Hi Ray,
I am writing this because after reading the comments of the other readers especially the ones that are for tithing, I felt I needed to contribute. I have not read your articles about tithing (and I am planning to do so) but read your responses to other readers' questions and I understood clearly you defining tithing to be different from giving and how you encouraged people to give "wilingly and cheerfully".
It is very annoying to now get the readers that are against what you are saying muddling tithing and giving together because they are not and the pastors of today don't muddle it together. They make it a law and make people feel cursed if they don't pay their tithe. Tithe is by law, offering is as you will, willingly and cheerfully.
I believed in tithing until recently when I was studying Exodus and I noticed that some of the laws that God gave to the Isrealites to be done forever were convenietly left out in our modern day Christianity and tithing which is an old testament law was conveniently carried forward. The Lord will have mercy on us all. Somewhere in the book of Jeremiah, it shows how God said He is going to deal with these so called Pastors fleecing money from His people. We cannot be ignorant anymore.
I will encourage people to give as you will and let your giving be willingly and cheerfully and not by compulsion or obligation.
