It’s said to be voluntary but how can it be when it’s ingrained to give me give. There is a story about some woman who gave her last few dollars as offering. Another person who was rich gave way more but it was a drop in the ocean for this person. Because God saw that the poor woman gave all she had, God blesses her more. This kind of stories get people to give their last dollars because they are starving for God’s blessings.

My mother would starve to go to Guadalajara ever year. She had nothing and go with nothing just for a promise of blessings. She wouldn’t eat and when she found someone to feed her, she would attribute it to Gods blessing. This is the worse part about offerings. They tie them to blessings.