All In Your Bizz w/ Reka & Los
Welcome to a bold, no-holds-barred couples podcast where we dive into life, love, and everything in between-uncensored and unfiltered. As a Generation X couple, we're bringing our real-life experiences, raw honesty, and sharp wit to the table as we explore serious issues, controversial opinions, and laugh-out-loud moments that matter. No topic is off limits-from relationships and social issues to pop culture and personal growth-we're getting all up in your business and saying what others won't. Our goal? To spark thought, share truths, and connect with listeners through honest, heartfelt, and hilarious conversation.
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All In Your Bizz w/ Reka & Los
God's House Has Some Sketchy Tenants
Ever walked into a sanctuary seeking peace but left with wounds deeper than those you came with? Our raw, unfiltered conversation about "Church Thugs" peels back the pristine veneer of religious communities to examine the complex, often painful realities lurking within.
We share deeply personal stories of church experiences that left lasting impacts—from being judged for clothing choices to witnessing leaders who preach purity while battling their own demons behind closed doors. The hypocrisy cuts deep: pastors selling donated food meant for the hungry, churches sending bills for missed tithes during financial hardships, and congregants creating exclusive cliques that push away those most in need of community.
"Church hurt hits harder than street hurt," we reflect, exploring why betrayal in spaces meant for healing leaves such profound wounds. We tackle uncomfortable questions about financial practices that don't align with spiritual teachings—like churches depositing offerings into banks that would never approve loans for congregation members. The contradiction is striking: spaces that preach "come as you are" while simultaneously establishing rigid expectations that exclude.
Despite our critical examination, this isn't about condemning faith itself. We distinguish between the imperfect human vessels and the spiritual principles they attempt to uphold. The conversation ultimately points toward a more authentic expression of community—one where transparency replaces facade, where leadership comes with accountability, and where people truly meet each other as they are.
Have your own church story to share? Reach out to us—we're planning a follow-up episode featuring listener experiences. Because sometimes, the first step toward healing is simply knowing you're not alone in what you've witnessed or felt.
welcome, welcome to the real world kids, welcome to the los enrique show. Like always, we are all in your biz. Let's go one, two, three hey, hey, hey.
Speaker 2:What's going on? What's going on? We're back at you again when we all in your business, all in your business, all in your business, and this is going to be podcast number three. I believe we on number three. We're enjoying it and having a good time, javier, so you're going to reach in that hat what you got there, rika.
Speaker 1:Reaching in that hat, I wanted to reach in this hat.
Speaker 2:Reaching in the hat. What are we talking about today?
Speaker 1:Oh, oh.
Speaker 2:Mm.
Speaker 1:All right. So I think many of us have experienced going to church, but have we experienced church thugs?
Speaker 2:Church thugs. That's what we talk about today.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Church thugs.
Speaker 1:Church thugs.
Speaker 2:Oh.
Speaker 1:I don't know what that's about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I think we can tread a lot of water on this one. So today's topic to everybody is going to be church thugs wow, dangerous it's just so much, so many avenues. You can start with this here, but so, um, do you have any experiences, uh, during your lifetime not just like recently, but during your lifetime? Um, maybe some things happen to you, maybe in church and all that you want to talk about?
Speaker 1:sure, um, but I have to get this off my chest oh, okay we're saying church thugs church thug aren't in dangerous. Ain't too many that can?
Speaker 2:bang with us straight up.
Speaker 1:We know ain't okay. I just had to get that out of my chest because you know we talked about thugs, and shout out to both us in harmony yeah, let's see yeah, and big rest, in peace to be but, yes, I have had some experience with church. I grew up to church all my life until I became an adult in my 30s I pretty much I stopped going as much, but I had to go growing up.
Speaker 1:So I learned a lot, experienced a lot saw a lot could mimic a lot, knew a lot of biblical verses, commandments, rules, church etiquette. I used to be an usher, if you can believe that.
Speaker 2:Oh, you used to be an usher.
Speaker 1:I did not play. I was one of those ushers that did not play.
Speaker 2:You had the shoes and the gloves and stuff.
Speaker 1:No, I wasn't a traditional usher. I wore black loafers, black slacks. This particular church we could wear pants. You weren't condemned. We wore a white shirt and a blue blazer, okay, and I was a lead usher so I had the walkie-talkie. So there was an usher at the main door that would say, hey, we have a family of four and I would find seating for the families, and so you just sit.
Speaker 2:You let people go to. You know, sit, send people to their seat.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I would send people to their seats and if kids were in the back row, cutting up and eating candy and snacks. I would send them to their parents oh, you were serious about that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because then?
Speaker 1:we had to clean up. We had to clean up the pews after church was over and I didn't want to clean up candy wrappers and snack papers from kids. You know, you know church candy. You have your church candy. You put your church candy wrapper in your purse right yeah, yeah, you're right. Do you know about church candy?
Speaker 2:um yeah, because I choked off a piece of candy butterscotch or the strawberry. No, it was a peppermint okay and I promise you I was eating that peppermint and I had actually. I went to the hospital because it felt like you know something to be going on. It's stuck in your throat and I could not get it up.
Speaker 1:I thought I was going straight up choke I'm so deep in my bag like my breath was smelling good though oh, are you were choking while I was choking my? Breath was gucci okay, okay, do you know?
Speaker 2:what? Um, let me see, I can. I can. I can go a long way with this here with church thugs and the topic church thugs is not nothing derogatory or nothing like that. Or, as the topic says, church thugs it didn't say nothing about being baptized apostolic and nothing like that, but it's just the practices that go on inside the church. Um, that that's what we're going to speak on today so what makes it thug like?
