[svcw]

I was making a comment on this statement from the article.

"There's this notion that if you pay your tithing and do what you're supposed to do, the windows of heaven will be open to you and God will pour you out a blessing such that there's not room enough to receive it," said Keith Woodwell, a church member and director of the Division of Securities, the state's chief investigator of investment fraud. "So it's very easy for someone who has [fraud] as their motive to use that doctrine and say, 'Look, you're a member in good standing and you pay your tithing and you're entitled to be blessed.' "

[restornu]

God is not Santa Claus. Where do they get this stuff? Not from the Bible.

***

Mal 3
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

[restornu]

These blessing come in various forms not always monetary.

[BlueMoose]

http://atlah.org/atlahworldwide/?p=7647

[muawiyah]

Buddy of mine in the Army had just signed up with the Mormons while overseas. He hadn't gotten through all the initial training, etc., and he was approached by someone one who claimed a lot of authority in the church and he wanted to sell him an insurance policy.

The purpose was to insure that he could "make the tithe" in case he were ever unemployed.

At the same time my friend already knew enough about tithing to view that, in and of itself, as a sort of church based social insurance.

He didn't say, but I think he backed off that insurance policy, but as a "newbie" he was literally a sheep to be sheered by someone ~ so new recruits to the Mormons, or any other apostolic organization really ought to be very careful.

This stuff is not limited to the Mormons!