Spanking and tithing go hand in hand. Rebellious children don't tithe as adults. Beat the crap out of them now and scare them to death with threats of losing their salvation, and they will tithe regularly.
There are other areas of Christian conduct. Do you drink too much alcohol? Does your conversation throughout the week reflect what Christ would say—and are you actively concerned with this? How is your marriage doing, and to what degree are you focused on improving this God-plane relationship that you learned is “a divine institution, ordained of God”? Is it still special—and growing more so every day?
Are you routinely practicing the biblically-prescribed principles of childrearing? Are you consistent and unified in what you do, knowing that you are training little potential members of the God Family, and that this is only a temporary stewardship administered on God’s behalf until they reach adulthood?
Do you still faithfully tithe on every dime you earn? What about offerings, also commanded by God (Mal. 3:8-10)? I cannot let it pass without saying that tithing to any organization but God’s Church is stealing, and also throwing your money down the drain. Tithes belong to God. They cannot be used to support a mixture of good and evil knowledge—true and false doctrines. Do you still pay third tithe, or are you in one of the groups that has dismissed God’s eternal law on this subject, ignoring the command to take care of the widows, orphans, needy, strangers and Levites? Have you let the “arguments” of your leaders (UCG, COGwa and some smaller groups) convince you that God did away with this law simply because they rejected it—because they convinced you Mr. Armstrong would have made this universal decision for the Church if he were still alive?
10 comments:
I'm not real big on spanking, having experienced this "doctrine" in extreme Philadelphian form throughout my WCG adolescence. But I'm afraid I'd have to spank my kids within an inch of their lives if I ever caught them tithing to RCG.
BB
No one needs to give Pack, or anyone else a "Third Tithe".
In the USA and most other countries, there are social provisions provided by the state for the widow, orphan, blind, homeless etc.
Third tithe, done twice in seven years equals an annual rate of 2.85% per year. In the USA , counting the employers share and the medicare share , the tax rate is some 15% per year. Every year!
Third tithe is covered therefore by the government. A church is NOT an official governing body or a "nation state" like ancient Israel was. It does not matter how much they want to argue it, there is a big difference between national laws and ecclesiastical practice even in the Bible.
The Biblical principle is to provide for the indigent. This is being done, and you do not need to line Pack's or anyone else's pocket to fulfill this principle.
People like Pack use the "Levite" clause to dip into third tithe offerings for themselves. LETS BE CLEAR HERE... it is BOGUS to claim that the New Testament ministry IS the Levitical Priesthood. It clearly is NOT.
HWA dipped into 3T funds to buy his gold leaf roofed G3/G4 jets. When I found out about this , I hit the ceiling. Wanton financial abuse is an abuse, a blasphemy and damnable.
Joe Moeller
Cody, WY
For Dave it is easier for him to spank a kid and have him tithe at the same time, than it is for him to "pat his head and rub his stomach at the same time!"
A true feat of human contortion by Wolf Pack!
Joe Moeller
Cody, WY
"Do you think in terms of regularly sacrificing with extra offerings, as Mr. Armstrong reminded us monthly in almost every Member/Co-Worker letter he wrote?"
King David was a warrior, but he was humbled by the love of God. He was not a beggar. None of Christ's disciples are beggars.
We've already thoroughly debunked tithing.
If he's wrong about tithing, why should we listen to him about spanking?
"LETS BE CLEAR HERE...it is BOGUS to claim that the New Testament ministry IS the Levitical Priesthood. It clearly is NOT."
I am glad you feel that way. I totally agree. John Elliott did not mince words several years ago in saying exactly that, and cited a whole bunch of scriptures to try to prove it. Hogwash. But he's now on the Council, so....
Joe, I personally knew of some people who requested third tithe assistance in Pasadena during the 1970's, who knew the guidelines for third tithe, and were qualified under those guidelines. They were advised by their minister to go apply for welfare and food stamps.
This revisionist crap about HWA owning nothing is Clintonesque semantics at its worst. A church janitor whom I knew could take you to a secret basement room that was just filled with priceless international works of art which had all been purchased with third tithe funds. That, the jet, and several other factors where why church widows were being sent to AFDC! Herbert is revered as being such a righteous holy man, a selfless servant of God, yet who were all these fine material things for? What typical member or minister would crave all of this pretentious art crap, gold silverware, or a gold ceiling for the Gulfstream?
There are going to be some really big surprises for the gullible ones in the future!
BB
yes, the levitical priesthood is history, over, no longer in existance...
and 3rd tithe is tied to the 7 year cycle, which has been lost....so there is no way to keep 3rd tithe anyway.
that being said, we still look after the poor, those in genuine need.
Anonymous said...
yes, the levitical priesthood is history, over, no longer in existance...
and 3rd tithe is tied to the 7 year cycle, which has been lost....so there is no way to keep 3rd tithe anyway.
MY COMMENT: Got news for ya. There was no such thing as "second tithe" or "third tithe". Ain't biblical. "First" tithe is no longer.
Byker Bob said...
Herbert is revered as being such a righteous holy man, a selfless servant of God, yet who were all these fine material things for?
MY COMMENT: Joe jr?
Some of the older ministers are fatherless, so third tithe should go to them.
It sure went to Herbert Armstrong, so I assume it was because he was fatherless at the time.
Unfortunately, the rest of the church fatherless, widow and stranger didn't seem to get that much. I remember the poor widows who would come to potlucks and fill their purses with food as best they could to take home because they were starving.
The poor we will always have with us. Why? Well, within the cult of Herbert Armstrong, the leaders and ministry demand tithes to which they are not entitled (we've covered this) and are making the people poor.
They could have had a comfortable life, but by giving up to 30% of their income (plus a lot more for offerings, building funds, etc), they and their families ended up destitute and wondering how to feed, clothe and shelter themselves -- reduced to survival mode.
And at the same time there were millionaires in the church who told the poor members that God would bless them if they just continued tithing faithfully -- and of course, it never happened.
More empty promises from a dead false prophet.
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