Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: lieuwen@cs.wisc.edu (Dan Lieuwen) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Tithing Message-ID: Date: 3 Apr 91 07:53:29 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept Lines: 27 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu It strikes me that Jesus never gave an easier standard on the really hard things. He modified the dietary law (although more in theory during his life than in practice), but those laws were not an overly difficult to follow. The ceremonial laws are also relatively easy to follow by comparison to the higher standard Jesus proclaimed in other areas. Not only are we not to commit adultry, we are not to have lust in our hearts. Not only are we not to murder, we are not to hate. These are certainly much harder commands to obey than the ceremonial laws. Given this and the fact that how a person uses there money both forms the kind of person they will become and shows the kind of person they currently are, I think the tithe is the minimum standard. If you wish to give up tithing because you wish to give more to God, that's great. If you wish to give less (for some reason other than great personal hardship--which is likely to be the case of few of us on the net. I'm a grad student, and I'm convinced that if one sets one's priorities right, it's not difficult. It just requires a little discipline.), then you need to take a good look at your motives. Jesus didn't call us to a path with easier requirements. He just promised to help us fulfill them, and to forgive us when we fall (if we sincerely repent and resolve to avoid repeating the offence). Dan