Let's do math. Average household income in America in 2014 was $73,298 (Census). 10% = $7,330. Multiplied by membership of churches in America, approx 56 million. Grand total $410,480,000,000. I know not everyone gives and some give more. So these are all estimates. But I like math so...

When I was younger, I would put a dollar or two in the plate as it was passed around, but I never tithed (gave ten percent of what I earned). Quite frankly, it always bothered me when churches would ask you how much you made so they could verify that you were actually tithing, like Assembly of God.

I quit tithing after I learned of "seed faith".

I did tithe but not at 10%. Tithing at 10% before taxes with no consideration to bills, food or anything else was too much bs for me swallow. I just couldn't do it. I did give what I felt was reasonable. I looked at it as the church need money for the lights, heat, activities, etc. I honestly didn't think of it as giving money to God. I still try to get back to the community in other ways now such donated needed items to the homeless shelter or to a Pregnancy Crisis Center.

I didn't become hostile to the Christian church until it turned on me, after my ex left me for a younger woman.
Also, the past two elections inspired the alt-right to raise their ugly heads, and many of them were my Christian friends.

Until then, I attended happily and also donated, since churches I attended had outreaches to the community; helping immigrants get jobs and learn English, helping single mothers repair their cars, stocking food pantries for anyone in the community who needed help, getting Christmas presents for local charities to donate to poor families, etc, plus they had ski trips for the kids, fun parties.

Certainly not. 10% is a ridiculous amount. In the church that I attended with my parents, you simply placed a numbered envelope (or cash, if you were not on their books) in the plate. But the quarterly magazine listed donors at the back, except for those requesting anonymity. My parents chose anonymity for themselves and me. We lived in the first street of the parish, and were the first house with occupants that attended that church, so we were given the numbers 1, 2 and 3 so that no one would know who we were. Except nearly anybody who knew where we lived, of course.

I never ' attended a church ' I was forced to go by my deluded mother. No, I never paid any tithe, I paid in sheer boredom. To piss my mother off I used to take comics to read. If I fidgeted she used to squeeze my thigh and twist it to cause me some unholy pain. How I hated church. When I became older my girlfriend and I told our parents that we were attending each others churches, which enabled us to go to the seaside and spend some much more enjoyable time in the back seat of the car, much better than church ! Time passed much quicker when you were enjoying yourself.

I was brought up somewhat religious and did donate. My attitude was "I can only do my part, if the money is wasted well I did at least try". My attitude hasnt changed that much, I try to make sure charity donations are used wisely but there is only so much I can do.

My mom stopped taking us to church when I was five (thank goodness), but I remember how the ushers would collect money and then take it into a little side room/office. I used to think God was sitting in there waiting for the money, lol.

I tithed faithfully, and never did really suffer from that practice. Some of us are just gullible, or maybe we were addicted to the opiate of the masses. I wish I could have been as smart as most of you.

I was a Catholic We don't really have a doctrine of tites but I would occasionally contribute when they passed basket at mass

I stopped going to church when I was thirteen. That is when I was no longer forced to go. Then When I joined The Marines, The senior drill instructor made everyone goes to church in boot camp. Once I finished basic training I never went back and I never gave any tithe.

Emerald.Jewel you did the right thing not giving a donation I think in the USA it is even more money grabbing when I see Billy Graham on the news he is nothing but a money grabbing conman.but even in NZ the curches pay no taxes and no land rates and their buildings are on prime ral estate.

When I was going, I bought into the "God will reward you" BS.

I donated for several years myself at a time that I was struggling to hold my head above water and when it came time to ask for help I was told to believe harder, and that my faith was weak for me to be in the situation to have to ask. I (basically was shamed for asking.)

When they told me to pray, I told them that I had and I had been instructed to ask my brothers and sisters because God would help them find a way because we had all things in common. I received $35 (FAR less than I had given) and excuses about pastors salaries, missions, and building funds.

In honesty though, that was also about the time that I started to rethink about the things that H had been taught, and started to dig a little deeper.

I’d usually put a couple of dollars in the collection if I had it to spare.

I was given 2 pennies to replicate a poor woman bible story giving "her all" and refused thereafter when I was 5 years old....preachers drive newer cars because poor people tithe

I never paid them. Hell no!

No, I never payed it, and I was never in the circumstances that they asked me to. Never stayed long enough. Every time I visited a church, I payed for my presence that day, like in the cinema. The churches have embraced the one line in the Bible that talked about the tithe. 10% of your income is quite something. 10 people and the minister has an average salary. 30 people and he has enough money to maintain the property and pay for the heating. The thing actually is that people see it more or less as an indulgence. The price to go directly to heaven. I don't think it works that way, but when they believe it, it's okay with me.

In my most recent live-in, share expenses, like-married relationship, "we" gave my partner's church thousands a year. Ugh.......

No

When I was a Christian for 37 years I gave a tithe. Never really received anything for it except that I was able to itemize my deductions on my taxes. Now I usually end up taking the standard deduction but at least I am not losing a tenth of my income!

I worked as a church secretary for awhile but didn’t attend. When I had to send tithe notices out I was appalled at the fact that members had to pay 10% of their income or risk losing their membership. What a racket!!

I have never been a member of a church as an adult, but when I was little my mom used to let me put money in the basket that was passed around at a Catholic church. I always thought it was odd that my parents gave 10% to the church, yet the greedy bastards begged for more every Sunday by passing the basket. It was expected that you put money in the basket every week. Give more, or look like a loser.

As children we were each given a dollar to put into the plate which we did but I have never been in church as an adult except for a wedding or funeral. And cub scout meetings held in one during non hours so I have never given any of my own money to a church.

I never paid because in the bible it says to give back but it does not specify to do so to the church. It actually says to give back to the community so if you give a homeless person $1 or donate to a worthwhile charity you've given back or gave food to a family in need or even an animal cuz it doesn't slecify humans only. Only later did the church start asking as a way to fund itself and line their pockets.

Oh c'mon guys. Who's going to pay for the upkeep of all those marble statues, gold plates and linen vests at the Vatican. I mean, they have a lifestyle to maintain. Oh, and check out Creflo Dollar and his "prosperity doctrine", with his 30 million dollar private jet.

I think you're all a bunch of stingy ingrates