What Are People's Experiences Or Beliefs On Tithing? Just curious, I have had opinions and observations through the years starting with the catholic priest making personal visits on...

woodguru

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations through the years starting with the catholic priest making personal visits on Saturdays to badger my parents about not paying a full ten percent. That arrogant AH would want to see my dad's pay stubs and go through their budget, I heard him telling them perhaps the house they had bought was over their means. My dad was a union jet mechanic at Delta airlines making $8 an hour, raising five kids, my mom did not work. The house was a budget tract home in Milpitas, which was considered to be a low rent modest neighborhood.

The bottom line is that this priest would badger them into writing a check for a balance of what they had left to get them through the pay period, to where they would be cutting back on the way we were eating. And then there was still the plate being passed at church, and people feeling like they have to put something in the plate.

I think people form their own opinions about what they "owe" to their church, otherwise billed as "giving to god". Wealthier people I'm sure form their own opinions about whether ten percent is too much, those that are god fearing and always invoking god as reasons for the way they are, but don't actually go to church, say they don't need to go to church to be christians, pretty much might toss a few bucks in the plate on one of their rare visits for spiritual connection.

I've also known Mormons, and they take this stuff seriously, they want to see tax returns and W-2's, full tithing is at the core of what they are. I had a mormon group working for me back in the 80's and had a chance to talk to some of them, some were saying that their tithe comes before a car payment. I found that out from someone who had asked me for an advance to make their car payment, Knowing how important it was to them I asked had they made their tithe, thinking they would need more than just the car payment. They said oh no, the tithe comes first.

Many of the hard right wingers I know invoke god a lot, but they are not so devout that they either go to church or contribute to their higher being, otherwise part of being a f**e or alt christian.

Just curious how many people will speak up about where they stand on this.

vernon

woodguru wrote:

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations through the years starting with the catholic priest making personal visits on Saturdays to badger my parents about not paying a full ten percent. That arrogant AH would want to see my dad's pay stubs and go through their budget, I heard him telling them perhaps the house they had bought was over their means. My dad was a union jet mechanic at Delta airlines making $8 an hour, raising five kids, my mom did not work. The house was a budget tract home in Milpitas, which was considered to be a low rent modest neighborhood.

The bottom line is that this priest would badger them into writing a check for a balance of what they had left to get them through the pay period, to where they would be cutting back on the way we were eating. And then there was still the plate being passed at church, and people feeling like they have to put something in the plate.

I think people form their own opinions about what they "owe" to their church, otherwise billed as "giving to god". Wealthier people I'm sure form their own opinions about whether ten percent is too much, those that are god fearing and always invoking god as reasons for the way they are, but don't actually go to church, say they don't need to go to church to be christians, pretty much might toss a few bucks in the plate on one of their rare visits for spiritual connection.

I've also known Mormons, and they take this stuff seriously, they want to see tax returns and W-2's, full tithing is at the core of what they are. I had a mormon group working for me back in the 80's and had a chance to talk to some of them, some were saying that their tithe comes before a car payment. I found that out from someone who had asked me for an advance to make their car payment, Knowing how important it was to them I asked had they made their tithe, thinking they would need more than just the car payment. They said oh no, the tithe comes first.

Many of the hard right wingers I know invoke god a lot, but they are not so devout that they either go to church or contribute to their higher being, otherwise part of being a f**e or alt christian.

Just curious how many people will speak up about where they stand on this.

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations... (show quote)

An attack on the faith full is really your high ground. I bet if you and your group of creeps have your way you will be setting up gas chambers.

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

woodguru wrote:

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations through the years starting with the catholic priest making personal visits on Saturdays to badger my parents about not paying a full ten percent. That arrogant AH would want to see my dad's pay stubs and go through their budget, I heard him telling them perhaps the house they had bought was over their means. My dad was a union jet mechanic at Delta airlines making $8 an hour, raising five kids, my mom did not work. The house was a budget tract home in Milpitas, which was considered to be a low rent modest neighborhood.

The bottom line is that this priest would badger them into writing a check for a balance of what they had left to get them through the pay period, to where they would be cutting back on the way we were eating. And then there was still the plate being passed at church, and people feeling like they have to put something in the plate.

I think people form their own opinions about what they "owe" to their church, otherwise billed as "giving to god". Wealthier people I'm sure form their own opinions about whether ten percent is too much, those that are god fearing and always invoking god as reasons for the way they are, but don't actually go to church, say they don't need to go to church to be christians, pretty much might toss a few bucks in the plate on one of their rare visits for spiritual connection.