Speaker 2:it makes it up like because, sadly, um, some of the same uh things that go on in the church, um, they're happening out in the streets um, like what line?
Speaker 1:dancing what?
Speaker 2:no, like what I mean by that is like I have, uh, I have experienced, like you know, cliques, you know and yeah, uh, things of that nature. And you know, people um church folks, some church folk can act really really, really, really, really really nasty, you know, to the point where it makes you not even want to go. Like I was in church and a lot of people don't know this, but I was really really, really deep in the church. You know, people used to call, however it is they want to pray for them and however it is I used to do ser it is, they want, you know, to pray for them and however it is I used to do, uh, sermons and stuff like that. I mean, people don't know, but so I had to see a church from a different lens, um the business side and also, you know, the spiritual side. Like I had an opportunity to see that and I've seen some, some nasty stuff nasty stuff like your nasty stuff, you know, like people you know, and you have to be careful how you esteem people.
Speaker 2:You know, because, at the end of the day, people are, they're still, they're still, they still have flaws, they're human yeah, they're human. They still have shortcomings, they still struggle with a lot of things. Yes, you know, like I knew, I'm not going to get their names out there, however it is you know, but there were people that were, you know, bishops of the church, you know, and they were struggling with, you know, looking at women, you know.
Speaker 1:The flesh was weak.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it was very weak, you know, but the thing was is like, who am I to judge, and all. But I knew this person behind the scenes, you know, so I also had to see them, you know, when they're standing up there preaching. So I got like both. I got the lenses from both views. So make no mistake about it though. So make no mistake about it, though, that's kind of what kind of drove me away from Traditional per se church.
Speaker 1:Why? Because somebody had a lustful eye, or they liked women a lot, or what made their their? Issue drive you away from church.
Speaker 2:So it was more than that. So, um, you know. Another instance, uh, like a pastor was, we used to run a commodities program where we used to feed the community okay and um.
Speaker 2:So the way it worked is, um, you know the food that was left over is supposed to be managed, um, like, you know, refrigerators and stuff like that, however it is, you know. So we had food left and all, and what the pastor was doing, she was selling it. I know you're lying, no, no, no, she was selling it. You know. So, um, and granted, like nobody's perfect, I get it, you know, but these are government regulated programs and you're selling it. You know selling the food out. You know when the food was given to you freely and it's both they trusted in you to give it out to the community, you know. So this is not the kind of knock people's shortcomings and stuff like that, shortcomings and stuff like that, but just to know that, just I just want to put out there that you know, sometime in church, you know that's gonna be like the. The most painfulest experience that you can have is in the church church hurt church hurt is worse than in the streets why do you think that?
Speaker 1:like? Why do you think church hurt hits harder than friendships or work relationships or in general like why?
Speaker 2:because you, because, so I mean you can tell me. Maybe you may agree with this.
Speaker 2:So going to church is like a hospital for your spirit right so typically when people go to church like they are hurting or something, they're seeking something or however you, however it may be. But then you have people in the church that intercept that you know to make you, make you condemn you like from what you may wear to church. You know you may come in, you may come with, you know you may just come over some clothes. You know, you don't, you don't know the etiquette or whatever it may be. You just want to come because you're seeking help.
Speaker 2:Yes, you don't need people in the church it's what I'm talking about church thugs to be judgmental and to look at you funny and sideways or nothing like that. You may not know no hymns or no church songs or however. You know what I'm saying. But you have to meet people where they are. Okay, meet people where they are and don't be judgmental. You know. So if I'm coming in there and I'm saying, hey, you know I'm struggling with pornography and this and the other, I'm testifying, you know this and the other, don't come, look at me sideways, you know, after service and you know, you know and acting funny and everything. However, at least I'm trying to put it out there to say, hey, this is what I'm struggling with. You know, know what I'm saying. You know, uh, is there anyone you know any counselors here, or whatever it is, but don't be judgmental.
Speaker 1:I agree and I think in that sense I think church should be. When people come for prayer or people come to share information. I think there should be specific people that can handle this type of information. It shouldn't just be for anyone or a certain bishop or reverend or whatever. I think there needs to be certain people that are spiritually equipped to handle this type of information so that people aren't feeling church hurt when or if their information is shared.
Speaker 1:you know, because sometimes you may not be ready for that you know, I have a situation where I personally remember when I used to usher and sometimes people would come in. You know young ladies would come in with, you know, really short skirts or dresses. But the Bible does say come as you are, and so I remember seeing these women feel like they were being judged you know, because you know, oh, she has on this dress, or you know, her sleeve, her arms are out, she doesn't have any sleeves on her dress. Um, and so I would say hey, would you like a?
Speaker 1:lap cover. You know, I would never sit them in the front, I would sit them towards the middle or the back. So I would say, hey, would you like a lap cover? You know, I would never sit them in the front I would sit them towards the middle or the back, so that they're comfortable and I would say, hey, would you like?
Speaker 1:and I'll just hand it to them and let them cover themselves, so that you know if they wanted to use it, they could, if they didn't, they didn't have to right right but just so that there was something to protect them from being judged by them coming to a place of refuge, and I felt and understood that they were being judged, so I know that they felt it. The eyes look up and down and, oh, she has tattoos or she has. They smell like liquor or this or that. Okay so, and I think it's easier to judge people when you can see flaws and sins on the outside.
Speaker 2:You know she's a single mother.
