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I am not out to dissuade anyone from paying tithing. But as I’ve gotten involved in non-profit work, I’ve had this desire to establish a foundation with my disposable income. As you may know, a foundation is an entity that has a base of money, hopefully growing, that is invested at a certain rate of return. Every year, the money from that rate of return goes to some charitable purpose. So, if you can put away $10,000 before you die, and invest it at a rate of return of 3% a year, you can offer a $300 annual scholarship to someone. Leave your estate to it, and of course the figure would be even bigger.
It makes me feel like a true philanthropist when I think of that. And the money could go to a cause that I really believe in to do good for a long time after I am gone.
Just a thought I would share. Even 25 years at $4000 a year is $100000. At 3%, that’s $3000 a year in scholarship or grant money.
As some of you may know, my wife and I have come to agreement where she pays 5% of our income to the Church, and I give 5% to a charity of my choice. On the one hand, I agree that much of the income the Church gets from tithing can be put towards more charitable causes. Don’t get me wrong, the Church does some fantastic work, and for what the Church means to me, I am grateful we can afford to pay our utilities and building maintenance. I’m also grateful for the humanitarian efforts, the beutification of parks and visitor centers, as well as temples as a place to find peace and refuge. But… I don’t agree with all of their financial appropriation, and especially their lack of transparancy and accountability. There are two main types of charity work. The first, is the Mother Theresa version of Charity. It’s one focused on bringing salvation and building faith in Christ, which also so happened to increase the coffers of the Catholic Church, and provide the donating membership with a “good consience”. From a temporal standpoint, it did the poor and sick very little good. They were refused painkillers because “The most beautiful gift for a person is that he can participate in the suffering of Christ” and many died from lack of lack of sanitation/unsterelized needles. The focus was on the hereafter, and not on the pain, suffering, and poverty here and now.
The other type focuses on the exact opposite. “I don’t care who you are, where you come from, or what you believe in, I will help you”. Doctors without Borders is one of these charities, where doctors sign up for a few years at a time, get paid a small fraction of what they’d make anywhere else (~$21K a year), and travel to war-torn, epedimic ravished areas with the sole purpose of saving lives.
The Church is a mix of the two, but with a strong bias towards heavenly salvation. I’m glad they added “Care for the poor and needy” as a mission of the Church, and am grateful for their humanitarian efforts. But until there is more financial transparancy (like there is with most charitable organizations), I can’t say I feel my donations are being put to the best use. On the other hand, to a believer, I don’t think they donate with a much of a care as to where the money goes. They pay tithing for their own salvation and consience, believing it’s a commandment from God.
Quote:“One’s perspective is their reality.”
Since I now work for a hospital system, I am often amazed at the foundations that are setup to help people who need cancer treatments but have no funds, or can’t afford insurance to pay for surgery….there are so many people in society who want to help, and do help, the less fortunate members of our communities. It is humbling to see these foundations setup with people who view it just like dande described…really want the money to make a difference for people.
That is the goal.
It is great to see people willing to give so much.
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