I've also known Mormons, and they take this stuff seriously, they want to see tax returns and W-2's, full tithing is at the core of what they are. I had a mormon group working for me back in the 80's and had a chance to talk to some of them, some were saying that their tithe comes before a car payment. I found that out from someone who had asked me for an advance to make their car payment, Knowing how important it was to them I asked had they made their tithe, thinking they would need more than just the car payment. They said oh no, the tithe comes first.

Many of the hard right wingers I know invoke god a lot, but they are not so devout that they either go to church or contribute to their higher being, otherwise part of being a f**e or alt christian.

Just curious how many people will speak up about where they stand on this.

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations... (show quote)

Scripture says God loves a cheerful giver.

It has been my experience that the more I give away the more God gives me so I can give away even more.

woodguru

vernon wrote:

An attack on the faith full is really your high ground. I bet if you and your group of creeps have your way you will be setting up gas chambers.

No vernon, actually this was inspired by an article I was reading that the future of the Presbyterian church seems to be in trouble because their tithing has been hammered by c***d so badly that it jeopardizes their financial solvency. They are down tens of millions of dollars.

Some of you always try to pigeonhole "liberals" with ideas you want to believe are what's motivating them... because your beliefs and ideas are so twisted you could never possibly ever come close to actually understand what motivates my thinking. Because I have no use for personally believing in god or any other religion does not mean I have a problem with christians, they are free to believe wh**ever they want as long as their beliefs do not interfere with anyone else's freedoms and liberty, something that right wingers construe to be an attack on christianity. Let people alone to do or be wh**ever they want. As far as I'm concerned muslims have as much right to their beliefs as christians do, as long as they keep their beliefs out of our laws.

I am not attacking anyone's faith, and your faith is at the heart of social division. Why is that, it's because that religion is being brought front and center to our legal system where it has no business being. Religiously oriented judges are being seated that have no problem doing god's work instilling religiously oriented values over our constitution and legal system.

woodguru

Parky60 wrote:

Scripture says God loves a cheerful giver.

It has been my experience that the more I give away the more God gives me so I can give away even more.

And you are free to believe and act upon that, what about the person trying to raise five kids on a marginal income at best? It's pretty hard to be cheerful giving to the church instead of using that money to feed your family. You cannot speak for other people where personal beliefs are concerned, everyone is going to come up with their own positions about how much to give.

These religions are facing hard times as people choose to put their own survival ahead of their church. Few churches offer real relief to those who need it in hard times... lose a job through no fault of your own, can you go to the pastor and say you are going to get evicted of you don't pay your rent and get assistance even though you may have been tithing thousands of dollars a year when your life is on track. Forgive my attitude that for most working people would be better off with a 10% nest egg in the bank, that's reality speaking.

kemmer

Parky60 wrote:

Scripture says God loves a cheerful giver.

It has been my experience that the more I give away the more God gives me so I can give away even more.

That sounds more t***sactional than charitable. The Romans were much more open about thithing; upon giving at the temple, they said, "Do ut des". ( I give in order that you will give.)

Lonewolf

Parky60 wrote:

Scripture says God loves a cheerful giver.

It has been my experience that the more I give away the more God gives me so I can give away even more.

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

woodguru wrote:

And you are free to believe and act upon that, wha... (show quote)

I don't know anyone's heart. But are you being more concerned with the temporal than the eternal?

Like I said...God loves a cheerful giver.

Tug484

woodguru wrote:

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations through the years starting with the catholic priest making personal visits on Saturdays to badger my parents about not paying a full ten percent. That arrogant AH would want to see my dad's pay stubs and go through their budget, I heard him telling them perhaps the house they had bought was over their means. My dad was a union jet mechanic at Delta airlines making $8 an hour, raising five kids, my mom did not work. The house was a budget tract home in Milpitas, which was considered to be a low rent modest neighborhood.

The bottom line is that this priest would badger them into writing a check for a balance of what they had left to get them through the pay period, to where they would be cutting back on the way we were eating. And then there was still the plate being passed at church, and people feeling like they have to put something in the plate.

I think people form their own opinions about what they "owe" to their church, otherwise billed as "giving to god". Wealthier people I'm sure form their own opinions about whether ten percent is too much, those that are god fearing and always invoking god as reasons for the way they are, but don't actually go to church, say they don't need to go to church to be christians, pretty much might toss a few bucks in the plate on one of their rare visits for spiritual connection.

