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If a member paid 10% of their income (under whatever definition) but assigned most or all to “Fast offering” or “Humanitarian aid” (both causes that I consider to be of more value)… Would that still be considered a full-tithe? Where does it say in the scriptures that the ‘tithe/tenth’ has to be given towards church programs? Why not make the gift go towards helping the poor inside/outside the church, but still as a 10% contribution?
No, it wouldn’t be considered that way by church officials – so, if you want to do it that way, pay online directly to the Church. By officials, no. I just wondered whether there was scriptural support for doing it that way. Only if you go all the way back to the Old Testament, when tithing paid for pretty much everything related to funding the religion and governmental welfare. With the exception of times when separate taxes were added, tithing essentially functioned as the standard tax system. Given our current separation of church and state, it’s impossible to model that ancient system – but it does fit your description fairly well.
I seem to remember the old testament indicating we should bring all our tithes to the storehouse that there might be “meat in my house”. That sounds more like fast offerings to help people who need food rather than real estate holdings or other operational features of the church. I have also had similar thoughts — paying to worthy causes, Rather than giving so much to the church operations as a tithing requirement, with fast offerings being optional. Particularly since the public financial statements for Wards in Canada (where funding is a matter of public record) show that only about 5-10% of tithing donations actually go back to fund Ward programs — the lifeblood of the church, in my view.
But don’t get me started.
Didn’t Christ council the rich man to sell all he had and give it to the poor. I can’t think of one time Jesus said to give money to the church or any organization. Even most of the donated money in the early church went to help the poor but when money was required by ” the Lord” to build JS home/hotel it caused problems. When JS died the church/Emma/BY had a heck of a time splitting up the assets. And officially if you gave 10% to non tithing dollars to the church it would not be counted as a full tithing. Quote:I can’t think of one time Jesus said to give money to the church or any organization.
I agree with everything all of you have said about the ideal, but, to be accurate, Jesus commended the widow who gave her mite (all she had) – and that mite was to “The Church” of that time. I don’t know if he was commending the way she used that money as the best option, but I am sure he was commending her for her “faithfulness” and dedication to her beliefs. He didn’t chastise the rich man for giving; he chastised him for not giving more. He said to render unto Caesar that which was Caesar’s.
He also was an itinerant preacher who didn’t establish a church during his ministry. There is NO record whatsoever that he actually gave his own money to the poor – I would assume because he either left it with his wife and kids (if he was married), used it to help fund his ministry or gave it to the poor prior to the start of his ministry and relied on his disciples and followers to support him financially. The point is, we simply don’t know.
I mentioned this in a previous post, but my oldest daughter said something really profound after her first endowment session:
Quote:Dad, we spend so much time working to build the kingdom of God on earth that we often forget to establish Zion.
If you don’t feel comfortable using your money to “build the kingdom of God on earth (meaning the LDS Church organizational structure, in this discussion), use it to establish Zion. I can’t imagine God will be displeased with that.
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