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What do you believe about tithing? I think “The Law of Tithing” is a good Exhibit A in the discussion about black/white or legalistic thinking. When we are in the legalistic frame of mind, our interest is in pinpointing just what the Law allows and requires. Gross or net? Bishop or Salvation Army? Income or assets? If we are disposed to pay less, we want the Law to justify that. If we are inclined to sacrifice more, we want the law to support that. And I am ashamed to say, we want to the law to condemn others. This is how I am in my natural state.
But in the whole spectrum of spiritual teachings about non-possession, tithing is a simple stepping stone to point our minds outward and upward. The spiritual effect of ungrasping is the same whether you give your sandwich out from under your nose to another, whether you sell all and give alms, whether you pay 10.0000% of your AGI to your bishop, whether you donate 10% of your net worth annually to charity, or whether you forego a purchase at the department store.
There is something about great teaching that knows how to reach people where they are and inspire them upward. The spectrum of teaching about ungrasping has something in it for everybody. Here are questions I’ve wondered about?
1. How did we come to interpret “10% of all their interest annually” as an income tax rather than an estate tax?
2. How did we decide to forego receiving “all [the] surplus property” of new converts?
I’m not very smart or well spoken about all this, but I wonder about these things.
KM
Ive never really had a problem with giving. I have a finance background and one of the best books Ive ever read is “The Richest Man in Babylon”. A law of finance is that one should pay themselves first (ie save/invest a certain amount each and every pay), then share with others (ie give to others in need), then pay for their consumption. Often it can be 10%,10%, 80%, or when income is higher it may be a 20%, 20%, 60%, or if you are Bill Gates it may be 10%, 80%, 10%. The theory works if one does it over their entire life as it is simply living within your means, saving for a rainy day, and helping others less able along the way. Giving away on a regular basis I think keeps you grounded, and reminds you that though money is good, it is not ALL that life is about.
So Ive always religiously paid tithing, and all of this money went to the church until very recently. Yes I have been blessed, though never always flush with funds, HF knows I get nervous when I am running short, and without fail it is at these times that somehow it all works out.
My dh is dissaffected and has only recently become concerned about us paying tithing. So for the moment we are still placing 10% of our income aside, but as yet have not decided who to pay it to. So far this year the church has received more then 6months worth of tithing. We will probably make the choice closer to the end of the financial year of who gets the second half. But since the church has recently started spending money on commerical interests (ie shopping mall in SLC), that histrorically the church administration has not had a great track record in being successful with, I doubt that the church will get the full 10% this year. I want us to give as a priority, but I can not argue against my hdh wanting to give it to someone else at this point.
Again tithing is a principle…its about giving…Im not 100% anymore if I think we should only ever give to the church when there seems to be many many worthy causes out there. Thats how I feel today anyway. I think a better policy would be to always aim to give, some to the church as it is a community you are involved in and thus all should pay something (as yes nothing in life will last if it is free) And some to others in need that you can see need it!
I believe strongly that every single person on the planet should tithe to something, somehow – and that everyone who can’t afford to tithe should do so anyway and then receive assistance from the communal pot. Iow, I believe in the concept of tithing and fast offerings, and I think everyone should make a conscious choice to donate to the “cause” of their conscience. My tithing recipient is the Church, and my lifetime payment of tithing and fast offerings has been a big part of my willingness to accept and not feel bad about receiving church assistance when I was unemployed for far too long and had used up all of our savings. I’ve been on both sides, and I really believe in it. I believe in the principle, but I believe in it for the earthly benefits. I don’t view it as fire insurance; I think that was a justification to prompt members to start paying it when the Church desperately needed increased funds. I don’t begrudge that need to tie it to an eternal reward, but I don’t like to look at it that way. I prefer to see it as a way to bless the greater community in the here and now, rather than as a way to increase my chance for personal reward.
It sounds like those here are pretty cool with giving. I like that. In another thread, I think it was Ray who was appreciated for expressing how everybody has different “knowedge” that they need to be true to. So another question burning in me is: -Why doesn’t the church have a tradition of alternate giving paths such as the monastic life, voluntary poverty, and flexible giving?
Can our church really ever be other than one size fits all (I am crossing my fingers and hoping)?
KM
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