The recent release of the Obamas’ tax returns revealed a level of charitable contributions that New York Times’ readers have found noteworthy. Their comments inspired business columnist Ron Lieber to think about common standards of charitable giving.
“… the Bush 2007 tax returns shows income of $642,905 – and charitable contributions of $78,100 – or 12.1 per cent. The Obama’s 2009 return, on income of $5.5 million, shows charitable contributions of $329,100, or 5.9 percent. The Obamas never took possession of the Nobel Prize money, so it is neither income nor a contribution on their return. … So, on far less income, The Bushes donated a percentage that was more than twice that of the Obama’s.” Carol Penskar CA
Tithing, an ancient practice of giving 10 percent of our income to our religious community, is not a fair method, Lieber figures, as yearly incomes do not reflect one’s true wealth. Why should a chef with a $180,000 annual salary but without savings give more than a land baron of $10 million in land but no income, asks Ben Kessler, financial planner in Lieber’s article.
Once on the topic, Lieber “offers” almost 10 percent of his article on the origins of tithing, and for some reason he introduces it as a Mormon tradition.
“Perhaps the best-known prescription for giving is the Mormon practice of tithing, where members give 10 percent of their income to the church each year.”
Given that the New York Times’ journalist was not lazy and checked that tithing appears first in the Book of Genesis, one wonders what was the goal of the Mormon detour. What is the “Mormon-practice” of tithing? How is it different from the Jewish or Christian tithing mentioned in religious texts thousands of years before Joseph Smith made an appearance?
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. (Genesis 14:18-20)
Tithing comes from the Old Testament, was picked up by the New Testament and ended up in the Book of Mormons. These three sacred books offer no various formulas for how much to give, given that tithing means 10 percent in each of them. But while Lieber’s article gives a clear distinction between tithing and the Muslim Zakat — where 2.5 percent of one’s wealth, not income, must be offered to donation each year — there is no way for the reader to understand why would tithing be a Mormon specialty.
“Bring ye all the tithes… [and the Lord will] open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Malachi 3:10
Mormons take tigthing the strictest and most literal way, but if this was Lieber’s reason for introducing the tighting tradition through their example, God Knows. Without an explanation, however, the Times’ bolded abstract that says “formulas from the Bible, the Koran and the Book of Mormon” remains only a cool teaser of an inaccurate article.
