Temple Recommend Questions

[Anonymous]

ConfusedMolly wrote:

Old-Timer wrote:

I wish tithing was more personal and individuals could decide and council with the Lord on what is considered a full-tithe for their situation.

actually, that is exactly the church’s official position on tithing. too few members understand that.

So I was telling my husband about this and he said he still wouldn’t feel right in his own conscience answering “yes” in the TR interview unless he was paying 10% because that is what he believes the doctrine of the church teaches. But the church’s official position is that we can decide and council with the Lord and pay what we feel is right? Is there some place I can direct my husband to so he can read up on this more? If it’s the official position is it in the handbook somewhere? Thanks in advance!!!

Interestingly enough, CM, it is rather hard to find the official statement. However, it is located in several places on LDS.org (not as an original source that I can find, though). I do believe LDS.org to be the official stance of the church, so here is a link: https://www.lds.org/search?lang=eng&query=No+one+is+justified+in+making+any+other+statement+than+this” class=”bbcode_url”>https://www.lds.org/search?lang=eng&query=No+one+is+justified+in+making+any+other+statement+than+this

What I don’t understand from your statements is why you feel paying 10% isn’t paying 10%? The real question is, after all, paying 10% of what? My wife and I have always felt very comfortable answering yes to the question (including the time we were single members) not paying on things like FICA. I’m not going to be more specific because I’m not justified in doing so. It seems like you are stuck on 10% of gross and when you say 10% that’s what you mean, no? Quite frankly if that’s the only thing you feel comfortable with, fine – it’s between you and God. But, LOTS of other people feel very comfortable with God, and thus answering yes, doing otherwise. I almost never say this – but perhaps a little prayer and fasting is in order.

[Anonymous]

Quote:

First Presidency (Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, N. Eldon Tanner), letter of 19 March 1970. To Presidents of Stakes, Bishops of Wards, and Presidents of Missions.

Dear Brethren:

Inquiries are received at the office of the First

Presidency from time to time from officers and members of the Church asking for information as to what is considered a proper tithe.

For your guidance in this matter, please be advised that we have uniformly replied that the simplest statement we know of is the statement of the Lord himself, namely, that the members of the Church should pay “one-tenth of all their interest annually,” which is understood to mean income. No one is justified in making any other statement than this.

We feel that every member of the Church is entitled to make his own decision as to what he thinks he owes the Lord and to make payment accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for that link DarkJedi and for that quote Forgotten_Charity! I love hearing things like this,

Quote:

“In other words, the way you define your income, and consequently your tithing, is a matter between you and the Lord.”

A lot of members (including myself!) view commandments as black and white. I’m learning that there’s plenty of gray area and that we can counsel with the Lord and decide what is best for us and what we feel right doing. I don’t think most people navigate like this in the church, but I do have a very strong testimony of personal revelation and I know that our agency is one of our greatest gifts from our Heavenly Father. I just need to learn to trust myself and not be so hard on myself. I’ve always heard the phrase we can’t pick and choose what commandments…So I guess that’s why I have the views of tithing that I do.

DarkJedi wrote:

perhaps a little prayer and fasting is in order.

I think you’re right DarkJedi 🙂

[Anonymous]

ConfusedMolly wrote:

I don’t think most people navigate like this in the church, but I do have a very strong testimony of personal revelation and I know that our agency is one of our greatest gifts from our Heavenly Father.

I think you might be surprised at how many gray thinkers there are. Most people just don’t advertise it. Really, really.

[Anonymous]

ConfusedMolly wrote:

So I was telling my husband about this and he said he still wouldn’t feel right in his own conscience answering “yes” in the TR interview unless he was paying 10% because that is what he believes the doctrine of the church teaches.

I would agree with that statement as worded, but recognize that “10% of what?” is the primary question. The definition of “income” in the personal context is ripe for extended debate because it has been defined differently over time and in various situations. Is income supposed to be equal to gross wages? There are good arguments for income equaling wages minus essential expenses.

Mike wrote:

Regarding the Tithing question, I know a person in our ward who earns in excess of six figures who declared bankruptcy,

doesn’t pay tithing & still is considered a full tithe payer. I don’t understand how it works.

Many businesses have had billions of dollars in sales, yet no income for extended time-frames leading to filing for bankruptcy protection. It may help to not consider wages as income, but look at true income as something more like how businesses calculate it. Personal income has been defined in different ways over time, making the need for counselling with the Lord on the topic that much greater.

The topic understandably becomes complicated because personal accounts are endlessly mixed with both essential and frivolous spending. I can see why some people look at taxable income (earned wages/investment income minus allowances and deductions) as a basic guide to true income.

[Anonymous]

ConfusedMolly wrote:

To clarify, my husband would be okay with me paying tithing on my own income, but I guess I don’t feel right doing that. I don’t look at it as “my” income or “his” income, it is “our” income. But you bring up a good point…even if I don’t pay 10% on “my” income, we could figure out some kind of compromise that works for both of us. I just wasn’t expecting the response I got from my bishop because there’s no such thing as “my income.”

Molly, my husband has always felt that he should pay tithing on his net (i.e. after taxes) income and that’s what he does. I have always felt that I should pay tithing on my gross (i.e. before taxes) income and that’s what I do. We’re like you and your husband in that, in most regards, we feel that all income that comes into our household is “our income.” It all goes into a ginle pot, so to speak. Still, if it were not for me, a certain amount of that income would simply not exist. I am responsible for deciding how tithing should be calculated on the money I have contributed towards “our income” and my husband is responsible for deciding how tithing should be calculated on the money he contributes towards “our income.” It’s a system that has worked well for us for 44 years. I think it could work for you, too. You certainly don’t need to stress about paying a full 10% on the money your husband earns, but you can have a clear conscience about paying a full 10% on the money y ou earn.

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