Tithing settlement for myself, my husband, and my children is next Sunday immediately after the 3 hour block of meetings.

I have been having some doubts about the church lately (hence me being here) and I'm not exactly motivated to settle up my tithes with the church this year.

But every time I am tempted to not go, I get the scripture flash across my mind EVERY time-- "he that will not give a full tithe will be burned at his coming"

I'm actually terrified of not paying my tithes. Anybody else experience this?

He's been gone for over 2000 years. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just look at it like you're playing the odds, no one who has ever lived on the planet and not paid tithing has ever been burned for not doing so. I can personally guarantee you wont be the 1st. just hold on to your money...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2014 12:56PM by brucermalarky.

If I made a worse threat would you send your money to me instead? No - you'd tell me to get lost! The church is menacing your money out of you.

When I felt this way, it was more because I didn't want to be harassed by the bishopric to sign up or be judged for not paying tithing. That is more of the issue to me then being "burned".

I once felt that way. One year I had to incur credit card debt to pay a full tithe. Oh, well, we do stupid stuff sometimes, don't we?

Yes, I did experience the same thing. When I was excommunicated, the worst thing about it, for the first few months, was that I was not allowed to pay tithing.

All my life I'd paid tithing to get the blessings of financial help and peace, and to be obedient to the Lord. I believed every word I had been taught about being burned, about the windows of heaven being opened, about the pouring out of blessings, how the Lord blesses the righteous temporally and spiritually.

Now I couldn't pay it, and I was terrified, like you are, of not.

But then something happened to me. A good job, in my field, with the pay I needed, practically fell into my lap. Without me paying my tithing. Without me praying and begging to God beforehand. And on top of it all, I'm an excommunicated, horrible SINNER, going to the telestial kingdom if I'm lucky.

It's hard to describe how that made me feel. Amazed, shocked, how can this be?? And then, at once, LIBERATED. The blinders fell off, the fear dissipated, and I knew that it was me, ME, that caused this good financial thing to happen to me. Not because I paid tithing to any church or god. But because I had what it took.

It's hard to do something that goes against what we've been taught our entire lives. But you can do it. And then you'll find that you've been duped. You've been emotionally manipulated. And you are not going to burn or anything else.

Good luck, and I'd like to know how this all plays out for you.

I get it, I do. I've been there. What will happen if I don't pay up? The church instills this guilt and fear and they are good at it. Very good. They play off your fears to get you to pay up.

If you still believe in a god, and you truly believe that he is a loving father figure, would he burn you for not paying up?

Do you have kids, could you imagine telling them that they have to pay you back for their allowance because you gave them a house and food and if they don't, that you will light them on fire? Unless you're a psychopath, I really doubt you would do that... Why would a loving God, who is supposed to be completely moral and loving?

Look at reality. The church doesn't even tithe itself, using it's own numbers (which I don't have time to search for, but they've been posted on this site before), if you give $5 to your favorite charity every YEAR (not month, not day, YEAR), you'd be doing more than the hundreds if not thousands of dollars you are giving to the church, that includes the overhead that the charity itself has to use from your $5 to run itself. The church spends less than 1% of it's income on charitable efforts, Wal-Mart (yes Wal-Mart) does better by spending 2% of it's income on charitable efforts. When Wal-mart, a company that fights raising minimum wage and thrives off getting money from people on food stamps, is doing more charity than a church, that church doesn't get my money.

If that doesn't help, go slow. It takes time to deprogram from what the church does to you. You aren't going to stop a lifetime of being told to behave a certain way overnight. Give yourself time to come to terms with your changing viewpoints, eventually you'll snap out of it and wonder why it was so hard, until then keep researching and learning.

If you're that scared of not paying, how about giving your tithe to a local charity of your choice? No way that God could object to that...

the tithing scripture does not specify to whom you pay the tithing. Mormons of course tell you to pay to them but once you do it disappears down a large hole we call a 'toilet'. It is best if you believe that god expects you to pay that you pay to some local charity where you can see the money at work. You will have to give up the dream of having a temple recommend but shud ask yourself what a recommend has ever gotten you anyway.

PS: you will not get burned because Jesus is not coming again, if he ever did in the first place.

Once you realize that organized religion is a boatload of crap you will free your mind. Once this realization is acute you won't need to come to this board to seek advice or condolences for what you do in the church be it LDS or any other.

There isn't a 'true' religion or church on the face of the earth.

