Posted by:
Mormon Traitor
(
)
Date: December 31, 2010 01:08PM
My wife and I haven't given the church a dime in about 3 years. Our last few tithing settlement meetings with the bishop have been very pleasant and uneventful. We simply tell him each time that we can't afford to pay tithing right now, and he just says that he understands and would encourage us to do so whenever we are able. We keep receiving callings and no one has really given us much grief about it until recently. Last Sunday, the bishop caught my wife after Relief Society. I didn't go to priesthood, so I wasn't around for the meeting. When I picked my wife up, she told me that I lucked out in missing the meeting. The Bishop started right off as a really sarcastic jerk. He showed her the settlement sheet which had a balance of $0. Then he asked her if we were full tithe payers, partial tithe payers, or non tithe payers. What an idiotic question! Obviously my wife answered that we were non tithe payers. After this, the bishop began to look shocked and disappointed and started lecturing my wife in a quiet yet judgmental tone. His lunatic rantings went something like this: "Don't you want to be a part of this kingdom? Don't you want to be able to tell people that your money has gone to help build our beautiful churches and temples? Don't you want to know that your money is making a difference? And also, think about when your nieces and nephews get married in the temple. You won't be going inside to witness that now will you? Doesn't that make you sad? Oh and by the way, when are the two of you going to have children? I promise you that it is the best decision you will ever make. Now please, pay your tithing so can be a part of this wonderful kingdom etc......"
Several years ago, my wife would have been in tears over this lecture from the bishop, but now that she knows it's all a crock, she just shared this with me and rolled her eyes about it like it was no big deal. This bishop is usually very nice and doesn't usually criticize anyone. He's kind of an airhead actually, but that's beside the point. Do you think he is being pressured by the stake president or other outside sources? It was just highly uncharacteristic of him to speak this way. It doesn't really bother me or my wife, but I just think it's appalling that church leaders think they can treat people like this.
Oh and by the way, we have actually been fully capable of paying our tithing these last few years, we just don't want to.