10% Tithing

[roanoker]

Why do you assume I am well off? 10% is 10%, rich or poor. Its what is due to God. Period. Roanoker

 

[notself]

Why do you assume I am well off? 10% is 10%, rich or poor. Its what is due to God. Period. Roanoker

What is your definition of well off? I assume you have enough excess cash to get married and raise a family. You started by critisizing a young college student who is living on subsistance. Compared to a young impoverished student, you are well off.

Tell me, did you give 10% of your gross income your whole life?

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

10% is 10%, rich or poor.

That isn’t the least bit true. The sacrifice represented by 10% depends on how much you have. Bill Gates could give away 10% of his income, and he wouldn’t even notice it missing – no sacrifice at all, there. Then there are some people in my neighborhood that wouldn’t be able to feed their families if they gave away 10%. It simply is not an equal sacrifice across the board.

 

[Singinbeauty]

That isn’t the least bit true. The sacrifice represented by 10% depends on how much you have. Bill Gates could give away 10% of his income, and he wouldn’t even notice it missing – no sacrifice at all, there. Then there are some people in my neighborhood that wouldn’t be able to feed their families if they gave away 10%. It simply is not an equal sacrifice across the board.

10% of a million dollars = $100,000 (per month = $8,333.33)
10% of average annual income $25,000 = $2,500 (per month = $208.33)

It is a HUGE difference but with God, not totally impossible. I don’t know why we don’t trust God more with our money. I definitely struggle with this but am learning that with God it is not impossible to trust that if I give to Him, His promise to give it back 10 fold - while not always monetarily - always is fulfilled.

 

[roanoker]

Notself, compared to a lot of people in the world, maybe most of them, your college student is well off. Its a matter of perspective. I have noticed that a lot of so-called poor people are a lot happier than rich people. I wish I had the faith that a lot of “poor” people I know have. As I said in an earlier post, its easy to rationalize why not to give to the church. But rationalization is not justification. Roanoker

 

[roanoker]

CarolAnn, what is non-catholic about tithing? Roanoker

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

CarolAnn, what is non-catholic about tithing? Roanoker

Under Catholic teaching, giving a fixed percentage of one’s monetary income is not required. Check this out – scroll down to the fourth question; I think it’s a good summation of the Catholic position. We are called to support the Church to the best of our ability (can be money, time, and/or talent), but no fixed percentage is required.

 

[reganq]

I have to agree with roanoker and I am Catholic. We by absolutely no means are well off (in fact we are now living on 1/3 of what we did 18 months ago) and we have three young children with #4 on the way. However, we refuse to steal from God.

Tithing is God’s ultimate test. Think about it, is your money REALLY your money? No, it isn’t. All that God asks for is that you give Him back 10% of HIS money. He is teaching us to become detached from this world and (more importantly) THINGS.

Ever since DH and I began tithing 5 years ago, God has provided everything we needed and then some. We have learned to go without a lot of things other people deem necessary (cell phones, fancy cars, new or namebrand clothes, …) There have been times where we have wondered how He was going to pull us through financially distressing times. The amazing thing is that He always has and always will.

The most important thing to keep in mind about tithing is that it helps you to trust God with everything in your life. It is the most rewarding life change that we ever made. Yes, it is extremely difficult to do. But, it is also the only time God really ever asks us to put Him to the test.

 

[notself]

Notself, compared to a lot of people in the world, maybe most of them, your college student is well off. Its a matter of perspective. I have noticed that a lot of so-called poor people are a lot happier than rich people. I wish I had the faith that a lot of “poor” people I know have. As I said in an earlier post, its easy to rationalize why not to give to the church. But rationalization is not justification. Roanoker

I never said he shouldn’t give. Of course he should. But his original question was about giving more than he could afford on his very limited budget. I suggested that he could give what he could reasonably afford and then volunteer his time.

Did you read the whole thread?

 

[notself]

Under Catholic teaching, giving a fixed percentage of one’s monetary income is not required. Check this out – scroll down to the fourth question; I think it’s a good summation of the Catholic position. We are called to support the Church to the best of our ability (can be money, time, and/or talent), but no fixed percentage is required.

Thank you for posting this CarolAnn.

I would hate to see anyone going without the necessities of life in order to give to the Church who then turns around and helps the poor. It seems a bit circular.

I also feel people should not be given a guilt trip for not giving more than they can afford. Giving is important to a moral life but it must be freely given, with a good and easy heart.

Thanks for the link. For those who have trouble opening links, here it is.

**Q: **I was born and raised in the Mormon Church, went on a mission, and did everything a good Mormon should do, including tithing. Since my wife and I converted to the Catholic Church we still have nagging doubts that we should be tithing to our parish (as we did when we were Mormons: ten percent of our gross income), except that it’s much harder to do so now that we have several children. The Mormon Church taught me that tithing is mandatory. What’s the Catholic Church’s position?

A: Although the Church teaches that offering some form of material support to the Church is obligatory for all Catholic adults who are able to do so, it doesn’t specify what percent of one’s income should be given. Remember, tithing was an Old Testament obligation that was incumbent on the Jews under the Law of Moses. Christians are dispensed from the obligation of tithing ten percent of their incomes, but not from the obligation to help the Church.

