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Date:         Fri, 22 Jan 1993 12:29:01 EST
From:         Dan Harling <harling@ROADRUNNER.PICTEL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Tithing

> Date: 22 Jan 1993 11:48:38 -0500 (EST)
> From: dave talaga x2752 <talaga@E5SB.OSDHW.SYR.GE.COM>
> Subject: Re: Tithing
> To: Multiple recipients of list CHRISTIA <CHRISTIA@asuvm.inre.asu.edu>
>
> > Blaming the practice of tithe for church failures, preacher failures,
> > false ministries, and families falling apart IS ABSOLUTELY
> > LUDICROUS!!!  These churches and people DID NOT fall apart because
> > they were tithing!  They obviously had many other problems.  If a
> > church FORCES its members to tithe, I think they are wrong, but the
> > tithe itself is a positive thing...
>
> By the same token, claiming the practice of the tithe results in
> health, wealth, and great ministries is also ABSOLUTELY LUDICROUS!!!
> ...And for that matter, what makes the tithe positive and not
> negative?  If the tithe is a good thing, why did Jesus rebuke the
> pharisess by pointing out their tithing practices?

Because they believed that tithing, not their faith, justified them
before God.  As always, it was their heart, not their actions, that
Jesus condemned.


> You say you can trust God more by tithing.  Why?

Because you are committing yourself to possibly give more than you just
happen to have in your wallet at the moment.  It requires you to budget
your finances *after* taking out a portion for God, rather than taking
out a portion for God after your other expenses.  It requires that you
truly treat that portion of your income as not your own to spend.


> What if you give 10%
> and you can't afford to eat?  Or to by decent clothes?  What if, after
> your tithe, NOTHING happens?  How would you counsel someone with those
> questions?  Give more?  less?

If money is so tight that giving 10% doesn't leave you enough to get
by, then you should give less (rather than going into debt to continue
the same rate of giving) until you can afford to tithe.  Like the
Sabbath, the tithe is not intended to be a burden.  It is large enough
to be noticeable, but small enough so that you can usually squeeze by.

You also have a responsibility to support your family, and pay off any
debts that you owe.  If tithing prevents you from doing this, then you
should reduce the amount you give until you are in a position to resume
tithing.  I cannot stress enough that giving is an act of *faith*,
whether the rate is 10%, or less for some reason.


> Dare I mention those who "trusted God"
> and opened thier pocketbooks to some now disgraced ministry.  Where was
> the blessing their?  Did God goof up?  Or could it possibly be that
> there were deceived by people who pray on such concepts as tithing.

...as opposed to just sending offerings?  I would like to know how much
of these so-called ministries were supported by pledges of income,
rather than occasional (or regular) offerings of whatever they had.
There is nothing about tithing that makes it easier to use to deceive
people than just asking for regular contributions of *any* amount.

Regardless, you can impute no blame on the practice of tithing, by
association with a questionable ministry.  There is nothing about the
practice of tithing, as opposed to other forms of voluntary giving,
that makes a ministry more or less susceptible to fraud.  A fraudulent
"ministry" is fraudulent no matter *how* it tries to raise money.  Even
if it is true that the tithe has been found to be a more effective
source of revenue, the blame lies with the ministry, not the act of
tithing.
____________________________________________________________________________
Daniel A. Harling                        (harling@pictel.com)
PictureTel Corp.             Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of
Peabody, MA  01960                   PictureTel Corp. (so there!)
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