Tithing to crooked churches

[cloudyday2]

My mother attends a church that has never opened its books - even to church board members. She believes her 10% tithe should go to her church and her charitable giving is in addition to that 10%. She likes this church, but the secrecy of their finances suggests to me that something isn't right. The church was founded by several families in the late 1800s, and I suspect that they consider the church to be their family property. I can only assume that they must be concealing something embarrassing.

From a religious perspective, is tithing to a crooked church an act of obedience to God? Does the tither have a responsibility to ensure that the church is using the money in a way that would please God? Or is God satisfied with the sacrifice made by the giver regardless of the outcome?

 

[Korean-American Christian]

Or is God satisfied with the sacrifice made by the giver regardless of the outcome?

God is pleased with the sacrifice made by the giver, regardless of how the religious organization chooses to use the money.

 

[Chesterton]

From a religious perspective, is tithing to a crooked church an act of obedience to God?

Not if you know it's crooked, which is something you should probably find out for certain before you make accusations.

Does the tither have a responsibility to ensure that the church is using the money in a way that would please God?

Not a responsibility, but it's a very good idea.

Or is God satisfied with the sacrifice made by the giver regardless of the outcome?

Yes I think so.

 

[awitch]

God is pleased with the sacrifice made by the giver, regardless of how the religious organization chooses to use the money.

Great googly moogly! God is cool if Christians get ripped off IN HIS NAME?

 

[Nihilist Virus]

Not if you know it's crooked, which is something you should probably find out for certain before you make accusations.

Not a responsibility, but it's a very good idea.

Yes I think so.

With the irrefutable proof that the church has conducted a worldwide conspiracy to cover up the rape of tens of thousands of children, I think we're within our rights to assume that a church is crooked until it can prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that it is not. A church with closed books is assumed to be using tithes to settle rape cases.

 

[Korean-American Christian]

Great googly moogly! God is cool if Christians get ripped off IN HIS NAME?

I will give you a one word answer: Yes.

 

[cloudyday2]

Not if you know it's crooked, which is something you should probably find out for certain before you make accusations.

There is no practical way to find out for certain. I have heard from several board members including my father and my brother and a couple of their friends, and the books have never opened to any of them. As far as I know only a few people descended from the founders have access to the books - possibly this has been their way from the beginning over a century ago.

It seems to me that God would want the money to be used productively - otherwise why not burn the money on an altar? In many cultures, valuable items were thrown into the ocean and so forth. I don't think that is the justification for the tithe in the Bible. I think the tithe is supposed to be used productively by the temple/church to serve God.

 

[ubicaritas]

My church seems to be obsessive about book-keeping and is transparent about the finances. I think that's normal in most mainline churches.

 

[awitch]

I will give you a one word answer: Yes.

I was pretty weary donating money to any religious organization before but I can guarantee that I will never donate to a Christian charity again. Thanks for the warning!

 

[SkyWriting]

My mother attends a church that has never opened its books - even to church board members. She believes her 10% tithe should go to her church and her charitable giving is in addition to that 10%. She likes this church, but the secrecy of their finances suggest to me that something isn't right. The church was founded by several families in the late 1800s, and I suspect that they consider the church to be their family property. I can only assume that they must be concealing something embarrassing.

From a religious perspective, is tithing to a crooked church an act of obedience to God? Does the tither have a responsibility to ensure that the church is using the money in a way that would please God? Or is God satisfied with the sacrifice made by the giver regardless of the outcome?

Tithing benefits the giver. Who doesn't waste much more than 10% of their income?
Tithing helps the giver prioritize their lives.

 

[paul1149]

It's an irony that sometimes the smaller churches are the most authoritarian. It often coincides with family control. I was surprised last time I was in a Catholic Sunday mass to see the previous week's income printed right in the bulletin. I don't know that that's necessary, but I thought how nice it was that they were so open.

As for the tithe, I go with Paul's contrast of the New Covenant to the Old at 2Cor 3: "the letter kills, but the spirit gives life," and his guideline for the Christian life at Gal 5:1 "It is for freedom Christ set you free; do not be entangled again in a yoke of bondage", and elsewhere, "do not be slaves to men". If I'm not under legalistic obligation to "tithe" 10% at the local church, that frees me to employ discernment about where my money goes and what it's used for. And to the degree that one might suspect misuse of funds, I would argue that there is a responsibility there as well.

 

[Hank77]

My mother attends a church that has never opened its books - even to church board members. She believes her 10% tithe should go to her church and her charitable giving is in addition to that 10%. She likes this church, but the secrecy of their finances suggest to me that something isn't right. The church was founded by several families in the late 1800s, and I suspect that they consider the church to be their family property. I can only assume that they must be concealing something embarrassing.

