Posted by:
deconverted2010
(
)
Date: July 25, 2012 05:03PM
There is only one time a year when the Bishop meets personally with every family or individual in his ward. Appointments are made and phone calls are made. Even talks in sacrament meetings remind members that it is December and they must meet with the bishop for TITHING SETTLEMENT, not for Christmas chat or well wishes, not for spiritual growth or even worthiness interviews, but to tell the bishop if you had PAID a full tithe and to give more cash if you haven't.
When I was new in the church and would hear of people not renewing TRs, I wondered why, what were they not doing, most seem fine to me. Later I learned that a big problem in our stake was tithing.
When I was YM President, we had to be reminding our bishop about the girls' birthdays so hat we could interview them.
When I served as RS president, many times the bishop delegated to me to assess the needs of a family in need, he really didn't want to do this and appreciated when I was the intermediary. No time for people's affairs that someone else can look after or that can be postponed. However, any bishop I had made the time to do tithing settlement.
When families needed help, the first question was are they paying tithing? If not, they wouldn't receive any assistance, period, end of conversation.
When I stopped paying tithing I was serving in a calling, still had a TR, contributed to anything we were asked for in the ward, did my VT and because I was doubting the church I tried hard to enjoy whatever I did. I was at church more hours than the average member and did church things for a few hours every week. When the bishop asked if I was paying tithing and I said no, he got mad and released me at once. I know I was working very hard because one that is my nature and also because I didn't want them to think I was lazy, I loved my calling and I knew that would be my last calling. But that was not enough, if I didn't pay tithing I might as well not attend church. The day that bishop released me was my absolute last confirmation that money is the most important thing in the lds church, any doubts I still had were gone. Thank you bishop.
What are your experiences? Do you think tithing is more important than anything else in the church?