Tithing is like paying dues to a club. If you like the LDS Club then stay in, pay up, and enjoy your membership. If you don't like the club then quit the club. You don't do yourself any favors by harboring suspicion and guilt.

Nope. I got a pay raise when I stopped paying tithing. As you might find here (and other sites) the modern church has changed what you pay tithing on. Now, the church asks for 10% of your gross. It used to be that they would only ask for 10% of your "increase", i.e., 10% of what you have left after everything, or the net-net.

The church doesn't need the money. They just spent $2-4 billion on a mall. A mall that serves alcohol in its restaurants. Your tithing is going to pay for real estate developments and other non-religious investments. I would posit that they must not be good investments, as they keep coming back to the well for more $$$. Where do the profits go, one might ask? It turns out nobody but the folks at the top know. There's absolutely no financial transparency.

They are playing mind games with you about tithing. Amos and the D&C say bad things will happen. The reality is different. As I said, I got an instant pay raise when I stopped paying tithing. Then, like Claire, I got a better job, that paid more. My pay has gone up by almost 35% since I stopped. Either God is just messing with me or he doesn't care if I pay tithing. Because he sure isn't cursing me.

I'd say definitely don't pay it, but if you do just know that it's going to the church's business dealings not to charity.

This is not a real debt. It is a made up debt by a corporation. They can't do anything real to you for not paying. It is not something they can send to collections. All they have is guilt. To quote a friend of mine "Guilt is a wasted emotion". Either make things right or get over it. This is a get over it kind of thing.

Normal churches send you a year end statement of what you paid. That is only so you have it for tax purposes. Not to try to get more money out of you. No meet and greet with "authority" required.

In the UK court case the church's representatives told the court that tithing is voluntary. It's either voluntary or they were lying.

+1000

That court case is going to haunt them for a very long time.

Tithing settlement is one of the most cult-like practices of the Mormon Church. Only financial con artists, scam charities, and cults shake you down like that for money. Don't go if you don't want to.

Your family's financial matters aren't the concern of anyone else. You gave the Mormon Church what you felt you wanted to give or could give this year based on your family's circumstances. I'm pretty sure if Jesus exists he would be happy with that and not burn you along with the pedophiles, murders, criminals, and hypocrites at the Second Coming. Jesus has bigger fish to fry.

Just blow off tithing settlement. That's right, don't show up to the appointment. Go home after church. If they try to make you reschedule or call you in for a different time, tell them you're busy and that they can mail you a statement for tax purposes. If they get really pushy about it, just tell them that you paid a full tithe and that your family's doing well, and then hang up the phone or walk away.

It's hard to let go of all of the brainwashing about not paying tithing, but that will fade in time. Use that extra 10% of income to pay off debt, invest, or splurge on family vacations. Then you'll experience the wonderful blessings of NOT paying tithing and you'll be the envy of your family and neighbors.

It's called mind control, fear mongering. Call it what it is and it's much easier to let go.

Yes, 30 years ago.

Do you know how much money I have in my brokerage account now? I was able to retire early and I am financially secure. I give now to real charities of my choice that actually help people.

No lightning struck.

Not with tithing, that came easy, but when I went to take my first drink my hand literally shook.

The key is to recognize that it's the programming and nothing more. You have been programmed to fear not giving money to the Morg.

But ask yourself this: if there really is a loving God, would he burn people for not giving him enough money?

If "he that will not give a full tithe will be burned at his coming" is holding you hostage...then that is the real issue. If you are able to pay a full tithe but your doubts about the voracity of the church are making you question whether you should...may give the money to the local homeless shelter, soup kitchen or another worthy charity, where your donation will actually benefit someone. The LDS church is not a worthy place to put your money.

Ron Burr

I stayed in the Church a lot longer than I should have because of the very deliberate fear they had instilled in me. It's a very deliberate tactic. They rule by guilt and by fear.

No, your life does not fall apart just because you've left, or just because you've stopped paying your tithing.

Good things happen to you when you're a Mormon and when you're not a Mormon. Bad things happen to you when you're a Mormon and also when you're not a Mormon.

It's called life. The only thing which changes if you leave is that you stop attributing all of the good things and the bad things to whether or not you're obedient to an organization which threatens you with eternal consequences if you don't tow the line.

anonymous 4 this

Let's be absolutely clear about tithing (without going into the details) Christians DO NOT TITHE. The LDS take an Old Testament law meant ONLY for the Jewish nation and for no other reason than money, apply it to their organisation. Incidentally, money was never acceptable as a tithe.

