Question about tithing.

[DianeW88]

I'm LDS, we tithe 10% of our gross income and we have always been blessed way above and far beyond the amount we contribute. I'm so grateful for tithing and what it has taught my family. It's a tremendous blessing in our lives.

[Heather in Neverland]

If you read the entire New Testament, the distinction between the moral law and the ceremonial law is consistent with it. That means that the ceremonial law has been completely fulfilled by Christ, but the moral law remains normative and useful.

 

The NT also suggests that people give 'as God has prospered them' and regularly, and also to specific needs as they come up. It doesn't postulate a specific percentage for that proportionate giving.

 

Exactly. The word "testament" means "covenant" so it is the New Covenant. Christ affirmed the moral laws including 9 of the 10 commandments (he did not affirm the not-working-on-the-sabbath) and giving is spoken of many times throughout the NT. We are to help the poor, the orphans, the widows. We are to be a cheerful giver, a sacrificial giver. But there is nothing about 10%.

[justamouse]

Oh my word!! You don't happen to live in Mufreesboro do you? There is a church here that is HUGE and they just keep on adding and remodeling and adding. I can't even imagine where all that money is coming from.

 

It's $ not going to feed the poor, help pay medical bills, or clothe people, that's for sure.

[Georgiana Daniels]

Nothing against you personally or the LDS church in general or other churches that say tithing is a Biblical requirement. That said, I have a question. Anyone who might have an answer feel free.

 

The tithing thing is in the OT along with all the other, what is it 612?, laws the Jewish people must obey. The NT pretty much says feed and clothe the poor and needy. (I follow the NT directive.)

 

So here is the question. Why is okay to break the circumcision covenant, disregard all the other laws but the 10 commandments, and still continue to demand the 10%?

 

Again, not being combative or snarky. Just asking a legitimate question. Thanks to any and all who are able to enlighten me (and others).

 

:iagree:

 

I haven't read all the other posts yet, but this is my feeling. In the NT we are admonished to give cheerfully, and let's face it, in the NT people often sold everything they had and put the $$ into a community pot. How many of us are living by that standard?

 

As a NT believer, I think technically everything we have belongs to the Lord, not just 10%. We should be listening for what He wants us to give at any time, in any situation.

[Georgiana Daniels]

Is this a particular denomination? I ask because in the denomination where DH and I went for many, many years, if this were the case, the denominational leaders would step in and ask the pastor to either take a lower salary or find a church with more members. A salary of that kind cannot be sustained by smaller churches.

 

The mortgage alone would have kept me away though.....I don't believe it is biblical to be that far into debt.

 

Dawn

 

:iagree:

 

Again, looking at the NT--they met from house to house. Can you see the apostles taking out a loan? Not when you have a perfectly good street corner :)

[VeteranMom]

Is this a particular denomination? I ask because in the denomination where DH and I went for many, many years, if this were the case, the denominational leaders would step in and ask the pastor to either take a lower salary or find a church with more members. A salary of that kind cannot be sustained by smaller churches.

 

The mortgage alone would have kept me away though.....I don't believe it is biblical to be that far into debt.

 

Dawn

They are considered non-denominational.

Edited December 15, 2011 by VeteranMom
editing

[Elinor Everywhere]

 

Personally to me tithing means time, talent and treasure. It also means that if I see a need outside the church I can give to that need in place of my weekly tithe.

 

 

This is my belief, as well. We give to our church, but we also support a family in Ukraine, my daughter & I give money towards two starving horses who are being rehabilitated, we give to various medical charities, etc.

 

Our church believes you don't give out of guilt; God loves a cheerful giver. We did go through a phase where we were giving less because of vacations/boats/etc., but that felt shallow and now we're giving more in accordance to our income. And, interestingly, the vacations & boats are still there...

[Colleen in NS]

We've actually gotten ourselves into very unpleasant situations BY tithing that 10%. No one ever talks about that, we only hear stories where God miraculously gives someone a new job or someone gets an anonymous $1000 in the mail and it's totally attributed to the person's faithfulness in tithing a specific amount.

 

:bigear:

[JessReplanted]

Honestly, I've heard that so many times that at this point it sounds like an excuse.

 

"Churches just want your money." :tongue_smilie:

 

At our church, we focus on giving cheerfully, generously, and sacrificially.

That can apply differently for different people. What is sacrificial for single mom is different than what is sacrificial for a business man.

 

We would never turn away anyone who wanted to participate in worship because they didn't give financially.

[Carol in Cal.]

Here is a link to a good paper by a Lutheran pastor on Christian stewardship/tithing:

 

http://ulcmn.org/Files/Tithing%20and%20Stewardship.PDF

[CatMomof3]

My SIL works at a Baptist School, they take the 10% right out of her check.

 

At my church, they make announcements at Mass asking for donations for the food bank and other ministries, but our priest rarely asks for money.

[Parrothead]

My SIL works at a Baptist School, they take the 10% right out of her check.

 

 

Is that legal?

[i.love.lucy]

Exactly. The word "testament" means "covenant" so it is the New Covenant. Christ affirmed the moral laws including 9 of the 10 commandments (he did not affirm the not-working-on-the-sabbath) and giving is spoken of many times throughout the NT. We are to help the poor, the orphans, the widows. We are to be a cheerful giver, a sacrificial giver. But there is nothing about 10%.

:iagree:

 

I don't like the take that tithing seems to guarantee favor with God. That seems work based and my salvation is not based on works. My dh just lost his job last week. We can't tithe 10% of ZERO income. But several people have told us to tithe more so that we can get more money from God. :confused: Like it's some kind of magical investment account where you deposit 10% and get a huge return. I do understand that what they mean is to go ahead and give so that we demonstrate our faith, but I am having a tough time in drawing the line between demonstrating faith in that way, and being a good steward of what we have left in the bank to last us as long as we can.

[8circles]

Its so unfortunate that tithing would keep someone away from church.

 

We use the term tithe but it is left up to each individual to determine what that means. Nobody knows who gives what except the treasurer.

 

I think that this must vary within 'denomination' because my experienced with one in particular is much different than others are describing.

