Are you still tithing during the recession?

bionicarm

bionicarm

Active Member
I was reading in the paper this morning where that televangelist Rev. Schuller and his "Hour of Power" ministry is in the hole and on the verge of collapse. I'm no longer a religious person, and I've never understood the required "10% income" thing in the first place. So for all of you who do attend church on a regular basis, and do support their efforts, how is this recession effecting your contributions? Do you still tithe the same amount as before? If you don't contribute the minimum, will you get excommunicated from your church?
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/2937231
So for all of you who do attend church on a regular basis, and do support their efforts, how is this recession effecting your contributions?
It's not.
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/2937231
Do you still tithe the same amount as before?
Yes
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/2937231
If you don't contribute the minimum, will you get excommunicated from your church?
No, tithe is required by God not by a group of elders. If you are banished from the church for not tithing, how is that showing Gods love?
If everything is God's creation then it's not mine in the first place, so I am just showing that I realize that what I have is actually His and I am merely the steward. When I die where will "my" money and posessions go? They are passed on to the next steward.
 
lil.guppy

lil.guppy

Active Member
Any Christian who loves the Lord should desire to give everything to Him. We can and should give more than ten percent (a tithe). Tithing is just a starting place -- not a maximum limit. The tithe is like a birthday gift to a wonderful spouse, just a token reminder of their importance to you. Actually, they deserve much more -- more than it would be possible to give. Jesus is like that. He deserves more than you could possibly give. Tithing is only a reminder to you, and to Jesus, of the intent of your heart, and the place of importance He has in your life.
I dont do the whole 10% rule but I do give something when I can. No the economy has not changed my amount that I give.
 
jennythebugg

jennythebugg

Active Member
give what you can out of love for the lord and the church family , how else do you tink churches have the money to take care of
pay their pastors
clothe the homeless
keep missionaries
feed the hungry
fund childrens programs
just to name a few of the good things that churches do with their tithes and offerings. no church should excommunicate someone for giving less, if anything they should help out their members that are in need- at least thats what they are supposed to do
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
Not tithing won't make you go to hell -- god isn't like that or anything.
The purpose of the tithe is two reasons.
A very good take that I've found to be true whether you tithe or not:
1st -- god wants us to be givers, tithe teaches us how to do that
2nd -- if you think about it in the big picture -- the money isn't ours to belong with as it belongs to god, we are just the managers of where it goes.
As far as the bad economy? HA! Yeah truly "some" people are hurting, but there were winter when my dad was growing up if the neighbors didn't share food they would have starved (1950's -- not even the 30's). They had a bounty on gophers for 2 cents each --- you had to bring the tail in for proof of death, well the kids would catch the gophers bare handed, rip the tail off so the gophers would have more gophers so they didn't dry up their "cash" cow. I've never been in a depression -- but my dad's side grew up dirt poor in some harsh North Dakota land that wasn't exactly "farmland". Waking up and the water on the stove was frozen in the morning, going to town once a month was a luxury. Now if we can't get a cup of coffee for 5 bucks we all whine and bitch... if truly tough times were to hit again imagine how few people would know how to cut back to nothing to survive.
 
bionicarm

bionicarm

Active Member
Wow. Didn't think I get these type of responses. So why stop at 10%? Why not give everything you earn to the church? Apparently you think this Supreme Being will take care of you regardless. Don't buy that $5 coffee, that nice LCD TV, those nice frags and fish you keep in that expensive hobby that brought you to this site. Just give it to the church.
I remember when I was a kid, we used to go to church, and the ushers would walk down the aisles during Communion with their weave baskets on a stick. We'd drop our $1 to $2 in the basket for our donation for the week. Now, I have friends and coworkers that attend various Catholic churches in the area. They tell me the church keeps a monthly statement on their contributions, and even mail them envelopes for them to return their weekly tithings in. They are required to reveal their annual income to the church so they can best determine what their 'contributions' should be. I ask them what would happen if they didn't send in a 'payment'? They say that normally they get a letter indicating they missed their payment, and if it continues, they get sent to the 'office' for a lecture with the head priest on the importance of contributing to the 'better good'. Meanwhile one friend was recently laid off. He's facing foreclosure on his house, but he tells me he still tries to give as much as he can to the church. He says, "God would want him to do it." Hope the church reciprocates when he's living out on the street.
Many churches take care of the less fortunate. Some give back to their community and their parishiners. But these "Super Churches" that people like this Schuller and this local nut in my town, John Hagee, run are nothing but personal profit centers. It's amazing the amount of money these conglomerates bring in by duping innocent people into thinking they'll find peace and euphoria in the afterlife if they hand over their hard earned money to them. Meanwhile, they live in palacial estates, drive overpriced status symbols, travel the world, and buy all the worldly goods they desire, all on your hard earned nickel. P.T. Barnum said it best, "There's a sucker born every minute."
 
