What is the rationale between tithe payment?

[Calm]

2 hours ago, Potter said:

I'm not weighing the merits of joining the gospel of Calm, I'm pondering whether to dive into the world of mormonisms. While I appreciate your insights and find your posts enjoyable, I'm quite curious about the beliefs of Mormonism.

I think Mormonism claims to be the sole Christian gospel on this planet. It seems that every other denomination has taken a little detour into apostasy, all thanks to some rather persuasive teachings from the dark side.

Who knew Satan had such a flair for persuasion? If that's the case, then you must be the Christian and I've taken a detour into heresy.

So you refuse to define what being a Christian means to you even after I responded to your request by providing an authoritative quote from the Church website? (I had previously given my personal definition…which is the same btw).

I have no clue why you think I am interested in showing you the merits of becoming a Saint by asking this question.  I don’t have those kinds of conversations online in public and only privately if someone requests such.  Happy to provide info of course, but I do it to inform, not to proselyte.  

I only want to know your own belief so I can understand the assumptions you are bringing to the conversation to avoid confusion.  I have experience in discussing the Restored Church with nonLatter-day Saints who do not view us as Christian and there is so much time wasted when they refuse to share their own perspectives because they get locked into seeing LDS practices and beliefs a certain way that often lacks needed context and may even be completely wrong (such as those who assume we believe anyone not baptized in our faith is not a Christian, as in a disciple of Christ) and without knowing what assumption is triggering the interpretation, the discussion becomes Whack a Mole and endless repetitions leaving no one satisfied as far as I can tell.

Since I am not interested in a repeat of this experience—the first couple of dozen times were more than enough—I will be bowing out.  So as not to waste your time in the future, if it appears I am ignoring your questions, that is likely true for the reason I see it as getting in the fruitless mode again.

Edited February 6 by Calm

[Calm]

1 hour ago, Potter said:

AI is the future and we better get jiggy with it.

“The future” being the relevant phrase.

[rpn]

Tithing isn't about money.    The promises of Malachi are impossible if that is what tithing is.   It is about choosing to follow Jesus Christ and what He has asked.  Sure it means the church is currently well funded.   But it isn't like any tithing won't eventually be needed for all of the reconstruction and during the millennium.

[rodheadlee]

On 2/4/2025 at 8:07 AM, Potter said:

Well, I'm not a Mormon, so my two cents might not be worth much, but it seems that depending on your Christian congregation, tithing could be seen as a heavenly ticket.

However, I'd wager that a whopping 98% of Christian churches don’t exactly roll out the red carpet for tithers as a prerequisite for the pearly gates.

It seems that tithing is a must do in the world of Mormonism if you fancy the idea of hanging out with the big guy upstairs after this life.

That being said, it's just one of the many commandments that Mormons have on their heavenly checklist, but I don't think it's exactly call it the top priority. I'm sure love one another and other more meaningful commandments or priority over tithing.

If you're not a Mormon then why are you answering? He asked us why we tithe not you. You're just causing a big argument in this guy can't get his answer.

[Raingirl]

10 hours ago, rodheadlee said:

If you're not a Mormon then why are you answering? He asked us why we tithe not you. You're just causing a big argument in this guy can't get his answer.

Because he’s only here to try to tell us what we believe.   Which he doesn’t have the slightest understanding of. 

[Kenngo1969]

I posted this in another thread on which @Potter participated, but perhaps s/he missed it there.  While it is true that these thoughts are mine alone and do not represent the official position of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I don't believe they are inconsistent with the Church's views of other Christians, nor do I intend them to be.

https://greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/toward-interreligious-oneness/

Now, back to the subject of this thread (see my next post).

 

[ZealouslyStriving]

Benefits of tithing:

* Increases the ability to sacrifice 

* Increases dedication to the cause of Zion

* Helps members in poorer areas to have comfortable meeting houses, Temples, church materials for SS, RS, & EQ

* Opens doors for our Heavenly Parents to bless us

[Kenngo1969]

My implicit analogy or my invocation of these scriptures is imperfect because tithing is how we support the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, three prongs of which are preaching the Gospel, perfecting the Saints, and redeeming the dead, while the fourth prong of that mission, caring for the poor and the needy, is funded out of a separate offering or offerings (principally out of Fast Offerings, which are the cost of two meals donated monthly by members of the Church on Fast Sunday, but, also, there are other initiatives, such as Latter-day Saint Philanthropies).  

Still, the principle holds: God gives us everything we have, and asks only for a small portion to demonstrate our gratitude in return. 

This is an excerpt from King Benjamin's address to his people in the Book of Mormon (Mosiah 2:19-22).

Quote

 

19 And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!

20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—

21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

 

Then, later in that same address, King Benjamin teaches his people thus (Mosiah 4:16-21):

Quote

 

“And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

“Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—

“But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

“For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

“And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

“And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another” (Mosiah 4:16–21).