Cougar Club donation in lieu of tithing

[SoonerCoug]

I, too, imagined you were mostly joking. Assuming you're not, I'll just point out that if you're worried enough about not paying tithing, how then can you not be worried that God might not approve of your decision to support "His" football team over items of more pressing importance?

I'm not worried because I'm convinced that God is also a member of the Cougar Club.

[falafel]

I'm not worried because I'm convinced that God is also a member of the Cougar Club.

There's going to be some major rejoicing on Saturday then!

[Viking]

So I'm contemplating donating more to the Cougar Club and paying less tithing. I'm not sure if there is anything wrong with this, since the Cougar Club is a direct extension of the LDS Church. It would be my way of making sure my money is going to a worthy cause instead of paying for an excessively fancy chandelier for a temple. Anyone have thoughts about this alternative approach to tithing?

Do it.

[Solon]

Forget the Cougar Club. They don't need your money. Give it to a poor kid who can't afford to go to school, not to some organization that'll use it to pamper (semi-)talented athletes who've never had to work hard at anything in their lives except avoid honor-code indiscretions.

Seriously, though, I wish I could pay all of my tithing as fast offerings. My stake community needs the money desperately, and I'm reluctant to support some of the stuff that the COB decides to spend money on.

[byu71]

I try very hard not to think about where tithing money goes. When I do I dismiss the thought rapidly.

For me the decision is do I pay or don't I. Once I decide, IMHO, it isn't for me to think about if it is spent properly. I have done my part and am not reponsible for how it is spent.

I came to this conclusion once when I donated a penny stock to the church. It had gone from .10 to .30 in about 1 month. About a week after it went back down to .10. I was feeling a bit guilty so I called up those that handle donations and asked if they sold my stock, I didn't want to take credit for inflated tithing. They told me, I needed to decide whether I had given full value or not. I explained that was what I was trying to do and needed to know if they sold it. The guy kept putting me off. Finally he said, it is none of your business whether we sold it or not.

That is when I decided, with tithing, "out of sight out of mind", it isn't my deal anymore.

[UtahDan]

Right, that's all I'm saying. I guess in theory I could just not pay tithing, but I think that might make God upset. So I figure I'll pay it, but just allocate it as I see fit.

This is sound. I am going to stop fasting on fast Sunday and instead fast every day between the hours of 10:30 pm and 5:30 am, which actually adds up to much more fasting that two meals once a month!

[beefytee]

This is sound. I am going to stop fasting on fast Sunday and instead fast every day between the hours of 10:30 pm and 5:30 pm, which actually adds up to much more fasting that two meals once a month!

But then you would miss your shake for breakfast and lunch. You can't just get by on just a sensible dinners.

Or did you mean 5:30am?

[UtahDan]

But then you would miss your shake for breakfast and lunch. You can't just get by on just a sensible dinners.

Or did you mean 5:30am?

Hmm, that is an important detail to foul up, isn't it?

[Eddie]

If I thought you weren't trolling, I'd say you were being awfully generous with somebody else's money.

Wasn't that an old General Conference talk? Some guy told one of the GA's that instead of paying tithing or fast offerings he would take the money he would've paid and put it into an account. When he saw someone in need he would give it to them. Purchasing food for a out of work family, shoes or a coat for a kid who didn't have one, etc.

He asked the GA what the GA thought of his plan. The GA's response was that he thought he was being awfully generous with someone else's money.

I concur with your thoughts that this is a troll. That aside, I know how I would feel if rather than giving me my check on payday my employer sent me a list of the items he had purchased for me with the money.

[SoonerCoug]

He asked the GA what the GA thought of his plan. The GA's response was that he thought he was being awfully generous with someone else's money.

I think the argument that it's someone else's money only applies if one believes in an ex nihilo creation. Mormons do not believe in an ex nihilo creation. http://en.fairmormon.org/Creatio_ex_nihilo

[YOhio]

If I could, I wouldn't pay taxes. But I suppose I would allocate where my money should go if it was my choice.

Freerider.

[beefytee]

I think the argument that it's someone else's money only applies if one believes in an ex nihilo creation. Mormons do not believe in an ex nihilo creation. http://en.fairmormon.org/Creatio_ex_nihilo

Does this mean I don't own my house because I didn't make it appear out of nothing?

I'm sure God has ownership of the Universe fair and square.

[SoonerCoug]

I'm sure God has ownership of the Universe fair and square.

You sound like an apostate. Since when does the Mormon God own the Universe? I think the doctrine is that he owns a couple of solar systems or something.

[All-American]

I think the argument that it's someone else's money only applies if one believes in an ex nihilo creation. Mormons do not believe in an ex nihilo creation. http://en.fairmormon.org/Creatio_ex_nihilo

You'll have to explain that to me.

[WashingtonCoug]

I decided to start donating heavily to the missionary fund. If the missionaries are successful and baptize a lot people, then it wouldn't stand that BYU would have a much larger recruiting pool? Now I just need to figure out how to make sure those funds go directly to the missions in Florida, Texas and Southern California.