Huntsman Sr. Calls Tithing "Club Dues" NOT Charity (link)

[Guest]

Huntsman Sr. says he doesn’t count tithing as charity

SALT LAKE CITY — Jon Huntsman Sr. recently said in an interview that he doesn’t consider tithing as philanthropic giving and that people should be more willing to donate to charities.

Huntsman, 77, was featured in Forbes on June 23, where he talked about his membership in The Giving Pledge. The Giving Pledge was founded to encourage billionaires to donate half of their wealth to charity and includes other famous philanthropists like Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

Huntsman has given away $1.5 billion — or about 80 percent of his total wealth — to various causes and charities, according to Forbes. However, that total does not include his tithing of 10 percent of his income that he has given to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tithing money typically goes to fund the costs of building LDS temples, churches and supporting missionaries, according to Mormon.org.

Huntsman said he doesn’t include his tithing as charitable giving.

“My philanthropy is not borne out of my faith,” he told Forbes. “They require 10 percent tithing. I don’t consider that to be philanthropy and I don’t consider it to be part of my philanthropic giving. I consider it as club dues. People who put money in the church basket and people who go to church and pay the pastor: that isn’t real philanthropy, that’s just like you belong to a country club.”

[_Tator]

Are membership dues tax deductible?

If not, Huntsman, should not be using his tithing as a deduction but I but I bet he does.

[Guest]

Malachi 3:8-18 King James Version (KJV)

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye 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.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

Malachi 3:8-18 Inspired Mormonicious Version (IMV)

8 Will a man rob Mormon Man god? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In club membership dues and donations.

9 Ye are blacklisted with a curse: for ye have cheated me, even this whole membership.

10 Bring ye all the membership dues into the clubhouse, that there may be meat and wine and caviar and fine cigars and such in mine clubhouse, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Pride, if I will not open you the windows of the lost and found, and pour you out the unclaimed (that I could not sell at my thrift store), that you shall sell at a garage sale so I can receive the proceeds.

11 And I will rebuke the competing clubhouses for your sakes, and they shall not be found in the society pages, or have flattering stories spread about them; neither shall your fine clothing go out of style before the time in the season, saith the Lord of Pride.

12 And all the Prideful shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome club, saith the Lord of Pride.

[_Spektical]

Doesn't sound like a very TBM thing to say.

[_Mormonicious]

This also creates a big dilemma!

Do you pay your tithing before your club dues?

And since they are the same, do your not pay either to become financially responsible and use the money to start a savings program?

[_Quasimodo]

This also creates a big dilemma!

Do you pay your tithing before your club dues?

And since they are the same, do your not pay either to become financially responsible and use the money to start a savings program?

Tough call!

If you pay your dues at the Salt lake Country Club, you get access to the best golf course in Utah and other great facilities.

If you pay your LDS tithing you get assigned janitorial duties.

Hmmm. Which should it be?

[_Kishkumen]

This Huntsman guy is AWESOME.

[_sunstoned]

Huntsman calls it like it is. It is gutsy to hit the topic that is so close to the heart of the Q15.

[_moksha]

Extolling charity is like a kick in the groin to conservatives, who will gladly fork over tithing now for accrued Celestial annuities.

[_sock puppet]

Huntsman Sr. says he doesn’t count tithing as charity

SALT LAKE CITY — Jon Huntsman Sr. recently said in an interview that he doesn’t consider tithing as philanthropic giving and that people should be more willing to donate to charities.

Huntsman, 77, was featured in Forbes on June 23, where he talked about his membership in The Giving Pledge. The Giving Pledge was founded to encourage billionaires to donate half of their wealth to charity and includes other famous philanthropists like Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

Huntsman has given away $1.5 billion — or about 80 percent of his total wealth — to various causes and charities, according to Forbes. However, that total does not include his tithing of 10 percent of his income that he has given to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tithing money typically goes to fund the costs of building LDS temples, churches and supporting missionaries, according to Mormon.org.

Huntsman said he doesn’t include his tithing as charitable giving.

“My philanthropy is not borne out of my faith,” he told Forbes. “They require 10 percent tithing. I don’t consider that to be philanthropy and I don’t consider it to be part of my philanthropic giving. I consider it as club dues. People who put money in the church basket and people who go to church and pay the pastor: that isn’t real philanthropy, that’s just like you belong to a country club.”

The $1.5b to charity has got to piss the FP/12 off. Had Huntsman kept, and earned say 8% per year, that'd be $120m. Tithing on that would be $12m per year.

Essentially, Huntsman's $1.5b to charity is at a cost of $12m per year loss to the LDS coffers. I'd call Huntsman's the gift that keeps on giving.