The key to understanding how God wants us to give to the Church is found in 1 Corinthians 16:2, “On the first day of the week [Sunday] each of you should set aside whatever he can afford,” and in 2 Corinthians 9:5-8, "So I thought it necessary to encourage the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for your promised gift [donation], so that in this way it might be ready as a bountiful gift and not as an exaction.

Consider this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work."

To paraphrase: God doesn’t demand a fixed amount of money from us; he wants us to give from the heart. If people are forced by their church to give a certain percent of their income, that’s extortion. If they give freely and cheerfully the amount they are able, that’s a gift.

 

[roanoker]

The old testament is filled with references to 10% being the tithe-money, goods, produce, whatever-10%. How does the magesterium then interpret these passages? They seem crystal clear to me. Roanoker

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

The old testament is filled with references to 10% being the tithe-money, goods, produce, whatever-10%. How does the magesterium then interpret these passages? They seem crystal clear to me. Roanoker

Here are some more links: this and this and this.

(Not meaning to just throw a bunch of links at you, but the apologists can explain things a whole lot better than I can. )

 

[roanoker]

Don’t you think the ot provides a lot of pretty good guide lines? Like the 10 commandments? Which do you scrap and which do you not…Roanoker

 

[notself]

Don’t you think the ot provides a lot of pretty good guide lines? Like the 10 commandments? Which do you scrap and which do you not…Roanoker

I would think if God intended 10% tithing to be a commandment, then there would be 11.

Ten % tithing is an excellent guideline. For those who can give more, then more would be expected. For those who can only afford to give less than 10%, then as long as they do their best, they have fulfilled their duty.

I admire the fact that you are giving 10% plus volunteering. Good for you.

 

[kalt]

Future needs are just that-future. They may or may not turn out to be real needs. As far as college expenses are concerned, I want to be there when you stand before the white throne of justice and explain to the Almighty why “college expenses” are more important than His tithes. Roanoker

No. I may not be disabled, but the disease is very unpredictable. How about putting your money where your mouth is. You give me the money I need to be sure that I don’t become a ward of the state if I become disabled, and I’ll give more to the church.)

Planning for the future is normal. My parish plans for the future. It doesn’t spend every dime it takes in. It has a fund for future repairs, future needs, etc. No. The roof might not be blown off in the next storm, but then again it might.

Not planning for the future is stupid. Ignoring the reality of disability is stupid.

Are you giving a full 10% of everything you have. Not just what you earn after taxes. Do you give the church 10% of your savings every year? Do you give the church 10% of the value of your house every year? I sincerely doubt it.

 

[Deconi]

If the Bible is your GUIDE about tithing, then read it properly!

It does not refer to the “first” 10%, but the “last.” Moreover, it stipulates that it is from the ‘excess’…not your ‘necessity.’

However, since the referrences are in the OT, it means they no longer apply for Christians! Ours is much HIGHER, since Our Lord clearly redefined our tithe with the example of the old woman and her 2 coins!

The ‘warning’ about tithes is that if you give any amount with expectations of a reward, BE WORRIED if you receive any! That is because there is also another teaching of Our Lord about those who expect rewards; "…I tell you solemnly, they have HAD their reward"

There is no ‘must’ amount in giving. Just do for others whenever you can, because that is what Christ would do. Expect nothing in return.

 

[Righteousone]

God doesn’t care if you tithe or not, especially if you don’t have it to give. You give whatever you can. God wants you there at the Mass regardless. Many times the basket goes over one’'s head and no one minds, this bickering about tithing is ridiculous. Protestants are into this more so than anything.

 

[kalt]

God doesn’t care if you tithe or not, especially if you don’t have it to give. You give whatever you can. God wants you there at the Mass regardless. Many times the basket goes over one’'s head and no one minds, this bickering about tithing is ridiculous. Protestants are into this more so than anything.

I agree. Not giving what you can reasonabley afford is wrong. But comparing what you give to what others give is wrong, too. Actually, I think you’re supposed to give and not brag about it. There’s something about that in the Bible, I beleive.

Anyone who is here bragging about what they’re giving, hoping to look better than the next, hoping that he will be looke up to, has already got his reward.

That’s not the spirit of giving I think God had intended.

 

[notself]

Never underestimate the power of small gifts
“Even if a person throws the rinsings of a bowl or a cup into a village pool or pond, thinking, ‘May whatever animals live here feed on this,’ that would be a source of merit.”

— AN 3.57

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

Don’t you think the ot provides a lot of pretty good guide lines? Like the 10 commandments? Which do you scrap and which do you not…Roanoker

The Old Testament does have many good guidelines, but as we are Christians, and not Jewish, we are not obliged to follow all of the laws set up for the Jewish people at the time of the Old Testament. For example, we do not have to follow the Jewish dietary laws (Leviticus 11). Nor do we have to follow the laws governing skin diseases (Leviticus 13) or the one about not wearing clothing sewn from two different kinds of thread (Leviticus 19).

Leviticus 19 also tells us not to steal, lie, or profane the name of God – those would be covered under the 10 Commandments. Leviticus 19:18 tells us “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Of course, we hear Jesus repeat that one in the New Testament (Mark 12:31).

As to which specific laws to keep, and which ones to discard, we rely on the teachings of the Church, as very few of us, on our own, are really expert enough to be doing a private interpretation of the Bible.