Tithing Pressure, “Christian Love” Toward LGBTQ People, and Why God Stays Silent

This episode tackles a set of questions that sit at the intersection of money, family pressure, identity, and belief. We start with the ethics and power dynamics of tithing, especially when a young person has limited control over their own income and faces pressure from a prosperity-gospel megachurch. We also address what “love” looks like when religion treats LGBTQ people as a problem to be fixed, and why that framing causes real harm even when someone claims good intentions.From there, we shift into the evidence questions. Why did miracles and divine “activity” appear concentrated in ancient stories but seem absent now? Why do intelligent people still believe, even while applying strong critical thinking in other areas? We also explore the logic of heaven only being available after death, and the credibility problem created by a resurrection story followed by a quick exit instead of public, sustained verification. The thread running through all of it is the same, what do these beliefs demand from people, and what level of evidence should match those demands.💬 Viewer QuestionIf a belief system asks you for obedience, money, or life-changing sacrifices, what level of evidence do you think it owes you? 📑 Relevant Topics or Chapter Headings  Tithing Under Family Control Prosperity Gospel and Financial Pressure When “Love” Treats LGBTQ People as a Project Why Divine Activity Looks Like It Stopped Evidence, Verification, and Public Miracles Why Smart People Still Believe When Deconstruction Collides With Marriage Why Heaven Only Starts After Death Resurrection, Ascension, and the Credibility Gap Visit us at www.Atheistville.com  for more content from Mike Smithgall and the Atheistville team 📺 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@atheistville 💬 Want to be a guest or submit a question? Drop us a note at CONTACTCheck us out at: https://atheistville.buzzsprout.com  🔥 New episodes weekly from Atheistville — Mike Drop with Mike Smithgall, Ask an Atheist, and The Unholy Roundtable, Breakfast With a Heathen © 2025-2026 Atheistville Media