[3Lean]

What is the purpose of tithing? Answer: To support the work of your church. What is the work of churches? Answer: A whole lot less than it used to be. Churches have passed the responsibility for the sick, poor, elderly, young, etc. on to government.
When 40% (or more) of my income is confiscated by governments, much of it to be spent on programs that were much more efficiently administered by churches in the past, I feel little compulsion to donate as much to those same churches as was previously considered adequate.
100 years ago churches collected 10% (or less) of their members' incomes and took care of much more. I will support the church and other charities because I choose to, but in reality I'm sure what the government confiscates (from my gross, by the way) more than satisfies the 10% tithe.

[kitkat]

Very good explanation of tithing, 3Lean. Also, I was taught by the nuns in Catholic school that in Biblical times, tithing was done with the following in mind:

If a man died, his widow was provided for; in case of illness, the church paid; orphans were taken care of.

So, we were taught that tithing was no longer expected.

[tracer]

"Churches have passed the responsibility for the sick, poor, elderly, young, etc. on to government."

Depends on the church to which you refer....