I have to disagree with you on part of this. There's a logical connection you've made that really doesn't hold (in my experience).
Yes, the Churches grant mortals the ability to speak for God. Yes, God tends to require that we give up earthly attachments for our benefit and the benefit of others (especially money). So, mortals are given the ability to say "God demands your money." I'm fine with you here.
BUT, the result is certainly not that the mortal gets more money. (Throughout my own experience. YMMV.) How do I know this? I help keep books at my church. I count the money in the collection plate, I see it registered in the budget, and I watch checks get written to the street shelters, support groups for abused women and children, soup kitchens, et cetera. Also, I can see my priest's car. She hasn't bought a new one lately. I've been to her house, it doesn't look like she's getting huge amounts of windfall from us. Her salary is modest, and her lifestyle humble. Very befitting of a servant of God.
This situation I have seen through my entire life, in various churches, all in the big, mainline denominations. Sure, corruption happens occasionally, but for the most part, it's an honest and charitable operation.
Now if that isn't a nitpick, I don't know what is!:)
Maybe I can back up a 1977 claim by bringing in audio cassettes, which were definitely in use with the earliest Apple II. (I've still got 2 tapes with BASIC programs on it for my Atari--need to get some more permament storage for those.)
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Yes, the Churches grant mortals the ability to speak for God. Yes, God tends to require that we give up earthly attachments for our benefit and the benefit of others (especially money). So, mortals are given the ability to say "God demands your money." I'm fine with you here.
BUT, the result is certainly not that the mortal gets more money. (Throughout my own experience. YMMV.) How do I know this? I help keep books at my church. I count the money in the collection plate, I see it registered in the budget, and I watch checks get written to the street shelters, support groups for abused women and children, soup kitchens, et cetera. Also, I can see my priest's car. She hasn't bought a new one lately. I've been to her house, it doesn't look like she's getting huge amounts of windfall from us. Her salary is modest, and her lifestyle humble. Very befitting of a servant of God.
This situation I have seen through my entire life, in various churches, all in the big, mainline denominations. Sure, corruption happens occasionally, but for the most part, it's an honest and charitable operation.
Now if that isn't a nitpick, I don't know what is! :)
Maybe I can back up a 1977 claim by bringing in audio cassettes, which were definitely in use with the earliest Apple II. (I've still got 2 tapes with BASIC programs on it for my Atari--need to get some more permament storage for those.)