Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Zoisite]

I went to a baptist church in Suwon, just under the Seoul border... and I was surprised to see a bank open on the first floor of the church...

it wasn't just an ATM but it had the Bank Tellers and money counting machines and everything.

Oh..and it's open on Sunday.. right when church has the most people in it.

Is that normal for a church?????

[kiknkorea]

I've never seen that. Which bank was it? Was it a major Korean bank or just something local?

[Zoisite]

I think it was a smaller bank, nothing like Shinhan, KB or Woori...
but apparently they offer better loan rates to church members.... what the heck???

[kiknkorea]

A church credit union.
Makes sense for members to keep it local I guess.

[ThingsComeAround]

Tithes and giving

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHEGNpYiUeo

Fundraising

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCCUUi5rx-0

[Illysook]

Jesus kicked the moneychangers out of the temple. They should be ashamed.

[OiGirl]

There was a small KEB branch near my home. It closed long ago, but the ATMs remained. Years later, a church moved into the bank part. If I was up early enough on a Sunday, I rather enjoyed using the ATM in their glass-enclosed lobby during services.

[CentralCali]

Wouldn't you think one of the two following is more likely?

a. The church owns the building and has rented out part of it to a bank.
b. Both the church and the bank are renting from the same landholder.

[Zoisite]

I asked some of the deacons of the church a few questions about the bank and they told me:

-They allowed the bank to rent a space in their church, and they let them, "since they helped us with the mortgage".
-The bank does operate on sundays.
-The use is not exclusive to the church goers.

They also got a bit angry with my simple questions which was a little uncalled for.

So I told them that I am no Master's in Divination, but:

- Jesus totally opened a can of whoop-ass on a church for doing exactly just that.
- A bank is naturally a business, and as someone who studied business, the objective of any business is to make profit
- The bank being open on a sunday, makes it very obvious that they aren't simply renting for space but are targeting church goers as their market niche.
- In the West, having a bank in the church would be considered blasphemous.

I found this link fairly useful.
http://www.gotquestions.org/selling-in-church.html


I really like Korea, and I am not one of those crazy Christians that wear pylons on their heads and yell on subways... but I just sort of feel like these Koreans really missed the point on this.


The only place where you can get salvation and a 2nd mortgage on your house...how divine -_-;;; In my opinion, a church should know better.

[Slowmotion]

Zoisite I've heard of ATM machines in churches in the states, pretty shameful. Full blown church though I'm not sure about.

I just think it's funny that the old testament is supposed to basically be ignored in terms of what to follow, except for the tithing part is conveniently not ignored.

[jvalmer]

What's the big deal? Obviously the church attendees don't care. I'm not religious BTW.

[CentralCali]

I don't see the big deal either. If the church isn't the landowner, then it has absolutely nothing to do with them. If the church is the landowner, then the church cannot force their morality onto the tenant--they must obey whatever the laws are regarding renting commercial properties. Now, if the church is the owner of the bank and they are cheating people (which, as I'm given to understand, was the issue with the story of Jesus and the moneychangers), then that's an issue for the banking regulatory authorities.

[Illysook]

When I went to a conference at a large church that had an ATM located discretely in it's downstairs coffee shop, I was happy to use it. I got some extra cash so that I could buy a book. Proceeds from book sales were going to charity. This was a convenience and it was my choice. A full-on bank branch with advertising inside of the church would be a poor choice.

[Zoisite]

The church rents out a space within the church to the bank (and they are the landowner) for income for the church, but also the bank gives special rates to church goers (mortgage, loans and such)...

The issue is not about legality... if one thought of the church as a regular organization, then it would be fine.... but churches typically follow the rules of their denomination's hierarchy.

But for those who have gone to church before, have you ever seen a bank IN a church...let alone a bank OPEN on a sunday - in a church?

And what creeps me out, is that the Koreans (that go there) don't even see anything wrong with it. Could you imagine something like this in the West?

[Zoisite]