The Practice of Tithing

Tithing is the practice of giving a certain percentage of your income away to a religious or charitable organization each year. In general, ten percent is the amount people choose to tithe, although you can give as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.

In addition, if you are not religious you can certainly tithe a portion of your income to a charitable organization such as Unicef or The Red Cross.

Religious tithes have a basis in Biblical scripture, but New Age spiritualists with no particular faith background find tithing to be rewarding for different reasons. For many who follow New Age or Eastern philosophical and religious backgrounds, tithing is an "automatic" and fail-safe way to ensure a certain amount of good karma each year. Without even thinking about it, a tenth of your income is going to the needy or a worthy cause, so the belief is that the universe will "reward" you in some way as New Age practitioners tend to believe that we sow what we reap.

Furthermore, popular New Age gurus and self-help speakers such as Deepak Chopra talk about the need for money to "flow" in order for greater abundance to come your way. If you are too stingy with your money, such self-help leaders believe, this can lead to a "tightening" of the universe's flow of wealth to you.

Consequently, a tithe is a simple and helpful way to keep this flow of energy and money going, ensuring not only that others are helped by your success, but that you also continue to receive income and riches.

It is also possible that tithing could be used as a tax write-off of some sort; this is another benefit to be discussed with a certified tax professional or investment advisor because I believe it varies based on the particulars of your situation.

Famous Tithers

Well-known tithers include some powerful industrial magnates and innovative leaders. It is reported that J.L. Kraft, who was the head of Kraft Foods, had given around twenty-five percent of his income to various Christian causes. He claimed this tithe to God was the only investment he ever made that produced consistent dividends for him. Similarly, the famed industrialist J.D. Rockefeller was a tither, and has been quoted as saying he began the practice when he was only earning one-dollar fifty cents per week (he would later become a multi-millionaire and one of the richest men in America at his time).

Source: COG Stewardship, http://www.cogstewardship.cc/illustrationtithe.htm