non-tip-dependent wage system for service workers as they have in other countries. However, having a flawed system isn’t an excuse for not paying for services rendered. I need tips to pay my bills. All waiters do. We spend an hour or more of our time befriending you, making you laugh, getting to know you, and making your dining experience the best it can be. We work hard. We care. We deserve compensation for that. I’m trying to stand up for all of us who work for just a few dollars an hour at places like Applebee’s. Whether it’s a chain steakhouse or a black-tie establishment, tipping isn’t optional. It’s how we earn our living.

I posted a picture to make people laugh, but now I want to make a serious point. Things like this happen to servers all the time. People seem to think that the easiest way to save money on a night out is to skip the tip. I can’t understand why they fired me over this. I was well liked and respected at Applebee’s. My sales were high, my managers had no problems with me, and I was even hoping to move up to management soon. When I posted this, I didn’t represent Applebee’s in a bad light. In fact, I didn’t represent them at all. I did my best to protect all parties involved. I didn’t break any specific guidelines in the company handbook… I checked. However, because this person got embarrassed that their selfishness became public, Applebee’s made it clear that they’d rather lose a dedicated employee than an angry customer. I can’t understand that policy.

I’m equally baffled about how a religious tithe is in any way related to paying for services at a restaurant. I can understand why someone could be upset with an automatic gratuity. However, it’s a plainly stated Applebee’s policy that they add tips automatically for parties over eight, like the one this customer was part of. I can’t control that kind of tip; the computer that processes the orders does it. People have stiffed me on tips before, but this is the first time I’ve seen the “Big Man” used as reasoning. Obviously, the person who wrote this note wanted it seen by someone. It’s strange that now that the audience is wider than just the server, the person’s ashamed.

I have no agenda here. I seek no revenge against the note writer. I have no interest in exposing their identity, and, at this point, I’m not even sure that I want my job back. I was just trying to make a joke, but I came home unemployed. I’ve waited tables to save up some money so I could finally go to college, so I could get an education that would qualify me for a job that doesn’t force me to sell my personality for pocket change. This story garnered immense media attention, but my story isn’t uncommon. Bad tips and harsh notes are all part of the job. They fire people to keep customers happy every day. As this story has gotten popular, I’ve received inquiries about where people can send money to support me. As a broke kid trying to get into college, it’s certainly appealing, but I’d really rather you make a difference to your next server. I’d rather you keep that money and that generosity for the next time you eat out.

1 February 2013

Chelsea Welch

The Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/feb/01/fired-applebees-waitress-needs-tips

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When Pastor Alois Bell wrote a rude note along with a zero tip on her receipt at Applebee’s, she didn’t know her callousness would become a viral sensation. Her first response was to get the waitress who posted the receipt (and if possible, everyone she works with) fired. After that, she tried apologising… sort of. Neither response won the St Louis minister any fans.

3 February 2013

Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/03/i-give-god-0-applebees-receipt_n_2610924.html

20 August 2012. The Monomuckos Crowd Goes Off the Deep End Again (As Per Usual)

 

Here’s a good illustration of the level of posts on Monomakhos. Don’t be coy… fight ’em! 

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Yet again, the toddlers at Monomuckos prove that they’re not Orthodox, not in the slightest degree. If you wish to read the complete rant, click here (I don’t think that it’s worth your time, but I’ve got to document my point). I’m only going to focus on one aspect of this twaddle, for it proves that the konvertsy never converted in their heart-of-hearts, and that they remain anti-Christian Sectarians in all but name.

Note this:

For this reason, I feel it’s necessary to release this information to the general Orthodox public immediately, particularly, to tithing members of the Orthodox Church in America (my emphasis).

Let’s get one thing straight… there’s no such thing as a “tithing member” in Orthodoxy… no way, no how. The tithe was an aspect of the Old Law done away with by Our Lord Christ. It resurfaced amongst the Radical Reformation, and really took root in the so-called Second Great Awakening, which saw the genesis of some of the most feral of the Radical American Sects (Southern Baptists, Holiness movement, Mormons, Millerites, to name but a few). That’s to say, it isn’t “of the Church”. In fact, it’s heretical.

Let me explain. “Tithing” sets up a “two-tier” level of membership in the Church. Firstly, there are “full” members, the tithers. Then, there’s a second, lower, level of non-tithers. The Church doesn’t teach that; it never did, it never shall. Our Lord Christ never taught the tithe, indeed, he attacked pettifogging legalism and juridical attitudes with all of his powers. The Church has NEVER taught the tithe as part of the Deposit of Faith, its unknown in Church history. The Church has ONE level of membership for all… that’s why the tithe’s heretical, and that’s why it’s absolutely dangerous and corrosive to True Christian faith.

For us as individuals, tithing is even worse than on the corporate level. It sets up prelest of the most disgusting sort… it gives that warm feeling of self-satisfaction that’s the harbinger of the death of any genuine spirituality. Let’s not be coy. The Church and its Mysteries are NOT for sale. There’s NO set amount for what you give of your worldly goods for God’s work on earth. NONE. NADA. НИЧЕГО.  Many moons ago, I must admit that I was deceived by the tithing heresy, too. It seemed so “logical”, so “fair”… but I was lucky. A monastic took the time to explain the true situation, and I’m grateful for that. When you look at it carefully, it’s one of the most horrid fabrications out there, on a level with imiaslavie (a heresy championed by Paffhausen and the Manton conventicle… JP picked it up from his scabrous guru Podmoshensky).

Be careful! Many things are NOT what they appear at first glance. There are many potholes in the road, and many look innocuous, as they’re covered over with realistic-looking camouflage (that’s to bait the trap for the unwary). There be steamin’ cowpats amongst the flowers, kids… do have a care, or, you’ll have an odoriferous ol’ time cleaning off your boots…

Barbara-Marie Drezhlo

Monday 20 August 2012

Albany NY