[Sister Alvear]

American Communists spend 38% of their gross income for their cause. American Christians spend less that 1% of their income for foreign missions. In fact the average American "Christian" (so-called) gave about 3 cents a week to missions or about $1.56 for the whole year. Most cigarette smokers spend twice as much each week for cigarettes as the average American "Christian" gave to missions all year!!

The average U.S. Protestant gave $77.75 to their church during 1965. At the same time the average Southern Baptist gave $59.22 to their church for all causes. We do not have the figures on the giving of independent Baptists, but I am sure that we would be ashamed of that figure also.

The United States is the richest country in the world. The Christians in the United States make up the richest generation of Christians that have ever lived. No other generation of Christians has had as much money to spend in the spreading of the gospel as this generation. Yet, we often hear the excuse, "We just don't have any money to give to missions. It takes all we can rake and scrape, to just make ends meet." What about the money that Christians are spending on television, vacations, tobacco, luxuries, and multitudes of other non-necessary items? Are these things more important than the immortal souls of men"


How Americans Spend Their Money

Food-------------------------------------------------------------$84 billion
Cars and us-e---------------------------------------------------61 billion
Housing-----------------------------------------------------------46 billion
Household operation------------------------------------------50 billion
Clothing, Accessories, etc.----------------------------------35 billion
Recreation--------------------------------------------------------21 billion
Illegal gambling--------------------------------------------------11 billion
Vacations-----------------------------------------------------------9 billion
Tobacco-------------------------------------------------------------8 billion
Personal Care-----------------------------------------------------6 billion
Religion & Welfare-----------------------------------------------5 billion
Dogs, cats, birds (pets)-----------------------------------------4 billion
Pet food, cats, dogs and birds----------------------------712 million
Toys---------------------------------------------------------------500 million
Greeting Cards------------------------------------------------341 million
Chewing Gum--------------------------------------------------304 million
Foreign Missions---------------------------------------------190 million
Ball point pens-------------------------------------------------144 million

Many sad but informative comparisons can be made in the above figures. Many people complain about the churches always wanting money, but the above figures show that the American people spent 4 times as much on recreation last year as they did on all Religion and Welfare. The above figures show that over 100 times as much was spent for recreation as was spent on foreign missions. (Yes, 100 times is right). Over 20 times as much was spent on dogs, cats, and birds (pets), as was spent on foreign missions. Over 40 times as much was spent on tobacco, as was spent on foreign missions. Over 200 times as much spent on illegal gambling as was spent on foreign missions. Nearly 2 times as much spent on greeting cards as was spent on foreign missions. Over one and one-half times as much spent on chewing gum as was spent on foreign missions. I could go on and on, but I believe that the reader can make his own comparisons. Oh, shame, shame, shame!! (COPIED)