Getting Rid Of More Baggage!

by Outaservice 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  Outaservice

  Many are critical of various denominations over the 'tithing' issue and I too was very against this as I felt it to be very manipulative subject to get money out of people via the 'guilt trip'. To not tithe was equal to 'robbing God'. (Malachi 3:8-10). I still feel this teaching is very much abused, HOWEVER, I have become one who tithes, and for the following reasons:

  In Hebrews 7: 1-3 (NLB) it says: This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem (Jerusalem) and also a priest of
  God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against many kings, Melchizedek
  met him and blessed him. Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had won in the battle and gave it to Melchizedek.
  His name means "king of justice". He is also "king of peace" because 'Salem' means "peace". There is no record
  of his father or mother or any of his ancestors-no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling
  the Son of God.

  Now Abraham was not under the law and not a Jew yet he decided to tithe to Melchizedek long before the law was even given! Since I feel Jesus (whom Melchizedek pictured) has blessed me, I have no trouble tithing to God to show appreciation for the blessings.

  I do not feel that it is a 'Salvation Issue' to tithe (as some churches hint at) nor do I give a tenth to the church I happen to attend. I have decided to spread it out so-to-speak, and support several what I feel worthy causes such as some ex-JW ministries, homeless and needy people, and yes some to cover the expenses of the church I attend.

  I am not judgemental on this as to other people and what they do, but I do believe blessings (not necessairly monetary) come from those who give back to God. I at one time said to myself, "I can't afford to do this", but somehow I do not seem to lack or am in worse shape because of doing so. This again, is just my experience. And, as I mentioned, if you would of told me a few years back that I would be 'pro-tithing' I would have argued with you to no end.

  Funny how things turn out!

  Outaservice
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  greendawn

  What you do is commendable and basically an act of charity towards fellow man but it shouldn't be forced on members though it's a good example to be followed.
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  WTWizard

  Tithing means giving 10% of your total income to God. This means giving that money to organizations that support worship to God, whether or not the organization actually performs as it claims.

  For a person that earns $50,000 a year, this means paying $5,000 a year to God and His worship. Broken down, that is about $100 a week. That is a lot of money that could be used for something that people could use themselves, whether helping families keep their homes, putting gas in the car so you can go to and from work, or donating to the Salvation Army so they can help those who fall into hard times.

  The real question is, am I going to get my $100 a week's worth of value from God's existence? If not, then I am being ripped off by paying that much in supporting His worship. And God Himself could well support His worshipers without any donations whatsoever: If He could create a whole planet, then what is to stop Him from creating churches (and Kingdumb Hells) that would run themselves without having a single penny donated to the cause? And couldn't He Himself create value in behalf of those that are spending all that time worshiping Him, so they could be self-supported and not usurp any value from the flock? That is the path that would make the most sense. But, like all things, God chooses the path that creates the maximum amount of problems for His followers.

  Besides, if I am getting consistently negative value from God, then why should I pay anything positive to support His worship? If I pay more to support His worship, with time or money, than I am receiving in value from Him, then I am creating deadweight. And if I am defrauded or coerced into doing so (false promises that things will get better if I support His worship or threat of additional problems created by God for failure to "adequately" donate toward His worship), than I am being ripped off--by God Himself! And He has the nerve to claim that I am robbing God! What an almighty Hypocrite!
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  tula

  Tithing is giving 10% of WHAT YOU HAVE. I don't see it just in terms of money. Think of your TIME as well.

  If you consider the length of a lifetime...add up the 10% of your time you have already given. That should square any debt.

  Besides, if the truth be known...you only thought you were giving that time to Jehovah in service. But is it what he REALLY REQUIRES?

  Check out the thread on "Will Jesus accept our timecards".......
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  Gopher

  Religious laws and/or exhortations to tithe are ways that man devised to keep their religious organizations and leaders in business and well-provided-for.

  The only reason people thinks that a god requires this of them is because they are told so by their religious leaders and/or holy books (also written by men).

  [I almost spelled exhortations as 'extortions'. Freudian slip!]
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  Gopher

  The religious book I was raised with [the Judeo-Christian Bible] informed me that my debt to God was so great I could never repay it, no matter how much time or money I donated to him.

  Trying to repay God would have been like throwing pennies at a $5 million dollar debt.
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  Outaservice

  Please understand, I in no way feel tithing pays back God for anything he has done for us. That would be throwing pennies at a million dollar debt! It's just a token of appreciation for me, and that's all. If I received 'no apparent blessings' in this life, I would still do it.

  Outaservice