hordak Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Is tithing "attached" to individuals or to couples in a marriage? I.E. Would a non employed individual be denied a Temple recommend because the employed spouse hasn't payed tithing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithLBrown Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Your question actually leads into two sepearte discussions -- tithing and Temple recommends. First, as a member of the Bishopric for my Ward, I have seen couples pay their tithing jointly, and I have seen couples who pay their tithing separately. As a general rule we set up couples in the financial system as one household, however, as some prefer to pay individual tithing, we have set up their family in the system in that manner as well. Now, as I have stated in a previous post, tithing is a matter of the heart. I also stated that the Lord truly knows each of our individual circumstances. As tithing is paid on our increases in life, you certainly cannot pay tithing if you have nothing (monetarily speaking) to tithe on. Temple recommends are also an individual matter. Both you and your spouse are interviewed separately for Temple recommends and the recommend is given based on individual worthiness, not combined worthiness. Therefore, there may be cases where one spouse is granted a recommend and another isn't. When you have your interview, that is the time to explain to your Bishop or member of the Bishopric (or Branch Presidency in some cases) your individual circumstances and to answer all questions asked of you honestly. The short answer is that I don't believe that a non-employed individual would be denied a Temple recommend. The denial would come if there were other worthiness issues in question. Further, you being granted a Temple recommend is based on your individual worthiness as your spouse is based on their individual worthiness. I hope that this helps. Keith L. Brown First Counselor Annapolis Maryland Ward Bishopric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 I am not sure if this answers your question but, this is my expierence with this......if a Sister did not work and attended church each sunday and her spouse was not a member. I would always give the sister a temple rec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 <<snip>>Temple recommends are also an individual matter. Both you and your spouse are interviewed separately for Temple recommends and the recommend is given based on individual worthiness, not combined worthiness. <<snip>>Keith L. BrownFirst CounselorAnnapolis Maryland Ward BishopricMy husband and I have always been interview together for our Temple Recommend renewals! I never felt comfortable with this, now I know why- it should have been done separately. From now on I will insist that it be done separately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasgeorge Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Is tithing "attached" to individuals or to couples in a marriage? I.E. Would a non employed individual be denied a Temple recommend because the employed spouse hasn't payed tithing?Now this is a question you should go ask your bishop. It doesn't matter what any of us thinks. He'll have the answer for you. And if he isn't sure, he'll ask up the chain for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justice Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Actually, it's a personal choice. A bishop won't tell you how to do it because there is no specific way to do it. It's a decision you and your spouse make together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenamarie Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 My husband and I have always been interview together for our Temple Recommend renewals! I never felt comfortable with this, now I know why- it should have been done separately. From now on I will insist that it be done separately.Seriously?! I have never heard of this happening! I'd have kicked my husband out personally if my Bishop had insisted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truegrits Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Actually, it's a personal choice. A bishop won't tell you how to do it because there is no specific way to do it. It's a decision you and your spouse make together. That is true of my Ward. My sister and her hubby have done it both ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasgeorge Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Actually, it's a personal choice. A bishop won't tell you how to do it because there is no specific way to do it. It's a decision you and your spouse make together.I agree with you. I was trying to convey that the person this individual should counsel with for advice concerning his personal situation is his bishop. If the individual uses this info as the basis for what he thinks should happen, and then cousels with his/her bishop who knows the personal situation, has guidance, etc, and the bishop disagrees with the notions the individual takes out of this forum, then it doesn't matter what anyone in the forum says. I was just sayin that the best way to approach personal issues is to talk to the bishop about them, rather than rely on an annonymous internet community for advice. Thus my advice is to go ask the question phrased in this forum to your bishop, and counsel with him rather than relying on this forum for answers. I agree with you about tithing and personal choice. I think also that some make a personal choice that isn't a full tithe as well, but thats between the individual and God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Seriously?! I have never heard of this happening! I'd have kicked my husband out personally if my Bishop had insisted. It was the Bishop who insisted, not my husband. Actually we both were uncomfortable with it.I don't have anything to hide from my husband, so I wouldn't have kicked him out- I should have asked my husband to step out. It is just that I feel that the Bishop needs to see us one on one so that the Spirit can guide him accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Now this is a question you should go ask your bishop. It doesn't matter what any of us thinks. He'll have the answer for you. And if he isn't sure, he'll ask up the chain for you.I just gave the correct answer as did someone else who posted before me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 It was the Bishop who insisted, not my husband. Actually we both were uncomfortable with it.I don't have anything to hide from my husband, so I wouldn't have kicked him out- I should have asked my husband to step out. It is just that I feel that the Bishop needs to see us one on one so that the Spirit can guide him accordingly.I agree....it should be done seperately Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenamarie Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 It was the Bishop who insisted, not my husband. Actually we both were uncomfortable with it.I don't have anything to hide from my husband, so I wouldn't have kicked him out- I should have asked my husband to step out. It is just that I feel that the Bishop needs to see us one on one so that the Spirit can guide him accordingly.Oh I know, I was just saying I'd probably go against what my Bishop was telling us and tell my husband to leave myself. I would be very uncomfortable having my husband there while going through the Temple Recommend interview. (Not that there's anything my Bishop knows about that my husband doesn't) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abraham Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 First of all, these are separate but tithing is an indivvidual issue. If you do not make any money but have the intent of paying an honest tithing on any income you qualify for that portion of the TR interview, regardless of your husband's point of view. Obviously, there are deeper issues here that have not been mentioned so I will not bring them up. Secondly, I knew a couple in our Ward in FL who were interviewed together for their TR. This infuriated the wife as the husband was, well, let's say not an upstanding husband or saint. She wanted to tell the SP some things but could not with her husband present. In my opinion, the TR should always be an individual interview, for that and many other reasons. BTW - they got a nasty divorce, as the man was having an affair. I have been in many bishoprics and always receive counsel that you never know want to assume anything about a person or less about a relationship.Abraham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilered Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 I have to say I am a little surprised that TR interviews are ever held jointly. None of the Bishoprics I have served in, nor have I ever attended a jt. TR interview with my spouse. They have always been in private for what I believe for obvious reasons. The recommend itself is issued to a single individual and the interview is to ascertain that particuliar individuals worthiness. Tithing settlement however is different, we always attend as a family (including the children). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abraham Posted June 7, 2008 Report Share Posted June 7, 2008 We have a sweet lady iin our Ward who's husband is not a member and in a nice way forbids her to pay tithing. She honors that and helps out in any other way she can. She donates to the YM/YW, provides food for the Ward dinners etc, and yes she has a TR. I guess every situation is unique but overall the concept of living as much as you can applies here. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.