The purpose of tithing

[Vort]

In her vituperous response in another thread, Maureen did ask a couple of good questions:

Vort, what is the purpose of tithing? Is it not to sustain the earthly needs of “the church”?

No, it is not. If God wanted merely to fund his Church, he could allow gold or oil to be found on Church-owned property. Tithing is primarily a chance for the Saints to practice consecration.

You seem to have interpreted “increase” as anything that helps you feel like a martyr.

Your unkindness, though unsurprising, is misplaced. This has nothing to do with martyrdom. I interpret "increase" as what I get in addition to what I already have.

You tithed when unemployed? How does that work?

My job does not pay me on a daily basis. For example, my current job pays only monthly. Most jobs I have held pay either twice a month or every two weeks. Thus, upon losing my job, I usually have at least one more paycheck coming in.

What purpose or benefit does that bring to you or your church when you can barely keep yourself sustained let alone a “church” that has multiple members who do have the means to sustain it?

It serves to allow me to contribute some small portion to the building up of the kingdom of God, as I have covenanted to do.

If you as a member feel the need to tithe on an “increase” that does not exist, then why bother with needing a definition of tithing.

Do you recognize how your unwarranted assumptions lead to false conclusions?

If “increase” can mean anything, then why get all hot and bothered by other members that define it their own way, like you do?

Another false accusation, Maureen. Shame on you. I do not "get all hot and bothered by other members that define [increase] in their own way". No reasonable and intelligent person who read what I wrote could draw that inference.

If as you say, that how a member defines “increase” is between the member, their bishop and God then why do members care how each other defines tithing?

Perhaps you should ask the poster of the other thread, or the guy who ranted in the SLTrib comments section.

Why do members become self-righteous in just discussing the whole subject of tithing in the first place?

The only self-righteousness I witnessed in that other thread came from the SLTrib commentary guy and those who agreed with him. Your post that I have just responded to is a perfect example.

[mnn727]

No reasonable and intelligent person who read what I wrote could draw that inference.

Count me in with the unreasonable and unintelligent - cause it sure appeared you got a bit hot under the collar

[Vort]

Count me in with the unreasonable and unintelligent

All right, if you wish.

- cause it sure appeared you got a bit hot under the collar

Please quote anything I said in the other thread -- anything -- that can reasonably taken to mean I'm getting "hot and bothered" by people's personal definition of the term "increase".

[Guest]

I'm with Vort.

His post was nothing more than the regular Vort-ness.

And yes, I agree with his point on tithing as well.

[john doe]

We closed this earlier for a reason. Some people can't discuss some things without getting too hot under the collar.