So, the next time you attend a tithing settlement ask the bishop why the church has picked the one law that brings in money and ignores every other law that were just as important to the ancient Jewish nation.
Follow that by asking him why, if the law of tithing is so important, haven't the Jews, for whom the law was intended, tithed for nearly 2000 years?

If all that fails to make an impression remind him, as Kendall rightly pointed out, the cult swore on oath in court that tithing is voluntary

This^^^^^^^^^

Many evangelical Christian churches push the false doctrine of tithing too.

Jesus, being a tradesman, didn't tithe (unless, perhaps,he had some fruit trees or herbs growing in the yard).

Even the strictest orthodox Jews don't tithe either, since the temple is gone.

I stopped paying tithing in April of 2013. Last year at tithing settlement season, I had nightmares of the evils that would come upon me because I hadn't been paying. I remember waking up every morning thinking, "I could still pay it, and the nightmares will stop." I know first hand that the fear programming is extremely powerful.

But I didn't give in to the fear. Why? Because I now have a "testimony" that Jesus is NOT meeting with the big 15 every Thursday, and that every last one of them lies (by selective omission) about their "special witness" of Jesus. They cop-out with "that's too sacred to talk about." All my life I paid tithing because I believed I was giving the money to God for the building up of his kingdom on the earth (to say nothing of the so-called "fire insurance"). But now I know that Jesus would never even want a physical kingdom, because Jesus said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you," and "My kingdom is not of this world." There ain't no way Jesus ever wanted the Kingdom of Heaven to be what it is, showing more evidence of adherence to a Pharisaical law, which Jesus despised and rideculed.

I refuse to obey a "restored" Old Testament law which only pads the coffers of charlatans, who launder the money to invest in great expanses of real estate and other commercial ventures. If the Kingdom of Heaven is within me, it doesn't need money. If the Kingdom of Heaven is not of this world, it doesn't need money. If I am to "render unto God that which is God's," then like heck I'm going to be required to render unto God that which is Caesar's.

A year has passed since the nightmares and I'm still here, still have a good job, and no longer have the nightmares. I'm only more firm in my resolve to stop "consecrating my time, talents, and all that the lard has blessed me with" to liars and charlatans.

hugs!!
it's LDS programming, instilled since birth (or conversion) to keep the machine going. it's totally normal and all of us have gone thru it.

we stopped paying our tithing a few months before we quit attending. my husband got a raise right after that and I got accepted into the college of my choice. is it a blessing from not paying tithing?? nope, just a coincidence, as are the "blessings" from paying tithing. if you look hard enough you can find evidence of "blessings" everywhere. the LDS faith has programmed you to credit that stuff to their corporation masquarading as a church.

put that money in a savings account for awhile, you can always write a tithing check if you'd like later on. but I have to ask, "why does God always want money?? Why would the omnipresent being want to deal with our stupid paper/coin barter system?"

you are breaking free, congratulations!!

For what it's worth, _all_ of the canonical scriptures that the LDS church uses to justify tithing are taken out of context.

Abraham paid 10% of his increase to Melchizedek, you say? Bullcrap, those were spoils of war, and he gave the other 90% to the king of Sodom!

Malachi was bashing the priests who had actually stolen tithes! It has nothing to do with the people not paying tithing. He tells the _priests_ to bring the stolen tithes back. The promises of opening the windows of heaven has to do directly with RAIN so the crops will grow and the harvest will be greater.

The Widow's Mite is grossly taken out of context. Jesus wasn’t commending the widow at all, he said instead that the scribes and chief seats at churches will receive greater damnation for their oppression of the widow by devouring her house and living!

What else does the church take out of context to their advantage? Just about everything.

I was a RM, temple married, and have held most ward and stake offices (i.e. high councilman, bishop, etc). I was born in the church, and when I was in my early 40's, I began having doubts, like you, for good reason. You should doubts about Joseph Smith, the BOM, etc. There are many reasons to have doubts now that the internet has shown the dark underbelly of the church. Look you've been conditioned to feel fear and guilt by a well crafted cult. They are good at what they do. They need your money. Look at where the Q15 live? Have you seen pic's of their houses? Don't pay it. Use it for your family. You'll be okay. None of it's true. Your children need that money for clothes, X-mas, dance lessons, etc. You will not burn - that is a cult tactic.

