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< Criticism of Mormonism | Online documents | For my Wife and Children (Letter to my Wife)
Chapter 21 - The Translation | A FAIR Analysis of: For my Wife and Children (Letter to my Wife), a work by author: Anonymous
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Chapter 24 - Church Spending |
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The definition and requirements of tithing have varied at different periods in the Church
The simplest statement we know of is the statement of the Lord himself, namely, that the members of the Church should pay 'one-tenth of all their interest annually,' which is understood to mean income. No one is justified in making any other statement than this. [1]
At the October 1899 General Conference, President Lorenzo Snow delivered a talk on tithing.“I plead with you in the name of the Lord, and I pray that every man, woman and child who has means shall pay one tenth of their income as a tithing...” (Conference Report, October 1899, p .28. http://archive.org/stream/conferencereport1899sa/con ferencereport692chur#page/ 28/mode/2up)
Again, the early brethren knew some were so burdened they had no means to pay. However, in a piece of disturbing information, an edited version of this statement was reprinted in the lesson manual Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow, ch.12: Tithing, a Law For Our Protection and Advancement.
“I plead with you in the name of the Lord, and I pray that every man, woman and child ... shall pay one tenth of their income as a tithing” (Teachings of Lorenzo Snow manual, p.160. www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-lorenzosnow/chapter-12-tithing-a-law-for-our-protection-and-advancement?lang=eng)
The removal of the phrase “who has means” demonstrates that the modern Church is not above misrepresenting the truth to ensure being paid above the individual needs of members.
The Church taught that tithing was only payable on the surplus income after all other living expenses were covered. Also, if a person did not have the ability to pay they did not have to. This doctrine has been deliberately hidden from the members.
There is no man or woman who can not pay one tenth of what he or she receives. [2]
President Snow is not exempting anyone in the Church from paying tithing. He did not qualify his statement to exclude the poor or destitute. A Church member who has no income does not "have the means" to pay tithing, and such will not prevent them from obtaining a temple recommend. This was true in President Snow's day just as it is true now.
Notes
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