 

It shouldn't cost any particular amount or percentage to be a part of a community of believers & worship with them.

[Embassy]

Jesus didn't tithe. Under the old covenant law only certain people were required to tithe and they didn't give money.

 

I like this How much do you really know about tithing quiz.

[In2why]

I left our last church for the two million dollar remodel and then the other million dollar addition, with the 20 minute guilt trip each Sunday on tithing.

 

I agree with Parrothead and Simka.

 

And, frankly, I got tired of trying to explain to people why they weren't getting blessed by paying 10%, even though they couldn't feed thier kids. Because they were being obedient, no? They should be blessed, pressed down, shaken together and overflowing? Pastors shouldn't make promises to desperate people that they can't fulfill. Becuase explaining how it rains on the just and unjust when they're being 'obedient' doesn't make sense to them.

 

 

I agree. I also left a church that decided to build a huge new sanctuary with the attending mortgage, utility bills and what not without being able to pay for it except to browbeat people from the pulpit to give more and more, even above their expected 10%. Even if the church could have afforded it, I look at mega churches and wonder why they aren't spending that money on mission and community works.

[Dustybug]

And why wouldn't he? He makes up ours every paycheck as in we ALWAYS have enough to meet our needs even when we are running short of money. I'm not saying we are finding money deposited into our account every week but there are other blessings that count. Your car keeps running even though the gas gauge reads empty, someone drops a bag of food at your door, the neighbour comes over and gives you a bag of clothes that contain the perfect sized, near new jeans your kid needs, you are able to mend your broken washing machine without having to call a repairman even though you have no knowledge of how to do this, etc etc.

 

It isn't always about getting extra money -it's about God seeing your most current NEEDS and helping you get them.

 

Keep in mind - sometimes God sees your most current need as learning to go without so that you can be more grateful and learn to recognise when he blesses you :001_smile:

 

 

Great post. I also don't think about it always as it terms of receiving a financial blessing in return.....tithing doesn't guarantee that you will be rolling in money. Blessings come in many forms.

[In2why]

This right here shows it can vary from church to church as well. I'm a Baptist too. :) As I said before it isn't required, but we do believe that you should tithe 10% of your income. Some people pay weekly, others do it monthly. No one checks up on you about it though. Although, even here in my town there are all sorts of varieties of Baptists: free will baptists, independent baptist, southern baptist, etc.

 

 

And when I was a Baptist, one of the Church Deacons would show up at your house with your tithing envelopes and to find out your pledge. :confused: Southern Baptist

[In2why]

Tithing isn't about the money -it's about the faith.

 

I'm LDS - we pay 10%. We also live paycheck to paycheck and never have money "just for fun".

 

We pay our tithing FIRST - before we pay any of our other bills.

 

We ALWAYS have enough to meet our needs and if we don't then God provides.

 

As an example - one time DH was out of work. The car needed fixing and we had no food in the house and we had a couple of bills that were overdue and needed paying and it was my son's birthday and we had no gift for him. We payed our tithing anyway and prayed and told God we had no money.

 

The next day the we got a deposit in our account from money that the govenrment owed us and it was the exact amount we needed to cover all the expenses we needed and money left over to buy our son some nice birthday gifts

 

That isn't the first time - things like that happen a lot.

 

People who are poor can't afford NOT to pay their tithing because if you don't show the faith God can't bless you with what you need.

 

In our experience when we don't pay our tithing we run out of money way before when we do pay it -it doesn't make sense but it works.

 

 

Ahhhh, so that's why people are poor. Because God must want them to be.

 

I know that is snarky, but I hate that attitude that people get what they deserve and if only they were better Christians everything would be okay.

[RoughCollie]

Ahhhh, so that's why people are poor. Because God must want them to be.

 

I know that is snarky, but I hate that attitude that people get what they deserve and if only they were better Christians everything would be okay.

 

:iagree: It's called pride.

[gardenmom5]

We belonged to a church once where the secretary would walk out before service and hand people their tithing statements. If they tithed, she would smile and hand it to them face up, but if they didn't, she would frown, be cold, and hand it to them face down - in front of everyone. ).

 

how very passive-aggressive of her. Frankly, I'm appalled. We tithe - but the only ones who know if people are full tithe payers or not are the bishop and the financial clerk who does the books.

 

eta: I need to amend that. the financial clerk knows how much was donated, but not the percentage of a person's income. the important things it, it is kept private.

Edited December 15, 2011 by gardenmom5

[HeatherM2]

People who are poor can't afford NOT to pay their tithing because if you don't show the faith God can't bless you with what you need.

QUOTE]

 

:001_huh: Really?

 

When we were tithing faithfully for years we got further and further behind on basic bills. We didn't have extra bills at that time. No internet, no credit card, no car payment, no cell phones, no extras. It was miserable! You don't hear these type tithing stories too often because we've learned not to share them with other Christians. There seems to be a back up list of reasons why one might not be overflowing in blessings. Now, did we see God's blessings during that time? Yes.

 

When we stopped tithing and started paying our bills God still "blessed" us and continues to do so. I can honestly say that my husband and I have not seen any difference in the amount of "blessings" from when were tithing compared to when we stopped. It's just a fact of life that sometimes things are good and sometimes they aren't.

 

However, once we started taking care of our basic needs first, we found ourselves in a better position to help those that truly need help. I'd much rather give directly to those that need it.

 

As for the OP I can see why someone would say that they can't afford to go to church. I've actually said it myself. I don't know about her situation, but mine comes from years of going to churches were no, they don't "require" tithing to join, but it is made known that they expect it.

 

I do believe in supporting the church you attend because there are bills to pay. I just got tired of it never being enough. I've heard to many guilt trip sermons on how they were going to have to shut the church doors. Then the very next month they purchased brand new flat screen tv's and the whole staff gets a raise. The very last straw for me was when the pastor actually said that those who weren't tithing the whole 10% every week were freeloaders.. Sorry, I'm not giving 10% of our hard earned paycheck so the staff can live better than us. Therefore I can't afford most churches. Call it an excuse if you want. There is truth in it.

