Interesting. Do I believe it is a commandment from God? Yes, yes I do. NOW, just like the priesthood ban was nothing more than old man racism, I do not believe that what is taught in this church today is from God.
Once again, old men have twisted a commandment from god to satiate their own desires.
Show me where in the scriptures does the Lord say tithing is 10% of income. Show me where in the scriptures God says that tithing is to be paid before all else.
Tithing was never a flat tax. It was always a progressive tax...until the Church was on the verge on bankruptcy. So, they closed the books, increased the fees to heaven and called it good.
Is tithing a law of God? Yup. Do I pay tithing? Yup. Is the LDS Church's tithing from God? It is as inspired as polygamy, ban on priesthood, banning women from talking/praying in sacrament meetings, the not wanting women to wear shorts, the silly idea that women in the workplace leads to adultery, and so on.
If I have to choose between a law that is so obviously wrong, that goes against scripture or following a prophet who others in his position have been wrong time and time and time again...I'll stick to the scripture.
Huh. "interest". "standing law...forever". "saith the Lord".
Ok.
I think I can speak to the current round of free quasi-acceptable Mormon thought and LDS official policy.
Early on.... 1830s to Nauvoo times, LDS were quite "communal" in a lot of ways we aren't today. Everybody pitched in to build stuff or develop townsites. There were some abuses of "centralized" planning which I think caused Joseph Smith to start moving away from talking so much about the "communitarian" aspects of "Christianity". Even in Missouri days he wrote a scathing "revelation" to the Presiding Bishop to make it clear that people should hold inheritable. legal title to their "stewardships".
There has always been a little ambiguity about what is the basis of the tithing calculation. In D&C 119 it was after making a consecration of "extra" assets to the Church and receiving a "stewardship", that "tithing" was to be paid on the increase of the "stewardship". This would not mean necessarily that tithes would be paid on gross income, this was an agrarian community where "income" was figured on the basis of crop yield. I don't think we have any indication on how tithes would work, say, for a shoemaker. An LDS businessman today I am sure will deduct expenses and not tithe total sales just profit.
The Church has expected ordinary workers to tithe gross income I think, generally, but anyone doing their taxes will deduct some job-related expenses.....
I've heard of people who tithe inflationary gains on real estate, though the house or building did not "increase" at all,. . . . . not sure how generally this concept is actually followed.....
With Lorenzo Snow and the Dixie drought I think people started feeling called upon to pay their tithing more on gross production/income because they were promised that the "Windows of Heaven" would be opened....
I rather think this is Truth. If you don't want blessings, liberally or abundantly poured out on you, just don't follow that attitude and you'll get by more on your own merits....
And, yeah, I could tell you about some women in the workplace, focused on careers or other stuff more than their families, find it a convenient place to pick up some extra action. Nothing so silly as thinking that does not happen.
Bruce R. McConkie wrote in a private letter on the subject of scripture vs. leadership emphasis, saying that "although" the Church teaches following the Prophet without question, the "reason" the brethren must say that is just because people today don't generally understand the scriptures very well. Of course, if you understand the scriptures, you won't be looking for "reasons" to justify your inconsistent behaviors.... Hence, the scriptures do prevail, and the LDS authorities don't mind if you follow the scriptures, for what they actually mean.
