Mitt Romney recently released his tax returns for 2010 and 2011, showing that he and his wife, Ann, have contributed $4.1 million to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (sometimes inadvertently called “The Mormon Church” by the media) over the past two years. Romney, who is a faithful Mormon, follows the practice of paying one-tenth of his income annually in “tithing” to the Church.
Mormon Beliefs: The Payment of Tithes
The practice of paying tithing dates back to some of the earliest recorded times. Tithing, which means “tenth,” was practiced by Abraham (see Genesis 14:18-20), and codified into the religious laws of ancient Israel. The most famous Old Testament reference to tithing is found in Malachi 3:8-10, where the prophet chastises the people of his day for “robbing God” by neglecting their tithes and offerings. In the New Testament, tithing is mentioned in Matthew 23:23. There, the Savior chides the Pharisees for paying tithes while omitting the “weightier matters of the law,” explaining that they should do both. The payment of tithes has been practiced by Christians throughout history, and is still a common practice. Tithing provides for the basic expenses of running the Church, and allows for equal access to spiritual things by all members, regardless of income. The payment of tithing acknowledges that all we have belongs to God, and that we value Him above our material possessions. By returning to Him some of the goods He has entrusted to us, we show that we trust Him to continue to provide for us.
Mormons have payed tithing since the time of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who reintroduced the payment of tithes as part of the restoration of the original church established by Jesus Christ during New Testament times. In a revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1838, the Lord answered the prophet’s direct question regarding tithing with the following words, as recorded in The Doctrine and Covenants, a book of modern revelation from God to His prophets today:
And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord. (Doctrine and Covenants 119:4)
Faithful Mormons believe they should pay tithing regularly, as a voluntary contribution to assist with the expenses of the Church. Mitt Romney’s tithes are an expression of his faith in God and his gratitude for God’s daily care.
The Uses of Tithing
Tithing has traditionally been used to pay the expenses of the Church. Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), from the local level all the way through to the First Presidency, are all volunteers; thus, tithing money is not used to pay their salaries or living expenses. Instead, tithing is mainly used for the budgets of local congregations, to build meetinghouses and temples, to pay administrative costs, and to finance the Church’s missionary, educational, and humanitarian ventures. Mitt Romney’s tithing could have been used to help build a temple in South America or to provide a lesson manual to a Sunday School teacher in Africa. Because tithing is sent to Church headquarters and used throughout the world, Mormons everywhere have access to church temples, meetinghouses, and materials, regardless of their financial status or where they live.
Other Offerings
Tithing is not the only contribution to The Church of Jesus Christ that appears on Mitt Romney’s tax returns. Mormons make other regular offerings to the Church, mostly to help meet the needs of the poor. One of the most important offerings is called a “fast offering.” Fasting is another ancient practice, dating from Old Testament times, that serves the dual purpose of humbling oneself before God and caring for the poor.
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? (Isaiah 58:6-7)
Once a month, Mormons skip two meals and donate the amount they would have spent on food to the local fast offering fund. Administered by local leaders, money from fast offerings is used to help members of the local congregation with basic needs. Surplus funds are sent to regional leaders, where they eventually make their way to the Bishop’s Storehouse, a type of food bank where food, clothing, and household items are available for those who are struggling to provide for themselves.
Other contributions made by Mormons go to support missionary work, worldwide humanitarian aid, educational opportunities for the poor, and temple construction. Each contribution is collected and distributed largely by volunteers, so very little money goes for overhead. Instead, almost all money contributed goes directly to the program it is meant to support. Any money sent by Mitt Romney to the Church’s Humanitarian Fund, for example, went directly to supplies for victims of disasters and other pressing humanitarian needs throughout the world. Money sent as charitable contributions to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is money well spent. Mitt Romney’s taxes reflect his commitment to help the poor, relieve suffering, and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
i have been going to the LDS church for over a year and have been paying tithings.Sometimes i get a strong feeling that this christian organisation gets too much money and very little of it goes to really help the poor and needy..It is so obviously a very wealthy form of christianity. It must get millions of dollars each week/month.Does the church ever say where the money really goes.?????
The Church has given well over a billion dollars to relief in the past couple of decades. You can read all about that here: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/topic/humanitarian-services
Mike ~ Be careful to study the correct modern doctrine about tithing, which comes from D&C 119. Tithing is to be paid based on your surplus, not on your paycheck ~ see verses 1, 4, and 5. Verse 4’s “interest”, does not mean “income”, if you look it up in ANY dictionary. In older dictionaries, or at: WebstersDictionary1828.com, you’ll find that “interest” in the context of these scriptures, and in the definition of the word itself means “profit, or surplus”.
Paying 10% of your income as tithing is only correct to pay when and if “income” means “profit”, which is one of it’s definitions. Not “gross”, not “net”, not “adjusted” – “net-net” after all of your just and reasonable bills and expenses for your self and your family are met. (The talk in the video is just flat-out wrong.) Then, from what you have left over, your surplus, you tithe 10% of that, and make other charitable donations, savings, capital expenses, as you see fit from your remaining surplus.
