- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
SunbeltRed wrote:
Technically, per the Church’s definition, I would probably not be considered a full tither payer, however according to my definition, I believe I am. I’m still mulling over which definition I should go with and which answer to provide.
As I understand it, if you’re a full tithe payer according to your definition, you’re a full tithe payer according to the church’s definition.
Quote:For your guidance in this matter, please be advised that we have uniformly replied that the simplest statement we know of is that statement of the Lord himself 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 should be entitled to make his own decision as to what he thinks he owes the Lord, and to make payment accordingly.Source:
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1974/04/i-have-a-question?lang=eng Some people understand “income” to mean “surplus” (i.e. income less living expenses) and feel good about that, even though it seems we only talk about pre-tax vs. post-tax income. Some people pay tithing to the Lord not by way of the church, and they feel good about that, too. There’s a lot more leeway than we assume.
Sign-up sheets in my ward. No direct pressure. Weekly requests. My ward still uses sign-ups, but I never sign-up. Strangely, I still pay tithing, so that is not the issue. Even pre-FC, I always hated tithing settlement, but never could put my finger on why. For one, with kids wanting to get right home for lunch, it is hugely inconvenient to sit around the church trying to occupy them all afternoon waiting to speak to the Bishop just for a two minute conversation. I guess if I lived in Utah around the corner from the church and could just pop over, it wouldn’t seem so annoying. In New Jersey, my half-hour round trip seems like too much effort just to give the bishop a YES. The efficiency expert in me wants to scream: WASTE OF TIME!! I don’t find is spiritually fulfilling, it just makes me feel like a sheep being herded through this perfunctory process. If my bishop approaches me, I just tell him, “Our family is a full-tithe paying family.” My husband thinks I am a difficult non-conformist about this, so he has, on many occasions, gone by himself. I don’t feel the need for blind obedience or conformity on these things anymore, which feels like a huge relief. It is getting better for me. I still like my idea of “drive-thru tithing settlement” although I don’t think TBM’s would get on board!
😆
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.