Speaker 1:She has all these kids. You know she must be fornicating, she must be fast, she must be a. Jezebel, but then you know, or a man that you know he may have some outwardly, you know, or somebody may be dealing with their sexuality or anything like that, where you can see on the outside but there's so many closet sins and there's so many things behind closed doors that people are dealing with that you can't see that you can't see. So it's not. People can't judge you, right, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's the thing. You know like that's a good, that's a good point. You mean like people can't see. You know like, um, people struggle with things like behind closed doors. So when you see them, you know like, oh man, this is brother, this is deaconette. You know, this is pastor, this and that you know. However, it is like we all have flaws right no one has you know like, and I have a problem with those church thugs or people who feel like they got a one-way ticket to heaven yeah like they, like they made it, you know.
Speaker 2:But you know, um, it's just. It's sad, though, because a lot of people, um, they're shunned away from the church when they should be. You know, they should be welcomed with with arms, you know, like with open arms, you know, like, say hey. You know, like, yeah, you're struggling with this, you know. However, you know that's how you, you attract people. You know, um, we're not getting turning this to a bible session on, but it says, like, well, loving and kindness have our drawn d, so that means it was just the love and kindness and just the way people presented themselves. That's what draws people Right, you know, and that can be the total opposite. You know, if you have a stank attitude, you funky acting, funky this and that other and whatever, you know like, hey, this person can only sit here because of that.
Speaker 1:Because their name is on the pew. Yeah, so you can't sit there. Okay, yeah, your name is on the pew.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, so you can't sit there. Okay, yeah, your name was on the pew. But surprising more than not, surprise, surprise, you know it's just only a selective few can be in a leadership position and say, hey, I'm struggling with this. Can somebody pray for me? You know, that's how you, you know, without being being transparent, you know it's like you just basically just living, living a lie, you know, and that's the thing. I think that's one thing that kind of drove me away with a whole bunch of larger list of other things you know. So, believe it or not, there is, is, you know, there is like a higher being than me, like that will never change you know, but it's just the, the people that are in place or caught or think they're called.
Speaker 2:you know that ruin it for people who are really seeking help, you know, um, and instead of it turn it being a hospital, it turns to like a, like a I don't know, a judgment session, you know, and then or a judgment center, right, and then next thing, you know, like you're up there, that they're preaching about something that you probably, you know, saying hey, I'm struggling with it, I need help with this, you know, and you know, and even like tithes and offering Will a man rob God?
Speaker 1:Yes, he will, and tithes and offering.
Speaker 2:We know that these things are, you know, like blueprints of things that traditionally were done in Ohio. However it is, but I can remember one of my friends was going to this church and they said that they got a bill in the mail. Hold on, A bill. A bill from the church.
Speaker 1:Did they break something?
Speaker 2:No. So what happened was my homeboy lost his job and he wasn't able to you provide like the same, you know, uh, like dollar amount, you know.
Speaker 2:So it was like around october, uh, and he got a bill saying hey, you're delinquent well, a man robbed god okay you know, like so he had a job, he got laid off but they sent him a bill, say, hey, you know like I'm just paraphrasing, but like you know, it's it's been a while. You know, however it is, you know we haven't received your tithes and no offering and all, and they sent them a bill. Um, so how do you feel about that? I mean, the church send you a bill for tithes and offerings not received and saying that you in delinquent status?
Speaker 1:what do you think about that malachi? Chapter 3, verse 8 will a man rob?
Speaker 2:god, but you have robbed me now, he wasn't like, like he wasn't robbing, you know, like when he was there and things was going good, you know. However, he gave what he, what he gave what he had, and you know he went to the church funding it, but he didn't have to give no more you bring your church, your funds to the church, so that they're going to be meet.
Speaker 1:I don't know I, I. This is my thing.
Speaker 2:I had a personal experience myself oh wow, you had a personal experience offering and um, my mom would give me money.
Speaker 1:Sometimes she would just have you know coins to give you know. But you know all money spends you. Now you'll take the money that jingles, but you'll rather have the kind that folds right so I had some change you know a couple of dollars in change and I brought it to sunday school and this particular sunday school teacher told me listen, reek, you need to um, tell your mom to give you uh dollars what so you know my spirit. Wait a minute a minute, wait a minute.
Speaker 2:So the change wasn't good enough. Is that what you're?
Speaker 1:saying I couldn't do nothing strange for this particular amount of change. No, she told me that I needed to tell my mother to give me dollars as opposed to the change that I would bring.
Speaker 2:Oh, she's trying to regulate and I looked at her.
Speaker 1:I said you will never have a problem with this change again. I said you will never have a problem with this change again because I used to use that change that my mom gave me on Sunday and spent it at the little snow cone church snow cone shop and I never bought offering back to the church because that turned me off. Because I figure you know as a child, if your mom gives you money, some change, I mean obviously that's what she has to give you.
Speaker 1:And it's going to be used and spent some kind of way, whether it's going to be spent in the church or at the snow cone shack but it's going to be spent all all change money. It gets spent, so I did not bring any more money into offering. And every time she would ask, I would say I don't have money today because I didn't. I had it to spend for the snow cone.
Speaker 2:Right, it wouldn't have money, but even that experience you had when you were such a young age yeah. But you remember that, so you can almost say you had PTSD from that experience.
Speaker 1:You know what that's. That's a good point, because as I became older and I started working, do you know that I would only give 20 a $20 bill? It couldn't be in fives, it couldn't be in ones, it couldn't be in two tens. I would always make sure that I had a 20. And ones that couldn't be in two tens, I would always make sure that I had a 20. Now, if you wanted to have a second offering, you better tear my 20 in half and make it. But that was my thing, because I felt like what I used to give wasn't enough.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:And I felt like, even as a kid, I'm being tormented and judged based off of what my mom had to give.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's deep.
