General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: When and how did you figure out that American Conservatism was a scam? [View all]joshcryer
(62,270 posts)When the preacher bought pizza for his kids and a few other of the deacons kids and they took money from the offering plate* to do it. We went to that church for an entire year before we were "well known" enough to be able to participate in these after church activities.
Told my dad about it and he wasn't surprised, and he sat down with me and told me that two ways to become rich were to become a preacher or a politician. He wasn't wrong.
What struck with me was the ongoing interaction with those kids. See, we were very poor, but we were home-schooled, well dressed, well kept with our hair, and very well mannered, so we presented ourselves almost as intellectuals because we could speak clearly, if a bit shy, we could convey thoughts well enough. My dad effectively hid the fact that we were on foodstamps, he was on SSI, etc. He was "retired." My mom was our teacher.
They treated us so well but they talked down about poor people, about people who needed help, etc. Because people would come to the church and ask for assistance. My dad, poor as can be, would get calls from the preacher to help certain people out. We would gladly provide labor, or assistance that wasn't monetary, like an old lady on disability needed her garage cleaned out and he sent us all down there and we cleaned it for her.
But my dads car blew up and he was pretty sick his later life and when he went to the church to ask for assistance to get a new car they effectively shunned him. Everyone's attitudes changed toward us. It was a real eye opener. Everyone is two faced, everyone pretends to respect you if they think they know you, but if your status isn't high, you're pretty much on your own. They'll use you, they'll exploit you, and then in the end they'll toss you aside, as if you are nothing. It's really tragic.
*the money wasn't literally in the offering plate, but I'd seen them place offering money in little blue pouches with gold lettering on it before, and at that particular event they had one of those pouches, so that's where the money came from.