Featured in a twitter post I stumbled across was a promotional by a church promising to give $100 to every single mother that shows up at the congregation for Mother's Day.
If a family lives as some of these fundamentalist churches demand, with dad working and mom at home, they are bringing in no more income than a household headed by a single mother In many instances, single mothers are no more necessarily deprived materially than an intact single income family.
So why doesn't a church handing out $100 to every single mother also give the reward to families that have stayed together as well?
If a church plans to give $100 to every single mother on Mother's Day, do they plan to give $100 to every single father on Father's Day?
Likewise, if a pastor is going to use Father's Day to bash the shortcomings of the contemporary father, shouldn't they use Mother's Day to bash the shortcomings of the contemporary mother?
Why is anyone deserving of a reward in most instances on the basis of their failed relationship status? Jesus can forgive if you ask, but sometimes you must live with the consequences of your actions.
For example, where an associate of mine works there is a woman that has procreated multiple times with nearly as many men. Both my associate and his coworker make around the same amount, with her perhaps a bit more. So should my associate be punished because he has made proper decisions in life and as a result have to subsidize someone that has made less advantageous ones?
Perhaps on Mother's Day in churches where this kind of commemoration is taking place, singles that have not yet reproduced and couples living in the context of intact unbroken marriages should consider withholding their tithes from the collection plate for that particular week.
Scripture says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. As such, anyone feeling a tugging on their heart that they are in need of forgiveness should be welcomed.
Often it is insisted that at the foot of the cross all are equal and that one repentant sinner cannot look down on what another did before coming to Christ. If so, then do not extend a tangible reward to those that have engaged in particular behaviors while withholding it from those that have in good faith lived by the expectations of the group.
Frederick Meekins is an independent theologian and social critic. Frederick holds a BS in Political Science/History, a MA in Apologetics/Christian Philosophy from Trinity Theological Seminary, and a PhD. in Christian Apologetics from Newburgh Theological Seminary.
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