Talk:Tithe
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Cut the Melchizedek episode?
This long historical background on Melchizedek in the middle of the Tithe page seems inappropriate. I'm not sure who originally created this section, but if they're watching this page, I hope they'll voluntarily reduce it and/or move it to the Melchizedek page. Most of the information is already included on the Melchizedek wiki page, and a simple link to it should suffice. The other information regarding Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek is appropriate and should remain here. I've only been using Wikipedia for a few days, so I'm not sure how this suggestion will be taken, or if it will even be noticed. Funhistory 19:08, 7 Feb 2005 (UTC)
- I agree. After reading the episode I don't see how it figures into the concept of tithing directly. (I'm changing my tune from an earlier posting after having read the episode more carefully.) billlund 13:05, May 22, 2005 (UTC)
- The anonymous author of this section added something similar to the article in "Melchizdek," which in the mean time has been deleted. Further, the salient points seem to be covered by other sections of the whole article, with more substantiation. I deleted this section as being redundant. billlund 22:46, May 22, 2005 (UTC)
More on Tithe vs. Taxes
I want to thank DJ Clayworth and Frecklefoot for their help in tidying up my contribution. I had wanted to put the two NT quotes (Matt 23:23 and Lk 11:42) in two columns opposite each other, but I couldn't get it to work -- it it even possible in Wikipedia??? Assistance and advice is always welcome. Regarding the external links: I just left what the original contributor had written, eg. England and Ireland, and his links. I didn't feel comfortable just whacking them. I didn't check them out, but I share your view that if they are too obviously slanted, they probably should be cut out entirely. Were it my article alone, I never would have included them. About the Taxes: in Mesopotamia, they were simply that, "Taxes." My argument in the text is that, set against voluntary contributions, "taxes" makes good sense. I know they went to support the Levites, which is different from the situation in Abraham's homeland. In the original Mesopotamian -- taxes. In the Hebrew situation -- O.K. something like tax-like. Thanks again. 217.88.116.139 18:19, 7 Oct 2004 (UTC)Chuck Eypper217.88.116.139 18:19, 7 Oct 2004 (UTC) Bear in mind that the temples throughout the ancient Near East could levy taxes as well as the central government!
Tithe vs. Taxes
I should point out, tithes were not taxes but rather they were tax-like. In certain crucial respects they do not qualify as taxes - mainly, from being too arms length from governments. Even so, they still affected payers the same way, so correcting this technical point needs to respect the spirit as well as the letter. I'll leave it a while. PML.
Extern Links
I just started looking at some of the external links. They were all dumped in at once by an anonymous user (24.236.198.191) and all seem to be anti-tithing. While everyone is entitled to their views, I don't think just giving out anti-views is a good approach to NPOV. Sorry I didn't have the time to check them all out, but can someone please look at them and do some, er, trimming? At the very least, if someone has some pro-tithing links, please add them! That way we could have two sections in the links, clearly marked as "Pro" and "Anti" (or "Con"). Thanks! —Frecklefoot 22:31, 29 Jan 2004 (UTC)
- This thread is quite old but all of the links in this section are very much opposed to the practice of tithing. Although it may be useful to include POV links in an article in an attempt to show the source of controversy, it seems like we are unbalanced here. I can add a link (http://www.lds.org/topics/0,8170,1569-1-124,00.html) to the LDS Church teachings on tithing, since it is practiced, but that can cause its own problems. Anyone care? If not, I think we should just delete the links. billlund 02:54, May 26, 2005 (UTC)
Tithes in European countries?
At least here in Finland Evangelical-lutheran church collects (governmental tax office does this) one percent (not ten percent) from income of members of the church. Here is also other christian churches... So it would be interesting to know about tithes in other European countries, is it really collected somewhere?
- I'm going to move the paragraph on France down with the other paragraphs about official state collection of "tithes." I think we should also structure these entries as subentries to a section on government collection of religious offerings. billlund 12:56, May 22, 2005 (UTC)
LDS Tithing
Members of the LDS Church (or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) are required to pay tithing. Could somebody please put some reference to this on the page on tithes?
- Members of the LDS Church are not "required" to pay a tithing, but it is a commandment from God and an expectation of the church. Paying a tithe is also a requirement to participate in the LDS temple, specifically, to receive a temple recommend so that the member can participate in the ordinances of the temple. (There are copious Wikipedia entries on all of this.)
- Personally, I don't think that an entry regarding this for the LDS Church is appropriate in this article since no other denomination is specifically mentioned. I also think that bringing in specific practices of denominations would make the article contentious and unwieldy. Let's not do that. billlund 12:52, May 22, 2005 (UTC)