LDS Church Finances Aren’t Secret, They’re Sacred: They’re Guarded Even Closer Than The Temple Endowment. Slamtoons, Salamander Society online
Concern not yourselves about your debts, for I will give you power to pay them. Doctrine & Covenants 111:5
And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord. Doctrine & Covenants 119:4
The foundation of provident living is the law of the tithe. Robert D Hales
The celestial law requires one-tenth part of all a man’s substance which he possesses at the time he comes into the church (viz D&C 119:1), and one-tenth part of his annual increase ever after (viz D&C 119:4). If it requires all man can earn to support himself and his family, he is not tithed at all. The celestial law does not take the mother’s and children’s bread, neither ought else which they really need for their comfort. The poor that have not of this world’s good to spare, but serve and honor God according to the best of their abilities in every other way, shall have a celestial crown in the Eternal Kingdom of our Father. The Millennial Star 1847, Orson Hyde editor
Let us consider for a moment this word ‘surplus’. What does it mean when applied to a man and his property? Surplus cannot mean that which is indispensably necessary for any given purpose, but what remains after supplying what is needed for that purpose. Is not the first and most necessary use of a man’s property that he feed, clothe and provide a home for himself and family? Franklin D Richards, 6th November 1882
cf.
One of the first things a bishop must do to help the needy is ask them to pay their tithing. Like the widow, if a destitute family is faced with the decision of paying their tithing or eating, they should pay their tithing. Lynn Robbins, General Conference address April 2005
If the Lord expects even the poorest widow to pay her mite, where does that leave all others who find that it is not convenient or easy to sacrifice? Lynn Robbins
For your guidance in this matter, please be advised that we have uniformly replied that the simplest statement we know of is that statement of the Lord himself that the members of the Church should pay one-tenth of all their interest annually, which is understood to mean income. No-one is justified in making any other statement than this. We feel that every member of the Church should be entitled to make his own decision as to what he thinks he owes the Lord, and to make payment accordingly. First Presidency letter 19th March 1970
Tithing is not a free-will offering; it is a debt. Marion G Romney, article Ensign June 1980, ‘Concerning Tithing’
The payment of tithing is also worthwhile as fire insurance. ibid.
A further reward for paying tithing is a guarantee against being consumed in the burning which is to accompany the second coming of the Savior. Marion G Romney, article Ensign May 1979, ‘Trust in the Lord’
It is a fact that we even look better when we pay tithing. There is a happiness that comes into the heart of the tithe payer that even reflects in his countenance. Hartman Rector junior, article Ensign 1983, ‘That Ye May Have Roots and Branches’
Without tithing there is no exaltation … Tithing, then, is one of the bedrock foundation principles of exaltation. ibid.
The most important step toward achieving financial well-being is to pay tithing first – no excuses and no exceptions. Lane V Erickson, Ensign March 2004
The first time, I’d been out of the church for about six or seven years. I’d married a nevermo, changed states, and never attended the ward where the bill originated.
One day I came home from work to find an envelope in my mailbox from the local ward. I was annoyed because I’d been telling them to leave me alone. My husband was pissed because they kept visiting, phoning, and sending ward newsletters as if I was a part of their cult.
Once inside the house, I opened the letter. It was from the local bishop, saying he and the other bishop-prick guys wanted 100% tithing participation. They knew I didn’t want contact and would probably not attend some stupid ‘settlement’, so they had prayed and decided to ask for a minimal amount of tithing, something like $200. I turned over the letter and wrote back that I was not mormon and wanted them to leave me alone and sent it back.
A year later, I received a similar bill. Mormons can be such weird fanatical zealots. Anonymous, board post 18th July 2005, 'A Bill For Tithing?'
I could not think of anything better than the counsel I had received from my father: ‘Even if you don’t have anything to eat, always pay your tithing.’ Jorge Luis del Castillo, article Ensign December 2006, ‘Lessons from the Old Testament: My Father’s Last Words’
I learned in serving almost twenty years as bishop and stake president that an excellent insurance against divorce is the payment of tithing. James E Faust, article Ensign November 1977, ‘The Enriching of Marriage’
I went to tithing settlement, ashamed. I hung my head and told him my dilemma. I HAD paid tithing, for about 7 months of the year. I said, ‘I’m sorry, you’ll have to mark me as a partial tithe payer this year. I would have to pay $500 to be a full tithe payer, and I only have $510 in the bank right now and haven’t paid the bills yet or bought my kids shoes or food.’ He just looked at me, all disappointed. Asked me something about faith and trusting the Lord. I said, ‘I can't afford to pay it,’ and he said, ‘You can't afford NOT to pay it.’ After a minute of silence, I pulled out the chequebook and wrote him a check for $500. He smiled and checked the Full Tithe Payer box, and said, Merry Christmas. kc, board post 27th December 2007, ‘Tithing and Kids With Holey Shoes’
When my house was destroyed by a tornado and a flood and a few months later I got into a serious car accident and then lost my job ... the church did not help me, at all. They promised to. They insisted on getting a tithing check from me as a condition, even when I told them that it was literally my last dollar. I was honest with them and paid a full tithe. When the check cleared, they called and said they decided not to help me. can’t log in here, board post
I would rather have no food on our table than be without the Bread of Life. I would prefer to endure the darkness and discomfort of no electricity than to forfeit the Light of Christ in my life. I would rather abide with my children in a tent than relinquish my privilege of entering the house of the Lord. Nancy Kay Smith, article Ensign July 2009, ‘Could Tithing Ease My Worries’
The bishop told my kids that if they don't pay tithing they would burn at the second coming.
Then he said some crap about how the earth was baptized in the flood and would be burned at the second coming. Tithing is ‘fire insurance’. I had to pipe up that it could be metaphorical. I didn’t want to get in an argument about the historical accuracy of a literal flood. But I didn’t want my kids thinking they need to pay tithing for fear of being burned. jonesb, board post December 2014, ‘Had Tithing Settlement Today – My Kids Were Threatened With Being Burned’
My dad told me an interesting story about my grandfather’s death. My grandpa was not active at the time of his death and he hadn’t been in years. At his funeral, the church bishop approached my grandmother and basically said, ‘You know ... Elder Chapman hasn’t been paying his tithing since 1992 ... blah blah blah.’
My grandma took the hint. She took his life insurance policy, cashed it, and turned it over to the church. It was six figures! There was no way that my grandpa would ever agree to pay the church a dime, let alone six figures. The bishop accepted the check from a 73 year old lady.
She lost her home later that year and lived out her days in my aunt’s basement on a twin bed until she fell asleep during a prayer over supper and never woke up. The last ten years of her life were very sad. No vacations, weight gain, her mental health suffered, hours upon hours in bed, and she was never the same. danceogden, board post 25th July 2012, ‘Tithing the dead, It Happened in My Family’
That any church decides to shift focus from charitable/humanitarian service to money making, is as legal as any business deciding to shift focus on to more ethical or social issues. But defending the church on grounds that their actions are currently legal, is about as lame as defending OJ now on grounds that he was ‘legally’ acquitted. It’s amazing how the church can so often mimic the very lawyers that the New Testament’s Jesus criticizes so harshly, guys who take sides no matter what truth or right might be.
... an argument can be made that the church is operating under cover of tax exempt laws which favour it over other business institutions in the project of money making. In addition, its members are not privileged to see any financial statements, as are those participating in other companies as shareholders or interested parties. I don’t see how that is fair. Whether you have the words ‘Jesus Christ’ in your organization’s name or not, if you’re in business, I don’t see why you shouldn’t have to play by the rules of business.