Comments on: Misguided faith?

By: ji

ji — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:30:12 +0000

The JST for ROMANS 13: 6-7 is interesting. I recommend it for your consideration.

6 For, for this cause pay ye your consecrations also unto them; for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 But first, render to all their dues, according to custom, tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, that your consecrations may be done in fear of him to whom fear belongs, and in honor of him to whom honor belongs.

Perhaps this suggests that we pay our consecrations (tithing) to our bishops after we have paid our debts to others…

By: Bookslinger

Bookslinger — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:37:39 +0000

I think it's worthy of note that the article was in the "Latter-day Saint Voices" department, not a main article that was assigned or commissioned. I'm sure it still went through an editorial approval process. But it's in the voice of a member, not as a leader preaching to the flock. Since some comments above referred to overseas applicability, I'd like to point out that the same article appeared in the international Liahona.

By: Mark D.

Mark D. — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:05:48 +0000

Of course, if you consider your tithing to be a debt as immediately pressing as your mortgage, perhaps you are borrowing from your tithing to make your house payment…

By: Mark D.

Mark D. — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:03:33 +0000

It is really only “borrowed money” if one isn’t current on his or her bills, with the possible exception of borrowing to pay one’s regular expenses to free up money to pay others.

Otherwise the borrowing is still reasonably associated with the house or car, etc. rather than something else. If you skip your house payment to pay your tithing, that would be different.

By: Bart Mortensen

Bart Mortensen — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:37:51 +0000

Bless this woman, but her concept of the Savior’s love is certainly not mine. Those children were provided by Him to nurture and care for. There will be other ways and other times to square things up.

By: 'Nuther Anon

'Nuther Anon — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:29:01 +0000

I have never “borrowed money” specifically to pay tithing, except in the sense, which I acknowledge, that any money one spends when already in debt is borrowed money. From that perspective, however, very few people pay tithing with anything but borrowed money.

By: Mark D.

Mark D. — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:07:38 +0000

Any denomination that would not turn around and provide at least as much assistance as was paid by a member in such desperate circumstances in tithing that month has a serious ethical problem in accepting those contributions in the first place.

As a consequence, assuming the member makes his or her bishop aware of the seriousness of the situation, the prospect that paying tithing will lead to an immediate temporal loss in such circumstances should be a non-existent problem.

I can’t say I have ever met someone who was provided with less fast offering assistance under such circumstances than he or she paid in tithing that month. Usually much more, although not indefinitely, of course.

By: john f.

john f. — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:11:23 +0000

Is anyone else uncomfortable with the idea that it’s more important to pay tithing than to put a roof over one’s children’s heads?

No. Also, it is extremely unlikely that someone who is conscientious about paying their tithing or making it a priority would ever let their kids starve, go without shelter or suffer other deprivations.

By: Lupita

Lupita — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:17:37 +0000

I didn’t like the ending of the article but chalked it up to her obvious (imo) hyperbole.

I can’t imagine any instance where I would feel comfortable counseling someone to not pay tithing.

By: jks

jks — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 04:15:06 +0000

I think you are missing a lot of what is in the article. I have never been really poor and have never been a mother of six children, no husband, and no family. My best friend, however, has been really poor and it is scary and tremendously stressful. This story is about praying and having the worry lifted because the Lord will carry our burdens and does bring us strength and comfort.
I can only offer my small story about when my husband was laid off in January (a surprise layoff btw). That evening we cried tears of joy because we had each other and we had our children. It brought into focus what was really important in our lives.
This woman had that kind of experience. She knew that she had that gospel and that paying tithing was a privilege and that her Savior was there to support her through life’s challenges. She says “The burden of worry immediately lifted. My love for the Lord overcame the weakness generated by my fears.”