"Tithing settlement is the way the Lord makes sure church financial records are in order, that no one is stealing the tithing money. The reason it is exists is so members can declare their own tithing status, instead of the bishop having to do it for them."
Right, because that totally helps prevent church leaders from stealing the money, and it's so important for the church to know who is and who isn't a full-tithe payer.
As a junior at BYU, and while taking the mandatory religion units, the professor of religion stated that anyone can pay tithing. I remember the bishop coming around when I was a Sun Beam (I really do) and collecting our pennies. That was in the 60's.
The ability to collect money will never be thwarted.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2014 11:01PM by tensolator.
The only time I've ever heard of the church not taking money is when someone is under church discipline and "not allowed" to tithe or receive the blessings attached to it. Not that I believe any bishop would really push the issue if someone tried to give money to the church.
Actually, if you are under church discipline, you can't do things like pray in church or speak. But you are urged to continue to pay tithing. Even when ex'ed or disfellowshiped they want your tithing.
Interestingly, the above professor told us "disciplined" members, ex'd or not, can pay tithes. "They are not denied that blessing." Really, who doesn't take free money?
A Bishop would take any money offered by anyone! Seriously, there is no reason that a persons money wouldn't be taken - Any person! Any money...anytime! Even if you had never been in the ridiculous church (if thats what you want to call it!!) Even if you were being 'disciplined (haha) he would take the money and then tell you there would be no blessings for you,but thanks for the money.Notice how many times I used the word money? Thats because thats what the church cares about. The more money you tithe the better you are treated,the more you are included,and the better the Bishop treats you. Money,money!! Hmmm,Like Joseph Smith. He cared about two things when he trumped up this Mormon joke. Money - He was conning people for cash way before he started the church. And women.So he trumped up polygamy! Can't get to heaven unless you have many wives!!! hahaha!!!!
When I was a kid back in the 80's my parents gave me a small LDS money bank. It had three slots: Tithing, mission fund, and saving. Each week I would get a dollar or two and have to separate it out into my little bank. This was before I was babtized and I was paying tithing. (Now that I think about it, I may have just been giving 20 cents back to my old man). Anyway, does anyone else remember those little LDS piggy banks. At a buck a week, it sure was hard to buy hot wheels when half your money goes to mission funds and tithing.
I am in the UK and was being asked to Tithe as an active Investigator. I attended everything, prayed, read BofM , word of wisdom, Helping hands, some fasts, paid humanitarian aid and other funds on the list but I didn't want to pay Tithe until
1. I saw accounts. and /or
2. I believed the church was what it was claiming to be.
3. I was assured of a refund if I discover the church a fraud.
NO REFUNDS so I didn't Tithe, thank goodness.
But the amount of pressure to Tithe and/or Baptise was continual. It seemed every week in a church lesson or meeting that Tithe was being pushed and spoken about.
PS Later it was suggested to me that I should save my equivalent of Tithe in a bank account and then when/if I get baptised I could back pay!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2014 08:54AM by zeezrom.
In my letter of excommunication, the SP said I could continue to pay tithing after my excommunication, as long as it was done through a "worthy" member.
So, they didn't want me, but they were still glad to take my money.
Oh, and I definitely paid tithing from as early as I can remember, long before I was actually baptized at eight years.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2014 09:07AM by PapaKen.
That is true. Only a member of the Church may pay tithing.
When I was a clerk a member who had been excommunicated resumed attending Church but had not been re-baptized. He wanted to pay tithing, but the ward could not accept his donations as tithing. When he passed in a donation envelope a member of the bishopric had to contact him to alter his donation from tithing to another category (say, fast offering) or credit his donation under his wife's name. But none of his donations could be processed as "tithing." Nor could tithing be received as tithing until a new member is baptized. Primary children's tithing can be accepted if they were children of record.
I'm financial clerk and have processed tithing for non-members, investigators, and anonymous (yes that actually happened). You just have to set up a new name in the system (while inputting tithing, not in the membership side) and it will go through. It works the same as setting up money from other sources for things like nonmembers giving money for a mission, or reimbursements for expenses, or money from other units.
I believe it is set up that way to make sure we get tithing money from new members. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to get membership records in and you can input their tithing under their name without their unknown new record number. You'd hate to miss any tithing, and you don't want to hang on to money when you don't have to. You just have to either reallocate the tithing to them later, or print out both accounts (name only and name with record number) for tithing settlement and tax purposes.
I, like others here have stated, remember paying my tithing on my allowance before I was 8 years old. It meant as an object lesson to get me started at as young an age as possible. It was encouraged in Primary classes and by my parents. I remember my mother helping me fill out tithing slips and teaching me what things meant.
On top of that, as a missionary we were told to get any victim... er... convert to start paying tithing as soon as possible. It was one of the commitments that we were to get them to make, well before baptism.
To say that the church would refuse tithing money just because someone hasn't been baptised is completely false.
How funny. No, it's the other way around. You cannot be baptized until you have been interviewed and agree to live the LAW of tithing. And if the reason for tithing settlement is to make sure no one is stealing tithing money, then why the big checkboxes: full tithe payer, part tithe payer, and non tithe payer? Sounds like more lying for the Lord to me.
When wrongly disfellowshipped, I was told I still HAD TO tithe. Not only permitted, but required.
If ex'd I think it is not required.
Of course, if you have winnings from a state lottery, you not only are not required to tithe on it, it is not allowed because gambling winnings are "filthy lucre". Wouldn't it be fun to hit the big one and then say "sorry" to TSCC?
The stake president explicitly told me that although my excommunication letter said that I could NOT pay tithing, I should still pay it through my wife.