One of the biggest con-jobs the church laid upon members was the command for members to tithe upon their second tithe. This money was supposed to go to the church where they used it for Feast site support. This money ended up being used for all kinds things other than the feast.
This is from the Hulmerous Church of God on how the COG justifies stealing an additional 10% from members.
Church of God an International Community The October 2016 issue of Church of God News contains an article (p.13-14) by Tim Anderson, ‘Tithe of the Tithe’, a phrase that is found twice in scripture:
Num.18:26 ‘Moreover thou shalt speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up a heave-offering of it for Jehovah, a tithe of the tithe.’
Neh.10:38 ‘And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure-house. For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the heave-offering of the grain...’
Tim Anderson writes: “In 1964 God’s Church faced a crisis. Over 22,000 people would attend the Feast of Tabernacles that year. The next year there would be more than 29,000 (with 12,000 at a single Feast site). Projecting the Church’s phenomenal growth, they were planning on around 140,000 by 1971 [and 144,000 by January 1972, when Herbert Armstrong would make the long awaited announcement of the place of safety], and they had no idea how to accommodate so many people. After much consideration and prayer, God led Mr. Armstrong to the answer: a ‘tithe of the tithe’.”
The WCG were already receiving and spending 100% of the first tithes, so Herbert Armstrong translated this phrase to mean one tenth of the second tithe.
“Today we use tithe of the tithe to refer to giving 10 percent of our second tithe to the Church, to aid in financing the Feast of Tabernacles. Mr. Armstrong instituted this practice in 1964 based on the biblical principles of the Levites giving a tenth of tithes to the priests. It wasn’t a direct command, but the application of a principle found elsewhere in the Scriptures.”
Modern Christianity is always about the money. Always.
ReplyDeleteWithhold your tithes, and watch with utter amazement how quickly the "all-powerful God" will become absolutely helpless to say anything at all.
The Jews probably understand the OT better than most and even they do not tithe. They know that they can't tell people to tithe because the temple is gone and so are the Levites. But, they do urge member to voluntary give 10% to a good cause that will help, as they say, "heal the world." Even if one doesn't want to do this, they suggest, "Do what is right and perhaps in time your heart will catch up with your actions." Pastors sometimes use Mal 3 to say that if the members do not tithe, they are robbing God. Well, since they have no authority to accept tithes, THEY are the thieves for accepting tithes, not the members for not paying it. Also, a pastor might collect money, and claim it is to do the work of God. Then they use the money not to care for those in need (James 1:27) and for mission work (Matt 28) and use it instead to build huge campuses and hire staff, is he not also stealing?
ReplyDeleteI read that as " When you collect the tithes (church) you keep a tenth for an offering." Not from our feast money but from general offerings.
ReplyDeleteOh, how they deceitfully twist scriptures for their own use.
I've read the bible verses and re read them and re read them again. The tithe of the tithe is in reference to the first time, not the second tithe. And not a extra tenth of a tenth either.
ReplyDeleteThe name Jehovah is a invention of a 13th century Catholic monk.
Don't even get me started on this one!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read this a while back, it rubbed me the wrong way immediately.
(1) The 'tithe of the tithe' was given BY the Levites, not TO the Levites. Therefore nobody has any business asking for it from the members. If the ministers want to use it, they need to be the ones giving it; if they want to consider themselves Levites, that is.
By their logic, if the members are giving it, then that would mean that WE are Levites....and as Levites, we'd be entitled to receiving the first tithe.....oops! we can't have that!
(2) Do a little research and see what became of that big auditorium that HWA was going to build with these funds. Short answer: it didn't happen.
(3) Then there's the issue of tithing in general....
It really irks me that things like this are still printed and people just read them without a second thought.
I heard someone (in his early 20s) say in the last couple of years something like, "Why do I need to question it? The minister said it, and that's good enough for me!"
Yes, still learning. It is sinful how they have bamboozled the congregations. All or most of the scriptures that could be twisted to improve the position of the ministry were indeed twisted. Mal. 3 that Steve D points out, I believe, is directed to the priests and/or Levites, not Israel itself though the nation of Israel was damaged because the priests/levites sin cursed the nation. In Mal. 3 the tithe referred to was brought to the treasure house of the temple. this sounds like the tithe of the tithe that Neh. 10 (quoted in the article) describes. Of course, tithing is not in effect as there is no temple and the Levites at the time had no portion in the land-- so to have food the other tribes gave a tithe. Not the situation today.
ReplyDeleteSad about the individual in their early 20's. The minister usurped, by permission, the responsibility of the young man's father (and/or mother) to teach him. His response is that of a child.
