Wow! An Interesting Read On WHAT To Pay Tithing On

[A Simple Man]

Its not tool long of a read, and I think we could have some good dialogue about the article as well.
Enjoy.

http://puremormonism.blogspot.com/2012/ ... g.html?m=1

[Robin Hood]

Although I don't agree with a lot of what Rock Waterman writes, I think his work on the tithing issue is pretty accurate.

[Matchmaker]

Its not tool long of a read, and I think we could have some good dialogue about the article as well.
Enjoy.

http://puremormonism.blogspot.com/2012/ ... g.html?m=1

Thank you for posting this article. It definitely is food for thought. After all the hoopla in and out of the Church on finances lately, I guess we will hear some talks on tithing in April.

[ChooseTruth]

This is another good one from him that gives insight into how the church compensates certain employees.

https://puremormonism.blogspot.com/2014 ... t.html?m=1

[PickleRick]

Its not tool long of a read, and I think we could have some good dialogue about the article as well.
Enjoy.

http://puremormonism.blogspot.com/2012/ ... g.html?m=1

Thank you for posting this article. It definitely is food for thought. After all the hoopla in and out of the Church on finances lately, I guess we will hear some talks on tithing in April.

or consecration.

[PickleRick]

This was such a struggle for me years ago. I had been raised in the pay tithing first, pay on net mentality.

I started hearing ideas that this was not the tithing the Lord intended a few years ago.

I did not want to rob the Lord, I did not want to "nickel and dime" the Lord, I didn't want to be an accountant lawyer with the Lord.

During my study and prayer, the answer that I kept getting back was that the Lord wants his faithful followers to prosper. He doesn't want us to be raised up to pride in our riches, but tithing also should never be a burden, keep a family in poverty, take food from our children's mouths, of require someone to have to then go to the church, or worse, the government, for aid.

Not saying that giving yourself into poverty thru other charitable giving might not be a good thing. But tithing was never intended for that.

After months of study and prayer, I came to essentially the same conclusion as Rock did.

I hesitantly approached my wife about it. She didn't outright reject what I suggested, but she also was hesitant and did not want to give less than the Lord expected.

She studied and prayed about it for about a week and told me she felt that what I had said was the right thing and what the Lord wanted.

[Rick Grimes]

Rock is right on the money. Everybody who I have ever shared this with has also come to the same conclusion.

[drtanner]

People Seem to love what he says about how much tithing to pay (which I would take with a grain of salt personally) but seem to gloss over another distinction he points out:

Before we look at how much we are expected to pay in tithing, let's jump to number 2 and look at what tithing funds are intended to be spent on. Broken down, they are really quite simple:

1. The building of the Lord's house.
2. The laying of the foundation of Zion and for the priesthood.
3. The debts of the Presidency of the Church.

You'll notice there's nothing in there about helping the poor, earthquake relief, or any humanitarian aid. Charitable giving is something we are definitely commanded to do, but believe it or not, charitable giving is something that is separate from tithing. The purpose of tithing, in a nutshell, is to pay for the costs of managing Church affairs.

[mtm411]

I 100% think he is right. However, I also like having a temple recommend and current prophets say income. I hope and expect they come to advise on paying tithing this way in the future. Until then, I pay on net.

[Juliet]

If the church says income, knowing people believe that refers to compensation, then surely they are accountable to make sure their members understand the correct meaning of the word.

[Thinker]

The reason God commanded tithe be based on increase is shown in the following example:

• 2 men earn the exact same income amount.
  1 man is the sole provider of a family of 7 and after paying bills has no increase left.
  2nd man lives with his parents who pay all his bills, so all of his income is increase.
  Yet, the church demand$ the $ame amount from each man - thereby causing the 1st family to be poor. Christ was about alleviating poverty and suffering - not causing more.

Deuteronomy 14:28-29 (conveniently ignored in lds curriculums) states that tithing collectors are to give at least 1/3 of TITHES to those in need. Christ asked those who can, to give much more. In fact, Christ even went so far as to say loving others - especially “the least of these” - is loving God. Who does tithes belong to? God.

While we are often pressured and shamed into giving “honest tithes,” church leaders keep money dark and secret, though Oaks did admit no tithes go to the poor.

[EllaJean]

I've done a lot of studying over the years on tithing and the law of consecration. I would have to find the source but love what one author had to say. He said, its much easier to pay your tithing than it is your fast offerings because tithing is a defined sum, we are told to pay 10%. But fast offerings is based on the condition of our hearts. What are we willing to go without so someone in need can have? The law of tithing prepares us to live the law of consecration but our fast offerings give us the opportunity. I have never forgotten this.

[Michelle]

.

[Robin Hood]

While Waterman's take on tithing is correct, he misses out a very important concept.... stewardship.
In other words, although we are to pay on surplus, we are to exercise appropriate stewardship in order to ensure the surplus is as large as possible.
That enables us to be generous with our offerings.

He is also correct to point out that tithing in our day, as outlined clearly in D&C 119, is not for the poor and needy. However, I would suggest we are to be "anxiously engaged in a good cause" with our offerings.

[Matchmaker]

I've been told for years in the Church that the consequence for not paying a full tithe is that I will burn up at the Second Coming of the Lord.

With consequences for disobedience that severe, I would expect a definite answer from the Prophet, consistent from year to year and in the manuals, that everyone can understand and agree upon, as to what constitutes being a full tithe payer. I don't understand why it is impossible to get a straight answer from our Bishops about what constitutes a full tithe.