Speaker 1:And so when I became an adult, I was very mindful of how I looked in church. I grew up in a Pentecostal church, so we didn't wear pants. So this particular church, we didn't wear pants. So as I became an adult and I went to churches that would have that would allow women to wear pants, I would still dress like I was going to you know, work, like work or church. But I always made sure that my appearance was put together. I made sure that I never had, like red lipstick or red nail polish, because that's a judgmental thing for women.
Speaker 1:My hair was always, you know modest, know modest, because again you're being judged and I don't, and again, for the life of me, and I would carry the 20 and I would give, but I, for the life of me, don't want to say controlled, but are encouraged, forced. This is the rule to cover your hair, dress modest, no pants, skirts down to the floor, wear this cover over your head, understand. And the only thing that I can come up with is to not make yourself as a, as attractive to draw men to lust after you. So you have to cover yourself or um be sought after so you're, so.
Speaker 1:You're not sought after you know, you, you wear these big dresses, big big skirts, you're covering up, you know you're plain Jane, so that so a man won't look at you, and so it's just like. I think sometimes religion, the practice of religion, may made it very unfair, sometimes for women. I'm not saying come in with your body parts hanging out and your breasts, your cups running over anything like that your cups.
Speaker 1:But I do feel as if you know. Why can't you know if it's cold outside or you're comfortable? Why can't you wear a nice pair of slacks to church in a blouse and some some heels to church, heels to church? Why are you looked at or judged because you wore pants? Or if you wore a skirt and it's?
Speaker 1:fitted because you may have a body and you're being looked at like, oh, like you need to go home and put on a muumuu and come back to cover yourself. So I've had some church PTSD. I will say that has kind of molded me into the type of church goer that I have become today.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:As a result yes, that's deep.
Speaker 2:You got some testimonies. You got a little PTSD. You got a little bit PTSD.
Speaker 1:Turn to your neighbor and say I got PTSD. I got PTSD.
Speaker 2:I got PTSD, give him PTSD. I got PTSD.
Speaker 1:Give him a high five.
Speaker 2:Give him a high five.
Speaker 1:I'm not doing that you know, and there's something.
Speaker 2:Something else that's crazy, you know, to me is that, like I get it with tithes and offering, you know, however, but you know what's really crazy about that? You bring all your tithes and offerings in, however it is, and that local church is going to go to that Bank of America, or whatever bank it is, however, and they're going to put their money in that bank, you know, and then Bank of America is going to use that money and give it to construction companies and all this high risk, and what's so sad about it is that you're depositing your money, your church giving church raise money to a place like bank of america and bank of america can give less about you and probably 90 to 95 percent of the people in the church cannot get a loan from bank of america oh that, yeah, yeah they're not loaning to you.
Speaker 1:They're not loaning to you we know about bank of america? Yeah, they're not loaning.
Speaker 2:They're not loaning money to you. So how, I mean? How does that? How does that add up? You're collecting all these monies and everything and then you're going to deposit into a bank of america, on these other banks, these world fargo's and all these banks and high-risk, and guess what they won't even offer you a loan. So that means the money that you're bringing into there is like it's being used to to do something else or to make another business maybe it's to operate the church, but do you think, do you think, that everyone should be able to get a loan from church?
Speaker 1:Let's just say you've been going to this church five years and you've been paying tithes and offering and you need some money to get your car fixed.
Speaker 2:Definitely.
Speaker 1:So you feel as if you should be able to. What is the criteria that you feel as if one could go? To the church and say based off of what, then I feel like I am deserving of getting along from this church.
Speaker 2:Well, I think that, ok, that's a good question. So I don't think personally it has nothing to do with the amount of time that you've been going there.
Speaker 2:You don't know, if I think, if there's, if there's a truly a need, if you know me and me and my family's house is burnt down and all, and say, well, you have to be going here a year before we can give to you and all.
Speaker 2:Well, you only been here 11 months, so maybe you can come back next month and we can, you know. No, I think that it should be on a long base whether maybe you can get a loan from the church and or there should be funds allotted where, if something like that happens, then you can, you know, give that out to as needed, you know. So, um, I don't necessarily think that, okay, if Miss Betty been going there 12 years, you know she can get the max amount, and then me I'm just start going there, you know. Or if I'm not, you know, cause that's what the church is, that's one of the, the, the, the missions of the church, you know, like for community you know what I'm saying To help people, you know, not just to keep making buildings and and giving more money to a building fund, or or you know, however, but you know there should be allocated monies for events to happen like this.
Speaker 2:Now, granted, if you have a member, right, if you remember, you should be able to go to your church that you're in. If it is a real need, you should be able to talk to somebody and there should be monies allocated. You know, to I mean not to abuse the system, but you should not be getting turned around if you're at a local church. You know, and there's nothing to give. I think that's crazy to me.
Speaker 1:So if I came to you and say, Bishop Lowe's, I need to get my, I need a loan.
Speaker 2:You about to save my hair.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was.
Speaker 2:You about to save my hair, doug, I need to hold something.
Speaker 1:Can you loan me $500?
Speaker 2:No it's got to be proven, though. You know like a bill, you know like a uh a, you know eviction notice bills all the time listen, we'll have to let the lord deal with that I need it, so okay so do you think there should be a criteria?
Speaker 1:I think, I, I, I think possibly because you may have a church that may not have it like that right. So if you go to a mega church, yeah, I could see that. Or you go to maybe a medium-sized church where everybody you know gives and things of that nature, but if you have a small church, you gotta make sure your people good, though how?