 

God still loves me. :001_smile:

[Kari C in SC]

In our church, members are expected to tithe and we are regularly reminded to tithe. It's a tough time for our church and the attendance is way down. I imagine our church isn't the only one pushing tithing more than it has in the past. (Before we were members, our church over-extended itself and committed to a $15,000/mo mortgage that can't be supported by the 150 families that are left. They are, also, wanting to keep their word to the pastor and continue to pay him his $120,000/yr salary). I think that's a shame that not being able to tithe would keep a person away from church. I can understand wanting to avoid that kind of pressure, though.

 

That would make me want to leave a church most likely. We go to a church that never ever mentions money. They take one collection at each Sunday morning service and their Saturday evening service. Not on Wednesday. Earlier this year, they just announced they had saved the money to buy a new to us sprung building. There was no building fund - love offering, etc. They budgeted and saved and when the money was there - they bought the building. I LOVE that nobody went on and on about how we need to give our love offering to have a bigger and better campus, etc.

 

For me - sometimes I tithe - sometimes I don't. When I heard about the new building being paid for - I opened my checkbook and wrote a decent check because I was much more inclined to give to a church that didn't hit me over the head with wanting more money. You attract more people with honey than vinegar.

[Kari C in SC]

Ahhhh, so that's why people are poor. Because God must want them to be.

 

I know that is snarky, but I hate that attitude that people get what they deserve and if only they were better Christians everything would be okay.

 

:iagree:

 

Sometimes awful things happen to the best, most Christian people. To say that if you trust in God and tithe - you will be rewarded - is just a slap in the face to people that don't see that reward imho.

[gardenmom5]

 

I don't like the take that tithing seems to guarantee favor with God. That seems work based and my salvation is not based on works. My dh just lost his job last week. We can't tithe 10% of ZERO income. But several people have told us to tithe more so that we can get more money from God. :confused: Like it's some kind of magical investment account where you deposit 10% and get a huge return. I do understand that what they mean is to go ahead and give so that we demonstrate our faith, but I am having a tough time in drawing the line between demonstrating faith in that way, and being a good steward of what we have left in the bank to last us as long as we can.

I'm sorry you are going through this. :grouphug: we had a prolonged period of unemployment where our only income was interest on bank accounts. that amounted to cents in tithing for a number of months. We continued to pay tithing not because anyone told us "the Lord will "prosper" you with money if you pay your tithing" (though a few people said something similar. I'm actually distrubed by people who say that, I consider them to actually have weak faith that they equate keeping a commandment with getting temporal wealth. I've known some incredibly humble and loving people who didn't have much financially. many times the blessings come in forms other than money.), We paid tithing because we believed it was a commandment, and that anything we have belonged to the Lord, so we gave back that 10%. It was a choice for us to exercise faith and trust in Him. we certainly had to wax creative financially at times, but somehow . . . things worked out. it's not about money, but about faith. It is between you and God as to where your faith is, and what choices you make.

[Heidi]

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Malachi 3:11

 

I believe in this promise!! It is not prideful to believe that we will be blessed for keeping the commandments. God cannot "pour out a blessing" upon us if we do not first exercise faith by keeping this commandment. Now this blessing may be of a spiritual nature or monetarial, or both, but I do know that God does keep his word.

 

In the LDS church, before we can be baptized we must be willing to live the standards of the church. This includes being willing to pay our tithing, as well as being chaste in all of our relationships, keeping the Sabbath Day holy, and keeping our bodies healthy by not smoking or drinking alcohol, tea, or coffee.

 

When we are baptized we are promising God that we will keep His commandments. Of course, when we make mistakes we can repent, but how does that work concerning tithing? At the end of the year we are asked (not required) to meet with the bishop as a family to declare to him whether or not we are full tithe payers. He shows us a record of our contributions that we've made over the year so that we can check ourselves and see if we accidentally missed a payment or not. If we are struggling financially, he is there to work out a plan so that both our temporal and spiritual needs are met. (The bishop is a volunteer and does not get paid anything. Nor does he know how much income we earn.)

 

Paying tithing is an outward sign of our belief in God and His work; an expression of our faith.

[silliness7]

It is a shame her past experience makes her feel that she shouldn't even attend church if she can't or won't tithe. :001_huh: :confused:

 

:iagree::iagree: I've never experienced a church that demanded a tithe. I've never experienced a church where it was generally known who was giving what. That is just so sad to me and doesn't jive with true Christianity. Jesus does not reject those who don't bring their 10%

[simka2]

Tithing isn't about the money -it's about the faith.

 

I'm LDS - we pay 10%. We also live paycheck to paycheck and never have money "just for fun".

 

 

People who are poor can't afford NOT to pay their tithing because if you don't show the faith God can't bless you with what you need.

 

In our experience when we don't pay our tithing we run out of money way before when we do pay it -it doesn't make sense but it works.

 

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Malachi 3:11

 

I believe in this promise!! It is not prideful to believe that we will be blessed for keeping the commandments. God cannot "pour out a blessing" upon us if we do not first exercise faith by keeping this commandment.

 

In the LDS church, before we can be baptized we must be willing to live the standards of the church. This includes being willing to pay our tithing, as well as being chaste in all of our relationships, keeping the Sabbath Day holy, and keeping our bodies healthy by not smoking or drinking alcohol, tea, or coffee.

 

At the end of the year we are asked (not required) to meet with the bishop as a family to declare to him whether or not we are full tithe payers. He shows us a record of our contributions that we've made over the year so that we can check ourselves and see if we accidentally missed a payment or not. If we are struggling financially, he is there to work out a plan so that both our temporal and spiritual needs are met. (The bishop is a volunteer and does not get paid anything. Nor does he know how much income we earn.)

 

Paying tithing is an outward sign of our belief in God and His work; an expression of our faith.

 

Is this the normative belief for the LDS church? That God cannot bless those who do not tithe as interpreted by non-Jewish readers of one Old Testament verse?

