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You could spend the entire time discussing “what is tithing” by simply talking about different circumstances: Military family that receives free housing, pension benefits, and health care — should they pay tithing on the value of those benefits?
Small business owner — Does she pay tithing on the business profits or only on what she takes out of the business as an income?
Two salaried employees make the same income. One gets health insurance through work for free, the other has to buy their own health insurance and pay $1200 a month for it. How would tithing amounts vary between these two people?
A couple makes two excellent incomes. They invest 50% of their gross, pay 40% of their gross for various taxes and live off 10% of their gross. They join the church and want to tithe. Do they pay tithing on the amount that they live off of, on their net after taxation, or the total amount they are actually paid?
A member lives in a socialist country and pays 65% of their income in taxation. Do they pay tithing on their gross or net?
Let people discuss.
Read the church’s official statement.
Talk about the importance of not comparing ourselves to others. Stress the importance of coming up with a prayerful tithing answer that is perfect for each of us as individuals. Encourage people to not see tithing as a competition.
amateurparent wrote:You could spend the entire time discussing “what is tithing” by simply talking about different circumstances:
Great though questions AP. Sure beets, “does anybody have any stories they want to share about tithing? Bueller … Bueller … Bueller”Another one that I shared was the situation of living in a highly socialistic society. We have lots of members in Scandinavian countries. They pay what we in the US consider very high taxes, but my understanding is that the government covers health care, dancing lessons, gym memberships, … So if someone takes home about 30% of their income, but has so much subsidized of what we pay for in the US. What should they pay on? Do the math. If someone in the US makes $90K a year and the gov takes ~30%, that leaves about $60K for disposable. If you go to Norway assume you make the equivalent of US $90K and the gov takes $60K, leaving you with only $30K to spend and are you supposed to pay $9K – as in almost 30% of your disposable income? Gets tricky really quick.
I have heard you can get a bit of contention going on in the room if you ask about paying tithing on retirement income like a 401K when you paid on gross with the money you put in. Some hard liners will say you need to pay again. When that someone is your spouse who views it differently, it can be a bit contentious.
LH: Your comments. Yes, exactly that.
People want to make tithing a competition for righteousness. Tithing is many things but it isn’t supposed to be competition.
Any unexpected sicknesses this weekend? Relatives need your help out of town? Sudden deaths in the family? Spike in your full time work? If someone asked me to teach tithing I would refuse, personally. I can’t talk on it and the usual answers you have to give to the questions do not resonate with me at all..
It’s one thing to give a talk or lesson a topic where there is wiggle room in your beliefs, and another thing to give it on a black and white topic you have trouble with..
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