I never have taken out a loan to pay tithing but then I can count the dollars I have given in tithing on two hands. My parents have done it though...to the tune of five thousand dollars or so. I just shook my head at it but it was right inline with their programming. I think they did it because they were expecting about the same amount coming in two months later or so due to a sale of some property.
A friend worked at a local Utah bank and observed many TBMs coming into the bank president's office asking for loans to pay their tithing. They were almost always approved under the guise of a "Christmas" loan. Since the loans were unsecured the bank carried an heavy load of unsecured debt and was eventually taken over by the feds.
I worked at a Utah County financial institution back in the 80's. I was a loan officer. MANY people came in wanting "Christmas" loans and I knew that most of those loans were really to pay their tithing. Some even admitted it. It bothered me and I was a devout member at the time.
I do remember just once in the early 80's using one of those checks that the credit card companies sent out making it really easy to deposit to a checking account. I was terrified that year when we got behind on the tithing. My DH at the time was a BYU professor who was getting really low pay and I was trying to work part time and care for the 3 children I had at the time.
My friend has always been the main income for her family. She was trying to work OT to pay for her daughter's wedding, but you can only do so much and she ended up putting 4k on a CREDIT CARD to pay back tithing so she could go to her own daughter's temple wedding.
No. We paid tithing first. Like we were told to do. Then we’d have to live off credit cards the second half of the month. But we never went into debt to pay tithing. I.e., we never actually paid tithing with a credit card. See how good a mormon I was? On the gullibility scale from 1-10, I was a 12. I mean, you have to be either a closeted exmo who doesn’t mind fibbing about nonsense, or at least a 9 on the scale to even own a temple recommend.
Never paid a cent of tithing and damn sure would NEVER have borrowed to pay it. What I earned was MY money....didn't ever think it belonged to the LARD.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2018 02:42PM by Lethbridge Reprobate.
A friend of mine is suffering 24/7 from the pain and effects of brutal diabetic peripheral neuropathy, etc. and is receiving AISH. He was hounded by TBM family members to pay tithing on it. Luckily he has enough on the ball to realize that the much needed assistance was to assist him, and not a multi-billion dollar organization.
One thing I really liked about the RLDS tithing system was members paid only on their net disposable income, after their other bills were paid. So unlike LDS system of tithes. That was more humane, and people didn't suffer to pay their tithing as much.
The RLDS isn't as wealthy as the LDS. Key difference right there. They don't suck their members dry.
We did, several times and it was always at my insistence. When my husband would try to explain that we couldn't afford it that month, I would counter with " You're being an unfaithful infidel!" or,"You don't want to be with me in the next life"! It makes me feel so angry at myself for treating him like that and for falling for TSCC's crap.
This is so sad and wrong. I never figured that this was going on when I was a member.When I got out of school and had a job, my bishop never asked how much I made , I know I was bad, but I underpayed , more like 6%. It’s like these charismatic churches that take up double or triple collections, ie for visiting missionaries, local disaster cause,youth program, etc, they’re huge mega churches, why can’t they just pay it out their regular collection? The pastors have mini mansion houses, luxurious cars, fancy vacations , etc That’s why I like Judaism, they don’t take collections or carry money on the sabbath in church I have coin boxes in the house that we put our loose change in, plus occasional voluntary gifts
I paid tithing first, then fell back on credit to feed my family and pay for other necessities. I would never, ever even dream of doing that now. But I was convinced since teenager-hood that strong adolescent feelings (which happen in many areas during that time of life) were the Holy Ghost telling me the LDS church is true. I thought that I therefore had to obey, and avoid sinning against the "light" I had received. So I forked it over. What a scam I was caught in!
When I was the finance clerk, always one of two, one year a couple of guys paid their tithing with the checks that you can use on a credit card...forget what they are called.
One of them came the next year, I guess for some reason he needed to explain, but paid us in CASH which was about $3000, IIRC. He said something to the effect that "I don't ever plan on paying tithing on credit again" etc.
I'd never seen that much cash in one place before, all crisp new $100 bills.