Piety and plastic collide, as a new IRS regulation demanding proof of church donations under $250 has houses of worship considering the addition of special ATMs to their grounds. (Nothing gets people to embrace out-of-place technology like the opportunity of a tax write-off.) The trend isn’t new, but is only now gaining steam nationwide:

ATM-like kiosks are now available in many church corridors and lobbies, where parishioners can swipe a card and receive a printed receipt, which they can either save for the IRS or plunk into the collection basket with a flourish, so pew mates will know they’re not spiritual freeloaders.

Spiritual freeloaders, huh? So thaaat’s what we’ve been all these years. No worries, Father: we’ll be more receptive to giving when Christ accepts the points we earn while playing iPhone Snood during your Homily.

The ATM in the Church Lobby [Time]
Image [Time]