How Much?

[Credo]

       I understand that Christian's are not bound by the 10% tithing law as were the Jews (though some Prots would love to be Jews!) Now what is an acceptabole amount of money to give to the Church, it being a precept to support the Church. To give you somethng to go on, I get about $270-$280 every two weeks. So should I be giving $27 or $28 over the course of two weeks?

       As a side note, what do y'all think about Prots and their tithing talks? They make it seems as if one can buy the blessings of God for simply giving 11% or more any given Sunday!

[CatholicLady]

Credo...It really is impolite and offensive to use the term "Prots" when refering to Protestants.

[DominusTecum]

Hi CatholicLady,

 

We don't use the term to denigrate them. Rather, "Protestant" is a very common word on this forum, and it's rather laborious to type out. Hence, "Prot" is a good abbreviation. If this thread were directed specifically to Protestants, then naturally, we wouldn't use it, because it might offend them, which would not be of benefit to anybody.

 

Credo: I think that tithing is a laudible practice. It is encouraged, or rather, not discouraged. However, with living expenses what they are, low incomes, etc., tithing is impossible for some. You should give what you can, so that it is an inconvenience to you. (Ie: if you make $100 a day, giving $5 a week at Mass doesn't cut it  ) If I could tithe, I would, but my income is ~$150 a month, here at college, and I simply cannot afford to pay $15 into the collection plate. Most of that goes to gas for me to get to Mass in the first place, then there is food, money for laundry, etc. Of course, I always try to skimp on some things so that I can scrape together money to give, but it's not easy. I consider myself lucky if I am able to give $5, which is a pitifully small sum. So, in short, no, tithing is not mandatory, and we should give as we are able.

[CatholicLady]

Eric..I understand the reasoning behind using the term "Prot", but still do not like it.  As a former Protestant, I still find it offensive....I know you do not mean it that way, though.  I'll just continue writing the word out....It only takes a few seconds longer.... 

[Credo]

 

 

We don't use the term to denigrate them. Rather, "Protestant" is a very common word on this forum, and it's rather laborious to type out. Hence, "Prot" is a good abbreviation. If this thread were directed specifically to Protestants, then naturally, we wouldn't use it, because it might offend them, which would not be of benefit to anybody.

 

 

        The use of the term "Prot." is, as stated above, an abbrevaition. As for it being offensive, I truly cannont think of one convert to the Catholic faith who did so because the Catholic Church is so non-offensive. Insults rarely get one too far in that arena anyway. If one really wants to get a Protostant, just start to talk about all the comical contradictions inside the movement.

        Good luck DominusTecum with your money problems. I get around $540 a month and still have a hard time!

[Helga]

 

       I understand that Christian's are not bound by the 10% tithing law as were the Jews (though some Prots would love to be Jews!) Now what is an acceptable amount of money to give to the Church, it being a precept to support the Church. To give you something to go on, I get about $270-$280 every two weeks. So should I be giving $27 or $28 over the course of two weeks?

       As a side note, what do y'all think about Prots and their tithing talks? They make it seems as if one can buy the blessings of God for simply giving 11% or more any given Sunday!

I have understood that we are to give 5% of our GROSS income to the Church.  The other 5% goes to other charitable causes. 

 

As to how the Protestants tithe, the man who cuts my hair is an evangelical Christian (and NOT gay, btw!  ) who has tithed for years.  At his church (Assembly of God), he has to provide a copy of his 1040 from the feds, and the church tells HIM what to give.  He is very faithful to this--even when he and his wife fell on hard times--his pastor told him to trust in the Lord and keep tithing no matter what.  His wife did not work outside the home, although at one point they did live in the apartment above a funeral home and supplemented their income (or had reduced rent--cannot remember which way it worked) by cleaning up the 'wake' room after a showing.   They home schooled their two boys, and apparently, it all worked out.  He and his family lived simply--in a humble part of town, drove an older car, limited discretionary spending--well, when you don't have much, you have to!  They even bought a house! 

 

I have heard from people who tithe (some Catholic churches used to ask parishioners to do this), that they have a deep sense of peace of mind and heart. 

 

I always figured that as long as I am paying Catholic school tuition, that I will tithe of my time (in addition to my monetary contribution), in a sense, since my budget only goes so far!  At one point, when all four of my children were in Catholic schools, I was paying out around $1300 + a month for tuition for all of them--this was about 8-9 years ago. 

 

I am down to one child in school,  but now I am a widow, so, I have to be careful money wise! 

 

I think the main consideration in to tithe or not to tithe is to be a cheerful giver and not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing!!

[winoblue1]

A trustworthy and reliable priest told me that if one is a wage earner, one is to contribute one hour's wage per week to the collection plate.

I use this as a good rule of thumb.

 

As to the use of abbreviations, i find "Prot" to be less offensive that NO (Novus Ordo) when referring to the official church.

 

I was a bit leary when a previous post mentioned the "internal contradictions within protestantism" WATCHOUT,, we have our own 'internal contradictions' which is the whole reason the SSPX exists...  ie. as a movement to resolve these...

[BarJonas]

Quote: "Credo...It really is impolite and offensive to use the term "Prots" when refering to Protestants."

____Catholic Lady

 

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In response...

 

What then would be an accurate, unambiguous way to refer to those who wittingly or unwittingly reject the One True Faith and villify and condemn those who hold to it. I was once protestant (for 35 years, both liberal and fundamentalist) and in retrospect would have been truly grateful to have been confronted squarely much earlier in my life about the soul-endangering lie that "protestantism" is... whether through slur or polemic, given what's at stake. Was it impolite and offensive when Our Lord Himself referred to the Religious "leaders" in His day as "vipers and hypocrites", and to the Jews who contended with Him as being "of your father the Devil"?

 

That said (with no apologies to Emily Post), cowtowing and false "tolerance", the hallmark of the counterfeit "church", are not in the least bit Catholic. IMHO, I suggest we refer to those outside the Church by their given names, and not lull them into a false sense of security by giving an implied "credence" or acceptance of  the term "protestant". Catholic charity does not consist (or 'subsist', as some would have it) in a cup of tea and a foundational intent not to "offend" at whatever cost. Prudence, patience, gentleness yes... but tempered with an unwavering militancy in Truth, which involves the use of words and labels in a true and clarifying way.

 

Again, IMHO.

 

BarJonas