Speaker 2:if you, nobody in a church should be members, okay. I've been in a church where it was less people than that, okay. So how do you?
Speaker 1:get a loan. How can you get help? Now, I can see if there was a food pantry or clothing. If you needed clothing, donated, okay, that's, that's easy. But to ask a church that may not have it for money to close on the house, well, let's make.
Speaker 2:No, I'm not. No, listen, that's not, that's not see, that's not a necessity. You know like?
Speaker 1:closing on the house I'm talking about like.
Speaker 2:I'm talking about like. You got put out your home. You don't have nowhere to stay. You're homeless, you don't have nothing to eat. You have children like they don't have. It's cold outside. They don't have coats. You know what I'm saying? I'm talking about something like that.
Speaker 1:I'm not talking about closing on the house easily, easily attainable, right?
Speaker 2:I'm not talking about closing on a house, putting a down payment on the car, nothing like that. And you, you know, I'm saying like, maybe if you needed that car to some point degree where say, hey, I need this for well, you can borrow the church van, okay, well you can borrow the church van, but there should be resources.
Speaker 2:And I know it may get a lot of people ticked off when I say that. But if you are operating a church or in a church and you're there and then you're all you're putting into it and then you can't take out, which means it's like, okay, I have a real uh problem going on, you can't take, you can't take out. You may want to stop and think where you're going, you know, because that means even if the church is small, they don't have. You know, can any, can anybody donate? You know, if you need two hundred dollars, can anybody donate five or ten dollars? Brothers, such and such, such and such are in need now, while we out, you know, testifying amongst the community and doing community works and all how like that, there should not be not a one person in that church.
Speaker 1:They're struggling like that, none but you know, the majority of the church, of churches are the population, is women, right, and let's talk about old school parenting and old school people. They will give their tithes and offering first right. They get their paycheck.
Speaker 1:They will pay their tithes and offering and then figure out the utilities, figure out the bills, figure out all of that, and so now there is a hardship, because you've given your tithes and offering first, you know, as opposed to taking care of yourself now, listen you, I think, and everything you have to use wisdom okay okay.
Speaker 2:So if you get you know, if you're giving 10 of your tithes, okay, maybe your offer need to come down okay because wisdom will say I, I need lights, I need something to eat.
Speaker 1:And your offering could be acts of service as opposed to financial, exactly.
Speaker 2:Or it can be a smaller amount, or maybe you don't have to give. You know what I'm saying. You can't put yourself in a bind where I have seen it where people just give, give, give, give, give to the church, whether that be monies or that be time and service, and then your own house ain't in order.
Speaker 1:That's true, but then you'll get that bill.
Speaker 2:No, but you got to listen, I don't care what works that you're doing out there, what church you in, what religion, whatever it is, you have to have your house in order. That means don't come sitting up in my face and you at home and you bickering with your husband or your wife and however it is, and y'all down each other throats. Then you want to come to church time out, praise the lord. You know I'm saying get your house in order. Don't come to me talking about. You know, yeah, you got to save money and do this and this and that other, however it is, and then you over here filing for bankruptcy and everything and we giving money to you, like, get your house in order. I mean, you have to have everything in order in your house.
Speaker 2:Okay, we know things are going to happen and all, but that'll go back to being transparent, you know? Don't you know talking about? Yeah, you know like, um, I knew this one pastor. You know like they like. You know like, uh, the younger kids don't make sure. You know, know you ain't out here sinning, you ain't even having sex and doing all this and then the daughter was having like more babies than a little bit. You know I'm like come on.
Speaker 1:Their house wasn't in order, your house, not in order.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying. And then the closer you get to people and you get to know them and all you'll come to find out that people are not all squared away as that you think they are yeah, yeah, you know they're not squared away, but it takes an upright man or woman to say you know what?
Speaker 2:I don't have it all together, but you know what? Each and every day, I pray that. Each and every day, I pray that you know like I can get myself in together in order and God can make me better each and every day.
Speaker 1:Right, I agree. I agree. I think that many times Church and roles in the church is not meant for everybody. You know it's like. It's like applying for a job. You know you may not be qualified but it works. At that particular time you can get a crowd going, you can spit out some verses and it's good for that moment, but it's not for everyone.
Speaker 1:It's not for everyone to lead people who need help Lead people who need refuge, lead people who may be dealing with some things that is not for everyone to be able to do that, because these are delicate lives and souls that you're dealing with, and so that's a charge to you If you take on this role and you're leading people, and I think that's a charge to you If you take on this role and you're leading people, and I think that's a lot of times people get into cults and they follow certain people that may not be equipped to lead, but then they end up you know All falling in a ditch.
Speaker 1:Falling in a ditch or part of a cult and they're living on a compound and doing like what happened, because they were lost souls that felt as if they were following the shepherd who was completely lost. So again, like it's OK to seek refuge in church and religion, seek refuge in church and religion, however, equipped yourself so that you know or have a better understanding for yourself, because anybody can tell you anything right and you can go along with it.
Speaker 1:Ketchup goes on on hamburgers. It goes on hamburgers. In all your life you've heard that and then you start believing you start believing you can only eat ketchup with your hamburger and then one day somebody doesn't put ketchup on their hamburger got to be almighty. You're going to the pits of hell because you didn't put ketchup. So understand that everything is just not it's not one-sided right one size does not fit all for everyone correct and you have to learn to know for yourself.
Speaker 2:Know for yourself. You know. That's that's excellent point you made there. Know for yourself, read whatever it is, read it for yourself. You know, if that's whatever route that you choose to take, you know, make sure you understand for yourself. Like you don't need nobody to. You know to add. You know because because if you're not careful, people will add something in a minute. You know, like I can remember me growing up. You know, however it is, and you hear the song.
