How In The World Is Tithing A Privilage?

[thesometimesaint]

And I guess those who faithfully paid their tithing, fell on hard time and had to choose between food and tithing just weren't faithful enough? Or maybe they only paid on there net income? Or they were probably sinning in some way.

We don't have to choose between food and tithing. Paying tithes and offerings gives those members in need a claim on Church resources. I pay on my net then add in some from my tax return. The numbers work out to be the same. Who said anything about sinning?

Edited February 17, 2013 by thesometimesaint

[thesometimesaint]

I believe in tithing but why haven't we been taught that it is on our surplus? This seems to have been sidestepped by you and others. Or is it possible that we wouldn't be able to build the beautiful temples in great number? Or take care of the US if it were to ever crumble. Because that's how wealthy this church is. I can almost accept both scenarios and give in to keeping tithing as I've always known it to be.

It is not on our surplus. It is on our increase. Why is it not possible to do both. As rich as the Church is we couldn't support the entire US for more than a few minutes were it to collapse.

[salvar774]

It is totaly up to each individual to decide what to pay . You have to deside what the word intrest means to you . If you can stand before God and claim to be a full tithe payer then you are . 10 percent of your surplus or 10 percent of all income , gross or net . It is up to you .A clear conscience free of guilt is what will deside for us . imho

[thesometimesaint]

It is totaly up to each individual to decide what to pay . You have to deside what the word intrest means to you . If you can stand before God and claim to be a full tithe payer then you are . 10 percent of your surplus or 10 percent of all income , gross or net . It is up to you .A clear conscience free of guilt is what will deside for us . imho

Agreed.

[Saints Alive]

It is totaly up to each individual to decide what to pay . You have to deside what the word intrest means to you . If you can stand before God and claim to be a full tithe payer then you are . 10 percent of your surplus or 10 percent of all income , gross or net . It is up to you .A clear conscience free of guilt is what will deside for us . imho

Its also important to distinguish between shame and guilt. Shame is what we feel because of how other perceive our action, guilt is how we feel about our action. Some people are shamed into paying more on tithing than they otherwise would.

[VideoGameJunkie]

I love paying tithing, but I hope the money I pay goes toward helping a student afford BYU or helping the lights stay on. I don't know if the temples needs to be so fancy looking. Does God really want a mansion of a temple with crystal chandelliors? Couldn't money be spent for better causes?

[Rincewind]

Didn't one of Christ's followers raise that same objection when a woman anointed Christ's feet with spikenard? 

[Calm]

Long time!

[Kenngo1969]

Hey, it's An Oldie But A Goodie!

[ERayR]

 Maybe it should be on surplus and not 10% of the paycheck. That way we would feel more responsibility for taking care of our own families first. It's especially hardest on the low income families.

 

It wouldn't make any difference there would still be those who . . .  Well you know.

[ERayR]

Most of my life I've paid as you have stated you have except this year was not on gross maybe net and I had some extra money to help other charities. The church is doing fine with it's billions. The scriptures say 10% of your surplus increase, unbeknownst to me until fairly recently. The Lord is pleased when we help elsewhere too.

[Kenngo1969]

What anyone else does with regard to Tithing is between him or her and the Lord.  It's none of my business.  Now, having said that, I do wonder, if we're looking for "loopholes" with respect to the Law of Tithing, how in the world are we ever going to be prepared enough to live the Law of Consecration?

 

P.S.: And, in response to the opening post, the only way paying Tithing isn't a privilege is if we were to conclude that the Lord didn't give us everything we have in the first place.  The fact that He only asks for 10% back in return strikes me as a pretty good deal.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Kenngo1969

[JLHPROF]

Tithing is a privilege, but it is the lesser law.

The true law is for us to demonstrate our willingness to give 100% of everything we have to the Lord if requested, holding nothing back.

Tithing is just the baby step.

[The Nehor]

[Tacenda]

I don't look at tithing the way I use to, especially after reading what it meant in the Bible for one thing. And I don't think the church treats tithing as holy & sacred as those of you on here treat it, IMO.

If the church really treated it like the Lord's money it would not let so many suffer in those third world countries the way they do while we get a cushy mall and temples that are a no holds bar, IMO. If it is the Lord's money do what the Lord said to do with it.

I think D. Michael Quinn's soon to be released book on church finances will shed some light on the subject.