 

I thought this might be isolated, but now I do not know. :confused:

[TranquilMind]

:iagree:

 

I haven't read all the other posts yet, but this is my feeling. In the NT we are admonished to give cheerfully, and let's face it, in the NT people often sold everything they had and put the $$ into a community pot. How many of us are living by that standard?

 

As a NT believer, I think technically everything we have belongs to the Lord, not just 10%. We should be listening for what He wants us to give at any time, in any situation.

I agree. The standard that Jesus sets is above and beyond the OT standard, not a step back. In the OT, you tithed and gave offerings sometimes. In the NT, we go beyond that.

 

Every standard that Jesus sets in the Sermon on the Mount is higher than the OT standard:

 

You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’e</SPAN> 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.</SPAN> 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.</SPAN> 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.</SPAN>

Divorce

31“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’f</SPAN> 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.</SPAN>

Oaths

33“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’</SPAN> 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;</SPAN> 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.</SPAN> 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.</SPAN> 37Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.</SPAN>

An Eye for an Eye

38“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’g</SPAN> 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.</SPAN> 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.</SPAN> 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.</SPAN> 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.</SPAN>

Love for Enemies

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighborh and hate your enemy.’</SPAN> 44 But I tell you: Love your enemiesi and pray for those who persecute you,</SPAN>

 

 

Regarding tithing in the New Testament, we are to share all good things with those who labor among us teaching us the Word (Gal 6:6). We are not to muzzle the ox that treads the corn, and the laborer is worthy of his reward. We are to understand that the law of reaping and sowing is in effect. There is seedtime and harvest. We are to give cheerfully from the heart, not under compulsion.

 

It is an internal thing, not something to be compelled by others. But I do not see that the standard is lower; I believe it is higher, just as every other standard Jesus set. So it bothers me for people to see the NT as being "free" of tithing, I guess, so they can lower their standard and throw a few bucks in now and then. I'm happy to tithe and we've always given offerings as we feel led. God has always met our needs too, as everyone else said above.

 

The law wasn't eliminated; it was fulfilled in Jesus and I think he calls us to a higher not a lower standard.

[TranquilMind]

I do believe in supporting the church you attend because there are bills to pay. I just got tired of it never being enough. I've heard to many guilt trip sermons on how they were going to have to shut the church doors. Then the very next month they purchased brand new flat screen tv's and the whole staff gets a raise. The very last straw for me was when the pastor actually said that those who weren't tithing the whole 10% every week were freeloaders..

This is a church that doesn't get tithing at all. There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ. No pastor who does guilt trips about how they have to shut the doors understands the first thing about how God works this out with sowing and reaping. Guilt trips are fear, plain and simple and totally incompatible with faith.

 

I only support ministries who never ask for money. They don't have to; they understand that God is their source, not me. I'm the same in giving to people. I've been in churches where an offering plate is passed, which is fine, but if there is any fleshly, fear-driven guilt trip beforehand, that is not of God. I prefer the churches who just have a box in the back, and you know where it is so you can put money in there as the Lord directs.

 

I find it not surprising that those who refuse to operate in fleshly guilt and fear seem to be more prosperous than those who do because people who get it, that God is using them to move money around, will give.

 

Sorry, I'm not giving 10% of our hard earned paycheck so the staff can live better than us. Therefore I can't afford most churches. Call it an excuse if you want. There is truth in it.

 

I'm sorry you have had those experiences. But there are still good churches and you don't want to be a lone ranger. It's too easy to get picked off that way.

God still loves me. :001_smile:

 

Yes, he does!

[5LittleMonkeys]

Wow, thank you all for sharing! I have a much better picture now. I wish that young woman could have talked to some of you today.

 

Your information has led me to another questions though. Suppose a person considers themselves a Christian but doesn't associate themselves with a particular denomination nor do they attend church. Instead they worship in their home and pretty much keep their faith between them and God. They don't tithe to a church, but try to be generous to the community with what they have..where do they fit in? I think this is geared more toward those that feel a 10% tithe is necessary...I'm not trying to start a stink, I like to try to understand other points of view.

[mytwomonkeys]

we tithe under all circumstances. for us, it has nothing to do with church membership, acceptance, judgment, etc. we don't even tithe at church. i pay it online through bank of america (scheduled like a bill), so no one has ever seen me drop a nickle in the plate. it literally is something we do because we feel it is that important to our christian walk. i understand many don't feel that way, so my comment isn't a slap to anyone - just defining the "why" for my own family. for us, we can't afford not to tithe honestly. it is truly a conviction for us & to not do it would be going against what we believe. anyway. hope that makes sense.

[simka2]

I've gone through all the comments made so far, and am surprised to see so little scripture being quoted.

 

The LDS tithe because Joseph Smith, their modern-day prophet, wrote in the Book of Mormon that they are to tithe.

 

To everyone else, please consider the following:

To the one quoting Malachi 3:

Malachi 3:7 (KJV) “Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ORDINANCES, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?â€

 

The Israelites were not following God's ORDINANCES for His tithes and offerings. No one today follows those ordinances. Here they are:

 

THE FIRST TITHE

Leviticus 27:30-33 defines this tithe as a tenth of crops and animals in herds and flocks.

Numbers 18 gives the ordinances, or instructions, for this tithe, and commands this tithe be taken to the Levites.

Purpose of this tithe: to support the Levitical Priesthood.

 

SECOND TITHE

Deuteronomy 14:22-27: aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take for the yearly feast.

Purpose of this tithe: “that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God alwaysâ€

 

THIRD TITHE

Deuteronomy 14:28-29: aka The Three-Year Tithe aka The Poor Tithe - a tenth of crops, kept at home, and invite the Levites, widows, orphans, stranger to eat.

Purpose of this tithe: to feed the poor.

 

In all three tithes, the tenth came from GOD'S INCREASE of food from crops and animals and never from man's increase (income). Money was not accept as a tithe, yet money had to be used to pay the Temple Tax.