Speaker 2:You know like, um, like money is bad. You know, like, like you know for money is bad, this and the other. You know I can remember for a point. I'm like how's money bad? You know money is the root of all evil. Yeah, but yeah, the money is the root of all evil. But actually says for the love of money is the root of all. Let me like, if you're putting your area and everything into this, you know where you love it so much you can't live without it. And however, you know now it says for the love of money is the root of all evil, and just one single word can change the whole perspective of what you're reading, you know. So read it and know it. You know and study for yourself. You know and not just and you know, believe that there is a higher being. No matter what you believe, you know and it's not the person you know.
Speaker 2:The person is just a messenger you know, you, you know, don't forget and leave your eyes, your eyesight, off the bigger picture. You know, like the bigger being, um, whomever you believe in, you know. So, um, that was real big for me, like, uh, you know, when we came with that title church th thug. You know, because some people I mean, I mean it's, it's bad out there, and you know, like I've I've known people that treat other people unfair. You know, knowing what they're doing is wrong.
Speaker 1:You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:Right, knowing what they're, you know they're saying is wrong, you know, but they rather see somebody suffer, you know, in high risk, and then have the audacity to say, you know what, I'm going to pray for you, you know, I think that word I'm going to pray for you. They just took this like too far. If you are in some kind of position where you know you can be a blessing to somebody else, you know, but you rather say, oh, I'm going to just pray for you and all you know. But you'd rather say, oh, I'm gonna just pray for you and all you know, like shame on you.
Speaker 2:You know, if you know somebody asking, you know, and I'm not saying that for everybody, you know, but some people are so quick to say, you know, I'm a, I'm gonna just pray for you, you know how it is, which they probably never do. It anyway, you know, let's be real, you know, but if you know they, they asked for ten dollars, however it is, and you know you got you just, you just won that scratch off at the lottery store before you came to church and you had that drink, you know that you won a little something.
Speaker 2:However, it is, you know, be a be be that blessing to that person.
Speaker 1:So you're saying it's okay if you've gambled yeah, we ain't gonna talk about that had a little shot of liquor before you came to church and you won some money off a scratch off that you you need to give a little bit for tithes and offering and then you can hand it. You can give some of those winnings to the person that needs it you could, why not?
Speaker 2:okay but you would say I'm gonna pray for you know, you know because god don't want me to give this gambled money.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, he don't want me to give this gambled money, you'll be surprised.
Speaker 2:I mean, I know people today actively in church, in leadership positions and however it is Guess what. They be at a casino right along with me, me at the casino Okay. They be at the casino right along with me, and you know what?
Speaker 2:They go to the liquor store early in the morning, okay, nobody can see. So, nobody can see. So what I'm saying is people struggle with things and all and guess what. It's okay, you know. But be transparent with it and don't condemn people that come out, you know. Just come out just in the open and say, hey, I'm struggling with this because that takes a lot of that takes a heck of a lot.
Speaker 1:It takes a lot of courage to get up and say hey. Remember on social media where the lady said she testified and said she was sucking so much meat they turned her mic off.
Speaker 2:They turned her mic off, but listen she needed to get it out.
Speaker 1:She needed to get it all out.
Speaker 2:She needed to get it out and, I think, get it all out she needed to get it out, and I think that's the shortcoming of church folk today.
Speaker 1:It's like you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:That's how people, that's how people they get over. You know what I'm saying. That's how you draw people. When you have, like some of these young cats out here, or even some of these old ones too, you know, to say you know what, I struggled with this, you know what I'm saying. And then this is how I got out. You know what I'm saying and you know, and the lord helped me get this way that's how you draw people, because then they can say well, man, I know los, you know what I'm saying and this and that, but then he struggled with that, but he got enough courage to say this will not. You know, that's how you, that's how people become overcomers. Yeah, you know I'm saying but you got to be transparent. You can't come up and then, like you know, it's like I got everything straight, everything good with me. I'm gucci. Let me tell y'all how to get to heaven. You know I'm saying to or to the better place, or whatever it is.
Speaker 1:Just follow me, because I I got the remedy I'm an honest hoe and all my hoes is honest. Yeah, I mean, like, mean, like. Please, you have to be Get out of here.
Speaker 2:You know, and I know some people may not like the podcast, but guess what? When All In your Biz, when you know me and Enrica thought about you know we gonna talk about the things that that need to be talked about. You know, yeah, that need to be addressed. No-transcript.
Speaker 1:Hmm.
Speaker 2:Am I? Am I living the principles of you know being, you know being that neighborly person you know? Am I in a clique? Do I condemn people? Am I paying all my tithes and offering all? Am I sending out letters to people who delinquent, and why?
Speaker 1:Maybe you're the church secretary and that's your job.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, maybe that is your job, but then again somebody told you that this is right and all but again, look it up for yourself and all and don't be afraid to speak up, you know Cause sometimes, like I've, I've seen people just follow another person just because you know like people who want to be like. And I don't have anything wrong with being an armor bearer for like your leadership and all and something like that. I think it's honorable. But you're like. You have a life too, okay.
Speaker 1:Unless you want that to be your life. Now you got.
Speaker 2:You got a life especially if you married or something like this, or you got obligation just kids, they should go hungry and all because you driving the pastor all around the city and everything. When you get home it's like 9 or 10 o'clock at night.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Come on. Yeah, y'all don't hear me. Let the church say amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen. It's more than just us two. Everybody say amen, even the people on the airways.
