posted
He got quoted twice today in church. A poem in Relief Society and then an entire story in Sunday School. It was kind of wierd.
Posts: 3495 | Registered: Feb 2000
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I guess the only problem I have with the consecration piece is that it implies that anyone who is successful is consumed with pride. But most of the church leadership is successful. There was a good comment in the April Ensign about tithing being a safeguard against being consumed by greed. I think any system of value is prone to outward imitation, and every generation of the church must go through sincere conversion.
Posts: 2010 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Actually, that story and another piece he wrote about the law of consecration are responsible for changing my political leanings. It helped me understand a doctrine that I think we conveniently ignore too much.
He isn't bashing success or money, but the priorities and importance people place on them. Worldly success is sometimes a requirement to serve others in certain ways that are necessary. In fact, that idea is integral to the concept of the story. How could those people have helped the others if they hadn't been successful?
But apart from that, I fear this was the poorest of venues for the story.
Posts: 3495 | Registered: Feb 2000
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Funny, I see tithing to be a sign of greed, only not byu an individual.
But the group.
Not just Mormons, I want to make that clear. My church wanted me to fill out a card pledging a specific amount as well, so I refused....and then I never went back.
I will give what I can, and no one has the right to demand more of me, ever. I am my own best judge of what is or is not acceptable in charity, and I don't like anyone telling me otherwise.
I contribute a lot of time and effort because I don't make much money, so I was more than a little offended, to be honest.
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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This= hatrack or your ward? Poorest = good poor or "you're the poorest bishop" poorest?
It should be noted that since the apparent publication of this piece in 1993, the church did undertake an official policy that women not work outside the home for the express purpose of elevating the family's standard of living.
I just have a hard time balancing things since I really have to ask, is it worse for my kids to have a greedy father or no father? Or a judgemental mother?
Posts: 2010 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:Funny, I see tithing to be a sign of greed, only not byu an individual.
But the group.
quote:I will give what I can, and no one has the right to demand more of me, ever. I am my own best judge of what is or is not acceptable in charity, and I don't like anyone telling me otherwise.
I contribute a lot of time and effort because I don't make much money, so I was more than a little offended, to be honest.
Actually, God is the fellow who declared the Law of Tithing. And there's actually a lot of blessings that come from it - this isn't just happy feelings to get you to pay up, it works. Seriosly.
I view it more as if everything we have is the Lord's, and all he requires of us is to give back 10% of it. Considering all we're blessed with, that's nothing.
I've paid tithes when I logically couldn't or shouldn't have afforded it - and I always ended up recieving benefits for it, and ended up not just being able to pay my debts, but live pretty decently.
Malachi 3:10: Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
It's a principle with a Promise. And God always keeps his promises.
Also, I'd like to clarify and point out that the LDS church takes the 'tithe' at it's real value: 1/10 of all earnings. That way if you're poor, you pay less than someone who makes more money, etc. That takes all of the decision out of it and makes it quite convenient actually. Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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To be honest, tithing is a completely personal thing. We don't have to pay the 10% if we don't want to. However, it is a requirement for one to be considered worthy to enter the temple. Aside from that fact, anything beyond the 10% is entirely up to the individual. I've heard people say that it is bad to give more than 10%, I've always thought that made no sense whatsoever.
Posts: 3003 | Registered: Oct 2004
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So do you tithe pre tax or post tax? What about your benefits package? I guess I'm kind of conflicted about whether my FICA and medicaid contributions are really my stewardship. I mean, I'm already tithing on my childcare expense. I'll tithe on my social security if I ever collect it. Posts: 2010 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I've been paying my tithing even though I make $600 a month and have bills that total $500 a month and have a family that can't afford food and clothing and doctor's visits.
I've been paying tithing on all of the money I earn and trying to contribute a small amount to the Perpetual Education Fund so that someone my age in a poverty-stricken area can go to college like I had the opportunity to.
The church provides my family with food. The church is paying a medical bill for me because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to even be seen by a doctor. Members of my ward, who don't live in an economically advantaged area and aren't rich themselves, are paying the $400 a month it will cost for me to go on a mission. While I'm on the mission, the church is paying my medical insurance.
The way I see it, I can't afford not to pay tithing.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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