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This has been discussed in other forums. I'd like to hear what your take on this.

The following information is circulating in several forums in the internet in which members are said to be paying tithing as a Conditional Donation with the following stipulations:

On the back of their tithing check, the following words are written:
“SUBJECT TO REFUND UPON REQUEST (SEE TERMS AND CONDITIONS).”

They said when they give the donations to their Bishops (or counselors), the check and the tithing receipts are enclosed with the following information:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
· This donation is a conditional donation
· This conditional donation is given voluntarily and will be used by the Church as it sees fit
· The right to exercise for a complete refund of all conditional donations will never be exercise by this member while membership in the Church remains in good status.
· This member reserves the right to exercise a complete refund of all conditional donations upon termination of membership in the Church.
o Upon voluntary termination (resignation) of membership in the Church, this member reserves the right to exercise a request for a complete refund of all conditional donations.
o In the event of an excommunication action, this member reserves the right to exercise a request for a complete refund of all donations.
· All donations are conditional donations, unless otherwise noted.

What would the effect of this if members start to do this in large numbers? Would it be considered unfaithfullness on the part of one doing this?

Don't give tithing to the Church. They aren't being accountable for it. Give 10% in charity to others instead and you are paying full tithe. And of course, if God shows up (or a man of God does and God tells you he is a man of God), then certainly offer whatever aid he requires. Otherwise, I'd just honestly pay tithing as I stated and you'll be fine.

What would the effect of this if members start to do this in large numbers?

Excommunications, withholding TR's, no priesthood advancement, releases from callings, etc.

Would it be considered unfaithfulness on the part of one doing this?

Yes it would.

Tobin wrote:Don't give tithing to the Church. They aren't being accountable for it. Give 10% in charity to others instead and you are paying full tithe. And of course, if God shows up (or a man of God does and God tells you he is a man of God), then certainly offer whatever aid he requires. Otherwise, I'd just honestly pay tithing as I stated and you'll be fine.

Contribution doesn't necessarily have to be tithing. Any donation can be given. We are talking about conditional donation with is allowed on all non-profit organization. We certainly can give donation to any charity. But here we're talking about conditional donations. By definition a gift is completed when funds are transferred from Donor to Donee. The conditions to be met by donee are not likely to happen in the lifetime of the donor for tax purposes thus it's tax deductible.
However, I'm curious as to the legal implication of this stipulation when the actual donation gets deposited into the Church account (with the notations above). Does the Donor have legal standing to request refund in the event the two stipulations were exercised (ie, voluntary resignation or excommunication). This is more of a legal issue and maybe the lawyers in this forum could chime in and give their opinion without giving legal advice (as a professional).

bcspace wrote:

What would the effect of this if members start to do this in large numbers?

Excommunications, withholding TR's, no priesthood advancement, releases from callings, etc.

OK so you mentioned excommunication which is one of the events stipulated in the conditions above, if ever. Once that is done, then member (based on the stipulation) have to right to request refund of all donations, again assuming the church deposited the noted donations into the Church bank account.

By definition, tithing is 10% of your income.

So even if you were to donate conditionally with the stipulations above, your 10% donations for the year is still considered tithing by the very definition.

Similar to Fast Offering which is a conditional donation because it restricts the funds to Fast Offering solely, donating conditionally using a specific purpose other than tithing is allowed. It is tithing to your heart and to the Lord.

Few people would explicitly donate to the Perpetual Commercial Building Fund.

JCNowandForever wrote:By definition, tithing is 10% of your income.

Incorrect.

The doctrinal definition is "A tenth part of a person’s annual increase".

It us up to the individual member to decide what that means.

Drifting wrote:

JCNowandForever wrote:By definition, tithing is 10% of your income.

Incorrect.

The doctrinal definition is "A tenth part of a person’s annual increase".

It us up to the individual member to decide what that means.

The doctrinal definition is actually "one-tenth of all their interest annually" (D&C119:4). And for the most part individual members had decided that it means 10% of annual income. Not 10% of total assets. It's 10% of income

Here's what it also say on the heading of D&C119. "The term tithing in the prayer just quoted and in previous revelations (64:23; 85:3; 97:11) had meant not just one-tenth, but all free-will offerings, or contributions, to the Church funds." Thus CONDITIONAL DONATION IS TITHING.

Has anyone done this lately?