(no subject)

[sylvar]

DISCLAIMER: This is not a rant. I think Jodi is a good person. Why else would I be marrying her?

This Sunday, Jodi was shocked to hear that I put two dollars in the envelope for church offerings. She thought it was way low; I explained it was all I had, and sometimes I put in a five, but I was never sure exactly what most people do or what was expected.

Then again, I once horrified my aunt when I offered a two-dollar tip on a haircut. I usually went to a six-dollar barber and tipped one, but I knew I was at a classier place so I doubled the tip. My aunt looked at me like I'd just blown my nose with the boss's necktie, and took a few more dollars from my hand and gave them to the hairdresser.

Jodi says she thought it was supposed to be a 10% tithe. If I ever give that much, I want to write a check and get a receipt for tax purposes! She thinks this is pure-dee tacky. I think it's good sense.

I'm also trying to make sense of Deuteronomy 14:25-26, which seems to be saying that I should offer this tithe to God by having a fancy dinner in God's honor. Which I don't object to -- I can see spending two days preparing a feast as a deliberate way to celebrate our blessings. (But I don't think I could spend 10% of my yearly income on it!) Or does this mean I should spend 10% of my income on eating out? I probably *do*.

And then there's 2 Corinthians 8:10-15, which seems to be saying I shouldn't worry about how to carve out an extra 10% from my budget, but I should actually go and set up their spare computer as a web and e-mail server instead of just talking about it.

I dunno; what are y'all's thoughts on all this?

Comments

[segnbora.livejournal.com]

As a member of no church or faith, the $2 seems fine to me. Even more so if it is only an occasional dip down to a low level. (Honestly, if a church actually got 10% of the net income of every member of its congregation, it seems like it would be obscenely rich like the richest monasteries of the Middle Ages.) I grew up with Mom, who enrolled me in Sunday school at St. Joseph's Catholic church but never attended the services herself, so never contributed more than anything required for Sunday school enrollment (I don't know if there was any required fee for it or not). Plenty of churchgoers seem to feel no compunction about stiffing their earthly channel to their God, which is of course one reason why many churches find it so hard to get by. I find it commendable that you give regularly, no matter what the amount. (And if Jodi wants to give more on behalf of you two as a couple, you can write the amount down in that little book of who owes who what, just as if you wrote a check for her sorority dues.)