GIVING TO GOD

CNA has an amusing story on the “Spirituality of Tithing” out of Apericida, with this lead:

In his homily during Mass at the 5th General Conference of the Latin American Bishops’ Council, Archbishop Ubaldo Santana of Maracaibo (Venezuela) said “the spirituality of thankfully giving back” that is, tithing, consists in giving back “that which belongs to God.”

It’s pretty clear from the rest of the story that the A’bishop was talking about cash donations to the Roman Catholic Church.

An overly literal Catholic might write a check made payable to “Jesus of Nazareth” and mail it in an envelope address to “Heaven.”

Of course, that not what Ubaldo was talking about. He really wants Catholics to make the checks payable to “The Catholic Church,” and mail them to some priest or other.

There is an obvious problem.

If (give to Jesus) = (give to RCC)
Then Jesus = RCC

And if Jesus = God
Then RCC = God

This is the problem with theocracies. God can’t rule directly, but only through human beings.

To refer to an organization run by human beings as a theocracy is obvious blasphemy.

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