Loving your neighbor as yourself? (and starving children)

[JohnClay]

So Christians would often tithe (give 10% or more to the church/etc) but what about loving your neighbor as yourself? Should you keep 50% of your money for yourself and 50% for your neighbors? Or the least amount you can survive on then the rest to people who really need it like starving children? (ones who end up dying of malnutrition)

Or are starving children not really that important and is spreading the gospel what is really important? Maybe children would go to heaven anyway since they might be too young to be accountable to God.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

If that is your concept and belief, I wonder if you follow it? If you do, then kudos to you!

 

[Hazelelponi]

So Christians would often tithe (give 10% or more to the church/etc) but what about loving your neighbor as yourself? Should you keep 50% of your money for yourself and 50% for your neighbors? Or the least amount you can survive on then the rest to people who really need it like starving children? (ones who end up dying of malnutrition)

Or are starving children not really that important and is spreading the gospel what is really important? Maybe children would go to heaven anyway since they might be too young to be accountable to God.

Can you point to any specific neighbors who have asked for help and not gotten it to the best of said individual Christians ability?

Have you asked your Christian next door neighbor for help and had them deny you?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

So Christians would often tithe (give 10% or more to the church/etc) but what about loving your neighbor as yourself? Should you keep 50% of your money for yourself and 50% for your neighbors? Or the least amount you can survive on then the rest to people who really need it like starving children? (ones who end up dying of malnutrition)

Or are starving children not really that important and is spreading the gospel what is really important? Maybe children would go to heaven anyway since they might be too young to be accountable to God.

I'm not sure why both, givng to a congreation and giving to children can not be done by a Christian. Additionally, why is spreading the Gospel synonymous with starving children? Is this post really about something else? Perhaps a distaste for Christanity? Jesus Christ of Nazareth clearly states in His Gospel what happens to those who mistreat children. Check His Words on the matter in scripture.
Be blessed.

 

[eleos1954]

So Christians would often tithe (give 10% or more to the church/etc) but what about loving your neighbor as yourself? Should you keep 50% of your money for yourself and 50% for your neighbors? Or the least amount you can survive on then the rest to people who really need it like starving children? (ones who end up dying of malnutrition)

Or are starving children not really that important and is spreading the gospel what is really important? Maybe children would go to heaven anyway since they might be too young to be accountable to God.

The purpose of the tithe is to help the spreading of the gospel ... we are also called to help others in need .... there are many ways of doing this ... there is great need out there ... so both.

We are also to give with a happy heart .... not out of obligation.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

 

[JohnClay]

Can you point to any specific neighbors who have asked for help and not gotten it to the best of said individual Christians ability?

Have you asked your Christian next door neighbor for help and had them deny you?

As far as starving children go they're not personally asking you for help - but what if multiple homeless people kept on asking a Christian for money?

 

[JohnClay]

I'm not sure why both, givng to a congreation and giving to children can not be done by a Christian.

Yeah they're meant to keep tithing....

Additionally, why is spreading the Gospel synonymous with starving children?

It could be a reason not to spend a lot of money on starving children.

Is this post really about something else? Perhaps a distaste for Christanity?

Well I think there can be difficult questions for Christians. I'm interested in their answers.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth clearly states in His Gospel what happens to those who mistreat children. Check His Words on the matter in scripture.
Be blessed.

If a Christian is aware of children dying from malnutrition and they do nothing even though they have quite a lot of money are they mistreating the children?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Yeah they're meant to keep tithing....

It could be a reason not to spend a lot of money on starving children.

Well I think there can be difficult questions for Christians. I'm interested in their answers.

If a Christian is aware of children dying from malnutrition and they do nothing even though they have quite a lot of money are they mistreating the children?

I can point you to numerous people, organizations, philanthropists etc. that are very giving especially to children. If, by chance , you are trying to get at the current situation in Gaza where Palestinian children are starving and dying daily as we speak, we can question why so many Christians covet geopolitical Israel that they are able to look the other way while this travesty unfolds. Anyhow, I moved from " tithing " which by the way has no scriptural merit. This was an old Covenant command given to Israel to support the Temple and its Priests and money was not the payment. It is a false doctrine however giving is always OK.

 

[Hazelelponi]

As far as starving children go they're not personally asking you for help - but what if multiple homeless people kept on asking a Christian for money?

I've lived across the street from kid's who didn't have enough to eat at home and they actually did come to my house every single day after school to eat.... And I fed them every day, for years.

In another area, when I lived in an apartment the parents took off for a few days and left their kids without any food. I also took care of them.

So kids do ask for help when they need it.

This is why it's important to know your neighbors.

As far as homeless people I don't know any personally anymore, though I once knew many. But I've not encountered any homeless people who walked away from me after having been turned down for any help I happened to be able to provide, including opening my home in a bad storm once to a man and his daughter who couldn't get into the homeless shelter that night and needed a warm place to sleep.

so what kind of help do you think our neighbors are not getting from Christians? I'm poor but I know I've always given to any in need. The majority of Christians are like me.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

So Christians would often tithe (give 10% or more to the church/etc) but what about loving your neighbor as yourself? Should you keep 50% of your money for yourself and 50% for your neighbors? Or the least amount you can survive on then the rest to people who really need it like starving children? (ones who end up dying of malnutrition)

Or are starving children not really that important and is spreading the gospel what is really important? Maybe children would go to heaven anyway since they might be too young to be accountable to God.

You've finally hit upon the 'real question,' John. Good job!

 

[Hazelelponi]

Yeah they're meant to keep tithing....

Under the New covenant there's no law to tithe. People who donate money to their churches do it for the running of the church (utilities etc) and the salary of the pastor, and do so out of a charitable heart.

Those people usually also donate charitably to other organizations as well, because they have the money to do so.

I don't usually give in tithing to my church, but I do give what I have to those in more need than myself (and God places people in my path). But my church doesn't pay our pastor or anything, and we have no overhead outside of utilities. Donating for missions is personal, not corporate in my church.