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Tithing by Coercion
By Bill McKeever
Most people would be offended at any organization which teaches that in order
to escape damnation, giving of your financial means is mandatory. Yet, this
is exactly what Mormonism teaches.
Mormonism teaches that there are three degrees of glory reserved for those
who have passed on from mortality. These are called the celestial, terrestrial,
and telestial kingdoms. Within the celestial there are three more levels. LDS
leaders have proclaimed that what a person believes and does in this life will
be tantamount as to which kingdom that person will abide in the next life. Interestingly
enough, any level lower than the top level within the celestial kingdom has
been described as damnation.
To clarify this we quote LDS Apostle Bruce McConkie. McConkie stated that
salvation has varying degrees just as damnation has varying degrees. According
to page 177 of his book "Mormon Doctrine," he states that those who
are damned are, "Those who fail to gain exaltation in the highest heaven
in the celestial world, even though they do gain a celestial mansion in one
of the lower heavens of that world." He goes on to say, "The rejection
of any covenant, the gospel, celestial marriage, or any other, assures the rebellious
person of damnation."
If one hopes to obtain the celestial kingdom in the next life, he must practice
what is known as "celestial law." In the words of third LDS President
John Taylor, "We are told that if we cannot abide the law of the celestial
kingdom we cannot inherit a celestial glory" (Journal of Discourses, Vol.26,
p.133).
Brigham Young, Mormonism's second president, stated that if a person hopes
to obtain the celestial kingdom, "it requires a strict obedience to every
point of law and doctrine and to every ordinance which the Lord reveals: in
short, it requires a strict observance of every requirement of Heaven, to fully
prepare a people for the possession and enjoyment of the celestial kingdom"
(Journal of Discourses, Vol.10, p.286).
Having said all this, it should be noted that paying a full tithe is a requirement
under celestial law. Said Mormon Apostle James E. Talmage, "It is important
to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has observed this
requirement from the early days of its history--not because it was operative
in ancient Israel, nor because it was law and custom among the Jews in the days
of Christ, but because it has been authoritatively established through modern
revelation in the Church." Talmage then quoted Doctrine and Covenants 119:
3-4, which reads, "And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my
People. And after that, those who have thus been tithed, shall pay one tenth
of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them for
ever, for my Holy Priesthood, saith the Lord." (The Vitality of Mormonism,
p.207 - p.208).
Our argument is not against tithing per se, all of us at MRM freely give
to the churches we attend. We do so, not as a means to escape "damnation,"
but rather as a means of furthering the ministry of the church. Giving to our
individual churches enables it to spread the Christian message whether it is
at home or abroad. The Mormon may argue that he freely gives of his tithes to
his church and that he does not feel he is being coerced into doing so. This
may be true; however, it is the letter of Mormon law wherein the coercion lies,
not an individual's feelings about the law.
Another important aspect of celestial law is participation in the temple
endowment ceremony. But herein lies the catch. In order to enter an LDS temple,
it is necessary to obtain a temple recommend. A recommend is granted only when
the Mormon has been found faithful in numerous categories, including tithe-paying.
If a Mormon does not pay his tithes, he cannot get a recommend. If he cannot
get a recommend, he cannot go to the temple. If he cannot go to the temple,
he cannot go to the celestial kingdom; hence he receives damnation in the next
life. Consequently, if the Mormon wants to escape damnation, he is compelled
to pay up, whether he likes it or not. This is tithing by coercion, not the
biblical method prescribed in the Bible.
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