Mormon tithing
“If paying tithing means you can't pay for water or electricity, pay tithing. If paying tithing means you can't pay rent, pay tithing. Even if paying tithing means you don't have enough money to support your family, pay tithing. The Lord will not fail you."
Tithing is actually voluntary
The church tries to hide the fact that Lorenzo Snow said that tithing is a voluntary payment and not an obligation.
The Teachings of the Prophet Lorenzo Snow guide states:
“In the name of the Lord, I plead and pray that everyone, including women and children, . . . pay one-tenth of their income as tithing.”
https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-lorenzo-snow/chapter-12-tithing-a-law-for-our-protection-and-advancement?lang= eng#18-36787_150_12
The original quote:
“In the name of the Lord I plead and pray that everyone, including women and children,the meanspay one-tenth of their income as tithes.”
Conference Report Oct 1899 Page 28 (about 3/5 down the second column)http://archive.org/stream/conferencereport1899sa/conferencereport692chur#page/28/mode/2up
About half of tithing is spent paying Church employees alone.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kiwimormon/2012/07/new-zealand-mormon-church-finances-a-case-study/
http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends51/0000242451_AC_20131231_E_C.pdf
development of tithing
1837: Bishop Edward Patridge established a voluntary tithe at 2%.
1838: Joseph Smith: D&C 119: Contribute all surplus once and 10% annually to the church.
1841: Quorum of 12: The one-off initial payment of excess is reduced to 10%
1844: Quorum of the 12: Demands immediate lump sum payment of 10% of all property and money from all members and continues to pay 10%.
1845: Quorum of the 12: Self and Nauvoo Temple Committee waive tithing two weeks after re-advising members to pay 10% annually.
1851: Brigham Young: Establishes the penalty of excommunication for non-tithing members. New converts are still required to give away 10% of their possessions at baptism and an additional 10% upon arrival in Utah.
1881: President Taylor: Members must pay tithing to attend the temple.
1899: Lorenz Snow: Reduces tithing to 10% annually. (See quote above)
He also ended the fee that missionaries had to pay to be set apart by a General Authority.
Until 1908, tithes could also be paid in the form of work, food, etc
1910: Joseph F. Smith: Tithing becomes a requirementfor the temple recommend.
1915: A detailed financial report was made at each Spring General Conference.
1959: The Church's last detailed financial report is published.
Sources:
http://puremormonism.blogspot.de/2012/12/are-we-paying-too-much-tithing.html
useful information
During the October 2006 General Conference, President Hinckley stated, "The Church is conducting a major restoration project to preserve the area surrounding Temple Square. While the cost is significant, no tithes will be spent."
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/10/we-bear-testimony-to-the-world?lang=eng
This is a very deceptive statement. Although the funds may technically come from the profits of Church-run businesses or from interest on the vast investment capital, where did the money come from to buy the businesses, stocks, and other investments to make those profits? All that the Church possesses ultimately comes from tithing donations donated by members.
Elder Holland confirmed this notion when he said, "There is no money in the Church except what our members give."
http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/61847/BYU-Hawaii-Ground-broken-for-campus-expansion-project.html(translated from English)
Triad Center
The Triad Center is an office building complex in Salt Lake City. The BYU Business College and Deseret News are also located there. The building is owned by Zions Securities, which is part of Deseret Management Corporation, which is owned by the LDS Church. In 1982, Essam Khashoggi, brother of one of the largest and wealthiest arms dealers in the world Adnan Khashogi, himself, and Elder Dallin Oaks, among others, broke ground on this construction project. Here is a photo of it.
Source: https://freethepresscanada.org/tag/khashoggi
Photo credit: Deseret News clipping
Humanitarian aid
Between 1985 and 2011, the Church spent approximately $1.4 billion on humanitarian assistance. That means the church is spending more money ($1.5 billion) on a mall than it has on humanitarian aid in the past 26 years. The last thing one would expect from a prophet would surely be the words: "Let's go shopping".
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/12/us-usa-politics-mormons-idUSBRE87B05W20120812
Church Debts and Speculations
Official church histories describe the church's $2 million debt in the 1890's as a result of government confiscations of church property between 1887 and 1890. In fact, the debt was a result of massive losses in the church's ties to the mining, sugar, real estate, , banks and investment firms.
For example, in 1894, despite the national economic depression, the First Presidency used $217,000 of tithing funds to establish the Sterling Mining and Milling Company. Within four years, the church lost its entire investment in these speculative mining companies.
In 1930, President Ivins cataloged a loss of "at least six million dollars" by the church in stock and bond transactions over the previous decade.
Patriarchal Blessing
Around 1835, more than a patriarchal blessing was being given to members of the Church. Mostly at the invitation of the patriarch. Patriarchs were then paid $10 a week and received $1 per blessing (1840). So patriarch was more of a profession with income.
"Uncle" John Smith commented that he "lived very poorly since we left Kirtland Ohio" in January 1838 to January 1844. Then his nephew Joseph Smith ordained him a patriarch, "by that calling I received a comfortable life. ( Source: John Smith 1846-1854 autobiography)
The fee for patriarchal blessings was ended in 1902 by Joseph F. Smith.