Tithing; is it a form of blackmail?

[Nickman]

In the LDS church Tithing is a law found in the Doctrine and Covenants as well as spoken of by the church leaders.

In order for a person to receive a temple recommend, which allows you to participate in temple ordinances for salvation and progression in the celestial kingdom, you must pay a full 10% of your gross annual income. From an inside perspective it may seem to be voluntary to pay tithing, no one truly forces you to. From the outside, though, it seems to be a form of blackmail. Especially, when you have to pay in order to participate in all aspects of what the church has to offer. Its almost as if you are purchasing your salvation and your place in the eternities. When you are taught by the mormon missionaries about the church, this tidbit of information is candy coated. Once you become a member you become obligated to follow the leader and pay tithing. If you don't you will never go to the temple and receive your endowment and saving ordinances pertinent to your salvation.

Is this a form of blackmail?

Are people buying their salvation, while the church gets filthy rich?

Is this a marketing strategy that sells a product hope in exchange for your hard earned money and labor to the church?

[Untraveled Trail]

[Replying to post 29 by Nickman]I cannot speak for the LDS but in many denominations a portion of that money goes towards six figure salaries for the hierarchy, district superintendents, bishops, etc., while entry level pastors and members of the congregation struggle and go without. The bishops in some denominations make in excess of $150,000 per year, live in a home provided for them, receive reimbursement for all "work related" travel expenses, and pensions that amount to 14% of their annual salary. This while people they "serve" struggle to keep a home, make ends meet, and live with no hope of a pension.

Many clery persons are wonderful people. The systems they serve are evil.

[help3434]

@Vanguard

I think that several of these testimonies speak of tithing settlement in the same way I stated. To note also, when I was a member and my tithing was actually paid in full in correlation to my annual gross pay, I was simply asked the question are you a full tithe payer. If I was behind and they knew it then the records were brought out and my tithing contributions were challenged. All of this with my Temple recommend hanging in the balance, which allowed me to be part of the saving temple ordinances and those ordinances which are pertinent to my eternal soul.


From the link:

I stopped paying tithing several months ago. My wife asked me yesterday if I still planned to go with her to tithing settlement at the end of the year. It made me shutter.

I can't think of any other religion that shakes down members for contributions the way the Mormons do. Yes, other churche pass around baskets and pressure you into giving money. But the Mormons require (yes, it is required) that members attending a meeting with the bishop at the end of the year to state, on the record, if they have paid a full tithe. If you have not, for any reason, you will be lectured on the need to repent and come back into compliance with the law of tithing.

I spoke with my wife about how odd tithing settlement is when you think about it. She said it is largely to get tax records and so the bishop can socialize with you for a few minutes. That is so obviously silly that it is not worth the effort to refute. The church has way too many personal worthiness interviews. Tithing settlement, temple recommends (which have a big tithing component) and PPIs. I think tithing settlement is the worst.

Someone once told me in the early days they would have people stand up in sacrament meeting and declare if they were a full tithe payer in front of everyone. I don't know if that is true. Does anyone know the history of tithing settlement as we know it today? When did the church start calling everyone in to make them state on the record if they are paying a full tithe?

This one is pretty straightforward and the one below cannot be true if there were no records to examine. How would the bishop know if your a month behind?

The record for taxes is a record for the member so he or she can claim a tax deductible for charitable contributions. I have never heard of a member being asked to provide documentation of income. Perhaps you just had a control freak bishop.

[Nickman]

@Vanguard

I think that several of these testimonies speak of tithing settlement in the same way I stated. To note also, when I was a member and my tithing was actually paid in full in correlation to my annual gross pay, I was simply asked the question are you a full tithe payer. If I was behind and they knew it then the records were brought out and my tithing contributions were challenged. All of this with my Temple recommend hanging in the balance, which allowed me to be part of the saving temple ordinances and those ordinances which are pertinent to my eternal soul.


From the link:

I stopped paying tithing several months ago. My wife asked me yesterday if I still planned to go with her to tithing settlement at the end of the year. It made me shutter.

I can't think of any other religion that shakes down members for contributions the way the Mormons do. Yes, other churche pass around baskets and pressure you into giving money. But the Mormons require (yes, it is required) that members attending a meeting with the bishop at the end of the year to state, on the record, if they have paid a full tithe. If you have not, for any reason, you will be lectured on the need to repent and come back into compliance with the law of tithing.

I spoke with my wife about how odd tithing settlement is when you think about it. She said it is largely to get tax records and so the bishop can socialize with you for a few minutes. That is so obviously silly that it is not worth the effort to refute. The church has way too many personal worthiness interviews. Tithing settlement, temple recommends (which have a big tithing component) and PPIs. I think tithing settlement is the worst.

Someone once told me in the early days they would have people stand up in sacrament meeting and declare if they were a full tithe payer in front of everyone. I don't know if that is true. Does anyone know the history of tithing settlement as we know it today? When did the church start calling everyone in to make them state on the record if they are paying a full tithe?

This one is pretty straightforward and the one below cannot be true if there were no records to examine. How would the bishop know if your a month behind?

The record for taxes is a record for the member so he or she can claim a tax deductible for charitable contributions. I have never heard of a member being asked to provide documentation of income. Perhaps you just had a control freak bishop.

I must have. We had to bring in our statements and everything was reconciled.

[help3434]

I must have. We had to bring in our statements and everything was reconciled.

Where was this at?