Do you tithe 10%

[Road Guy]

I've got two friends from HS that are both pastors... Based on their Facebook posts they spend a lot of time during the week. Mtn biking, hunting, fishing.baseball games , etc....a d some time they post pictures of these "work retreats" in the mountains so they can , you know, spread the world of god....

Probably not a bad gig, working every sundry for a few hours would suck but infinite time off through the week would be pretty awesome...

 

[EM_PS]

No tithe, cuz wiccans don't roll like that

 

[mudpuppy]

My uncle was a minister, and while it's true there is a big amount of flexibility with the job, there's other stuff they do besides officiating services. Between weekly bible school, visiting sick church members in the hospital, funerals, weddings, wedding counseling, dealing with the petty church crap, etc, etc, etc, it's a full time job if not more. Heck, just writing his weekly sermon usually took 2-4 hours. Not to mention they work pretty much all the big holidays.

 

[csb]

I'd also like to throw out there that my Facebook doesn't represent the things I spend the largest percentage of time doing. I post about fun stuff.

 

[snickerd3]

No tithe, cuz wiccans don't roll like that

i went to a wiccan wedding ceremony a year ago.

 

[Road Guy]

Yes but if you posted 3-4 hunting trips a week and daily bike rides (at hours when most of us we're working) things start to ad up...

But they are at those new churches that have a rock band and lots of "stuff"... I'm sure the old guys at regular churches give it an honest work week...

 

[MA_PE]

EC based on your post I don't think you "tithe" at all

tithe (t

)

n.
1.
a. A tenth part of one's annual income contributed voluntarily or due as a tax, especially for the support of the clergy or church.
b. The institution or obligation of paying tithes.

you simply donate to charities of your choice and target an amount of 10% of your gross income. This is very gernous of you but it's not a "tithe". Tithing in my interpretation is a regular payment to the church that one is a member of and not just a collection of charitable donations that may or may not be equal to 10%.

From Corinthians 8:12

12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

From Corinthians 9:7...

7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Also, Jesus himself taught about how to give...He said sell everything, and follow me. And He also said not to be righteous about tithing (or following any other laws of man, for that matter [i.e. the sabbath]) while forgetting about mercy and compassion...

And I promise, no more scripture today...

not sure where you're going with that. My point is that the definition of "tithe" is to promise 10% of your income to an organization. Not just to give. Alternately, "giving all you gots" ain't tithing either. that's simply "giving all you got".

 

[Capt Worley PE]

When I was nine or ten, I wanted to be a pastor because I wouldn't miss all the cool morning game shows. I'd only miss Bullwinkle.

Plus, I thought getting paid to work two hours a week was cool, and they GAVE you a place to live.

 

[goodal]

No matter the flexibility or the perks, I couldn't do it because of having to deal with everyones dirty laundry. I go to church with good people, but even they have skeletons I don't want to know about. Not to mention having to preach 3 times a week. I am an assistant teenage sunday school teacher which means I teach about once a month and that's more than I want some times.

 

[Exception Collection]

No matter the flexibility or the perks, I couldn't do it because of having to deal with everyones dirty laundry. I go to church with good people, but even they have skeletons I don't want to know about. Not to mention having to preach 3 times a week. I am an assistant teenage sunday school teacher which means I teach about once a month and that's more than I want some times.

I agree. Pastorship was one of three careers I was "encouraged" to follow (the other two being counselor and teacher) in HS; once I figured out that I really didn't want to listen to other people's problems and not be able to do much about them, I decided not to enter any of those fields.

 

[ventilator]

Growing up my parents always gave 10% each week. They were successful enough that they could do this without hurting any other aspect of the finances and we went to a very small church so every dollar counted. I haven't gone to church much recently in the past 5 years, basically got burn out from the constant church going from childhood. When we do go the church we like just passes a collection plate at the end of the service and simply asks you to give if you feel like it and whatever you can which I think is the best approach. Typically I would throw $20-40 in the plate, prob average out to about 100 a month.

I know personally with all of the expenses we have with kids and the way everything seems to be costing more and more each week I couldn't give 10% of my gross or net so I give what I feel comfortable giving when I do go.

 

[envirotex]

not sure where you're going with that. My point is that the definition of "tithe" is to promise 10% of your income to an organization. Not just to give. Alternately, "giving all you gots" ain't tithing either. that's simply "giving all you got".

My point is that the new testament suggests that giving should be something other than presecribed and ritualized giving...

 

[Road Guy]

I know this thread rambled but thanks for all your answers(seriously ).

 

[mudpuppy]

I will add, when you do give, either write it down or get a receipt... I know the church my parents used to go to they gave out little envelopes to put your money in with your name and the church then kept tabs and would give you an annual receipt for your taxes. If you deduct more than like $250 I think you have to show receipts or a cancelled check or something.

 

[snickerd3]

I thought it was $250 or more in a single check you have to have a receipt. Monthly amounts of less than $250 that add up to more than $250 were ok and didn't need receipts...at least thats what i remember from filing taxes this yr

 

[csb]

What I recall from filing taxes this year is that I can't itemize anymore, AFTER I entered all the deductions.

 

[ktulu]

We go to church occasionally, but we do not tithe. Now when our son does stuff with the youth, we pay his share.

But I should probably give the church some money. It is a southern Baptist church, and they let (and still do) this full-blooded Methodist in the doors!

 

[mudpuppy]

What I recall from filing taxes this year is that I can't itemize anymore, AFTER I entered all the deductions.

A downside to not having a state income tax. Still, I'd rather not have a state income tax. Or a city income tax.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

^^^ But then how do you subsidize the locals?

 

[snickerd3]

What I recall from filing taxes this year is that I can't itemize anymore, AFTER I entered all the deductions.

A downside to not having a state income tax. Still, I'd rather not have a state income tax. Or a city income tax.

what's your sales tax % and property tax bill like