 

The ONLY people in the Old Testament that were commanded to tithe were those who INHERITED THE PROMISED LAND WITH EVERYTHING ON IT. They got the land, house, animals, crops, etc. ALL FREE AND CLEAR. No mortgage payment or rent to pay. And THEY were commanded to tithe on the crops and animals and take it to the Levites who INHERITED the tithe INSTEAD OF the promised land with everything on it. No one else tithed. Wage earners did not tithe. Jesus did not tithe as a carpenter. Paul did not tithe as a tent maker. Peter did not tithe as a fisherman.

 

Furthermore, those ORDINANCES were nailed to the cross: Colossians 2:14 (KJV) “Blotting out the handwriting of ORDINANCES that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;â€

 

Malachi 3 says you will be cursed if you don't tithe. But read Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us…â€

 

Malachi 3 says you will be blessed if you tithe, but Ephesians 1:3 (KJV) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:â€

 

When God gave the Israelites the promised land, he RESERVED, for Himself, a tenth of the crops and every tenth animal. They NEVER did belong to the Israelites. In other words, the tithe was from God's increase of FOOD, not from man's income. It was a way to distribute FOOD to the Levites and priests who did NOT inherit any land.

 

No one, not even the farmers, tithed on their income.

 

The farmers made their income by SELLING and/or barter-exchanging their crops and animals but did NOT tithe on that income.

 

Today, ALL born-again believers are priests. ALL of us are called to be deciples of the Lord. No one of us is higher than another. Our bodies are the Temple where the Spirit dwells. According to the scriptures, priests do not tithe.

 

If you do a little research on the history of tithing in the US you will find that no Christian Church taught tithing on one's income before 1870.

 

When you try to tithe today, you are rejecting that you are a part of a Royal Priesthood, and you are rejecting what Jesus did on the cross. According to Hebrews 7:5,12,18, the tithe was disannulled.

 

The New Testament teaches generous, sacrificial giving, from the heart, according to our means. For some, $1 might be a sacrifice, while for others, even giving 50% of their income might not induce a sacrifice. In the Old Testament, ONLY the farmers tithed, and it was equal percentage (a tenth). The New Testament teaches the principle of equal sacrifice instead of equal percentage. Equal sacrifice is much harder to achieve, if not impossible, than giving ten percent.

 

Any church that requires its members to tithe in order to be a part of the congregation, or even to be an officer of that church, is SELLING church positions. That is not of God. I would leave that church quickly.

 

We all have our beliefs, but I learned a long time ago that I needed to check my beliefs with the scriptures. When doing so, I found that I had been taught by false teachers.

Normally, I look on new posters with a lot of skepticism, but I really like your post. Thanks!

[mytwomonkeys]

tithebuster;) my tithe is a blessing. isn't that enough?

[HeatherM2]

This is a church that doesn't get tithing at all. There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ. No pastor who does guilt trips about how they have to shut the doors understands the first thing about how God works this out with sowing and reaping. Guilt trips are fear, plain and simple and totally incompatible with faith.

 

I only support ministries who never ask for money. They don't have to; they understand that God is their source, not me. I'm the same in giving to people. I've been in churches where an offering plate is passed, which is fine, but if there is any fleshly, fear-driven guilt trip beforehand, that is not of God. I prefer the churches who just have a box in the back, and you know where it is so you can put money in there as the Lord directs.

 

I find it not surprising that those who refuse to operate in fleshly guilt and fear seem to be more prosperous than those who do because people who get it, that God is using them to move money around, will give.

 

 

 

I'm sorry you have had those experiences. But there are still good churches and you don't want to be a lone ranger. It's too easy to get picked off that way.

 

 

Yes, he does!

 

Thank you. :001_smile: Although I'm not a lone ranger and not exactly sure what you meant about being picked off.

[Amira]

Is this the normative belief for the LDS church? That God cannot bless those who do not tithe as interpreted by non-Jewish readers of one Old Testament verse?

 

I thought this might be isolated, but now I do not know. :confused:

 

No, this is not our normative belief. We do not believe that we can only be blessed if we tithe. We do believe that keeping the commandents will result in blessings (not necessarily financial, and they won't necessarily come immediately). Blessings do not come simply because you're paying a certain amount, nor does God withhold all blessings when we don't pay tithing.

 

Here's what I believe:

 

Tithe payers can be hungry and need help. If you are poor, it likely won't be solved by paying your tithing. We have lived off very small incomes and always tithed. A few times we have received food from the LDS Church, but we still tithed. I think many people would think that's crazy, and I think it's entirely reasonable for people to think that.

 

I do not expect any certain type of blessings, or any blessings at all, when I pay my tithing. God is not sitting somewhere calculating what I ought to be paying in tithing and then distributing blessings to me based on what I paid. Nor would I expect God to stop blessing me if I didn't pay my tithing.

 

Some Mormons do believe that if they pay their tithing, they'll be blessed financially. Personally I don't believe this, nor do many other Mormons.

 

I do believe that it matters to God if we keep His commandments, but tithing is only one of His commandments.

[5LittleMonkeys]

But there are still good churches and you don't want to be a lone ranger. It's too easy to get picked off that way.

 

 

Could you translate? I'm not getting your meaning.

[ereks mom]

The New Testament's words on giving are about sacrificial, extravagant *giving* of one's money and resources. It says we're not bound by the OT laws, but the new theme is to not LIMIT oneself. I like this because it's between me and God to decide what IS a sacrificial gift! Many times it's more than 10%. Sometimes it's less because we have less to work with. I don't believe in a straight 10% tithe in any New Testament church. I DO believe in giving to God first, however.

 

But if we had to tithe 10% to please the Lord every single time, we'd have to downsize to a shack, eat only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, come to church in holey jeans and pray that God would make up our shortfall EVERY 2 weeks. (hehe, maybe "holy" jeans are OK, though?) Right now we're in a less than 10% giving mode and we've "upped" our service and time commitments. Some people would say that we need to trust more and expect that God will be faithful to pay our gas bill or whatever. We've actually gotten ourselves into very unpleasant situations BY tithing that 10%. No one ever talks about that, we only hear stories where God miraculously gives someone a new job or someone gets an anonymous $1000 in the mail and it's totally attributed to the person's faithfulness in tithing a specific amount. I think that's edging towards a prosperity gospel. God does bless us when we're faithful, but I'm going to listen to what HE says is faithful on my part.

