I hope I am not coming across on producing an essay on why you shouldn't tithe or whether there should or should not be tithing.
I accept it as part of doing business for the churches. And if you tithe, I'm sure you feel you are getting your money's worth in services performed and so on.
I am only saying that personally, I cannot ethically go to church if I feel I haven't paid my way like the rest of the congregation (or what is required of me). Perhaps that is one of the seven deadly sins talking (pride, right?) but it just doesn't feel right.
I have actually thought of using the hospitals chaplain though, since I assume he is payrolled and an "employee benefit." (I recently had to care for a child abuse case at the hospital I work at and it kind of got to me)
I don't feel compelled to go to church for social networking/comraderie/fellowship.
That was actually another topic I wrestled with when I was first in business. My ex-partner said I should go join a church so I could meet people and they could become patients. I just didn't feel right doing that but I do know a lot of people do that and some religions are more "fraternal" than others (Mormons, Jews, Christian evangelicals.) in that regard and I probably left some "lost opportunity" on the table.
In that sense, tithing could be considered a good business expense (and a write-off to boot
)
How's that for a financial analysis of something usually very spiritual?
