Can Christians offer a money-back guarantee?

[unknown soldier]

We've all heard the sales pitch in which a business offers a money-back guarantee to all unsatisfied buyers. The business will tell consumers that they're so confident that purchasers will be pleased with the product, that the business can offer that kind of guarantee. The logic is that if a seller is sure that the seller's product is worth the purchase price, then the buyers will be pleased with that product and will not ask for their money back.

I agree with that logic. If people are confident that what they have to offer will please those who accept the offer, then there is no need to fear that anything exchanged for the offer will be demanded back. They can readily guarantee satisfaction accepting the risk of loss.

Why, then, do Christians not offer a money-back guarantee to any disgruntled person who tithed and donated money to a Christian group or church? It seems reasonable to me that if Christians truly believe that their religion is actually founded on a perfect God, then they would be completely confident that all comers would be pleased.

Maybe the clergy wants to cover itself just in case.

[koko]

Great job, Koko! Many Christians like 1213 deny that their religion offers rewards and in particular they deny it offers rewards for generosity. You've proved that those denials are false. I can use your post as a source of Bible passages proving that if God exists, then he has blessings for sale.

Indeed, everyone has the right to believe what they choose to believe. Most professing Christians choose to go by Christian teaching. I choose to believe what the Bible teaches. It must always be remembered that Christian and biblical teaching are 2 very different things. Whenever anyone has a discussion or debate on any issue related to Christianity it is always important, indeed, imperative to set aside all Christian teaching and to go by biblical teaching. This way you cannot be wrong.

While Christians may not offer a money back guarantee, there is no question that the Bible does offer one in many books and verses. The fact that these churches do not give what is promised in their Bible proves that none of them have possession of the Holy Spirit and none are heirs to the church of god that was illustrated in the New Testament. If anyone reading this claims their church is the modern day equivalent of that church then let them come forward now and prove to the world that it is by performing healings, miracles, raising of the dead, feeding masses of people with one basket of food, calming stormy seas, altering other forms of weather in order to avert disasters, turning water into wine, taking vermin and pestilence and forcing these irritants to jump into gigantic fiery vats so as to dispense with the troubles they cause, and other miracles of the types shown in the New Testament. And, just to go fully with the Bible's teaching, I ask for this in the name of Jesus of Christ for the glorification of that same god --- this precisely as instructed in the Bible.

I await the answer and proofs by any such claimant.

[unknown soldier]

...
Now, when I was a Christian I tithed and made donations to faith healers. I have estimated my loss to amount to about $900.

And apparently your purpose was to buy salvation, or gifts from God and when you didn’t get what you want, you want money back?

I'm not sure what's so wrong about buying gifts from God when the Bible clearly spells out that God has those gifts for sale. He's the great "Christian gift shop in the sky." And if you choose to deny it, then just check out koko's post #15.

Read 'em and weep, 1213!

But of course, there is no God much less a God who needs to beg for money. Jews and Christians created their gods and then stuffed those words into the mouths of those "papyrus gods" making money in the process.

A real God has no need for money, but people who create Gods sure do want money.

And yes, I want my money back. You seem to think my wanting my money back is wrong, yet you seem to have no problem with the scammers who ripped me off. Is that an example of that Christian righteousness you keep talking about?

[1213]

I'm not sure what's so wrong about buying gifts from God when the Bible clearly spells out that God has those gifts for sale. He's the great "Christian gift shop in the sky." And if you choose to deny it, then just check out koko's post #15.

I think you have been quite stupid, if you tried to buy gifts from God, because:
1. You didn’t give the money to God, but to some people.
2. God has not promised gifts if you pay money. Also, if you pay, it is not a gift, it is purchase.
3. Can we be sure that you didn’t get what you were trying to get?

But of course, there is no God much less a God who needs to beg for money….

The problem with that is, you can’t prove your claim.

…And yes, I want my money back. You seem to think my wanting my money back is wrong, yet you seem to have no problem with the scammers who ripped me off. Is that an example of that Christian righteousness you keep talking about?

No, I think you should get you money back. But maybe you should ask it from those people who took it, not from God, because obviously you didn’t give it to God. And in future, perhaps you should read more carefully about the matter, before giving your money.

I also think all people should know about this early Christian writing:

“If he asks for money, he is a false prophet.”
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/t ... berts.html

And if person would like to serve God, best way to do it is by doing this:

Pure religion [religious worship] and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
James 1:27

[unknown soldier]

I think you have been quite stupid, if you tried to buy gifts from God, because:
1. You didn’t give the money to God, but to some people.

I wouldn't say I was stupid. Like many people I was desperate. When people are desperate they will often do what they would not normally do.

And I didn't literally try to buy gifts from God; he wasn't around, so I had to rely on those who claimed to speak for him. Those people included the Bible writers.

You never gave money to people who said they represented God? If not, then you are a very unusual Christian.

God has not promised gifts if you pay money.

