Posted on 01/26/2012 9:34:45 PM PST by WilliamIII
Mitt Romney's tax returns reveal that the Republican presidential candidate does something fewer Americans do these days: He tithes.
Romney's 2009 and 2010 tax returns, released Tuesday, show that he and his wife, Ann, gave 10 percent of their income, about $4.1 million, to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The couple reported income of about $43 million for the two years.
LDS church members must tithe to participate in temple rituals. Nearly 80 percent of Mormons tithe, a poll released this month by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life shows.
While tithing among Mormons is high, it is at an all-time low – less than 3 percent – among many faith groups, according to an October report by Empty Tomb, a Christian research organization. The theology behind tithing is also being questioned, with many saying the mandate to contribute 10 percent is not biblical.
Tithing has its roots in the Old Testament – "Bring all the tithes to the storehouse," from the book of Malachi – and means one-tenth of income.
"The New Testament says a Christian is saved under grace and it does not teach tithing," said Russell Kelly who argues against it on his website, www.shouldthechurchteachtithing. com. "A lot of people would rather stay home than go to church and hear about it. All it does is make them feel as if they're cursed for not giving 10 percent."
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Never got my check. Must be in the mail. Oh wait, I moved and forgot to tell them forty years ago. Meantime we found a more valid charity to give at least 50% of our income.
The silly myth talking point that it always comes back is just Morgbot propaganda.
Do you pay tithing on Social Security?
I had a small roof/deck over my basement exit door, about 6’ * 6’.
It was accessable from our bedroom with a door. (fire safety I guess)
The insurance folks made me put a rail around it so no one would fall off, even though it was not a ‘deck’, but an almost flat roof.
I don’t get SS
There are two things I don’t bring up much at church to avoid arguments: That tithing is an old testament concept, like animal sacrifice, and my views on eternal damnation.
And now that I live in the bible belt, a third thing: alcohol
That is, except when one of these is actually the topic of discussion or a lesson.
If my two females would ever conceive (highly unlikely, but...) my goat herd would INCREASE.
If I got over 10 kids; I’d have to give the pastor one.
Wouldn’t he be THRILLED!
I consider my taxes to be the “tithe” and what I give is new testament free will giving. Remember, Israel was a theocracy. Their tithe was the equivalent of their tax.
I wasn’t talking about Mormons. I was talking about Christians.
At least in the conservative Christian circles I frequent, there are topics assured to raise legalistic arguments from otherwise very orthodox Christians: tithing, homeschooling, entertainment choices, alcohol, and Sabbath observance.
I'll follow Paul's advice in Romans 14 on these issues. If someone is convinced that God's Word teaches them something which I disagree with, I'll not deliberately give them offense by practicing something they object to if I can help it. However, their interpretation of Scripture on these controversial issues is not binding on my conscience.
Ping to post 69 because I believe you all will get a kick out of it.
My thoughts?
1) Mitt Romney is free to tithe whatever he wants.
2) Rules governing tithing are contrary to scripture.
3) Christians should not burden their brothers and sisters with rules and regulations, like the 10% tithe.
4) People who “name it and claim it” or who expect to receive back more than they donate, should consider the possibility the Bible wasn’t talking about cash.
CC, you are coorect in your actions.
I follow this: Ephesians 5:11
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you” (Eph. 5:11-4).
Yeah but it proves that you don’t need paid pastors to justify 10%.
—I’ll follow Paul’s advice in Romans 14 on these issues. If someone is convinced that God’s Word teaches them something which I disagree with, I’ll not deliberately give them offense by practicing something they object to if I can help it. However, their interpretation of Scripture on these controversial issues is not binding on my conscience.—
Yup. I live in a hotbed of Baptist (pronounced Babdis) churches and a lot of people I work with are anti-alcohol. The county in which I work just went “wet” and the county in which I live is “moist”. I started to discuss the subject when we were talking about the issue on the ballot. I quickly stopped. ;-)
My biggest dissapointment is that now that Sam’s club here has beer, they are still 25% more expensive than the private liquor store at the border of my moist county.
I suppose that means that you view Mormons as fellow Christians. What about those other "words" they have that Mormons call "scripture," like the Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants.
You do know, don't you, that the Pearl of Great Price teaches of multiple Gods don't you? How do you combat that belief, or do you think Paul would just turn a blind eye to that heresy instead of taking it head on? Do you think Paul would consider that teaching just a disagreement with what God's Word says?
LOL!
Rhetorical question: Do normal people pay tithing on SS?
I know about the abnormal people. (like me)
—I suppose that means that you view Mormons as fellow Christians.—
A couple of things: The quote you pulled from my post was a quote I pulled from another post. They were not my words. :-)
Also, you will be hard pressed to find someone more “anti-mormonism” than me (notice I said “mormonism” and not “mormon”). I almost became one back in the very early 80’s before becoming a Christians.
Heck, I saw The Godmakers back in 1983 and had a ton of material (pre-internet) back in the mid-1980’s that was “stolen” by a resident mormon where I worked. I followed Saints Alive back before the internet too.
And believe me, I’ve made no secret of it here on FR. I get Freepmail pinging me on Mormon threads all the time. ;-)
So yeah. You are preaching to the choir here. :-)
One last thing: To cut the original poster some slack (the stuff I quoted), I think he is talking about “non-bullet doctrine*) stuff.
*Bullet doctrine: A phrase a friend of mine uses to label doctrine he holds strongly enough to take a bullet for.
Their idea was all your money is really God's; forget all that rendering unto caesar stuff and if you're richer or poorer it's just God micromanaging your finances.
Among the more bizarre ideas I saw was that no person can decide where the tithe is to be used. I'm not sure how that works since churches are built, occupied and run by people.
People point to Leviticus yet ignore other parts that include diet and specific penalties for behaviors including stoning.
In the quote you offer from Matthew, He's speaking to Pharisees, Jews who naturally would be tithing. He is holding them to the standard of Jewish Law to highlight their hypocrisy. You seem to suggest Christians are not Christians if they aren't good Jews first and foremost.
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