I've seen Utah ranked #1 for charity every year, but seeing it as an exmo now it just irritates me. All of the TBM's jack themselves off over how giving and charitable they are, but Tithing is not 'charity'. Only 1% of these charitable donations that come from tithing should be counted, to reflect what actually goes to charitable causes and not to line the pockets of the 15.

http://m.deseretnews.com/top/3506/0/20-most-charitable-states-in-America.html

Well, the members donate the money with good intentions (and because they believe they HAVE to). But my mother fully believes that her tithing money is mostly going to help the poor and needy and to build chapels.

So perhaps the PEOPLE are charitable (or dutiful), but the charity is not very charitable.

Most folks outside Mormonism are not threatened with the alienation of their children, mom, dad, etc. post death. Mormons pay because they are afraid, and not because they think it's going to do some needy person some good. If they don't pay, there is no celestial kingdom, no attending the child's/grandchilds wedding, no baby blessing, etc.

Well then I guess income taxes are charity too. Since we have no choice but to pay them. Like tithing, they can be voluntarily avoided by taking certain steps to avoid having taxable income-perhaps even by working in certain non profit religions. But if mandated tithing which is called, "robbing God" if not paid is charity then taxes are too.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2015 09:58AM by miner8.

It's actually more like paying tribute. Tribute is paid to bribe off idle threats just as if one does not pay tithing, threats of poor afterlife and social ostracism come.

Tribute is what you pay to keep someone from kicking your ass. "Nice family you got there. Hate for it not to be eternal. You know, for only a 10% taste, we can keep you together forever."

Most Mormons pay tithing out of duty, not charity. They do it with the same spirit as going to church and doing home teaching.

The church uses a carrot & stick approach with temple recommends. Don't pay tithing? No temple recommend. In fact, we will expect you to be audited annually right about Xmas time to make sure you are giving every last penny required. If your kid wants to be baptized or you want to got to your daughter's temple wedding, you'd best be paid up.

That's not charity, that's paying dues to a club.

Topping axeldc. I've worked in the non-profit sector my entire life and the state rankings absolutely drive me nuts. Charity is actual philanthropy where nothing is asked in return. Tithing is club dues with a bunch of made up eternal benefits.

But Tithing should never be counted as charitable donations in surveys and studies like this.

The very idea that Mormons excel in anything beneficial to others is charitable.

What number does it come to if we take tithing out???

Don't know what study was involved or its accuracy but front page headlines within the past two years said Mississippi was top in charitable giving.

http://www.valuesandcapitalism.com/why-do-people-in-the-poorest-states-give-the-most-to-charity/

When Utahns are polled, tithing should be taken into account as a tax on income vs. contributions because members don't know, or have a choice, and its not done voluntarily through the goodness of their heart.

From the article:
So why do residents of the poorest states give the most money? At first glance, it doesn’t make sense. Don’t the poorest citizens need to most tightly cling to their wealth?

As Arthur Brooks once noticed, the most important explanation is a religious one. If we look at this Gallup poll, we see that 8 of the top 10 states in giving are also are in the top 10 of Gallup’s “most religious” states. Similarly, 7 of the 10 states which gave the least made it into Gallup’s “least religious” designation. It’s not a coincidence that Mississippi took the top spots in giving and religiosity, in spite of their high rates of poverty.

Apparently, huge numbers of Southerners are acting like the widow with her mite, and giving to philanthropic causes a portion of what little they may have. And the South, of course, is home to huge numbers of evangelical Christians, who work to mimic Christ’s sacrificial behavior and live under a biblical mandate of faithful stewardship. These high rates of sacrificial giving attest not only to the depth of conviction, but also to the necessity of helping one’s fellow man.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/10/06/report-which-states-give-the-most-to-charity-the-ones-with-church-goers/

Here are the top 10 most generous states:

1. Utah: 6.6 percent giving rate
2. Mississippi: 5.0 percent
3. Alabama: 4.8 percent
4. Tennessee: 4.5 percent
5. Georgia: 4.2 percent
6. South Carolina: 4.1 percent
7. Idaho: 4.0 percent
8. Oklahoma: 3.9 percent
9. Arkansas: 3.9 percent
10. North Carolina: 3.6 percent

From the Washington Post page: "... Utah is also known for its large population of Mormons, whose church asks them to give at least 10 percent of their income to charity."

This poll assumes Utahns are "asked to give at least 10% of their income to charity".

Mississippi, is the winner. Utah falls below half and probably to the bottom.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2015 10:41PM by moremany.