This follows on to the Old Testament practice, but isn’t something actually commanded in the New Testament. All New Testament giving is free will. Many churchgoers feel 10% is a fair amount to share with their church. Some give more, even a lot more. Some give less. It ought to be a private thing between you and God, and maybe the financial stewards at your church (who are sworn to silence) and the IRS (who are also sworn to silence). This privacy does become a pickle if one has been deducting from Caesar then becomes a political candidate.
Ping.
A Christian feels compelled to serve Christ. A strict 10% tithe of income reminds me of the Pharisees. They were apparently very good at following the letter of the law without understanding its intent.
Without listing the relevant scripture (it is easy enough to research separately), the New Testament says the Church is made up of all sorts of different people. Some people are teachers, some pray, some give, etc. Whatever one feels led by Christ to do, they should be very generous in that regard.
I do not feel led to give 10% to maintain a beautiful building that’s rarely used outside of Sunday. I do feel compelled to serve Christ in other ways.
Dave Ramsey says tithe 10% and he isn’t Mormon.
If you believe that God gives you everything, you show gratitude by giving something back. Give what is in your heart.
If YOU were convinced that to make it to the HIGHEST level of Heaven, where GOD actually resides, a 'full' tithe is REQUIRED, by GOD! - you'd do it TOO!!!
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Temple Recommend Questions
1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost? 2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer? 3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days? 4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church? 5 Do you live the law of chastity? 6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church? 7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? 8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel? 9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen? 10 Are you a full-tithe payer? 11 Do you keep the Word of Wisdom? 12 Do you have financial or other obligations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations? 13 If you have previously received your temple endowment: Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple? Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple? 14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been? 15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord's house and participate in temple ordinances? |
It DOES??
Before or after TAXES?
King James Version (KJV)
22Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
23And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
24And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
25Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose:
26And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
27And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
28At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:
29And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.
Leviticus 27:30 "'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.
Deuteronomy 14:22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.
Salvation by GRACE has it's roots in the OT, but is FULFILLED, in Christ, in the New; where THIS verse is found:
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
I'm quite familiar with the arguments: tithing is required for a Temple Recommend and to enter the Celestial Kingdom; the LDS Church doesn't disclose even semi-detailed public financials or to those who pay tithes; the LDS Church has massive income-producing holdings in cattle ranches, malls, radio stations, and the like; the LDS Church does very little humanitarian work other than for LDS members, and that's done primarily from fast offerings and other offerings and not from tithes; and so on.
But I'm not the person paying the tithe, Mitt is. If he and other LDS members want to tithe, or tithe because they've been taught that they must tithe to be exalted, enter the Celestial Kingdom, and be Families Forever, then that's essentially LDS business.
As for the comment: "I guess Mormons understand the principal: “givers gain”." That may be true, but they also realize that they can't attend their children's weddings in the Temple, or watch their grandchildren's baptisms in the Temple, or be married for eternity to their sealed spouses, without staying current on their tithing. And if they fall behind, they have to make it up in future years. Exaltation's a gain, and a lot to gain. But it's your choice.
As for the statement: "The correct LDS phrase is "10% of your increase".
First, the First Presidency has determined that means 10% of your gross. Second, there were two revelations on tithing. Doctrine & Covenants 120, which sets up the Council on the Disposition of Tithing is the one that's always cited.
However, Tithing for Mormons (and I say "Mormons," because the revelation came before the current LDS church was established - this was before the leadership crisis, and the hyphen in Latter-Day Saints), came from D&C 119, and had two parts, in pertinent part:
“I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop…and this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.” (D&C 119: 1, 3)“And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people. And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever…” (D&C 119: 4)
“Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you.” (D&C 119: 5)
So with the initial revelation, Mormons paid their surplus to the bishop. And only those who paid a surplus paid 10% of their interest. The communal nature of paying your surplus was a common thread in early Mormon thought - the United Order involved common property.
As for the comment: "One of the questions you answer at your temple recommend interview is, "Do you pay a full and honest tithe?"."
I don't believe that's the current wording. I believe the current question is: "Are you a full-tithe payer?
These thoughts offered for historical perspective and to clear up what I believe may be some mistakes. Again, my view is that it's Mitt's money, Mitt's church, and LDS teachings. I support the right of Mitt, FR members, and others to their religious beliefs, although they may differ from mine. When I butt heads with "LDS", it's over the issue of faithful history versus academic history, not over whether LDS members should have a right to believe and practice their beliefs.
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.
How can this be brought up, but not that mess up there’s giving less than 1% to any kind of charity at all last year?
How can this be brought up, but not that mess up there’s giving less than 1% to any kind of charity at all last year?
I have tithed for probably 35 years. Can’t afford not to.
Why pick on Christians and Jews? What about VP Biden who gave less than $400 to charity, and Obama who gave 1%?
You can’t buy your way into Heaven. Giving has to be done freely, not forced.
The important question to ask is what do the Mormons do with all that money they take in? Do they do anything resembling Christian charity for other than their own? No! They do mussionuzing to convert and even spend tgeir time baptizing dead people. Compare to Catholic Charities, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies and UJA and the many other Jewish charitable organizations. They all help those in need, the sick, poor, homeless, children, elderly, regardless of race or religion,
Did the Mormons cut the story if the Samaritan woman out of their Bible?
Why pick on Christians and Jews? What about VP Biden who gave less than $400 to charity, and Obama who gave 1%?
You can’t buy your way into Heaven. Giving has to be done freely, not forced.