Before President Lorenzo Snow changed tithing requirements, I believe the Church was more lenient on tithing, but I'm not sure. New converts to the early Church had it rough, though. They had to give 10 percent of everything they owned to be allowed to join.
Without strict tithing requirements, the Church would not be so wealthy. It would be easier to be a Mormon if tithing were more of an option rather than a requirement.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2017 04:23PM by behindcurtain.

I still don't understand why the Mormons need 10%. Most churches do just fine on (an average of) less than 3%. Even taking BYU, missions, and temples into account, I still don't understand where the other 7% goes to. Plus most churches spend about half their budgets on paying ministers and other staff members, expenses that Mormons don't have. So the Mormon church is raking in a LOT of money with zero accountability.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2017 07:20PM by summer.

Yes. It's not entirely volunteer based. Teachers in the CES, "seminary" and "institute" and other employees. However, they get 10% of their tithing taken out of their paycheck.

Holy hell I didn't know that talk about control.

There will be a new revelation soon the Mormon God needs 12% to build churches in Africa. For this that pay 15% tithing a special 2nd annointing is available.

One of the last conversations I had with a Mormon bishop during a tithing settlement required me to call him to repentance. Upon showing him the D&C quotes on tithing and how historically, in context, tithing was collected and required by members, I demanded that he either give up his position as bishop (aaronic priesthood) for misrepresenting the Lord's requirement OR sign a swearing which demanded my former tithing receipts returned in full.

He chased myself, Ms. Cake and our children from the confines of his employ in the church-house. We were told to never come back.

Good advice.

Cake

It still is a regressive tax.

Here's a quick overview of tithing that I've found helpful:

http://broken-spot.blogspot.com/2012/06/brief-history-of-tithing-and-financial.html

I have a family member who has left the church and he recently told me about his experience with tithing and church donations in the 1970s. During that time, members were expected to pay tithing on gross income and then also contribute to ward budgets and church building funds etc. He said one year he remembers making $25,000 and $5000 went to the church. He paid tithing and then was expected to pay a generous donation to the church's temple fund when the Washington D.C. temple was being constructed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2017 09:36PM by want2bx.

Very informative but I know people were paying thithing "in kind" as late as the early 1980s.

Grandpa would occasionally donate a calf or colt as tithing.

We had several elderly ladies in our ward that would donate "all the apples the deacons can pick" on a certain day.

I do remember Dad workings for days on the construction of the new chapel because he could not pay his "building assessment"

I clearly remember in the 60s we were taught tithing was 10 percent and offerings should equal another 5 percent.

I am proud Dad told the bishop that if not paying tithing meant no temple recommend so be it. He had a family to take care of.

Over 30 years ago I recall in addition to paying 10% tithing on gross income, we were hit with extra dues. For me that was almost 1/3 of my annual salary. I never paid those dues. Talk about exhortation.

behindcurtain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Before President Lorenzo Snow changed tithing
> requirements, I believe the Church was more
> lenient on tithing, but I'm not sure.


Before Snow, members could pay tithing with the actual firstlings of their flock. They could pay with farm goods. But the church was up to its eyeballs in debt and needed cash, not cows, to pay it off.