jennythebugg

jennythebugg

Active Member
if someone wants to stay in a church that is like that , thats their loss there are plenty of honestly run churches out there that are run for the lord not the$ that is the reason my father became a pastor, the large baptist church that my parents ran the childrens church for ,the pastor called a meeting for all the divisions of the church and told my parents they were not recieving enough from the childrens church and handed them buckets labeled boy and girl and a scale and said they should make a contest out of raising tithes and offering and my parents quit that day along with many of the other division heads, if someone is attending a church where they know about financial abuse they should leave, there is always an honest church home right around the corner ready to accept them- no questions asked
 
tangman99

tangman99

Active Member
I don't go to church thus I don't worry about tithing. As I've mentioned in many previous posts, I'd rather give my money straight to charities that I know need the money. I'm not an athiest, but I have no use for organized religion. The mega churches cropping up everywhere just prove how lucrative starting a church can be. They are nothing more than a tax free business.
My .02 only
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/2937578
Wow. Didn't think I get these type of responses. So why stop at 10%? Why not give everything you earn to the church? Apparently you think this Supreme Being will take care of you regardless. Don't buy that $5 coffee, that nice LCD TV, those nice frags and fish you keep in that expensive hobby that brought you to this site. Just give it to the church.
I remember when I was a kid, we used to go to church, and the ushers would walk down the aisles during Communion with their weave baskets on a stick. We'd drop our $1 to $2 in the basket for our donation for the week. Now, I have friends and coworkers that attend various Catholic churches in the area. They tell me the church keeps a monthly statement on their contributions, and even mail them envelopes for them to return their weekly tithings in. They are required to reveal their annual income to the church so they can best determine what their 'contributions' should be. I ask them what would happen if they didn't send in a 'payment'? They say that normally they get a letter indicating they missed their payment, and if it continues, they get sent to the 'office' for a lecture with the head priest on the importance of contributing to the 'better good'. Meanwhile one friend was recently laid off. He's facing foreclosure on his house, but he tells me he still tries to give as much as he can to the church. He says, "God would want him to do it." Hope the church reciprocates when he's living out on the street.
Many churches take care of the less fortunate. Some give back to their community and their parishiners. But these "Super Churches" that people like this Schuller and this local nut in my town, John Hagee, run are nothing but personal profit centers. It's amazing the amount of money these conglomerates bring in by duping innocent people into thinking they'll find peace and euphoria in the afterlife if they hand over their hard earned money to them. Meanwhile, they live in palacial estates, drive overpriced status symbols, travel the world, and buy all the worldly goods they desire, all on your hard earned nickel. P.T. Barnum said it best, "There's a sucker born every minute."
We have a nut in our town too. Rod Parsley.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
I like reverend Ike's take on it
"Sure I have nice clothes and a big house. I have 3 Cadillacs. I deserve all that. You think saving all you sinners souls is easy work?"
 
T

tizzo

Guest
As far as the original question...
We tithe. 10%, but we don't go to church, so we give it to a christian radio station.
The "recession" has affected what we give. we make less, so we give less.
But it's still always 10%. And FWIW, Socal explained the reasoning perfectly.
 
nw2salt08

nw2salt08

Active Member
I do believe in tithing and still do....to charities that need it. I donate at least 10%, give our gently used clothing and toys and I donate my own blood to help people out...I do not worship in a church because of my beliefs but I do believe in Jesus Christ and God. I worship every day no matter where I am. I don't believe that we have to congregate in a church to worship because God is everywhere so why not worship Him where you stand no matter where you are... Just what I believe...
 
