Question: Why should members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pay their tithing to it when the Church already possesses immense resources?

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Question: Why should members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pay their tithing to it when the Church already possesses immense resources?

Introduction to Question

On 17 December 2019, The Washington Post reported that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds over 100 billion dollars in a tax-exempt investment fund. The information was obtained from the brother of a former member of the Church named David A. Nielsen. Nielsen was an investment manager for the Church and filed a complaint with the IRS on 21 November 2019 “[accusing] church leaders of misleading members — and possibly breaching federal tax rules — by stockpiling their surplus donations instead of using them for charitable works. It also accuses church leaders of using the tax-exempt donations to prop up a pair of businesses.”

A salvo of insightful responses were drawn from Latter-day Saints in light of this news and published in online venues. The pieces provide in-depth discussion about the ethics of holding that much money in reserve (and show clearly how the Church may very well be justified in its current financial practices). The reader is strongly encouraged to read these.

This article doesn’t seek to defend the Church on the question of whether or not it is ethically justified to hold that much money in reserve (the author believes it does). Rather, the author wishes to answer a tangential question that has arisen because of this news: Why should a member of the Church give tithing donations to it when it already holds that much money and can accomplish so much with what it already has? Certain Church members have already written that they do not want to donate to the Church when it already holds a lot—feeling that the Church would be better served by donating their money to the poor before the members resume tithing donations.

Response to Question

Several reasons can be enumerated for paying tithing even given the Church's current resources.

Obedience to God

The first and most important reason is that we have been commanded by God to donate tithes. Section 119 of the Doctrine and Covenants is the revelation that inaugurated the tithing commandment in this dispensation. It clearly teaches us to pay one tenth of our interest annually, that those that don't observe this law are not worthy to abide among the Saints, and that if we don't observe the law collectively as a body of Saints that we cannot be counted as the Lord's people.

The blessings for paying tithing are also said to be invaluable. The famous scripture from Malachi 3 teaches us to "[b]ring...all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." The Lord has taught us to be obedient to all the words and commandments that proceed from Him through the mouth of the prophet in all patience and faith.

George Albert Smith related the following story in the June 1947 issue of the Improvement Era magazine:

One day on the street I met a friend whom I had known since boyhood. I had not visited with him for some time, and I was interested in being brought up to date concerning his life, his problems, and his faith, therefore I invited him to go to a conference in Utah County with me. He drove his fine car (the make of car I was driving had not been received into society at that time). He took his wife, and I took mine. . . .

As we drove home, he turned to me and said: . . . "You know I have heard many things in this conference, but there is only one thing that I do not understand the way you do."

I said: "What is it?"

"Well," he said, "it is about paying tithing."

He thought I would ask him how he paid his tithing, but I did not. I thought if he wanted to tell me, he would. He said: "Would you like me to tell you how I pay my tithing?"

I said, "If you want to, you may."

"Well," he said, "if I make ten thousand dollars in a year, I put a thousand dollars in the bank for tithing. I know why it's there. Then when the bishop comes and wants me to make a contribution for the chapel or give him a check for a missionary who is going away, if I think he needs the money, I give him a check. If a family in the ward is in distress and needs coal or food or clothing or anything else, I write out a check. If I find a boy or girl who is having difficulty getting through school in the East, I send a check. Little by little I exhaust the thousand dollars, and every dollar of it has gone where I know it has done good. Now what do you think of that?"

"Well," I said, "do you want me to tell you what I think of it?"

He said, "Yes."

I said: "I think you are a very generous man with someone else's property." And he nearly tipped the car over.

He said, "What do you mean?"

I said, "You have an idea that you have paid your tithing?"

"Yes." he said.

I said: "You have not paid any tithing. You have told me what you have done with the Lord's money, but you have not told me that you have given anyone a penny of your own. He is the best partner you have in the world. He gives you everything you have, even the air you breathe. He has said you should take one-tenth of what comes to you and give it to the Church as directed by the Lord. You haven't done that; you have taken your best partner's money, and have given it away."

Well, I will tell you there was quiet in the car for some time. . . .

About a month after that I met him on the street. He came up, put his arm in mine, and said: "Brother Smith, I am paying my tithing the same way you do." I was very happy to hear that.

We Want the Church to be As Powerful as Possible

Tithing's greatest function is ensuring the continued flourishing of the Kingdom of God on the earth. The Church uses tithing funds to build chapels and temples, fund missions, fund private scholarships, fund five different universities and colleges, fund the seminaries and institute program, etc.

There may be other things as well that top Church leaders will use the money for that do not include what we typically expect but that will still be vital for the continued flourishing of the Kingdom. There has to be a significant purpose for the Church to have that amount of money being saved without spending that we’re simply not being fully informed of and there has to be a reason for not telling us what that purpose is.

In any case, we want top Church leaders to have as many resources as possible to do with it as they see fit.

If Church leaders make a mistake in how they invest their money, then the sin is on their heads. Our covenants still need to be kept while the Lord straightens out poor allocation practice.

No Evidence that Church has Used Tithing Funds Inappropriately

That said, there's no evidence that the Church has used tithing funds inappropriately.

The Church already donates a lot of money as it is to charity and humanitarian efforts. An interview published by Tad Walch in the Deseret News on 14 February 2020 with the Presiding Bishopric of the Church revealed that the Church gives 1 billion dollars annually in humanitarian and welfare spending.

If Wanting to Benefit a Particular Cause, The Best Thing to Do is Indicate it on the Tithing Slips Themselves

The slips where one records the amount of donation for tithing contain dedicated sections where one can indicate whether they would like funds to go to missionary efforts, humanitarian efforts, fast offerings, or other projects. The best thing that one can do is indicate on this slip where they would like their funds to go. The rest should be left in the Lord's hands.

Conclusion

It's not uncommon to have ethical questions like these. The Lord's program seems to always be that we should uphold our end of our bargains and then allow him to deal with those that don't uphold theirs. Our job is to love him with all our "heart, might, mind, and strength" by keeping his commandments and serving him. He'll take care of the rest.

Notes