Comments about ‘Traditions vary for giving praise and passing the plate’

Here in my town in East Tennessee, several Christian churches have name boards as you walk in the front door to show which members have given the most. It's tacky and violates scriptural injunctions given by Christ, but so do a lot of things they do.

The Lord requires its people to pay their tithes and offerings. Tithe meaning 1/10 of their income. This very large misconception in so many churches is the reason so many churches struggle today. That and the preacher/ reverend takes approximately 50% of the money taken in. Filthy Lucre. Shame Shame...

Actually the word tithe simply means "tenth". The bible defines it as one tenth of your "increase". The LDS church defines the word "increase" as "income", but this is not the interpretation in most Christian churches.

As far "filthy lucre", don't think for a second that leadership in the LDS Church isn't compensated. It may not be on the local level, but everyone from misson presidents to the First Presidency receives a "modest living allowance". What that allowance is, we don't know. It's confidential.

THEN WHAT IS THE INTTERPRETATION IN MOST CHRISTIAN CHURCHES?

Christian churches give from the heart, which means: 10 percent is a guideline. Many Christians give more then 10 percent....and anything above that can go to the church or any organization that gives to the needy, etc. They give in many different ways, which includes their gifts and their time.
To gather the offering and bless it, is the reason that it is given within the church (bibical)...and no, pastors do not get 50%; or even 1% that is a teaching that your leadership want you to believe. They are given a salary that is determined by the members of the church.
Pastors do not have 'Counselors that assist' however, there are many volunteers in the congregation that help. Pastors work more thean 40 hours a week....more like, 50 - 60.
Any other questions??

As a Judge Advocate in the Air Force, I had occasions to get involved with some of the finances of the Air Force chaplains. I was also a counselor in an LDS Branch presidency and a financial clerk in other congregations. The donations for the Protestant service at an Air Force base would be minor compared to the donations by the many fewer Mormons at the same base. Interestingly, because the Air Force allocated its subsidies to chapels based on attendance at all meetings, and Mormons go to more meetings a week than other Christians, Mormons actually helped out the other chaplains (Catholic, Protestant and Jewish) as well. When Mormons at a base start meeting off base, chaplain slots for other denominations are reassigned.

Sorry, Raymond...... don't know what your getting at!! What is your point??