Other churches survive and thrive without requiring 10% from each and every member. Why can't Mormonism do this? If they changed the tithing law, they would just have to adapt the way other churches have.

This would make it easier to be a cultural Mormon, or a Mormon who doesn't believe but doesn't want to give up his Mormon activities. Church would be more laid back, and would be more inclusive, not putting a huge amount of pressure on everybody.

Maybe Mormons will go the way of the Jews. Most Jews don't believe, but they participate because of the culture.

So many things have changed in Mormonism. Maybe the end of tithing will actually take place.

Without tithing, what's the point of the church? LDS, Inc. would lose its largest revenue source that is also tax-free.

The church couldn't survive. Tithing is emphasized for so many reasons, not just temple attendance. And so many pay it for the simple reason that they believe they should. If made optional, nobody would pay it.

If you get rid of tithing, the morg's whole stack of cards falls down. Without tithing to extort from the members they're useless.

Can't be done. They're addicted to tithing income and it's a great way to control people. Other churches aren't primarily thought control cults.

The tithing part doesn't bother me, lots of churches pass the bowl or mitt thing around. I'd gladly tith , even more than 10% if it would keep me from participating in certain church activities that involves getting in front of people , but they don't think like that and see it as a weakness or that I don't have a real testimony

"lots of churches pass the bowl or mitt thing around."

They don't say that if you don't pay up, at some point in the future someone or something is going to come round and set fire to you!

The average donation for other churches has been pegged at 2.6%. This is plenty of money to not only pay the church building mortgage and expenses, including janitorial services, but also salaries for staff (minister, assistant minister, organist, church secretary, etc.) which typically take up half of the budget. BTW many if not most church budgets are available online for members and/or the public to see.

Since the Mormon church does not pay salaries at the ward or stake level, the church should not need more than that 2.6%, and you could make the argument that it needs *less*.

So where does all that extra money go? No one knows because the Mormon church isn't saying. Even allowing for temples, missionary work, and BYU, that is a huge amount of money.

Exactly. Our small church, about the size of an average Mormon ward, pays a full-time minister, and part time director of religious education, music director and office administrator. We have our building paid off but have the utilities, upkeep, office supplies, kitchen supplies, activities, etc.

Our main source of income is a pledge drive, once-a-year auction (mostly we sell parties, events and services), plate donations and endowments. And at that, once a month we send our plate donations out the door to a local charity chosen by our Social Justice committee. We have to pay the larger church association a certain fee for each member in order to avail ourself of their services and association benefits.

The thing I like the most, besides the fact that it's all transparent and members have access to the financial reports, is that when working out what you want to pledge, they have a form to help you (you don't have to use it). But the first thing it does is have you list your take home income and deduct things like medical and educational expenses from it. Then it has some other things you should take into consideration. When you have a basic income worked out, you can choose what level you want to pledge at (2%, 5%, 10%). There is nothing that a sustainer level person gets that a full-tither doesn't and no one knows what level you pledge at. All they ask is that if you want to be a member, you make at least enough of a pledge to cover your footprint--which is what they have to pay to the association plus a little extra, at least $20/month.

Having a pledge drive really gives people a chance to decide what the church means in their life, and encourages them to push themselves a little, but not to overextend their family to support the church. I have seen them tell people who made a pledge and then fell on a hard time (lost job, illness, etc.) during the year, that they should revise their pledge for the rest of the year to lower it. They build in about 10% shrinkage into the budget anyway of people who don't meet their pledges. If the LDS church HAS TO base worthiness for temple recommends on how much you pay, they could base it on whether you fulfill your pledge. They could make people meet with the bishop once a year for the yearly guilt trip so they could put pressure on people to pledge more. That would work with the majority of them. But they should still let the members make the final decision with understanding that young families probably won't be able to make as big a percentage of their income pledge as older people can.

I always wondered where they would land if they made it so people are "worthy" for paying what they can. Right now, if you can't pay 10%, why pay anything? At least that was always my attitude and I know I'm not alone in that. But if I'd been made to feel like I was a good person for at least trying to give to God's church, I would probably have tried to at least give 2% or whatever. They could try to guilt richer people into pledging more than 10%. They might be surprised at what they actually bring in.

"The thing I like the most, besides the fact that it's all transparent and members have access to the financial reports, is that when working out what you want to pledge, they have a form to help you (you don't have to use it). But the first thing it does is have you list your take home income and deduct things like medical and educational expenses from it. Then it has some other things you should take into consideration. When you have a basic income worked out, you can choose what level you want to pledge at (2%, 5%, 10%)."

I actually felt an emotional reaction to what you said above about your church. Like they actually CARE about the current welfare of the members. Obviously any organization is going to need funds to cover expenses, but your church puts the families first, and they are helpful and caring about it. What a CONCEPT!

The church will never get rid of tithing. The reason is that wealthy mormons can tithe through a church-created CRUT account and pay almost nothing in taxes.

If you are not familiar with what a CRUT account is then please google it.

I agree with those that say it can't be done because it's a way to control people with being able to extort 10% of their income. If they made it an optional thing as in most churches where they pass the basket, I think most TBM's would pay far less than 10%.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2016 03:51AM by adoylelb.

To be fair the Church is doing a good job of reducing tithing income to nil, but I don't think it's deliberate!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2016 04:13AM by pettigrew.

(Some)other churches don't have vast real estate holdings they're continually adding to, game-preserve-hunting compounds they own, and temples around the world that need expensive maintenance to be kept looking white and delightsome.

Personally, I'm of the opinion that the mormon church shouldn't do ANYTHING to make being a mormon easier. I don't want it to be easier to be a "cultural mormon." I want people to realize how hard and stupid it is, and what a rip-off it is, and get out of the nasty cult.

So I won't be offering them any suggestions for improvement. I hope they implode on themselves.

If God really wanted to save the Church, he would kill the top 15 in a plane crash.

I don't see how this would make it easier to be a cultural Mormon. Don't pay and don't attend tithing settlement. If the bishop doesn't already know you don't believe, that sends a signal that you shouldn't be asked to teach, give talks, etc...

Free entry to the holy club house with access to the handshakes and funky outfits. That just can't happen. Too many people have been paying to play for way too long.

However, I could see a maximum pay option. Once you have paid in a certain amount you are good to go. Kind of like free or really cheap ski and golf for old geezers. It could be a new kind of badge

- look at me - I have paid in my lifetime tithe - I don't have to pay anymore - that sounds more like Mormondumb

I didn't know about any of these pressures or threats, that's scary. My bishop ( original ward) told me to give what I could.
I wasn't married and just out of college , without a job yet. He said just give what I could. He was a nice person and I saw a difference in the bishops in my other wards. Do they now make you prove your income to make sure you're really giving 10%. You can lie about how much you make and give what you can afford.
I haven't been active since 1997

>>Do they now make you prove your income to make sure you're really giving 10%.

Bishops are not supposed to do this, but on occasion a rogue bishop will (per reports on this board.)

The revenue stream from tithing pays the central control to do the things that keep that revenue stream going. Ending the revenue stream would almost certainly end Mormonism as we know it. Would certainly end the cushy lives of the men who would have to agree to change the policy.

So I don't see that happening any time soon.