Posted on 02/04/2012 10:06:44 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
When Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney released his federal tax returns for the past two years, he disclosed that he and his wife, Ann, gave about 10 percent of their income to their church, a well-known religious practice called tithing.
In that way, the Romneys are typical Mormons, members of a church that is exceptionally serious about the Old Testament mandate to give away one-tenth of one's income.
But compared to other religious Americans, the Romneys and other Mormons are fairly atypical when it comes to passing the plate. Across the rest of the religious landscape, tithing is often preached but rarely realized.
Research into church donations shows a wide range of giving, with Mormons among the most generous relative to income, followed by conservative Christians, mainline Protestants and Catholics last.
Over the past 34 years, Americans' generosity to all churches has been in steady decline, in good times and in bad, said Sylvia Ronsvalle, whose Illinois-based Empty Tomb Inc. tracks donations to Protestant churches.
Ronsvalle's research shows that since 1968, contributions have slowly slumped from 3.11 percent of income to 2.38 percent, despite gains in prosperity.
In her view, churches have failed "to call people to invest in a much larger vision." She believes that explains why giving to missions, distant anti-poverty programs or faraway ministries has sunk faster than giving for the needs of local congregations.
A recent poll by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life found that 79 percent of Mormons said they tithed to their church, a much higher percentage than in the Catholic and Protestant world.
The former Massachusetts governor and his wife slightly underpaid their tithe in 2010 but intend to make it up when their final 2011 income becomes clear, a spokesman for Romney's campaign told The Associated Press.
Under pressure to disclose, Romney recently released his federal returns, showing he is likely to pay an effective federal tax rate of about 15 percent on $45 million in income over two years.
The returns also showed the Romneys have already donated $2.6 million to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the 2011 tax year. That brings their church donations to $4.1 million on two years' estimated income of $42.6 million.
They made other charitable contributions of $3 million as well.
Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich's 2010 return showed charitable donations of $81,000, or about 2.5 percent of his $3.2 million income. About $9,500 went to the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington; the balance of his charitable giving was not disclosed.
President Obama's return showed donations of $245,000, or about 14 percent of his $1.8 million income. The 36 contributions went to a wide range of secular and faith-based health, educational and community development groups.
A broad study called the U.S. Congregational Life Survey found that only about a third of Catholics, half of mainline Protestants and two-thirds of conservative Christians reached even the 5 percent level of giving.
Researcher Cynthia Woolever said mainline Protestants in her study gave slightly more than evangelicals in absolute dollars, but less as a percentage of income.
Her study did not include Jewish or Muslim congregations because of their smaller numbers.
Ronsvalle and others said generosity tends to be higher among evangelicals because of their regard for the authority of Scripture, where the command is repeatedly found, from Genesis 14, describing Abram's gift to God of "a tenth of everything" to Malachi 3, in which God promises blessings on those who tithe.
Rick Warren, perhaps the most famous evangelical pastor in the country, has said he "reverse tithes," giving away 90 percent of his income, including all the profits from his best-selling book, "The Purpose Driven Life."
Woolever said Catholics appear at the far end of the spectrum because the Catholic Church does not stress tithing. In addition, she said, Catholic congregations tend to be larger, diluting the sense of individual responsibility for financial support.
No one passes a collection basket at Mormon services. Instead, offerings are mailed or sent in outside of the weekly meeting rite. Mormon leaders keep an accounting, and once a year Mormon families are invited to sit briefly with their bishop, the head of their congregation, and discuss their donations.
It may sound awkward, but it's not to Brenda Grant, a retired nurse from eastern New Orleans who, with her husband, converted from Catholicism more than 30 years ago.
Grant, like many others who follow the biblical mandate, sees tithing as both a command and a voluntary gesture of gratitude to God. It is also a way to secure continued blessings, she said.
She and her husband, Earl, believe it was partly because of their fidelity through tithing that God sent them blessings after their home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
I support private donations over government as well. My argument was your claim that the Mormons do that. They do not.
Catholic charities, Lutheran churches, Christian churches DO help the poor, regardless of their faith or lack thereof. Mormonism ONLY helps Mormons and only if they are ‘worthy’ and then DEMANDS they pay 10% back in tithing AND work for it.
That isn’t charity, that is slave labor. Do you support slavery?
As I said, I have FIRST HAND knowledge of Mormonism and there are many of us here who know that cult quite well. Educate yourself.
Praise you, Jesus! The Lord loves a cheerful giver! So tell me when an entity proclaims you can not enter the Kingdom without giving to their authority, what is that? Answer...a self serving corrupt cult after their own gain...People wake up!
I don’t subscribe to any particular religious belief and I will default to your experience with Mormonism. However, I have a few friends who are Mormons and they are very kind and generous people.