"Look at where the Q15 live? Have you seen pic's of their houses? Don't pay it. Use it for your family. You'll be okay. None of it's true. Your children need that money for clothes, X-mas, dance lessons, etc. You will not burn - that is a cult tactic."

Exactly. Do you really want to make your family suffer so that things like the City Creek Mall are funded? This is one of the things that just makes my blood boil... thinking of so many families going without just to fill the church's coffers for business ventures.

Let me see.....who wrote those words?
Oh yeah, a guy who was going to be collecting the cash. No conflict of interest there.

I'm "out" as of earlier this year. I am BIC and was very devout, temple married, filled leadership callings, etc.

Even though as of late last year I was confident that the church was "false", I still had (and to some degree still have) feelings of being "wrong" by not following "commandments". It's programming at it's worst playing with your mind. Since leaving, I have not been cursed in any way at all. In fact, I have grown so much closer to my family that it blows my mind how much of a sink the church was on my life.

Here's an idea that others have had... take your money, and put it into a savings account. Let it sit there until you are ready to make up your mind on what to do.

exodus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> take your money, and put it into a savings account. Let it
> sit there until you are ready to make up your mind
> on what to do.

That's a good idea. Instead of giving it to the Church, put it in an account. Then you haven't spent it on other things and if you still want to give it to the Church down the road, you can. Or not. But it'll give you time to think about it and see how you feel later.

Exactly my experience. A big help to me was finally realizing that no man (or woman) had any right to insert themselves as a mediator and judge between me and God -- and especial make money a part of the whole business. Plus, doing the latter is clearly contrary to scripture (don't have time to find the references right now, sorry). Once I acknowledged this to myself I realized that they no longer had power over me. Guilt and shame were washed away and were replaced with happiness and greater satisfaction with my life. But the first step is hard. Just do your best whatever that best may presently be.

Excellent posts freethought, tithing wasn't introduced until after the exodus so Abraham could never have been involved, and even after tithing was introduced it was only landowners who had to pay 10% of their profits, in 'produce of the land',never in money.
If only LDS tithe payers had taken the time to actually read the scriptures rather than accept everything they're told by the first presidency the cult would have been bankrupt years ago.

So anonymous 4 this, whether god exists or not, whether there is a place where people get 'burned' or not, the fact remains that Old Testament laws do not apply to you so tell the bishop to stick his LDS laws where the monkey sticks his nuts.

Nothing's gonna happen..... don't fall for the threats and scare tactics.
You'll be fine.

This morning there was a knock at my door. When I answered the door I found a well groomed, nicely dressed couple. The man spoke first:

John: "Hi! I'm John, and this is Mary."

Mary: "Hi! We're here to invite you to come kiss Hank's ass with us."

Me: "Pardon me?! What are you talking about? Who's Hank, and why would I want to kiss His ass?"

John: "If you kiss Hank's ass, He'll give you a million dollars; and if you don't, He'll kick the shit out of you."

Me: "What? Is this some sort of bizarre mob shake-down?"

John: "Hank is a billionaire philanthropist. Hank built this town. Hank owns this town. He can do whatever He wants, and what He wants is to give you a million dollars, but He can't until you kiss His ass."

Me: "That doesn't make any sense. Why..."

Mary: "Who are you to question Hank's gift? Don't you want a million dollars? Isn't it worth a little kiss on the ass?"

Me: "Well maybe, if it's legit, but..."

John: "Then come kiss Hank's ass with us."

Me: "Do you kiss Hank's ass often?"

Mary: "Oh yes, all the time..."

Me: "And has He given you a million dollars?"

John: "Well no. You don't actually get the money until you leave town."

Me: "So why don't you just leave town now?"

Mary: "You can't leave until Hank tells you to, or you don't get the money, and He kicks the shit out of you."

Me: "Do you know anyone who kissed Hank's ass, left town, and got the million dollars?"

John: "My mother kissed Hank's ass for years. She left town last year, and I'm sure she got the money."

Me: "Haven't you talked to her since then?"

John: "Of course not, Hank doesn't allow it."

Me: "So what makes you think He'll actually give you the money if you've never talked to anyone who got the money?"

Mary: "Well, He gives you a little bit before you leave. Maybe you'll get a raise, maybe you'll win a small lotto, maybe you'll just find a twenty-dollar bill on the street."

Me: "What's that got to do with Hank?"