From a religious perspective, is tithing to a crooked church an act of obedience to God? Does the tither have a responsibility to ensure that the church is using the money in a way that would please God? Or is God satisfied with the sacrifice made by the giver regardless of the outcome?

Whatever God gives you should be invested wisely. I believe that includes where, who, and what we give to. Like the parable of the talons.

 

[Yanni depp]

From a religious perspective, is tithing to a crooked church an act of obedience to God?

After my research on Kenneth Copeland for example, i wouldnt tithe at a church like his, much less be a member.

 

[Eyes wide Open]

My mother attends a church that has never opened its books - even to church board members. She believes her 10% tithe should go to her church and her charitable giving is in addition to that 10%. She likes this church, but the secrecy of their finances suggest to me that something isn't right. The church was founded by several families in the late 1800s, and I suspect that they consider the church to be their family property. I can only assume that they must be concealing something embarrassing.

From a religious perspective, is tithing to a crooked church an act of obedience to God? Does the tither have a responsibility to ensure that the church is using the money in a way that would please God? Or is God satisfied with the sacrifice made by the giver regardless of the outcome?

Any organisation that takes people's money and isn't totally transparent about where that money goes doesn't deserve a cent. People need to wake up and see that they could be fueling a totally defunct situation. If your mum is making a real sacrifice providing the money (causing her hardship) she should stop and provide for herself and her loved ones.

 

[Chesterton]

With the irrefutable proof that the church has conducted a worldwide conspiracy to cover up the rape of tens of thousands of children, I think we're within our rights to assume that a church is crooked until it can prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that it is not. A church with closed books is assumed to be using tithes to settle rape cases.

Nice try but that's a different church.

There is no practical way to find out for certain. I have heard from several board members including my father and my brother and a couple of their friends, and the books have never opened to any of them. As far as I know only a few people descended from the founders have access to the books - possibly this has been their way from the beginning over a century ago.

You ask, then you demand, then you stop tithing if the books are still secret and you don't feel right about it. This is not rocket science.

It seems to me that God would want the money to be used productively - otherwise why not burn the money on an altar? In many cultures, valuable items were thrown into the ocean and so forth. I don't think that is the justification for the tithe in the Bible. I think the tithe is supposed to be used productively by the temple/church to serve God.

Yes it's supposed to be used productively. We all want that, I think God wants that. Do you have an actual question or topic here?

 

[Bluerose31]

My mother attends a church that has never opened its books - even to church board members. She believes her 10% tithe should go to her church and her charitable giving is in addition to that 10%. She likes this church, but the secrecy of their finances suggests to me that something isn't right. The church was founded by several families in the late 1800s, and I suspect that they consider the church to be their family property. I can only assume that they must be concealing something embarrassing.

From a religious perspective, is tithing to a crooked church an act of obedience to God? Does the tither have a responsibility to ensure that the church is using the money in a way that would please God? Or is God satisfied with the sacrifice made by the giver regardless of the outcome?

I think God is still satisfied because the givers heart is to give the money to help His church. I pray the church manages the money better and heals any dishonesty there.

 

[Cearbhall]

Not if you know it's crooked, which is something you should probably find out for certain before you make accusations.

Posting one's suspicions on an Internet forum without naming the church is hardly an accusation.

 

[Noxot]

how I see it is if you don't care about your reward then you will want your money spent on something good seeing that your entire purpose was to do good to someone.

i'm not a fan of bureaucracies but in general the pastor wants some money for what he does and the church building has bills to pay. sometimes human beings are corrupt and will abuse their position of power.

I don't even like to donate to charities anymore after hearing that so many of them waste most of it before it gets to the people I thought I was helping. I prefer more direct and natural acts of charity. there is always a possibility that someone is trying to scam you if you use something like the gofundme website but sometimes even that is more direct than giving it to people who won't even tell you what they spend it on.

p.s. just because someone shows you the books does not mean that nothing shady is going on.

 

[Eyes wide Open]

I think God is still satisfied because the givers heart is to give the money to help His church. I pray the church manages the money better and heals any dishonesty there.

This would be a prime example of what it is to co-create. I agree that the givers heart may well be inclined to give, a valuable trait (or it could be that the givers head is, which is a totally different situ) but even still, if the giver comes from a heartfelt place of giving, we as co-creators must use all our faculties at our disposal as humans, and our logical and reasoned minds must intervene with the heartfelt act of giving, otherwise what we give can lead to greater dysfunction etc. I think the bible talks about the heart not being able to be trusted etc. Its descriptive of what it is to give blindly from that heartfelt place only, when the mind can be used with its probing and asking questions to help one see the dysfunction should there be some there. Those actions will make churches be more honest if they are not, we must make it happen.

 

[Zoness]

I've only given small sums of money to churches to keep my social currency high up but since I stopped being a regular I don't think I'd do it again. That pretty much goes for all religious orgs unless I personally new the person running it, which is possible in my case, but still unlikely.