 

I can't imagine any church not asking it's members to give faithfully. That's Biblical. Putting a number on it is a different story.

 

Well said. We've been in the same situation. I believe that God wants our hearts, not just our pocketbooks.

 

Mark 12:33 -- "To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 Samuel 15:22 -- "But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Proverbs 21:3 -- "To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice."

[MamaSheep]

Is this the normative belief for the LDS church? That God cannot bless those who do not tithe as interpreted by non-Jewish readers of one Old Testament verse?

 

I thought this might be isolated, but now I do not know. :confused:

 

In LDS belief God can certainly bless anyone anytime He chooses. You can't stop God from blessing people. However some blessings are specifically tied to an action that a person can choose to take or not take. Sometimes God says, "If you do X, I will do Y, and if you don't do X then I will not do Y." If that is the case, then if you don't do X then God cannot give you the promised blessing to those who DID do X because it would mean that he lied about his stipulation, which is not something God would do. He may give you some other blessing, at His discretion, but He will keep His word about the blessing that was tied to the required action and not give it to those who were not obedient. A NT example would be when Jesus says that IF you have faith in Him, THEN you will be saved. One cannot expect to receive the blessing of salvation unless one fulfills the requirement of having faith in Christ. I'm pretty sure that's what the ladies you quoted were getting at. God told His people through Malachi that IF they paid tithing THEN He would open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing (which appears to be an unspecified, personalized sort of blessing). In LDS belief, God has such blessings ready for us and WANTS to give them, but they are tied to demonstrating one's faith in His providence by paying tithes. He can certainly give us some other blessing if He so chooses--the rain falls on rich and poor alike. But He won't give us THAT blessing unless we meet the requirement. Indeed, He CANNOT give us THAT blessing unless we meet the requirement because He has tied it to that requirement, and He is not a liar.

 

As far as NT versus OT versus LDS modern revelation, here's how I see it, personally. As I read the NT, the Law of Moses is fulfilled and no longer a requirement, but the covenant with Abraham is reaffirmed and continues. The Law of Moses was always meant to be a temporary measure, given because the people were not ready for a higher law. The covenant with Abraham was intended to be eternal. There's more than one covenant described in the OT. For example, there's also a covenant with Noah. Tithing predates Moses, and was practiced by Abraham, who gave his tithe to the great high priest Melchizedek. Jacob also tithed. So tithing is not one of the rituals of the Mosaic Law that was fulfilled in Christ.

 

Also, as I think someone else pointed out, whenever Christ drew comparisons between the (lesser) Law of Moses and the law of Christ, the requirements under Christ were always greater than under the Mosaic law. I see it as consistent with this that in the NT we read that the church members gave EVERYTHING to the church, not just 10%, and shared it around to make sure everyone was taken care of. It was, of course, a voluntary sort of donation, not done by force or compulsion, but we can see in the example of Ananias and Sapphira that once a person had committed to participating it was NOT ok for them to hold back part for themselves, they were expected to give ALL of what they had committed to give. Also, I think Christ made it pretty clear that tithing wasn't just about money, but about a person's heart, and a hypocritical tithe given with a purpose of self-righteous self-aggrandizement was unacceptable. And Christ also taught His disciples to render to Caesar that which is Caesar's AND to God that which is God's. So I really think that under the New Covenant, the expectation is really that we would give all we have to God via the church--keeping in mind that at the time there was only one Christian church that they all belonged to, participated in, gave to, and received from.

 

During the beginnings of the LDS church there was a time when the people tried abide by that level of giving, but were unable to live up to that high expectation and it caused some difficulties. We believe that because the Lord understood their weakness and took pity on them, He then gave them a requirement of a ten percent tithe as a more basic "milk" versus "meat" level of participation in the temporal welfare of the church. It is still encouraged that we recognize that all we have is really the Lord's and be willing to give as needed and not just limit ourselves to the 10% tithe we believe God asks for as a minimum (but voluntary!) requirement.

 

Although we do believe that this tithe is a commandment from God, the only person who knows whether any given individual member of the church is paying it is that individual person. Nobody looks at pay stubs or tax returns or any other form of documentation. The church does keep track of the amount donated (but takes your word for it as to whether it represents 10% of your income or not) and issues a statement at the end of each year to each person who contributed for tax and record-keeping purposes. Anyone is welcome to participate in church programs and worship services whether they pay tithing or not. Those who earn less pay less. Ten percent of nothing is zero, and a person without any income is still considered a full tithe payer even if they paid no tithing, because they don't owe any. Tithing money is considered sacred and its expenditure is carefully monitored. Church buildings are not built until they're paid for, and as someone else already mentioned, our congregations are staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers. We're all expected to pitch in and help out.

 

I, personally, view tithe paying as a wonderful opportunity. If I were strapped for money I would still pay my tithing first. I've made a personal commitment to God to contribute to the building up of His kingdom by paying a tithe, and I don't intend to go back on it. And I know that if I were unable to make ends meet in other areas because my debt to God got paid first, I could go to my bishop for help, in large part because the willingness of so many of my fellow church members to tithe (and so often contribute additional generous offerings) means that there is "meat in [God's] house", just as that verse in Malachi says, and it's distributed as needed through a remarkable (IMO) welfare system in the church. I've contributed money and labor to the welfare system, and I would not feel bad about receiving back from it. Up to this point we have been blessed not to need that assistance, and to be able to help others who do, and I'm grateful for both of those things. And I do always see blessings pour down from heaven when I pay my tithing--they're not always financial blessings, they come in many forms. Paying tithing is not "purchasing" blessings, it's just that God fulfills His side of the promise when we step up to the plate and obey His request. God is generous, and having "proved [Him] now herewith", I've found that the promise He made through Malachi is still good. He still has those blessings there for us if we will step up and claim them in the manner He has specified for THOSE specific (but unspecified and highly individualized) blessings. But not accepting THOSE blessings certainly doesn't prevent God from providing other blessings. Not paying tithing doesn't prevent God from blessing you, it just prevents you from receiving the specific blessings that God would bless you with if you did.