I've also known Mormons, and they take this stuff seriously, they want to see tax returns and W-2's, full tithing is at the core of what they are. I had a mormon group working for me back in the 80's and had a chance to talk to some of them, some were saying that their tithe comes before a car payment. I found that out from someone who had asked me for an advance to make their car payment, Knowing how important it was to them I asked had they made their tithe, thinking they would need more than just the car payment. They said oh no, the tithe comes first.

Many of the hard right wingers I know invoke god a lot, but they are not so devout that they either go to church or contribute to their higher being, otherwise part of being a f**e or alt christian.

Just curious how many people will speak up about where they stand on this.

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations... (show quote)

I think he was wrong to badger your dad.
He was wrong to tell him the house was above his means.
Your parents should have chosen a different church to worship in.

Wonttakeitanymore

woodguru wrote:

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations through the years starting with the catholic priest making personal visits on Saturdays to badger my parents about not paying a full ten percent. That arrogant AH would want to see my dad's pay stubs and go through their budget, I heard him telling them perhaps the house they had bought was over their means. My dad was a union jet mechanic at Delta airlines making $8 an hour, raising five kids, my mom did not work. The house was a budget tract home in Milpitas, which was considered to be a low rent modest neighborhood.

The bottom line is that this priest would badger them into writing a check for a balance of what they had left to get them through the pay period, to where they would be cutting back on the way we were eating. And then there was still the plate being passed at church, and people feeling like they have to put something in the plate.

I think people form their own opinions about what they "owe" to their church, otherwise billed as "giving to god". Wealthier people I'm sure form their own opinions about whether ten percent is too much, those that are god fearing and always invoking god as reasons for the way they are, but don't actually go to church, say they don't need to go to church to be christians, pretty much might toss a few bucks in the plate on one of their rare visits for spiritual connection.

I've also known Mormons, and they take this stuff seriously, they want to see tax returns and W-2's, full tithing is at the core of what they are. I had a mormon group working for me back in the 80's and had a chance to talk to some of them, some were saying that their tithe comes before a car payment. I found that out from someone who had asked me for an advance to make their car payment, Knowing how important it was to them I asked had they made their tithe, thinking they would need more than just the car payment. They said oh no, the tithe comes first.

Many of the hard right wingers I know invoke god a lot, but they are not so devout that they either go to church or contribute to their higher being, otherwise part of being a f**e or alt christian.

Just curious how many people will speak up about where they stand on this.

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations... (show quote)

Tithing is from our hearts Normally 10%! If you can’t give hilariously, joyfully then don’t! God would rather have obedience, probably something you lack! If ur not a Christian don’t speak as though u are!

Wonttakeitanymore

[quote=Parky60]Scripture says God loves a cheerful giver.

It has been my experience that the more I give away the more God gives me so I can give away even more.[/quote Amen!malaki 3:10 it’s a promise from God if we bring our tithing to the storehouse God will pour out his blessings!

kemmer

[quote=Wonttakeitanymore]
It has been my experience that the more I give away the more God gives me so I can give away even more.[/quote Amen!malaki 3:10 it’s a promise from God if we bring our tithing to the storehouse God will pour out his blessings![/quote]

I've been to bottom-feeder tent revivals where the speaker/"pastor" said, "Jesus just told me that 20 people will come up to the pulpit and give $100." And bam, here they come.
This from a crowd that looked like they didn't have enough to eat.

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

kemmer wrote:

I've been to bottom-feeder tent revivals...

Is that because you're a bottom-feeder?

gaconservative74

woodguru wrote:

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations through the years starting with the catholic priest making personal visits on Saturdays to badger my parents about not paying a full ten percent. That arrogant AH would want to see my dad's pay stubs and go through their budget, I heard him telling them perhaps the house they had bought was over their means. My dad was a union jet mechanic at Delta airlines making $8 an hour, raising five kids, my mom did not work. The house was a budget tract home in Milpitas, which was considered to be a low rent modest neighborhood.

The bottom line is that this priest would badger them into writing a check for a balance of what they had left to get them through the pay period, to where they would be cutting back on the way we were eating. And then there was still the plate being passed at church, and people feeling like they have to put something in the plate.

I think people form their own opinions about what they "owe" to their church, otherwise billed as "giving to god". Wealthier people I'm sure form their own opinions about whether ten percent is too much, those that are god fearing and always invoking god as reasons for the way they are, but don't actually go to church, say they don't need to go to church to be christians, pretty much might toss a few bucks in the plate on one of their rare visits for spiritual connection.