ray j neal

ray j neal

Member
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/2937578
Wow. Didn't think I get these type of responses. So why stop at 10%? Why not give everything you earn to the church? Apparently you think this Supreme Being will take care of you regardless. Don't buy that $5 coffee, that nice LCD TV, those nice frags and fish you keep in that expensive hobby that brought you to this site. Just give it to the church.
I remember when I was a kid, we used to go to church, and the ushers would walk down the aisles during Communion with their weave baskets on a stick. We'd drop our $1 to $2 in the basket for our donation for the week. Now, I have friends and coworkers that attend various Catholic churches in the area. They tell me the church keeps a monthly statement on their contributions, and even mail them envelopes for them to return their weekly tithings in. They are required to reveal their annual income to the church so they can best determine what their 'contributions' should be. I ask them what would happen if they didn't send in a 'payment'? They say that normally they get a letter indicating they missed their payment, and if it continues, they get sent to the 'office' for a lecture with the head priest on the importance of contributing to the 'better good'. Meanwhile one friend was recently laid off. He's facing foreclosure on his house, but he tells me he still tries to give as much as he can to the church. He says, "God would want him to do it." Hope the church reciprocates when he's living out on the street.
Many churches take care of the less fortunate. Some give back to their community and their parishiners. But these "Super Churches" that people like this Schuller and this local nut in my town, John Hagee, run are nothing but personal profit centers. It's amazing the amount of money these conglomerates bring in by duping innocent people into thinking they'll find peace and euphoria in the afterlife if they hand over their hard earned money to them. Meanwhile, they live in palacial estates, drive overpriced status symbols, travel the world, and buy all the worldly goods they desire, all on your hard earned nickel. P.T. Barnum said it best, "There's a sucker born every minute."
Actually, the phrase was coined by David Hannum rather than Barnum. Hannum was quoted saying the phrase when reffering to the spectators that Barnum's hoax exhibits would draw.
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/2937578
Wow. Didn't think I get these type of responses. So why stop at 10%? Why not give everything you earn to the church? Apparently you think this Supreme Being will take care of you regardless. Don't buy that $5 coffee, that nice LCD TV, those nice frags and fish you keep in that expensive hobby that brought you to this site. Just give it to the church.
You don't have to give 10%. 10% comes from the Old Testament laws. Each person is to give to his own ability. (paraphrasing JC)
You have to be a little realistic here. Unless you feel that God has called you to work and give it all to the church, please don't try this. You will soon be jobless as well as homeless. God never asked me to be homeless.
We give in other ways, too. We help in the community. Our church takes on projects which we (as a church body) fund and supply labor to complete. Personally, we do things for people in need when we can. We show someone the love of God by meeting their everyday needs in some way.
If you have a problem with a particular pastor or church then by all means don't send them money. We have truly been blessed and try to be a blessing to others. Part of this is done through money given to the chuch. Money that I don't consider to be "mine" in the first place.
If you feel led to give, give.
If you do not, then don't.
Seems simple enough to me.
I assumed that you attended a church of some sort and were having financial trouble thus feeling guilty for tithing less. God doesn't try to make you feel guilty. That job is reserved for Lucifer. God wants your soul, not money.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by socal57che
http:///forum/post/2938327
You don't have to give 10%. 10% comes from the Old Testament laws. Each person is to give to his own ability. (paraphrasing JC)
You have to be a little realistic here. Unless you feel that God has called you to work and give it all to the church, please don't try this. You will soon be jobless as well as homeless. God never asked me to be homeless.
We give in other ways, too. We help in the community. Our church takes on projects which we (as a church body) fund and supply labor to complete. Personally, we do things for people in need when we can. We show someone the love of God by meeting their everyday needs in some way.
If you have a problem with a particular pastor or church then by all means don't send them money. We have truly been blessed and try to be a blessing to others. Part of this is done through money given to the chuch. Money that I don't consider to be "mine" in the first place.
If you feel led to give, give.
If you do not, then don't.
Seems simple enough to me.
I assumed that you attended a church of some sort and were having financial trouble thus feeling guilty for tithing less. God doesn't try to make you feel guilty. That job is reserved for Lucifer. God wants your soul, not money.
Beautifully put and so very true
 
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