Aneurysm Posting

"It's free will" /s

same energy as

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread.

I think your interpretation is really just the consolidation of all the various different groups' flaws. I am an atheist but was raised Episcopalian. If Jesus died for your sins, you aren't going to hell for not believing in him, but you should thank him for the sacrifice. Really, the whole thing was to purge you of "original sin."

Obviously, it's all made up, and they are just solutions to problems they created in the first place, but its inaccurate to phrase it as "believe in me or burn in hell." For many Christians anyways.

Also, the only time I've ever heard of tithing being mandatory was in the Mormon faith as my uncle told me he would basically get a bill. I have to imagine the prosperity churches also are more direct in their tithing demands. Again, though, most churches are major providers of services in under-served areas of the world, including 1st world countries, and don't demand donations from the poor.

As for the LGBTQ relations, it's again a mixed bag. In 2003, Episcopalians elected the first openly gay bishop, which caused a big rift in their church. I personally had a lesbian pastor while I still attended, so it wasn't just a symbolic appointment but also represented the real church as it existed in the world.

Episcopalians aren't the only Protestants with these beliefs, just the group I'm most familiar with. Now, since Catholics make up 23% of Christians in the US, they are the largest single religion, followed by Baptists at 18%. These two groups have a bad track record, but I'd say the Catholic church is rapidly improving when taking into account how monolithic an organization it is.

I dunno I just think it's unfair to paint these guys all with the same brush and that it alienates potential future allies by making them dig their heels in when attacked.

1. That doesn't really hold because people don't choose to be Christian because of their fear of Hell (or at least most don't.) They choose to be Christian because they're raised in it and/or they see something that they want to be a part of. The threat of Hell mostly serves as a "why you should tell others" more than a "why you should stick with it."
2. The Bible says not to give reluctantly or in response to pressure. Shame on any churches who demand money from the impoverished.
3. Is the Nigerian royal family to blame for all the money stolen by its princes? Hatred is not of the Bible, which should be obvious to anyone who has more than a passing familiarity.
4. I was talking about Jesus, not the collective actions of everyone who claims to be a Christian.
5. It is terrible that people misuse the Bible in such a way, yeah. But if you throw the Bible away, you're more likely to stop the actual charity work done by legit churches. The judgmental haters who use the Bible as an excuse for their evil acts are still going to be judgmental haters perpetrating evil acts.