John: "Hank has certain 'connections.'"

Me: "I'm sorry, but this sounds like some sort of bizarre con game."

John: "But it's a million dollars, can you really take the chance? And remember, if you don't kiss Hank's ass He'll kick the shit out of you."

Me: "Maybe if I could see Hank, talk to Him, get the details straight from Him..."

Mary: "No one sees Hank, no one talks to Hank."

Me: "Then how do you kiss His ass?"

John: "Sometimes we just blow Him a kiss, and think of His ass. Other times we kiss Karl's ass, and he passes it on."

Me: "Who's Karl?"

Mary: "A friend of ours. He's the one who taught us all about kissing Hank's ass. All we had to do was take him out to dinner a few times."

Me: "And you just took his word for it when he said there was a Hank, that Hank wanted you to kiss His ass, and that Hank would reward you?"

John: "Oh no! Karl has a letter he got from Hank years ago explaining the whole thing. Here's a copy; see for yourself."



From the Desk of Karl
1.Kiss Hank's ass and He'll give you a million dollars when you leave town.
2.Use alcohol in moderation.
3.Kick the shit out of people who aren't like you.
4.Eat right.
5.Hank dictated this list Himself.
6.The moon is made of green cheese.
7.Everything Hank says is right.
8.Wash your hands after going to the bathroom.
9.Don't use alcohol.
10.Eat your wieners on buns, no condiments.
11.Kiss Hank's ass or He'll kick the shit out of you.

Me: "This appears to be written on Karl's letterhead."

Mary: "Hank didn't have any paper."

Me: "I have a hunch that if we checked we'd find this is Karl's handwriting."

John: "Of course, Hank dictated it."

Me: "I thought you said no one gets to see Hank?"

Mary: "Not now, but years ago He would talk to some people."

Me: "I thought you said He was a philanthropist. What sort of philanthropist kicks the shit out of people just because they're different?"

Mary: "It's what Hank wants, and Hank's always right."

Me: "How do you figure that?"

Mary: "Item 7 says 'Everything Hank says is right.' That's good enough for me!"

Me: "Maybe your friend Karl just made the whole thing up."

John: "No way! Item 5 says 'Hank dictated this list himself.' Besides, item 2 says 'Use alcohol in moderation,' Item 4 says 'Eat right,' and item 8 says 'Wash your hands after going to the bathroom.' Everyone knows those things are right, so the rest must be true, too."

Me: "But 9 says 'Don't use alcohol.' which doesn't quite go with item 2, and 6 says 'The moon is made of green cheese,' which is just plain wrong."

John: "There's no contradiction between 9 and 2, 9 just clarifies 2. As far as 6 goes, you've never been to the moon, so you can't say for sure."

Me: "Scientists have pretty firmly established that the moon is made of rock..."

Mary: "But they don't know if the rock came from the Earth, or from out of space, so it could just as easily be green cheese."

Me: "I'm not really an expert, but I think the theory that the Moon was somehow 'captured' by the Earth has been discounted*. Besides, not knowing where the rock came from doesn't make it cheese."

John: "Ha! You just admitted that scientists make mistakes, but we know Hank is always right!"

Me: "We do?"

Mary: "Of course we do, Item 7 says so."

Me: "You're saying Hank's always right because the list says so, the list is right because Hank dictated it, and we know that Hank dictated it because the list says so. That's circular logic, no different than saying 'Hank's right because He says He's right.'"

John: "Now you're getting it! It's so rewarding to see someone come around to Hank's way of thinking."

Me: "But...oh, never mind. What's the deal with wieners?"

Mary: She blushes.

John: "Wieners, in buns, no condiments. It's Hank's way. Anything else is wrong."

Me: "What if I don't have a bun?"

John: "No bun, no wiener. A wiener without a bun is wrong."

Me: "No relish? No Mustard?"

Mary: She looks positively stricken.

John: He's shouting. "There's no need for such language! Condiments of any kind are wrong!"

Me: "So a big pile of sauerkraut with some wieners chopped up in it would be out of the question?"

Mary: Sticks her fingers in her ears."I am not listening to this. La la la, la la, la la la."

John: "That's disgusting. Only some sort of evil deviant would eat that..."

Me: "It's good! I eat it all the time."

Mary: She faints.

John: He catches Mary. "Well, if I'd known you were one of those I wouldn't have wasted my time. When Hank kicks the shit out of you I'll be there, counting my money and laughing. I'll kiss Hank's ass for you, you bunless cut-wienered kraut-eater."