I already explained to you that the Bible clearly promises goodies in exchange for dough.

Also, if you pay, it is not a gift, it is purchase.

If God existed, and I thought I could trust him, then I'd gladly pay for his wonders. Why not?

Can we be sure that you didn’t get what you were trying to get?

LOL--I suppose not. How could you be sure what a person you never knew and know nothing about is telling the truth? Such skepticism seems absent when you read the Bible (assuming you've ever read the Bible).

The problem with that is, you can’t prove your claim.

I see you are skeptical about unproved claims at least in select circumstances.

No, I think you should get you money back. But maybe you should ask it from those people who took it, not from God, because obviously you didn’t give it to God.

When did I ever say I want my money back from God? There is no God to return my money.

And in future, perhaps you should read more carefully about the matter, before giving your money.

I've taken that advice. Now, you've read what I have told you about the matter. If you tithe, then you'e getting ripped off just like I was ripped off.

I also think all people should know about this early Christian writing:

“If he asks for money, he is a false prophet.”

All churches ask for money. They are then false prophets. Which false prophet do you attend?

[tam]

Peace to you all!

Perhaps some who claim that you can buy gifts from God with money have overlooked this verse:

Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! Acts 8:20


**

I digress...

Giving money to a religion does not mean that you are giving money to God. What in the world would God need with your money?

If you want to give to those in need, then do so, of course. Christ even says to give to the one in need, and this is from love (for Him, for God, for one's fellow man). Love is the outstanding debt that we owe one another. Christ did not say "give your money to me"; nor did He teach His disciples to say this either. In fact He said, "what you have received for FREE, give for FREE" (Matt 10:8).

If we received for free, we obviously did not buy it. And what we received for free, we are to give for free.


Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[koko]

Peace to you all!

Perhaps some who claim that you can buy gifts from God with money have overlooked this verse:

Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! Acts 8:20

This is a reference to purchasing the healing power of the Holy Spirit. It is freely given and, thus, not buyable.

[unknown soldier]

Peace to you all!

Perhaps some who claim that you can buy gifts from God with money have overlooked this verse:

Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! Acts 8:20

Actually, I was never told I can buy gifts from God. I was told that if I'm generous, then God would grant me what I needed. This principle Oral Roberts called "seed faith" and he based it on Bible passages like Malachi 3:9-10, Matthew 6:33, Galatians 6:7 and Luke 6:38. Many of the Bible writers clearly wanted to entice followers that way.

By the way, I always thought that Acts 8:20 is a very strange passage. Why would God become angry with somebody for thinking he could buy something from God? At worst, Simon the magician was perhaps naive.

Giving money to a religion does not mean that you are giving money to God. What in the world would God need with your money?

If God existed, then he wouldn't need money, of course. However, people want money, and some of the more unscrupulous of us find the idea of a God to be very useful in acquiring easy money.

I wonder, then, why anybody would make up a God and then insist so strongly that he exists.

If you want to give to those in need, then do so, of course. Christ even says to give to the one in need, and this is from love (for Him, for God, for one's fellow man).

Why do you need Christ to tell you to give to those in need? Would you not bother to give if Christ didn't say so?

Christ did not say "give your money to me"; nor did He teach His disciples to say this either. In fact He said, "what you have received for FREE, give for FREE" (Matt 10:8).

I'm not so sure. John 12:5-7 tells us that Jesus and his disciples kept a common purse. The money in that purse was probably from donations that were solicited.

If we received for free, we obviously did not buy it. And what we received for free, we are to give for free.

If you received something for free, then you may not be able to give away. In any case, what do you give away?

[otseng]

I think you have been quite stupid...

Moderator Comment

A more civil phrasing would've been more appropriate here.

Please review the Rules.


______________

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[EarthScienceguy]

The unknown soldier wrote:

"It seems reasonable to me that if Christians truly believe that their religion is actually founded on a perfect God, then they would be completely confident that all comers would be pleased."

This statement reveals a misunderstanding of Christianity.

Gal 1:10 "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." The man that is being spoken of here is not just other men but also Paul is speaking personally about himself.

Romans 8:13 "For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."

For Christians to live for what brings the body pleasure is death, Christians live to do what brings God pleasure. That is why Paul calls himself a slave of Christ. He lived to bring pleasure and glory to Christ.

So to say that Christ is to bring us pleasure outside of what Christianity believes.

[1213]

…You never gave money to people who said they represented God? If not, then you are a very unusual Christian…

I don’t give money to get gifts from God. If I give money, I give it freely, because I think it is good and I want to do so for example to help others. And I can give money for church for example to the work they do. If they do the job as I think they should, I have no need to ask money back. And probably even if they would not do so, I wouldn’t ask it, but I could stop giving money, if it seems it doesn’t go to good purpose.

…I already explained to you that the Bible clearly promises goodies in exchange for dough...

Maybe you told it already, but please show the scripture you are speaking of?