Posted on 08/30/2010 3:42:03 PM PDT by SouthDixie
Okay, I'll be honest, I am not a great follower of Glenn Beck yet I am trying to understand what exactly his message is. I try to understand by listening to what others have to say and by watching his shows and rallys.
Today on his show, Glenn said, "If you don't believe in giving 10% tithe, why are you going to that church?" I about had to pick my jaw off the floor. I was not aware attending church was about a 10% tithe and if you didn't have the funds, why attend?
In my minds eye, this is NOT how to attract people to church or to the word of God. God is about Love, Compassion and Unity. In these economic times people are barely able to care for their families let alone give 10% of their income to churches that havn't exactly set a very "spiritual" example.
I am not sure I enjoy where Glenn Beck is taking us.
My church went liberal so I quit going.
My pastor gave a sermon in which he quoted something in the Bible (I’m ashamed I can’t remember where it is) that said you should give 3 goats but if you only have 2, give 2 and if you only have 1, give 1. But give something. I can do that.
If 10% is enough for Jesus, it’s more than enough for Uncle Sam...
And, to answer the headline question, it depends if you’re in an ELCA church, and if that church is staying with the ELCA, or getting out... if getting out, Yes. If not? I’d think real hard about continuing a tithe to that church...
I should have qualified the 3 goat thing. If your tithe is 3 goats, then 2 and then 1.
I wish I had a nickel for every sermon I heard about tithing when I was a Baptist and a Pentecostal. I’d be rich. But I have never had a problem with tithing. It’s a Biblical principle. At least that’s what I always thought. Some folks on FR get all bent out of shape over it and one poster said that the Old Testament teaching is not in effect anymore but was superseded by the New Testament so there’s no real reason to tithe.
I don’t believe that at all. My Church does not pass the plate on Sundays but we tithe privately. It is something we want to do. It’s part of being a Christian. I think tithing is a privilege.
It is what I take away from what I read in the new testament. And when I say “giveing”, I don’t mean to your particular church. I believe someone could do a great deal of sacrificial giving yet only a tiny portion of it would go to ones “church”.
BTW, the problem with my post on which you are commenting is that eventually sacrifice doesn’t feel like sacrifice. It becomes the “new normal”. It is more of a front loaded perspective ;)
I was a bit uncomfortable in the way he said that myself, and I am a Beck fan. I don’t mind him mentioning giving to your church including tithes and offerings, but to lay the guilt trip line on us was way over the top.
If we should tithe and how much, I won’t even enter that debate. I don’t tithe but I give what I can. I wish I could give 10% or more, but Just to save for my son’s education has been a chore.
I do think your family should come first with you providing for their basic needs, then your Churches Pastor, then your Church with tithes. In that order.
>>...some were killed by God for lying about withholding some.<<
Yep. And the lying is what got them killed. They were even told they were free to give what they chose, as long as they were honest about it.
I was reading that scripture a couple weeks ago and a question suddenly hit me: Yes, they were killed, but did they lose their salvation?
Tithing is a Jewish/Mormon thing. It is not a Christian thing.
GIVING is a Christian thing.
Matthew 23:23:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
Notice Jesus said, “You should have practiced the latter (justice, mercy and faithfulness), without neglecting the former (tithing).” The fathers argued, and rightful so, that Jesus word ends the discussion. Since Jesus said not to neglect the former—being tithing—then no believer should neglect tithing.
I don’t see tithing as a biblical thing. I see it as an old testament thing. And a Mormon thing.
I’m one of those that does not believe in tithing, but strongly believes in giving. And for many of us, tithing would be a drop in the bucket. I do consider tithing to be a good rule of thumb though.
I could be wrong, but my understanding is that the Mormon church is extraordinarily effective at enforcing its tithing.
>>I was a bit uncomfortable in the way he said that myself, and I am a Beck fan. I don’t mind him mentioning giving to your church including tithes and offerings, but to lay the guilt trip line on us was way over the top.<<
This is one of those places where the difference between Christianity and his Mormonism percolates to the surface.
Read the story of R.G. Le Tourneau’s life. When he died, he was tithing 90% of his earnings. You can’t out give God.
“Under New Testament law, Peter asked the members of the Church to give 100 percent”
No “New Testament Law”.
Can you give us a verse where Peter asked members of the Church to give 100%?
Gracias!
ampu
>>I was a bit uncomfortable in the way he said that myself, and I am a Beck fan. I don’t mind him mentioning giving to your church including tithes and offerings, but to lay the guilt trip line on us was way over the top.<<
This is one of those places where the difference between Christianity and his Mormonism percolates to the surface.
Though to be fair, I’ve heard tithing presented from this perspective in Christian churches as well.
But mandatory if you want to get a temple recommend, right?
“I could be wrong, but my understanding is that the Mormon church is extraordinarily effective at enforcing its tithing.
You are correct. No mormon tithing, no Temple recommend, no entry into the highest level of mormonic heaven, no becoming a god of your own planet, no celestial harem of goddesses to populate your future world, no worshippers. Basically, your whole Celestian Amway downline is gone!
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