Speaker 2:You say amen, but you got in everything. You have to use wisdom and all you know and uh, so, um, that's very, this is like very dear to me. You know, you know, like you can't. Just you know, I don't know, and I've seen it, I've seen like church thugs and people just think they can say and they can just do whatever, like they may not be cussing in public, I mean in on the, on the pulpit, but their actions and all, however it is, and it's just like they might as well be, may might as well be. So, um, those are some things to think about.
Speaker 2:So, um, definitely, I have had a lot of things kind of happen to me, that kind of um, it was like it made me bitter. You know, um, I was going through a situation and all, however it is, and um, I called myself like, say, you know, I'm gonna call the pastor and whatever it is and however it is, you know, because they wanted to, they wanted to buy a building. Um, we was in a small church at the time they wanted to buy a building. We was in a small church at the time. They wanted to buy a building and, granted, it was only like about six families, you know six families.
Speaker 2:So very small church very, very, very small. So I'm like how, so you know any make? I'm just fast forward a little bit. We took a vote and all. However, who all agrees? And I said I don't agree Because we barely making it here.
Speaker 1:So you couldn't get a loan from your church. With six families, they better come up with something.
Speaker 2:No, like putting in a whole bunch of work at the time, however it is. But you know, and I remember the pastor was sending out things and wanted work at the time, however it is. But you know, and I remember the pastor was sending out things and wanted people to donate and whatever it is, however it is, and I never forget, she sent uh, she sent something um out to a church and this church so kindly wrote us back and said you should be seeking money from your community where you gainfully employed at and people in your area. I think she was reaching out to somebody in another state and the pastor at the other state kindly said you know, um, like I'm just paraphrasing, like I hope you will and all your endeavors and all, but understand that your funds, that you're getting and that you're trying to get, they should come from your community, since you.
Speaker 1:She was reaching out to borrow money or ask for money from someone to get that building to get that building so she didn't have the money for it yeah, the tithes and offerings wasn't hitting they wasn't shaking on it.
Speaker 2:They weren't shaking on enough so she wasn't in a position financially right to even go to the other church, but it was awakening because what he, what the pastor was saying, made sense because you're the, the funds that's available in your area, in the community that you serve in. That's where, definitely where your funds should be coming from, whether it be from, like, if they got, you know, the government, the local government, maybe social services or something, however it is. But the problem was we wasn't even out there in the community like that. Okay, so it was a reality check, because once you're out there and you're doing stuff and people seeing you, you know, sometimes that opens up the door for, like, funds and people want to be a part of what you're doing. Right, you know, but this person was just selling commodities and doing all this shady, gritty stuff and I just like it came to a point I said I have a problem with that and I said I disagree. We should not get this building on because we don't have enough.
Speaker 2:You know, we don't have enough resources to do it and those people looked at me like I was crazy. They looked at me like I was crazy but I stood my ground and that was the beginning, or the beginning of the woes at that, their church and all but you. But you live and you definitely learn Church thugs, church thugs. But I'm going to pray for you.
Speaker 1:That's all I got. I'm going to pray for you.
Speaker 2:I just won this scratch off, but I'm going to pray for you.
Speaker 1:I'm going to pray for you.
Speaker 2:I'm going to give you this and that I'm going to pray for you.
Speaker 1:Let me ask before we close, since we're talking about church thugs do you think?
Speaker 2:I'm gonna pray for you what about cussing church folks?
Speaker 1:we're not saying, well, god said ass or damn in the bible. And ass, and are we talking about? We talked about cussing, cussing like kirk franklin cussed his son out. What do we think about cussing church folk? Or are we saying people are human people?
Speaker 2:I can't, I can't, I can't even comment on that. Okay, because I know, listen, people have feelings, they got emotions, they got all this stuff here and remember, we all have seen the false show. So if that's what come to your heart, in your mouth and come out of your lips, then I mean who am I to judge? Like literally, who am I to judge because I say a combination of cuss words and you only say one.
Speaker 2:Like, who am I to judge If you out there, you married and you and you messing around with Deacon Larry? Like who am I to judge? I don't have a heaven to hell to put you in, I don't. You know what I'm saying and I think, with that being said, you know, with the cussing it's like you know I can't answer that question. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:I mean, we fall short every day, you know. Every day, you know, and although some people may think they still they smelling good, they got all together and all, but you know they blow by wind and smell like boo-boo. Okay, okay, you know that. Blow by wind. Yeah, blow-by wind, it smell like boo-boo. Okay, okay, you know that. Blow-by wind. Yeah, you know, when you're going by and like that's, you know it's, it's, it smell like boo-boo, you know. And then you know some people want to say, admit, like man, I smell pretty bad, maybe I need to shower. And then you got them church dogs and people out there saying y'all smell that it's coming from your rear end. Okay, you smell like boo-boo. So, um, yeah, well, so what do you think about that? Before we wrap this up, what do you think about the cuss words and all?
Speaker 1:I know a lot of cussing church folk.
Speaker 2:I will say that and they can put some words together combos yeah some some some one two punches. Some, you know, knock you out tkos you know, but then lay the hands on you, try to revive you you.
Speaker 1:It's hard for me to accept someone praying over me that I heard and know you know for a fact can cuss like a sailor their hands smell like they palm of.
Speaker 1:Their hands smell like cigarettes yeah, I you know black amount, but again maybe a little little 20 twin twin, I don't know, but what I can say is that everybody shouldn't be putting laying hands on folks oh yeah, that's a whole, nother episode. You're right, we may have to make a part two and um, everybody shouldn't be laying hands on folks, and um, I think people slip up. But I think what's important is to try not to to cuss, you know. Try to make an effort not to, especially if you're in that position. Try to use other words or cut the mic off cut the mic.