I don’t subscribe to their faith so I can’t say for sure what the organization espouses. I prefer to judge based on my experiences with individuals of different faiths.
See post 15, it isn't charity donations, or tithing as we know it.
By the way, do you know what they are paying for?
In Mormonism, if you are devoted and loyal, you become a God yourself, with an earth to reign over, as GOD.
Praise you, Jesus! The Lord loves a cheerful giver! So tell me when an entity proclaims you can not enter the Kingdom without giving to their authority, what is that? Answer...a self serving corrupt cult after their own gain...People wake up! Oh and don’t even tell me Barakolli that the Lord was a socialist!
One Mormon at a time is my motto. We have seen 3 freepers leave Mormonsim in the past several year because of what we do. Two came to a relationship with Christ and the third, a convert to Mormonism, returned to the faith of her childhood. Praise God indeed!
Our president is trying to be kind and generous...That is the wrong plan to enter into God's Kingdom...Man cannot become god...The Father gave us only One option...it's quite simple...He made a way for us all to get out of this mess...He gave us His Only Son...That whoever shall call upon the Name of Jesus, will, indeed be saved...All other ways will NOt work!
From you lips to God's ears.
I am VERY close to the Mormon religion, though I would rather not share how that is so, and it is actually heartbreaking to watch otherwise good and honorable people struggle like crazy to win God's approval, when Christ did for us what we cannot do for ourselves on the cross two thousand years ago.
In the end, I believe Bishop Mitt Romney will regret that he ever ran for the highest office as the light of truth shines on Mormonism brighter than it has for 150 years, exposing it for the fraud it has been since it's inception.
Hopefully, many who have been duped will have the scales removed from their eyes and embrace the glorious gospel of grace, God so freely offers to all.
Did your friends tell you they are working to become gods of their own planets and that their ‘heavenly father’ was once a man like us who earned his godhood?
Just a heads up, Mormons will lie to non-mormons about what they believe in order to get them interested in converting. It is called “lying for the Lord”.
Stick around and you will learn a lot about Mormonism.
I don’t get why people are so proud that they don’t have any faith and n00bs like you should be throwing around terms like ‘bigot’ so casually.
(James 2:24) - “You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.”
(Matthew 19:16-17) - “And behold, one came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
I follow the virtue that by being a GOOD person I am living how God intended. I’m sorry, I’ve had years of Baptist and Catholic education and I believe one will be judged by their actions here on Earth, rather that through grace.
But I respect everyone’s beliefs to this very personal matter.
Romans 10:2 is one verse that, for me, describes Mormons perfectly...
“For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.”
Romans 10:2 is one verse that, for me, describes Mormons perfectly...
“For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.”
I have faith in my beliefs. They may not perfectly align with yours. That does not make them any less valid.
12This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. 13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you. 15No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known unto you. 16Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17These things I command you, that ye may love one another. No greater love is He who has given Himself up us! No figure in human history can proclaim these words...There is NO GREATER LOVE! People get rid of the man-made stuff and turn to the true Lord of Lords!
You have taken both of those verses out of context and both are ones Mormons use as ‘proof’ texts.
Your belief isn’t biblical and also makes you a perfect target for conversion to the cult of Mormonism.
I suggest you read the book of Romans to start. Then get back to me and I will be more than happy to discuss it with you. BTW, just because you have a religious upbringing doesn’t mean you ever really ‘got it’. I grew up in a Christian family and a Catholic school and didn’t get salvation by grace until AFTER I left Mormonism.
How can one come to know good works without knowing the Lord...I know about good works...They are all useless without salvation in our Lord Jesus.
If your beliefs are unbiblical or incorrect then they deserve to be challenged.
I thought you said you weren’t religious? Yet you are spouting Mormon ‘proof’ texts and verses and now claiming that your beliefs (which you have only given one) MUST be valid.
Not necessarily. I agree there is room for lienency of doctrines that the Bible is not clear on in the Body of Christ (like how often to take communion and such), but certain things are clear in the Bible and MUST be agreed upon for a church or person to be considered part of the body of Christ.
Mormonism rejects the CORE beliefs of Christianity, namely the person work and nature of Christ, including the trinity and thus is not a Christian church. If they would stop claiming they were, then they would get less flack from Christians but as long as they want to claim they are Christians, we Christians have a right and a duty to expose their unbiblical teachings.
I’ve read the Bible and the Torah along with many Buddhist verses.
I have found my religion through my experiences. I am firm in my belief that no one religion has it perfect. We are all God’s children.
But as I said, I respect different beliefs. I hope you do as well.
Post 36 is also for you
It is a lie that all paths lead to God. Also, liberals have faith in their beliefs, does that make them valid, even if they are wrong and harmful - like abortion?
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