Abram, the First Tithe-payer, the “Friend of God”, paid tithes out of “his riches which God had given him more than he had need”, not from his sheep or his income, but from his surplus spoils of war. (See your LDS Bible, page 798, JST Genesis 14:39)
Ancient Mosaic Israelites paid tithes on their “increase”, not on their “income”. They are “cousin” words; but an ear of corn with 300 kernels, and a germination rate of only 1 in 3, yielding a stalk with an average of 3 ears, means that 1 ear of corn yielded 300 new ones. “God gives the increase”, all you have to do is plant and harvest.
Livestock like sheep, goats, cattle are fecund, a herd of 100 will usually yield about 30 that live a year to be tithed, even after feeding your family. “God gives the increase”, all you have to do is keep them from wandering into the wolves from the pasture.
D&C 119 shows that a properly figured (low) tithing is only to run the church and expand Zion, NOT for charity. That’s what your fast offerings, and other charity offerings from your surplus are for. The Church is not the charity, it’s People are…
And, No, the Church stopped publishing it’s income and expenditures in… 1958. Nobody outside the top knows how much comes in ($6 Billion to $8 Billion a year estimated) or how much goes out or where ($3 to $5 Billion on the City Creek Mall alone…) We are all in the dark, blind. But, when you pay your tithing the Lord’s way, it takes out the regret.
Albert,
Thank you for your comment. The scriptures teach that tithing is 10% of our surplus. (See Doctrine and Covenants 119: 1-4.) Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught,
In the Lord’s commandment to the people of this day, tithing is “‘one-tenth of all their interest
annually,’ which is understood to mean income.” The First Presidency has said, “No one is justified
in making any other statement than this” (First Presidency letter, 19 Mar. 1970, quoted in
the General Handbook of Instructions, 1989, p. 9-1; see also Doctrine & Covenants 119).
“Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), from the local level all the way through to the First Presidency, are all volunteers…”
This is inaccurate. I don’t know where the money to pay LDS leaders (above the local level) comes from (i.e., tithing or Church investments), but they are indeed paid for their service. From FAIR (Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research):
“Some members of the Church are unaware that at least some General Authorities do receive a modest living stipend. While it is true that some Church leaders receive a living allowance while they serve in a given position, it cannot be said that the Church has a professional ministry in the traditional sense.”
It’s ALL from tithing ! The “investments” fund comes from extra tithing funds, nobody already donating 10% of their paycheck is writing checks for billions of dollars to give to the Church investment portfolio, they write those to their own portfolio…
The “modest living stipend” paid to the G.A.s exceeds $10,000 per month, not counting the all-expenses paid living (you can find recent proof with a web-search). Bishops used to be paid (D&C 42:71~73 & D&C 51:14) but now work half-time for free…
Thank you for your comment. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not mix tithing donations with money earned from its business ventures. Tithing donations are sacred funds that are used for very specific purposes. Elder Dallin H. Oaks explained,
“The Lord has directed by revelation that the expenditure of his tithes will be directed by his servants, the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, and the Presiding Bishopric (see Doctrine & Covenants 120). Those funds are spent to build and maintain temples and houses of worship, to conduct our worldwide missionary work, to translate and publish scriptures, to provide resources to redeem the dead, to fund religious education, and to support other Church purposes selected by the designated servants of the Lord.”
Income from the Church’s businesses are used for other purposes. Essentially, the business assets that The Church of Jesus Christ has today are outgrowths of enterprises that originated in the pioneer era, when the Church was the only organization that could provide the necessary capital to start up certain businesses that were essential for people living in such a remote area. Throughout the years, the Church has sold off, donated or discontinued many of its business ventures. It has held onto several that directly serve the needs of the Church. For more information on the business ventures and how that money is used, see President Gordon B. Hinckley’s October 1999 General Conference address “Why We Do Some of the Things We Do.” President Hinckley said,
“Are these businesses operated for profit? Of course they are. They operate in a competitive world. They pay taxes. They are important citizens of this community.”
Money from the business income, not tithing, is used for the living allowances given to General Authorities and was also used to pay for the City Creek project in downtown Salt Lake City. (See above article as well as President Hinckley’s October 1985 General Conference address “Questions and Answers” and December 2006 Ensign article “Church Releases Plans for Downtown Salt Lake.”) The Church takes its fiduciary responsibility very seriously. President Hinckley said,
“When it comes to the financial circumstances of the Church, we have all funds carefully audited. We have a corps of auditors who are qualified CPAs who are independent from all other agencies of the Church and who report only to the First Presidency of the Church. We try to be very careful. I keep on the credenza behind my desk a widow’s mite that was given me in Jerusalem many years ago as a reminder, a constant reminder, of the sanctity of the funds with which we have to deal. They come from the widow, they are her offering as well as the tithe of the rich man, and they are to be used with care and discretion for the purposes of the Lord. We treat them carefully and safeguard them and try in every way that we can to see that they are used as we feel the Lord would have them used for the upbuilding of His work and the betterment of people.”