Speaker 1:Those are some colorful words, you know, but just try to source for other words that you can use. You know, other than certain words that shouldn't be used exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2:I agree with that, you know, but I ain't judging, you know no if it, if you know, if a cuss word slip out, you know I may say oh, you know. However, and you know, you know there's like listen, god working on me in that area. You know somebody laying their hands on you and it smell like black and miles. You know, just be like hey, the Lord's still working on me.
Speaker 1:You know when I start falling back they think it's the spirit, but I'm falling back from that breath when I start falling back they think it's the spirit.
Speaker 2:But I'm falling back from that breath. I'm falling back from that breath and I'm dehydrated from all that Patron the day before.
Speaker 1:If I just hit the floor, then you just think it's the spirit, just understand it's the spirit. It may not be the Holy Spirit, it may be those distilled spirits that you was drinking and blowing in my face, exactly, and hurry up and cover upika over there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because her dress is coming up a little bit yeah, the ushers need to be, they need to be on their job. Okay, because oh, dirty, dirty, larry over there he waiting for somebody to fall out and be slain so he can see these goodies these modest panties that I have, yeah, so us, us just be on your job, okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you see somebody you know start to uh fibrillate a little bit and they about to go, they about to go for a kale and you better get that, that blanket or something, take your shirt, your jacket off or something, all because dirty, larry over there he may be looking.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you I'm about to say this. I had an ushering experience one time. It was raining at church and I was ushering this Sunday.
Speaker 2:You had a lot of stories there.
Speaker 1:I do, I do. Church is funny If you sit back and look and just pay attention church is hilarious.
Speaker 2:On and off switch.
Speaker 1:So it was raining this Sunday and the male ushers were taking umbrellas out to get people out of their cars to help them. This lady. She was very large.
Speaker 2:Large, like big X to plug large.
Speaker 1:Huh, yeah, okay. So ushers went to the car to get her. It's raining, okay, and I don't know what happened between steps one and 10, but she was on the ground oh no and they could not they couldn't get up they couldn't get her up, they couldn't stop her from falling and they could not listen, you better not try to stop.
Speaker 2:Just let her fall and just recover her.
Speaker 1:But they couldn't get. Her was muddy and wet. But I, you know, a lot of times ushers get hurt in church trying to. You know, when people are shouting, trying to move people from around them so that you know they don't fall and hurt other people and you can strain your back trying to brace yourself for them. And they're doing all that wild shouting and however the spirit leads you. But if I'm ushering and you get a little buck and you starting to, you know, move like a bucking horse like a mechanical bull.
Speaker 1:I'm going to let you, I'm going to let the spirit do what it do and lead you. And if you hit the floor, the pew or someone else, let the spirit lead you. That's all I got to say Because I'm not going to hurt myself trying to contain what you and your spirit have going on.
Speaker 2:You better make sure they covered up, though, oh they'll be covered. Because, then you know because.
Speaker 1:We had full-size sheets to cover folks up. So you can open them up and pop them and it'll cover up their whole body.
Speaker 2:Yeah, big or small you need that because you know it can get kind of. I've seen some real close situations, some real close situations, but you know we may have to do another part on this church stuff here yeah, we'll do part two.
Speaker 1:We can tell stories from church. I got a lot of stories. I got some stories too.
Speaker 2:I was trying to be modest, you know, however it is, but I got a lot of stories about these church thugs and all. However it is, and, um, you know if it applies to you and so let it be when you go to the room and maybe you can come back out and be a better person and all. But I want you to know that there's people out there that that look, they see and they watch, and I and I know a cigarette when I smell it. I know a black amount when I smell it.
Speaker 1:And I know a church bus driver, If they spirit ain't right. If you, if you on duty to pick people up for church you'll be speaking all fast and your head going back. And you don't want to blow the horn more than once and you backing up before they can get to the front door. Don't drive the bus that day.
Speaker 2:Don't drive it at all, okay, because somebody going to get hurt, because your spirit ain't right to do that job.
Speaker 1:Just don't, okay. And you know who I am talking about. You, you know who I am talking about you. You know who you are. If your spirit is not right, don't drive that church bus.
Speaker 2:You better not drive it Because you're the first thing that people, the interaction they have before they get to church.
Speaker 1:You don't ruin these folks' day because you didn't want to wait.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you didn't ruin the day already. You ain't got no music on. You're going fast and you'll see better than all.
Speaker 1:Okay, on, you're going fast and you'll see better. And on, okay, and if they ask you to stop them by the store after church, don't look at them and roll your eyes and turn that ac on.
Speaker 2:Turn it on because they hot, they sweating bullets in there. I looked to see the church van the other day. They was in there sweating stuck to the seats stuck to the seats, you know, and I've seen somebody with jericho. It looked like it was on flames. But at any rate, church does, church does. We gotta do part two we'll do part two.
Speaker 1:We'll tell stories, um stories from the pews.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah yeah, or or, if you have a story you know you have a church story definitely you can. Uh, just let us know, you know, reach out to us, you know, send us an email send us an email and then when we circle back, you know I'm saying we can either maybe hit you up, you know, just have you on live, or we can just tell you a story, you know, but there's some stories out there for the church that need to be told the church has the best stories.
Speaker 2:They have the best stories, but all in all, I'm not knocking the church no, church is good church is good and it's needed you know it is we're talking about the negative, uh, the negative part of it. You know, uh, the part that people know about but don't talk about yes because, like, that's what we do here, you know. So until next time, you know, I am los and this is rika signing out and we're all in your business.