For Three Dollars More

Kaida · Post Tue Jan 01, 2013 6:18 am

Okay.. So you saw and heard the scene of three dollars short problem during GITS.. Were you able to quote the most of the scene word for word?

What did you think of the rest of the episode? With Matthew's and Connie's different adventures for Barrett.. Would you ever trust them to program your adventure in the Room of Consequence?

What about the lesson? What did you think of that? Do you guys tithe? Or like Barrett, you never saw a reason for tithing?

Aftershocker · Post Wed Jan 02, 2013 12:35 pm

They should have flat out told Barrett that he would be robbing God by not tithing.

ArnoldtheRubberDucky · Post Sat Jan 05, 2013 9:52 pm

I found it to be a relatively strong episode. I didn't love that there were two unnecessary ROC adventures at the beginning, but overall it was a good episode. For more of my thoughts on it, check out the review on my blog. (I know that's advertising, but I don't want to write a whole new review here.)

Aaron Wiley · Post Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:06 pm

Funny thing is, I was talking to a friend of mine the other day about it, and apparently it never says in the new testament that we need to tithe. It gives advice for when we're tithing, but never says "You are to give 10% of all of your intake to the lord by giving in the offering".

This episode, though, was poorly executed at best. The only reason I listen to it is to hear Brandon Gilberstadts voice again. The story isn't well structured, and the point wasn't well made at all. I would have SO preferred that they turn the concepts within the episode into two of their own episodes.

I love the idea of having Matthew try to teach kids lessons via the ROC and having them all go wrong because he isn't properly basing his ideas on the Bible, but I feel like the best way to do that would have been to have an entire episode dedicated to the idea. I could see some hilarious (and sort of tragic) events happening because of the kind of advice Matthew would give through the ROC, and it'd be nice to end with a nice wrap up from Whit about how true wisdom comes from the word of God, and we should use it as the keystone for our advice.

I also would have liked a decent episode on tithing, and why we do it. Maybe an imagination station adventure throughout history showing some instances where even small amounts given in tithe ended up being important. But this episode... Man... The way they tried to... Just... Grrr...

The plot of this episode can be summed up in this outline

Premise
- Barrett is doubting about tithing
Body
- Matthew gives Barrett an exaggerated sub par answer vie the ROC
- Connie gives Barrett an exaggerated sup par answer via the ROC
- Whit gives Barrett a less exaggerated sup par answer via the ROC
Conclusion
- Whit explains how his sub par answer is supposed to be a really good and applicable point, and you should just take him at this word.

The most sound argument for tithing even in the small amounts given in this episode wasn't even given by Whit (which it should have been, since he's supposed to be wise or something), but what Connie said at the end there with her Luke 16:10 quote "Whoever can be trusted with little can also be trusted with much". It's sad that it took so much conversation at the end to try to explain their "answer" to the topic. Stories that have a point are supposed to make that point WITHIN the story, not simply tell a nearly unrelated story with a seemingly random format, and then try to tie it in at the end.

I'm disappointed in Marshal Younger for writing this episode. It's just not up to his standards. I suppose I can't blame it all on him though. Paul probably had a say in it too, since he seems to be dominating whatever goes on within the writing team, given writers very strict limitations on what they can do with their script. I just wish he'd let Torry Martin come back to write for them full time without scaring him away with silly plot restrictions and overbearing guidelines.

*sigh*

Ah, what could have been...

Jared DeWhite · Post Fri Feb 20, 2015 3:03 pm

This episode seemed pointless to me because they did not discus the biblical standard of giving ten percent. Mr. Whittaker's program didn't even explain it. What do you think?

Blitz · Post Fri Feb 20, 2015 3:35 pm

I don't remember which episode this is. And the Bible contrary to popular opinion teaches us to give with no limits. Also, in the OT people gave somewhere around 33 percent off all they had.

Jared DeWhite · Post Fri Feb 20, 2015 4:15 pm

Why should 10% be all we give?

Do you know why it was 33?(I by the way read it was closer to27)

Mickey · Post Fri Feb 20, 2015 5:46 pm

I didn't think much of it. I really don't think there was much of a point. But it did have a little moral.

Novatom · Post Sat Mar 21, 2015 2:44 pm

It didn't really teach me much, either. The cliche message of "if no one does it, nothing will get done" and two thirds of the episodes with Connie and Mathew's adventures that were intentionally ridiculous.

Mandy · Post Sat Mar 21, 2015 2:52 pm

I thought the episode was kinda funny but a little shallow. yeah why should we talk about how its so important to give ten percent of our money to God when we really should let him be in control of all our money? my favorite part of the episode was where Barrett says, "My arms are hairy! My voice is deeper!"

Novatom · Post Sat Mar 21, 2015 2:54 pm

By giving it to Him, we are letting Him be in control of our money.

Mandy · Post Sat Mar 21, 2015 2:57 pm

Novatom wrote:By giving it to Him, we are letting Him be in control of our money.

yes well i was meaning that there's not really any reason to just give ten percent. why not more?

Novatom · Post Sat Mar 21, 2015 3:00 pm

We can give more. That rule is just setting a minimum for how much we give.