With this, John dragged Mary to their waiting car, and sped off.

The definition of extortion is threatening to harm you or your family or your friends either now or later if you do not give me that which I am asking you for.

Threatening you with no temple recommend

therefore no temple access,

therefore loss of family in the hereafter,

therefore it is barefaced extortion.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2014 02:58PM by thedesertrat1.

Please google and read Rock Waterman's two very detailed posts on tithing before you pay any more. Might also help you to read the 2012 Business Week article on How the Mormons Make Money. And check out recent multimillion dollar investments in a Florida ranch, Philadelphia condos, and City Creek.

You can also search many exMo/NOM boards and find testimonies about how they were very blessed after stepping away. It's going to be fine if you pay nothing. You can also use Rock's formula and pay some, or give it to charity. That satisfies Jesus' teachings.

My biggest regret was cutting a check for around $10k in tithing just 2 months before we studied our way out and resigned in early February 2002. Needless to say, my request to have the money returned was denied.

Now that's a tough vial pill to swallow. Never again will that happen.

Yes. This is normal. You've been programmed to react this way.

I haven't paid and my life did not turn terrible. I've actually had more raises and increase not paying the lord and much happier now, than when I did pay.


If you still have the guilt about paying then at least pay tithing the right way. You may even want to consider a one time yearly tithe check.

Take your Net income and subtract all other expenses and necessities for the month or throughout the year. All savings and investments, college funds, insurance ...car maintenance whatever it may be.

Remember -- Tithing is on whatever was considered the leftover money after all needs were met. Clothes, food, entertainment, classes, House cleaning maid, chef, gardener, nanny, are all considered needs if you have the money to afford them.

Lets say each month you just have $200 dollars that is free and clear and can really be spent on anything. Take 10% of that and set aside the $20 for tithing.


During my doubting phases from the high months to the lower tithing months the "blessings" were never there anyway. It was just life happening. I spent 3 years paying $900 to $1100 dollars for tithing. Never had a problem except for the last year the bishop started to wonder if I was paying the church directly because my checks were pretty low sums.


In the end -- keep your money. The chance of you burning for not paying is probably about as good as you traveling to the other side of the galaxy in a spaceship in the next 20 years.

You don't have to give tithing money to the Mormons. If you are really worried about not giving back 10 percent to help God help his children, pay tithing to World vision or a scholarship fund for underprivileged kids or a local food bank or the Red Cross or donate it to a homeless shelter. That's how I convinced DH to let me quit paying tithing on my earnings - although I think his idea to donate to Girl Scouts by buying 2 cases of cookies was questionable - lol.

Don't let a cult threaten you into giving money away that could be used for the benefit of your children.

I realised that I couldn't pay tithing because it would be immoral to help build up an organisation that I felt was bad. How could a God judge me for acting according to my conscience?

I think the last exmo conference mentioned that the church likely has $15 billion dollars in liquidity.

So, they don't need your money but will happily make you fearful for not handing it over.

Burned at his coming? Better to invest in a fireproof suit.

Kidding aside, you're getting burned now. Ask yourself who's better qualified to spend your "giving" money. Tithing is a karmic principle that works for everyone in every religion. You need a positive connection with the recipient for it to work. If you pay tithing out of fear, it's pouring money down a rat hole.

Even the church teaches this. Tell the bish you're not feeling it so you in accordance with scripture you're giving it to someone you feel for instead.

I absolutely guarantee you will not be burned at His coming.

Don't pay it. Go on a vacation instead this coming spring or summer and enjoy yourself.

Any religion that makes you TERRIFIED is not worth 15 cents.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2014 03:56PM by verilyverily.

That's the cult indoctrination talking in your head. Nothing else.

Stop going to tithing settlement, you owe NOTHING to Mormonism, not even an explanation.

Besides, there won't be any burning in your life time because the morg just built a $ 5 BILLION dollar shopping mall.
They are not planning to return to Missouri anytime soon.

Here's the thing. What would happen if you didn't pay? You say you still attend church. If you are still in, then there'll be repercussions if you don't divvy up. First, you won't be able to get a temple recommend. This is important as it is the de facto requirement for celestial members. Others will find out and you may lose your standing among your church "friends". If you intend on staying in the club (think of it as club dues), then I would just lie and pay something that will make it look like you're a full tithe payer - say half or less. If you intend to depart, then now may be the time to get out. Forget about the burning thing. You ain't gonna burn!

