To get by with economic troubles should you still be donating 10% of whatever income you have to your church or whatever charity of choice?

I just read this article about this couple who have lost both of their jobs. They're getting by and are actually hoping to take an entire year off before having to return to work so they can both spend more time with their children. The article talked about how they were handling things including using the food bank and at the end of the story it said that they still were giving 10% of their reduced income to their church. Something that they were very proud of.

And maybe I'm wrong but, in our case, when our incomes dramatically changed, charity givings were cut way back though I never used any outside source to feed my family. And maybe that just is me. I don't know.

What do you think?

Tithing is different than charitable giving. If the food bank from which they are receiving food is affiliated with a Christian church, it would probably support their decision to tithe. My church would. Think of the story of the widow's mite.

I don't know about their decision to take a year off. I wouldn't do that unless I could be completely self-supporting. It just sends the wrong message to their children, imo.

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We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.
C. S. Lewis

In my opinion, if you are at the point that you have to use a food bank to feed your family, you should be on the RECEIVING END of charitable giving/tithing FROM your church. The church that you have been giving to all these years should now be giving something back to you until you are on your feet again, through whatever programs they offer.

I think if you can afford to tithe or give $ to your favorite charity, that is great. But, if you are in such financial binds that you need to tap into special programs, then charity begins at home. You should help yourself first.

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You do what you do with a clear heart/head. If donating 10% of a reduced income makes you proud, great..if you stop because you struggle to feed your family, great too..whatever you do with a clear conscious is the right choice for you.

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I just wanna live while I'm alive...

Agreed!! That is what your church is there for! If have been giving money to the church and then end up being unemployed, they are there to help! I wouldn't tithe if I had to take money from a food bank, church based or not.

Wanted to add: If they have 10% to give to their church, why not save that and buy some of the food for themselves so people that don't have 10% to give away can get food from the food shelf.

I hope the food bank they are using is run by the church they are tithing to.

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"The Christian does not think that God will love us because we are good, but God will make us good because he loves us."- C.S. Lewis

totally agree.

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SILENCE IS GOLDEN BUT DUCK TAPE IS SILVER.