How much do you tithe?

[cheeto1]

Tithing just to impress others is its own reward.

Well just tithe anyway. Supposing the only people to answer the poster were non-tithers? How would they find out it is good? Don’t worry about what other people say about it, you’re doing it for God. Believe me, there are other spiritual and financial rewards. Why waste another day without them?
It’s like saying “I’ll return to the church when I’m without sin”.
Well, how will you get without sin except by returning to the
church? I tried Him in tithing, and He proved faithful.

 

[agapewolf]

Not so with, say, a family of four earning $70,000 a year. Seven grand in tithing could be the difference between parochial and public school, between a great family vacation and staying home this summer, between some much needed home improvements versus letting that leaking roof go another year.

“great family vacation” ???

really? tithing to help stop babies from being murdered, feeding children who don’t get fed for days…and you think that a great family vacation is reason enough not to tithe 10%?

Look… many.people’s perspective of income is completely distorted and desensitized because of the selfishness and affluence, and quality of life in America. Big families used to do very well with one income…Americans say its impossible “nowadays”…is it because the economy is that bad, or is it because we have been accustomed to a higher
so- called “quality of life”. (vacations, multiple cars, internet, cable, tv’s in every room, computers in every room, eating out, etc).

I will BET you those $7000 (and I cannot afford it)…that if you tithed $7000 next year, and didn’t take your great family vacation, but stayed home, turned off the tv and internet and spent a week of family together, including lots of prayer, cooking meals together, playing games, doing house improvements, etc that you would be blessed beyond belief.
and wouldn’t takethe money back if you were offered it.

Of course, God wants us responsible with our money…a student who is on financial aid that cannot pay to keep the heat on is not expected to tithe (10% of nothing is nothing). But remember the poor widow who gave 2 coins…when that was all she had.

This is hitting me hard because I work for the Church. I’ve never made a lot of money…and I also have a job because of people’s generosity. I’ve been thinking a lot about my own generosity and it hasn’t been up to par. Tomorrow, I will be writing a check.

 

[alessandro]

Etymologically, the **tithe **[n., < ME **tithe < **tighe **< OE **tegotha, **‘tenth’] is one-tenth of one’s wages.

I guess we should all aim for that.

The rule of thumb I try to go by is that alms for the poor should be greater than a cost of a meal (not fast food; a real meal). And for church collections for other purposes (e.g., church restoration, etc.), I usually match that amount.

Unfortunately, this is perhaps only half of what I should be giving according to the tithe.

 

[alessandro]

I think that Catholics tend not to give as much due to anger about the way things have been handled over the priest abuse cases.

I suppose this is true… That, as well as the rampant closing/selling of churches (many of which had altars and artwork that many poor Catholics sweat and bled to install), seeming unwillingness of various dioceses to finace the construction/renovation of churches in many needy areas, the ‘renovation’ of existing churches (tearing out communion rails, installing carpet, etc.), the deconstruction of the Mass and various liturgical abuses.

Funny how in more orthodox (traditionalist) communities, there is never a priest shortage and the churches are fiscally sound because everyone wants to contribute (monetarily, as well as volunteering goods and services to the church).

The Church would do well to restore some order and return to tradition, and all the rest would follow.

 

[Sheeniac]

I suppose this is true… That, as well as the rampant closing/selling of churches (many of which had altars and artwork that many poor Catholics sweat and bled to install), seeming unwillingness of various dioceses to finace the construction/renovation of churches in many needy areas, the ‘renovation’ of existing churches (tearing out communion rails, installing carpet, etc.), the deconstruction of the Mass and various liturgical abuses.

Funny how in more orthodox (traditionalist) communities, there is never a priest shortage and the churches are fiscally sound because everyone wants to contribute (monetarily, as well as volunteering goods and services to the church).

The Church would do well to restore some order and return to tradition, and all the rest would follow.

Yeah, that too!

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

But remember the poor widow who gave 2 coins…when that was all she had.

I wish more people would remember this when they pass judgement on what other people put in the collection basket (I’m not saying you do this, but I know some do, based on other threads I’ve read on this topic).

For example, the time I put three dollars in the basket, and maybe some people thought I was being stingy with God, but that three dollars was 75% of all the money I had at that time (not everyone in this country is affluent, or even close to it).

(By the way, my “great family vacation” involves my getting in my car and driving a few hundred miles to stay with my parents for a week or two. )