I've also known Mormons, and they take this stuff seriously, they want to see tax returns and W-2's, full tithing is at the core of what they are. I had a mormon group working for me back in the 80's and had a chance to talk to some of them, some were saying that their tithe comes before a car payment. I found that out from someone who had asked me for an advance to make their car payment, Knowing how important it was to them I asked had they made their tithe, thinking they would need more than just the car payment. They said oh no, the tithe comes first.

Many of the hard right wingers I know invoke god a lot, but they are not so devout that they either go to church or contribute to their higher being, otherwise part of being a f**e or alt christian.

Just curious how many people will speak up about where they stand on this.

Just curious, I have had opinions and observations... (show quote)

I have an hour ride home from work every day and I tossed around whether to answer this or not because you and I have way different views on just about everything. As you can see, I decided to answer. What I have to say really is not applicable to you as you have professed that you have no need for a “higher” being, but here is how I see tithing according to the Bible:

The first and most important part of the issue of tithing is what are you actually giving? I ask a question to make a point. When you die, is your money still yours? Is your house still yours? It my be your estate’s or your heirs but it sure ain’t yours!!!! That said, the point is this, if you believe in God, which I do, then the concept of “your” money is completely flawed!!!! God created the universe and everything in it and we have created nothing. As Christians We are “stewards” of what we have, so I am not giving my money to God, I am giving back a portion of what He has given me.

The next issue, which is intertwined with the first and directly addresses your problem with tithing, and that is the fact that God DOES NOT NEED YOUR MONEY!!!!!!! He spoke the universe into existence and to think that He needs anything I got is quite presumptuous at best!!!! Now I will agree that it is not right for the church to come and wanna see bank statements and check stubs, but the Catholic Church has historically been pretty messed up when it comes to money and done some pretty stupid things. The point of that is that the pastor or bishop or church leader doesn’t have to account for what you do with what God has entrusted you with and that is completely between God and the individual.

So what about tithing? God commands it so as a Christian we ought to have a desire to be obedient. Paul said we should give with a cheerful heart so if we give begrudgingly then we have missed the point and God doesn’t need it anyway?

So who benefits from tithing? Well, first off the giver does: they are obedient and many times find that because they have a little less that they can say they earned they might rely on God more and draw closer to Him. As has been stated in this thread already, God says to bring the tithe and He will pour out blessings that we can’t even contain: now I add caution here as I want to make perfectly clear that not all blessings are monetary and as a matter of fact the best are not so giving thinking that God is gonna give you more money is not the promise He made.

Others can also benefit from what you give thru the church helping people in need, funding missions and may other good things.

One last thought on the steward thing: it is hard to figure out how to give when you live week to week and many people do, but God does expect us to work hard and make good decisions with what we have: many people living from paycheck to paycheck are making poor financial decisions and don’t want to give up anything: bottom line is that if as a Christian you can’t tithe at first, give what you can and look at how you live and what is important to you and make adjustments, take a second job to pay off debts, get rid of all the toys you make payments on....... funny thing is, this idea of examining your finances would do so many people so much good even if they aren’t Christian and aren’t trying to tithe.

God knows a persons heart and knows the real situation and if there is legitimate reasoning that a Christian just cannot make ends meet but sincerely desires to be a good steward and works toward it then God gets that...... but we are expected to make good choices... a fool and his money are soon departed!!!!!!

Now how much is the tithe? Old Testament speaking, a tithe is 10 percent, but I seem to recall that if you went thru the Old Testament law and gave all the offerings required, it would equal like 27%. Malachi speaks of 10%. The New Testament concept I see like this: 10% is a starting point but we should make good decisions with what we have and not try to keep up with the Jones’ cause it ain’t ours anyway, so we should give all we are able to further the gospel.

But end result, if you don’t believe in the God of the Bible, just keep it and when you die somebody else will sleep in your house and drive your car and spend your money for you.

4430 Loc: Little Egypt ** Southern Illinory

[quote=Wonttakeitanymore][quote=Parky60]Scripture says God loves a cheerful giver.

It has been my experience that the more I give away the more God gives me so I can give away even more.[/quote Amen!malaki 3:10 it’s a promise from God if we bring our tithing to the storehouse God will pour out his blessings![/quote]

True but it may not always be finical blessings as there are many blessings he gives that can far surpass monetary rewards !