a question about tithing

[Guest JHM-in-Bountiful]

I know that tithing is 10% of your income. I asked my bishop what getting money as a gift, pre-paid store gift cards and food stamp income. His comment was the 10% is what is asked from the church. The rest is up to me and the Lord. What all do you guys do when you figure out about paying tithing?

[BenRaines]

10% of increase. Gifts are an increase. With food stamps I would say that they don't count. That is just me but that is what I would say.

Ben Raines

[pam]

Let's be careful with this thread. Good question on the OP. We recently shut another down on the exact same subject for the bickering and the personal attacks so let's try and keep this one civil.

[Guest JHM-in-Bountiful]

I forgot to mention I have already payed my full tithing for this year and have allotted for extra income or gifts up to December. Once I get some of this stuff refined I will have have all my tithing and fast offerings for 2009 paid in full by February 2009. Yes it is ok to pay tithing in advance.

[Traveler]

The best way to understand tithing is by understanding covenants. There are 3 parts to complete the worship of G-d by covenant.

Part 1. The law and promise. This is the commitmemet part

Part 2. The trial. This is the part where one is tested - for example where tithing is paid even if difficult.

Part 3. The fulfilment and blessing. This is when the Holy Ghost testifies and seals the covenant.

I have tried to explain before that the only true way to worship G-d is through covenants. Tithing is a covent and an opportunity to worship G-d. Worship must include all 3 parts of the covenant. As with all covenants it is the work and desire of Satan and his followers to tempt man not to worship by covenant. An example is when Satan tempted Cain to offer sacrifice (part 2) without the law and promise with G-d. Even though Cain performed sacrifice it was not accepted of G-d.

The Traveler

[tubaloth]

This is the gray area, and what I have figured out it seems to more be a tradition of your fathers. On my mission, one of my companions had his grandma send him money, not even for birthday or anything special, just sent him money. He would always pay tithing to what ever ward he was serving at the time. Come to find out his family pretty much always paid tithing on any "gifts."

My family on the other hand, we mostly paid tithing on money you earned! Any interest you collected. But gifts where never part of it. We got allowance (every month for how old you were) and were encouraged to save our money (give it to our dad, and he would figure out interest) then when tithing settlement came, my dad would say here is how much interest you have earned for the year, here is how much tithing you owe. We would fill out the tithing slip and do it all. (Even though really all the money came from my dad)

But I never paid tithing on allowance, any money I got for my mission, or now my dad just gives all us kids $100 for each birthday and Christmas. Never really even though of paying tithing on it.

Back to my mission. I told my Mission President that my companion was paying tithing (Probably more thinking he was in error) I asked my mission president if I should pay tithing on gifts.

He left it open ended. He said with Money its easy to figure out what 10% is, and so we kind of think we should do that. But what if you get a shirt, or golf balls. You can't really pay 10% of other things you get. So he pretty much just left it open. If you feel you want to pay tithing on gift money you can. If you don't want it, thats fine. Its not money you have earned. It just kind of ends up being how I was raised. I don't have the mind set that when somebody gives me a dollar I don't go pay tithing on it. I know if I go and work for the dollar I need to pay tithing on it.

Its just personal Preference.

[Hemidakota]

I know that tithing is 10% of your income. I asked my bishop what getting money as a gift, pre-paid store gift cards and food stamp income. His comment was the 10% is what is asked from the church. The rest is up to me and the Lord. What all do you guys do when you figure out about paying tithing?

If it is considered as welfare to support your family, do not have to tithe. Gifts that are not food related then it should be considered tithing.

[Traveler]

Okay let us make this easy. Calculate your net worth and then figure out how much you will make during your lifetime (say 1 million to 2 million?). Then take out a life insurance policy on yourself for 10% ($100,000 to $200,000) of the total and name the church as the beneficiary. Now you do not have to pay tithing from your money and what you want to spend - you can keep all your money and still be a full tithe payer (keeping the L-rd happy) for much less out-of-pocket. And you do not have to fuss over any details. If you ever do end up with a little extra cash you never planned on you can just pay 10% on that. And if the L-rd really needs the money he can just have you die early and like magic you have paid extra – I am sure that will get you many extra blessings in heaven.

The Traveler

[Traveler]

The important thing about tithing is that we enter into a covenant with G-d. This is done at tithing settlement - we report on how we kept our covenant for the last year and we renew our covenant or remake our covenant for the next year. No one is a tithe payer (regardless of what or how much they pay) unless they tithe by covenant.

I strongly suggest that to all that covenant with G-d - that they honor and keep their covenants to the exact degree and according to that which they promised. If someone has not made a promise to G-d (through his proxy servant) - they have not made a covenant.

The Traveler

Edited September 5, 2008 by Traveler

[john doe]

Okay let us make this easy. Calculate your net worth and then figure out how much you will make during your lifetime (say 1 million to 2 million?). Then take out a life insurance policy on yourself for 10% ($100,000 to $200,000) of the total and name the church as the beneficiary. Now you do not have to pay tithing from your money and what you want to spend - you can keep all your money and still be a full tithe payer (keeping the L-rd happy) for much less out-of-pocket. And you do not have to fuss over any details. If you ever do end up with a little extra cash you never planned on you can just pay 10% on that. And if the L-rd really needs the money he can just have you die early and like magic you have paid extra – I am sure that will get you many extra blessings in heaven.

The Traveler

Trav-- I did not see any smilies. You did mean this as a joke, right?

[pam]

Trav-- I did not see any smilies. You did mean this as a joke, right?

Glad you asked..I was just wondering the same thing when reading it.

[Guest JHM-in-Bountiful]

I've gotten my answer from local ward members, lds.net members and the Spirit. Basicly the consensus it that 10% of your INCREASE is what is to be tithed. My tithing and fast offerings should be paid in full, for 2009, by February of 2009. I like to pay in advance. I've heard wonderful testmonies regarding tithing. It really does work. Out of all this there is only one downside. I have not had to file in taxes since the 1999 working year. My money towards the church wil never be counted or used as a deductable. The eternal blessings are more important. Thanks for your input.

[Traveler]

Trav-- I did not see any smilies. You did mean this as a joke, right?

Not exactly a joke. I did want to show how someone could "keep" the commandment to tithe and not understand or keep the covenant.

The Traveler

[Prodigal_Son]

I once asked a bishop about gross vs. net and before vs. after taxes. He responded, "the church doesn't specify. But as for me, if I'm going to err, I want it to be in the Lord's favor."

Great advice. It's all about faith, isn't it?