 

I hope I've explained that coherently. It's late here and I should really be in bed. :)

Edited December 15, 2011 by MamaSheep

[ForeverFamily]

In LDS belief God can certainly bless anyone anytime He chooses. You can't stop God from blessing people. However some blessings are specifically tied to an action that a person can choose to take or not take. Sometimes God says, "If you do X, I will do Y, and if you don't do X then I will not do Y." If that is the case, then if you don't do X then God cannot give you the promised blessing to those who DID do X because it would mean that he lied about his stipulation, which is not something God would do. He may give you some other blessing, at His discretion, but He will keep His word about the blessing that was tied to the required action and not give it to those who were not obedient. A NT example would be when Jesus says that IF you have faith in Him, THEN you will be saved. One cannot expect to receive the blessing of salvation unless one fulfills the requirement of having faith in Christ. I'm pretty sure that's what the ladies you quoted were getting at. God told His people through Malachi that IF they paid tithing THEN He would open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing (which appears to be an unspecified, personalized sort of blessing). In LDS belief, God has such blessings ready for us and WANTS to give them, but they are tied to demonstrating one's faith in His providence by paying tithes. He can certainly give us some other blessing if He so chooses--the rain falls on rich and poor alike. But He won't give us THAT blessing unless we meet the requirement. Indeed, He CANNOT give us THAT blessing unless we meet the requirement because He has tied it to that requirement, and He is not a liar.

 

As far as NT versus OT versus LDS modern revelation, here's how I see it, personally. As I read the NT, the Law of Moses is fulfilled and no longer a requirement, but the covenant with Abraham is reaffirmed and continues. The Law of Moses was always meant to be a temporary measure, given because the people were not ready for a higher law. The covenant with Abraham was intended to be eternal. There's more than one covenant described in the OT. For example, there's also a covenant with Noah. Tithing predates Moses, and was practiced by Abraham, who gave his tithe to the great high priest Melchizedek. Jacob also tithed. So tithing is not one of the rituals of the Mosaic Law that was fulfilled in Christ.

 

Also, as I think someone else pointed out, whenever Christ drew comparisons between the (lesser) Law of Moses and the law of Christ, the requirements under Christ were always greater than under the Mosaic law. I see it as consistent with this that in the NT we read that the church members gave EVERYTHING to the church, not just 10%, and shared it around to make sure everyone was taken care of. It was, of course, a voluntary sort of donation, not done by force or compulsion, but we can see in the example of Ananias and Sapphira that once a person had committed to participating it was NOT ok for them to hold back part for themselves, they were expected to give ALL of what they had committed to give. Also, I think Christ made it pretty clear that tithing wasn't just about money, but about a person's heart, and a hypocritical tithe given with a purpose of self-righteous self-aggrandizement was unacceptable. And Christ also taught His disciples to render to Caesar that which is Caesar's AND to God that which is God's. So I really think that under the New Covenant, the expectation is really that we would give all we have to God via the church--keeping in mind that at the time there was only one Christian church that they all belonged to, participated in, gave to, and received from.

 

During the beginnings of the LDS church there was a time when the people tried abide by that level of giving, but were unable to live up to that high expectation and it caused some difficulties. We believe that because the Lord understood their weakness and took pity on them, He then gave them a requirement of a ten percent tithe as a more basic "milk" versus "meat" level of participation in the temporal welfare of the church. It is still encouraged that we recognize that all we have is really the Lord's and be willing to give as needed and not just limit ourselves to the 10% tithe we believe God asks for as a minimum (but voluntary!) requirement.

 

Although we do believe that this tithe is a commandment from God, the only person who knows whether any given individual member of the church is paying it is that individual person. Nobody looks at pay stubs or tax returns or any other form of documentation. The church does keep track of the amount donated (but takes your word for it as to whether it represents 10% of your income or not) and issues a statement at the end of each year to each person who contributed for tax and record-keeping purposes. Anyone is welcome to participate in church programs and worship services whether they pay tithing or not. Those who earn less pay less. Ten percent of nothing is zero, and a person without any income is still considered a full tithe payer even if they paid no tithing, because they don't owe any. Tithing money is considered sacred and its expenditure is carefully monitored. Church buildings are not built until they're paid for, and as someone else already mentioned, our congregations are staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers. We're all expected to pitch in and help out.

 

I, personally, view tithe paying as a wonderful opportunity. If I were strapped for money I would still pay my tithing first. I've made a personal commitment to God to contribute to the building up of His kingdom by paying a tithe, and I don't intend to go back on it. And I know that if I were unable to make ends meet in other areas because my debt to God got paid first, I could go to my bishop for help, in large part because the willingness of so many of my fellow church members to tithe (and so often contribute additional generous offerings) means that there is "meat in [God's] house", just as that verse in Malachi says, and it's distributed as needed through a remarkable (IMO) welfare system in the church. I've contributed money and labor to the welfare system, and I would not feel bad about receiving back from it. Up to this point we have been blessed not to need that assistance, and to be able to help others who do, and I'm grateful for both of those things. And I do always see blessings pour down from heaven when I pay my tithing--they're not always financial blessings, they come in many forms. Paying tithing is not "purchasing" blessings, it's just that God fulfills His side of the promise when we step up to the plate and obey His request. God is generous, and having "proved [Him] now herewith", I've found that the promise He made through Malachi is still good. He still has those blessings there for us if we will step up and claim them in the manner He has specified for THOSE specific (but unspecified and highly individualized) blessings. But not accepting THOSE blessings certainly doesn't prevent God from providing other blessings. Not paying tithing doesn't prevent God from blessing you, it just prevents you from receiving the specific blessings that God would bless you with if you did.

 

I hope I've explained that coherently. It's late here and I should really be in bed. :)

 

:iagree:Thank you for your post! I couldn't have said it better myself.

[....]

We're Lutheran and do not tithe. In the congregations we've belonged to, money is never mentioned. You know the "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar" quote. I know the church building has to pay their electric bill, but I really don't think God needs a certain percentage of our income.