If the only reason you're scared of not paying tithing is to avoid the so-called burning at the second coming, you don't have anything to worry about. As time passes, the further the second coming recedes into the future.

Church leaders thought the Civil War was the start of the pre-SC calamities. It wasn't. Then they thought it would come around 1890. It didn't. Then they shut up about it for a long time, then thought it might come soon after 2000. It didn't.

Now Boyd Packer has said it won't happen for at least another two generations. Don't worry. You're safe. If it happens, you'll be dead by then, and spirits don't burn.

Best thing I ever did for my financial situation was stop paying tithing. I suddenly didn't have to scrimp as much and actually could save toward retirement. The windows of heaven were opened.

Do some research on tithing. It isn't biblical. It was part of the old law of Moses. The mormons don't even follow their own cult definition of tithing (read the D&C if you can gag through it, it is pretty clear that they have changed from their own scripture).

You have nothing to fear but whatever fear you have created of your own accord. Let it go...

Here's what happens when you don't pay tithing: You earn 10% more of your income. That is all. Enjoy life. Do not pay tithing.

If you want to be charitable, give to charity. Mormonism is not charity. I repeat: Mormonism is not charity.

cludgie Wrote:
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> Mormonism is not charity.

That's true. You're just paying for them to build chapels, temples, malls and you're paying for the electric bills, the water bills, the phone bills, repair bills, etc. for all of those buildings.

That's where much of the tithing dollars go.

You're practically making it sound like charity.

Sounds like a classic cult phobia to me.

JW's are terrified of having a blood transfusion so many of them die instead and let their kids die also. This is a phobia JW cult leaders have implanted in their minds.

Your tithe fear is just as ill founded.

When I first learned that Tithe payers (supposedly) will not be burned at his coming, I suspected straight away it was Smith's con to extract money. All those in his time who then paid Tithe through that fear were duped because no Christ came as they were misled/conned into believing and hence no one was set on fire. lol


D&C was obviously written by Smith for power, control, authority, sex/women, money, property, and anything else he could extort from his recruits.


Just add the tithe command to this list of Smiths BS

Got himself a house built.

D&C 41 : 7 And again, it is meet that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., should have a house built, in which to live and translate.

food and rainment too and whatever else he needs !

D&C 43:13 And again, I say unto you, that if ye desire the mysteries of the kingdom, provide for him food and raiment, and whatsoever thing he needeth to accomplish the work wherewith I have commanded him;

No need for him to work either .

D&C 24: 9 And in temporal labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling. Attend to thy calling and thou shalt have wherewith to magnify thine office, and to expound all scriptures, and continue in laying on of the hands and confirming the churches.

A boarding house (some kind of hotel?) I think he got a liquor license for this enterprise

D&C 124:56 And now I say unto you, as pertaining to my boarding ahouse which I have commanded you to build for the boarding of strangers, let it be built unto my name, and let my name be named upon it, and let my servant Joseph and his house have place therein, from generation to generation.

And an endless supply of women.

D&C132:62 And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified.



And he collected his followers wives as he went along too.

Been there done that. It's been a long time and life is good. I now pay 10% of my income into my 401k. I wish I would have started that back then. I would be much more free to help others in service and financially. I believe it should be done in good faith and that's no ones business but yours.

"he that will not give a full tithe will be burned at his coming"

IT'S WORKING!! :)

Don't pay them another cent, ever. Case closed.

Use your money for Christmas or to help out someone (not some church) who needs it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2014 05:54PM by randyj.

Why not send $10.to salt lake. Then tell them you sent it directly to salt lake. you have that option. You do not have to say how much you sent. but you would be honestly saying that you sent your tithing. just an idea and it would relieve the stress.

Agree with all that have said that tithing of grain and produce was an Old Testament law for the Jews that lived in Israel (Theocracy) to support the tribe of Levites. Jews that lived outside of Israel did not pay it.

The Malachi scripture was to Priests who were robbing from the tithing store meant for all of the Levites and taking the best for themselves.

Anyone have the references for the tithing changes from the Mormon Book of Commandments compared to present day?

Mormon Scripture Contradictions:

Corrupt Churches Promise
Forgiveness For Money
Book of Mormon: Mormon 8:32

compared to

Church Members Who Tithe
Will Not Burn
Doctrine and Covenants: Section 64:23