Edited January 23, 2015 by Tacenda

[JLHPROF]

I don't look at tithing the way I use to, especially after reading what it meant in the Bible for one thing. And I don't think the church treats tithing as holy & sacred as those of you on here treat it, IMO.

If the church really treated it like the Lord's money it would not let so many suffer in those third world countries the way they do while we get a cushy mall and temples that are a no holds bar, IMO. If it is the Lord's money do what the Lord said to do with it.

I think D. Michael Quinn's soon to be released book on church finances will shed some light on the subject.

 

And I truly believe it doesn't matter what the Church does with tithing.  They will answer to the Lord.  Having them answer to the membership on tithing is a backwards attitude.

Tithing is about sacrifice.  We perform our sacrifice.  What happens to it after that shouldn't concern us at all (unless it is funding something evil I suppose).

 

If I found out that every $ of my tithing was invested on the stock market by the GA's to build the corporate empire, why should that matter?  God asked me to sacrifice 10% of my increase.  I do it.  Simple.  If he wanted 20% I'd find a way to make that work too.

In the end the religion that doesn't require the sacrifice of everything won't produce enough faith to get me to the state I want to be in.  God can have whatever he wants, and he will hold our leaders accountable.  But I won't be Ananias/Sapphira.

[Robert F. Smith]

................................................................................................   

To this day I don't date, don't want to marry, don't have a social life, hobbies or intrests because it would require or cause money issues.

But I still can't wrap my brain around how tithing is a privilage. A requirment? Yes! A help to growing the kingdom? Yes! A burdon for people like me? More often than not! But a privilage???

Tithing appears to be the least of your problems, although the Lord does appreciate a cheerful giver, and you might want to ask whether your tithe should be on the gross or on the net income.

 

More importantly, life is for the living, and the purpose of life is to test yourself in a multitude of ways, and to make a real, human contribution to the Kingdom of God on Earth.  You've been paying your dues, but not taking advantage of the benefits.  Get out there and participate.  Say friendly "hellos" to the female members.  Marry a rich widow, if you have to, but do something.  Maybe raise some children, without placing a guilt trip on them.  Love for a wife and for your children can easily overwhelm you, and you may wonder how you could have remained in the shadows so long.

[MorningStar]

When a person is excommunicated, they don't get to pay tithing anymore.  There are blessings that come with paying tithing.  A lot of people assume it is financial, but I believe my family has been blessed in many other ways from paying our tithing.  It is a blessing to give 10% back to the Lord when He has given us everything we have. 

 

My family has always struggled financially, but we have also always managed to pay our bills and the longest my husband was ever laid-off was about 30 minutes.  My sister called not knowing what had happened right after he found out and she said, "Our company is looking for a couple of finish carpenters.  Would he be interested in that?"  I said, "Um, yeah!  He just got laid-off!"  They interviewed him right away and we didn't even have to agonize all weekend about whether he was getting the job or not.  I know other people who are well-off for a good amount of time and then suffer a long period of unemployment.  I'm not saying people who pay tithing don't have long periods of unemployment, but I believe we are blessed in different ways.  One of my friends' husband was laid off for a long time, but she looked back and said she really needed him home during that time because their son had just been diagnosed with Autism.  That situation was a blessing in disguise and they did have their needs met somehow. 

 

I guess my point is:  Count your blessings.  Also, it's awesome for you to have $10,000 in our account.  Someday you will want to buy a house and they are really expensive!  And the repairs are really expensive!  Although we had our house inspected and the roof looked fine, as soon as it started raining, we noticed a leak above our front doorway.  That is not going to be cheap.  We already knew some of the siding needed to be dealt with too.  I look back to when I thought I had a lot of money, but I really didn't.

 

If you wish you were having more fun, allow yourself a certain percentage for spending and save the rest.  I'm assuming you live in the barracks? They charge you for meal cards?! 

[LOSTONE]

I don’t own anything in this world. Everything is on loan to me from God. When my time comes to leave this world, the things I have been loaned will be passed onto someone else still here. It is a privilege to me to give what I have been loaned to another as they may need it more or put it to better use. This includes money. Money is a tool. For me to give some of my money to a church is a privilege. They use money better for the kingdom of God than I ever do.

 

Side note: I have turned to the church for financial help before in the past. They where able to help me out because others had given first. So grateful people give cause there are people who deserving need to receive.

[Jeanne]

Forget it..

Edited February 2, 2015 by Jeanne