 

We could meet in a field or in a tent and still be a church.

 

As far as the poster mentioning the early church giving away all their possessions...I thought they also went nuts and stoned their leader (isn't that in Acts). :confused:

[ezrabean2005]

Here is my favorite perspective on tithing:

http://freebelievers.com/blog-entry/the-murder-of-giving

[leeannpal]

To the OP, that is very odd. My church has NEVER required tithing. They encourage it and most believe that you give 10% to your church first and THEN give additional offerings to missions, etc.....I personally don't agree as I see giving to the body of Christ as giving to "the church." But I would never say you HAVE to tithe.

 

Dawn

:iagree: I also believe that tithing does not have to mean money. Some people choose to provide services and time to their church as part of a tithe.

 

What is really sad to me are the churches that are harping on their membership and not trusting God to provide for their needs. Isn't that hypocritical somehow?

[leeannpal]

Here is my favorite perspective on tithing:

http://freebelievers.com/blog-entry/the-murder-of-giving

 

Thanks for sharing this! I absolutely agree with this point of view.

[Twigs]

… As far as the poster mentioning the early church giving away all their possessions...I thought they also went nuts and stoned their leader (isn't that in Acts). :confused:

 

:confused:

 

I've never heard about the early church going nuts. :confused:

 

 

Are you referring to the stoning of Stephen? He was stoned by the Jewish leadership for (in their eyes) blasphemy (Jesus was also charged with blasphemy by the Jewish leadership); Stephen was not stoned by the church.

 

 

 

Acts 6

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.

10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.â€

12 And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council.

13 They put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law;

14 for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.â€

15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.

Acts 7

1 The high priest said, “Are these things so?â€

2 And he said, “Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

[3 – 50 – in these verses, Stephen gives a synopsis of Jewish history]

51 “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

52 Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;

53 you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.â€

54 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.

55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;

56 and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.â€

57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.

58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!â€

60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!†Having said this, he fell asleep.

 

(NASU)

[*********]

My SIL works at a Baptist School, they take the 10% right out of her check.

 

At my church, they make announcements at Mass asking for donations for the food bank and other ministries, but our priest rarely asks for money.

 

I certainly hope that she ASKED them to do that.

 

'Cause I have a friend whose husband works at one of the local mega churches, and they TOLD him they would be taking 10% out of his check. Yep. And he knows if he balks, they'll fire him. And they'll say it's for some other reason. The man already works two jobs to support his family, and clearly, in this economy in our state, cannot afford to jeapordize his job.

 

And NO, he and his family do not attend that church.

 

I can't WAIT until the Lord finds that man another job, so I can send a SCATHING letter to that church. How disgusting.

Edited December 15, 2011 by bethanyniez

[KatieH]

If we honestly don't have the money, we don't tithe, and it's not an issue. We're Catholic, and apparently the RCC has a low tithing rate, BUT, we also have a higher percentage of parishioners who are impoverished. We also have large Hispanic populations, especially in my area, and statistically they are unlikely to tithe. We are asked to give 5% of our gross income to our parish if we can, but it's not obligatory.

 

That said, I personally feel like if you have the money, you should give it. I don't know about other denominations, but our parishes donate a lot of money to charities across the world, as well as providing a lot of services to needy in our local communities, and it requires the generosity of our parishioners to accomplish that. I also think that if you're taking advantage of programs offered by the church, you should help fund it if you're able. We are not wealthy, but we tithe what we can to our parish and diocese, as well as donating privately to charity.

[Spock]

:iagree:

 

 

 

:iagree: That sounds insane. I remember my pastor growing up made like $50,000 a year and that was good living!! (Heck, we don't make that now!)

 

My father was the pastor, and I remember seeing one of his monthly paychecks. He got $1000 a month. We did also get free housing--the church paid the mortgage/insurance on a home for us. We paid our own electric, water, food, and clothing out of the $1000 a month. We were often invited to someone's home for supper, or given a paper bag of food or hand-me-down clothes as a supplement. My mother worked part time as a nurse to help pay the bills. This was in the middle 1980's, when I was in high school.

 

I don't know what he was paid in the previous church in the 1970s when I was younger and my mother didn't have a job (because the only hospital in town was NOT a place she wanted to work, and we didn't have a car for her to work elsewhere), but we got free breakfast and lunch in the schools, so it couldn't have been that much.

 

I currently attend a subdivision of a very large church where the pastors are paid in the $120,000 or more range, but it is still hard for me to conceptualize. I tend to pay my tithe to Samaritan's Purse and similar organizations more often than to the actual church I attend, because I think they use the money more responsibly--and that decision is not based on the pastors' salaries.

[Xuzi]

The LDS tithe because Joseph Smith, their modern-day prophet, wrote in the Book of Mormon that they are to tithe.

I hope people understand that this wasn't entirely acurate. Yes, Joseph Smith himself, and other modern prophets since his time, have spoken of tithing, but as MamaSheep's excellent post talks about, there is faaaaaar more to our belief in tithing than just that, and the Book of Mormon actually says very little about tithing.

 

My family pays tithing. Couldn't imagine not paying it. I enjoy having a heated chapel to worship in, and curriculum to teach my Sunday School class with, etc. etc. :)

[MamaSheep]

I hope people understand that this wasn't entirely acurate. Yes, Joseph Smith himself, and other modern prophets since his time, have spoken of tithing, but as MamaSheep's excellent post talks about, there is faaaaaar more to our belief in tithing than just that, and the Book of Mormon actually says very little about tithing.

 

My family pays tithing. Couldn't imagine not paying it. I enjoy having a heated chapel to worship in, and curriculum to teach my Sunday School class with, etc. etc. :)

 

Thank you for the kind compliment.:)

 

Yes, to be a little more clear, just for the sake of accuracy, the commandment where the LDS church was specifically told by the Lord through Joseph Smith that they were to tithe is recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants (119), which contains revelations given to the church in modern times, rather than in the Book of Mormon, which is a historical record of ancient believers. More has been said about it since, but that's where the beginning of the tithe for us was recorded.

 

I can't imagine not paying it either.