"Can two walk together unless they are agreed?" The COGs loved this one-- if you aren't agreed with us you are not part of us --they taught. However, and they knew this (or should have known), that the verse really should be translated "can two walk together unless they agree to?" See the difference? The answer to the proper translation is rhetorical as two simply cannot walk together without agreeing to do so for any distance (they will naturally veer off or one will go faster or slower). However, the incorrect translation the COGs used dumbs you down. The answer to the false translation would simply be "of course". Many a time I have walked together with someone I disagreed with. I was able to do this because we decided to walk together and discuss our differing viewpoint.
So many other self serving interpretations of scripture by the COGs.
I'm curious about something; maybe Dennis can answer it.
ReplyDeleteWere ministers in WCG days required to pay first tithe? What about second tithe?
(I'm sure they didn't pay third, or tithe-of-the-tithe!)
Just wondering; thanks.
One of the things I find very troubling, is how the ministers of these groups will seek out these types of scriptures ad nauseam to use for their benefit, but literally miss dozens of others that tell them how to behave as a minister. I think with our kids, we call it selective hearing. With this particular ministers, we can call it selective reading. Don't you dare bring those scriptures up to the ministers, we are not the inspired ones ��
ReplyDeleteThankfully I never tried to join the Worldwide church because I had a cousin who was in that cult and he gave every f**king bit of his hard earned money to those as shoes and to this day has NOTHING to show for it except a failed marriage, lost his home in the divorce and his kids hate his guts.
ReplyDeleteIf the scriptures where not even divinely inspired then of-course it was humans that made-up that law of tithing and wrote it in a book. Besides it is clear, even if you believe the bible is inspired by God, that the tithing law was intended for the Isrealites and the Isrealites alone. Remember the gentiles where not required to tithe.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Dennis can clear this up but, I was told that the ministers were given money, or had all their feast expenses paid. Maybe tithe of tithe was really for that??
ReplyDeleteIt was common practice that the ministry paid NO second or third tithe, taking out of context, the scriptures where the Levites were to get a portion of "All" the tithes.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, those who worked for the church also often took on this mantle as part of the "work" and didn't pay third tithes.
The ministry (paid) did receive a check prior to the Feast, for their expenses, even though some even managed to use the free rooms given by the Feast city, so they double dipped here too.
I was an AC student in the early 70's and was also told we were part of the work, thus also exempt from 3T.
When I buy the kids M&Ms , I make them give me a tithe of those M&Ms for ME! .
ReplyDeleteIf they complain then it gets upped to second tithe, third tithe, offerings and building fund M&Ms ! LOL ;-)
When I buy the kids M&Ms , I make them give me a tithe of those M&Ms for ME! .
ReplyDeleteIf they complain then it gets upped to second tithe, third tithe, offerings and building fund M&Ms ! LOL ;-)
I wonder if the pastors could pay their festival expenses using their expense accounts? I suspect that money sent to HQ for one purpose was used for something else altogether, such as third tithes used to remodel pastor homes, etc. I wonder how much of the third tithe went to those in need versus those "in greed".
ReplyDeleteWorldwide had its oligarchy. If you were in the ministry, you had special privileges, but those varied depending on your position and how you stood with those in power. The only third tithe help I ever got as a ministerial position holder was some desperately needed dental work a sympathetic minister arranged for me. I had to save my own second tithe, but I did not pay the third.
ReplyDeleteAllen C. Dexter
Fruitcakes. No one ever paid 2nd tithe to the church.
ReplyDeleteOnly excess 2nd as a freewill gift.
Nck
Ernest L Martin proved back in the 1970s (The Tithing Dilemma) that Tithing is illegal today, and further that tithing had nothing to do with personal income or money. It was 10% of the produce OF THE LAND (Israel). It's purpose was to FEED the priests while performing their duties at the Tabernacle/Temple. When the priests weren't servicing in the Tabernacle/Temple they had other jobs in their various cities scattered through the land.
ReplyDeleteYes, and a few years ago, Exit and Support had a link to the website of a rabbinical student turned evangelistic Christian who did a series of sermons on the error of modern-day tithing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting though was that this guy was totally anomial (no law) but thought we should celebrate Hanukkah.
Tithing is a total scam. As was pointed out, only agricultural produce was ever tithed. Wages were not. Jews of today do not tithe because there is no functioning priesthood and no temple. They support the synagogue and rabbi by a system I'm not familiar with but it is not called tithing.
ReplyDeleteAllen C. Dexter
OK, I checked it out online, and Jews support the synagogue by paying for seats in that synagogue and some seats are very expensive and can amount to more than a tithe would. That is legal according to the scriptures, but tithing without a functioning priesthood and temple is not.
ReplyDeleteAllen C. Dexter
I no longer have any regard for any church or minister or their right to demand tithes, Nor do I think religious organisations should be tax exempt. They're businesses, pure and simple, and they should contribute to the support of the public services they use. It's not fair for me or anyone else who sees through the charade to have to subsidise their being able to peddle their packs of lies.
ReplyDeleteAllen C. Dexter