To benefit or to contribute

sentipente said:

Millions go to church every week and with good reason. Attendance at church services have many benefits unique to each attendee. But, why do attendees go the extra step and join the church? Does not membership in an organization inclusion some concern as to the mission of the organization? Do church members take that into consideration? Should they?

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This is an area of personal struggle for me, but I am still helping fund the SDA church. I struggle because so much of the money is used to maintain the organization - not work in the world. I am mindful of all my other philanthropic efforts and do my best to choose wisely. Why would I hold my church to a lower standard?

At this point, I suspect my funds would be better used if none of them went in support of the organization. If Christianity - and specifically SDAism - doesn't start to behave better in the world, my checks will stop. I'm hoping we will wake up.

To your point, I don't know that I would ever join another religious organization. But I will join worthy efforts.

sentipente said:

Millions go to church every week and with good reason. Attendance at church services has many benefits unique to each attendee. But, why do attendees go the extra step and join the church? Does not membership in an organization inclusion some concern as to the mission of the organization? Do church members take that into consideration? Should they?

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Yes, it's worth looking at the mission of any organization you join, in part because the presumption is that you're aligned with the mission and would like to help.

I was 13 when I joined and I took the org mission as if it were Matt 28:18-20. I still see the value of discipleship.

Orgs aren't static though. An org's mission and its actions may not correlate. An org's mission on Day 1 and on Day 53,325 may not correlate either.

The alignment check should be ongoing; for me, when the org takes a service orientation I'm glad to be here. When it takes an insular orientation I feel very uncomfortable. Sometimes it both serves and self-protects and therefore I feel conflicted.

But I think "to benefit or to contribute" is a false dichotomy. It might be more helpful to consider the quality of benefit and the quality of contribution.