Big Isle pastor conflicted about welfare tithings

[Kerry]

A news report I'd like to read:

Big Isle pastor conflicted about welfare tithings

For some time now I've felt uncomfortable receiving tithings from church members whom I know to be receiving federal/state/county financial support for rent or food. It doesn't seem right for me to be accepting money from church members who in turn get the money they donate to my church (and my family) from generous tax paying community members, money ostensibly required to help them make ends meet. Most agree that church tithings are not essential homeowner budget expenses.

The thinking of a welfare applicant goes something like: [I'm having a hard time financially. Can you (my tax-paying neighbors) give me some money to help with my rent and food?] What the applicant doesn't say is that because the community is helping them financially they now have some money left over to give away. In this case, they give it to me, their pastor, and to my family, so that we can pay our bills. It could even be thought of as taxpayer money supporting a religion. The premise being, a cleric's job is more important than anyone else's and so they don't have to pay taxes for teaching and supporting a belief system.

My consideration might be easier for church members to see if these welfare recipients were using their "discretionary" income to buy lottery tickets—for certain we would not want them gambling with our tax money. As The Godfather trilogy reveals, many "sinners" operate from a premeditated intention to scam others for their entire life, and then, when fear sets in, with their church's blessing, they donate a large sum to their church in hopes of salvation; what never seems to be discussed is the correlation between a church's acceptance of certain negative karma donations with the relatively stagnate growth of its membership.

FYI: The money I receive from church members who are welfare recipients amounts to more than 50% of our weekly tithings. Of the approx 120 Big Isle churches (members of the Hawaii Council of Churches) listed on the Big Isle, many with several branches; this amounts to more than 200 church services that collect tithings each week.
 
A significant number of Big Isle residents are agnostic or atheistic, many satisfy their spiritual needs through other means; this community, if they had a choice, if they were asked, would not be funneling money to me, my family, or our church's projects—as it is, many have considerations about any church sending money to other countries, especially with the increasing number of Big Isle homeless people and the fact that our food banks are struggling to meet the needs of our own malnourished children. Of course, we clergy ignore [politely yet abusively, non-verbally, invalidate] anyone who disagrees with us; we arrogantly refuse to see the wisdom of their point of view—in spite of the fact that for generations the collective leadership-communication skills of all clerics continue to produce us/them and poverty in our own communities.

Although receiving welfare money without the express permission of all taxpayers bothers me I'm unwilling to tell my congregation to not tithe if they are receiving any financial assistance; if I did I wouldn't be able to meet my own financial obligations. If truth be told, I've set up life to be dependent upon those who are having financial problems to support my survival. Worse, yet, I support members in deceiving taxpayers; that is to say, church members hide from their tax-paying neighbors that they use some of their welfare money for church donations. The premise: An ethical person deserving of welfare, one who receives enough money to be philanthropic, requests less from welfare. Responsible philanthropy is something one does when they have met all their own financial obligations (bills paid on time including child support payments) and their health, car, and home insurance, and their retirement fund—till then they should voluntarily donate their time or services to non-profits.

I mention the above because of the correlation between our country's present financial predicament and the fact that though we are ostensibly a Christian nation, our clergy have not been successful in supporting its congregations (including Wall Street investment bankers) in operating from integrity. I'm unaware of any pastor who asks his/her congregation, "How many of you are receiving welfare benefits?" or, instructing them, “If you have a broken financial agreement with someone, such as child support, pay them first before tithing, or, first asking the person to whom you owe money, 'Would it be alright if I don't pay you now, and instead tithe to my church?'” To give away money that is truly not yours is unethical; clergy who receive such money become responsible (cause) for the undesirable consequences of the donor's continued financial karma.

One responsible way to handle this problem is for a welfare recipient to save the money they would tithe so that they eventually would no longer need the community's financial assistance. Another solution would be for churches to conduct monthly surveys to see who needs food/shelter in our community before they send money to another country. Every struggling non-profit on the Big Isle could use the thousands of dollars spent each year sending proselytizing missionaries and cash to other countries.

As an airline attendant advises, "Put on your oxygen mask first, then your child's." A financial model that works is: Take care of self first, (to include your health, car, and house insurance, and your retirement fund—so that you won't be conning others for financial support during your golden years), then family, then your next-door neighbor, then those on your street, and then your community/world. The leadership-communication skills it would take for you to affect a prosperous community are the exact same skills it takes to have magnificent relationships and to having the world work.

Read Consequences of tithing while receiving welfare.

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Last edited 1/7/24