A secular case for tithing?
The “The New Tithe” (below) was the winner of this year’s Project Reason video contest. Project Reason is “nonprofit foundation devoted to spreading scientific knowledge and secular values in society.”
The video light on hard facts and gets some fundamental things wrong about what most churches do with their money (ie it’s not all going to huge salaries and fancy buildings). For every church that misuses its money, there are thousands—if not more—who are transparent and responsible with their expenditures. All that said, I do think it’s interesting that someone would make a secular case for “tithing”:
I’d doubt this video will convince many Christians to stop giving to their church. Plus, as the blogger over at unreasonable faith points out in his thoughts on the New Tithe video, most tithing Christians find their local churches to be worthwhile endeavors.
However, it does make me wonder how people outside of my church perceive our churches. Should that change how we use our money? And thinking along those lines, are there guidelines for how a church should use its member’s tithes? Should 10% of everyone’s 10% go to missions for example?
The problem reminds me of the same problem we’ve had since televangelism first hit the airwaves in the 80’s, or earlier. The people out there begging the most for the dollars are normally the scammers. The churches that are truly doing the Lord’s work, including the mega churces not scene or heard from, are not normally the ones anybody hears about.
The video strikes me as a bit self-righteous and hypocrticial since they are basically promoting taking from one organization to give to another based on gross generalizations.(Notice I’m trying to ignore the obvious attack on the church.)
All this said, at the end of the day I think this does make a good point. We are responsible for the resources God gives us. Just because the building has a cross on it, don’t assume they deserve the dollars. Do your homework and find out what they are doing with the money. Yes, the staff needs housed, but not in a mansion. If the funds are not helping the poor, feeding the hungry, spreading the gospel, find somewhere that is.