Tithing

[WhiteDove]

This subject came up on the who deserves your money thread I saw this study by the Barna group in an article today

Christians vs Atheists Who's being more Stingy.

Only 5% of Americans gave away 10% of their income to any charitable origination in 2007.

Evangelicals were the elite with 24% tithing

83% gave at least $1,000.00

Charismatic or Pentecostal 11% tithed

Conservatives 12%

Protestants 8%

Catholics 2%

Atheists and Agnostics less than 1%

"Born again adults remain the most generous givers in a country acknowledged to be the most generous on the planet," said the veteran researcher. "But their donation decisions must be seen in the larger context of the changes occurring in a wide range of religious behaviors. With millions of people shifting their allegiance to different forms of church experience, and a more participatory society altering how people interact and serve others, many Christians are now giving their money to different types of organizations instead of a church. They attend conventional churches less often. They are expanding their circle of Christian relationships beyond local church boundaries. And they are investing greater amounts of their time and money in service organizations that are not connected with a conventional church.

I was surprised at the percent of Catholics, I thought they would have rated higher.

Here

Edited June 8, 2008 by WhiteDove

[Oakspear]

I would have thought that evangelicals, conservatives, penecostals, et al would have been higher.

[waysider]

It's ironic, really.

You would think that, on a statistical level, Bible readers would be the most likely to at least stumble on the scriptural reality of what tithing represented in the O.T. and therefor be the least likely to practice it.

But then again, most of us read Christian's Should Be Prosperous and blindly accepted it as being accurate.

Edited June 8, 2008 by waysider

[WhiteDove]

I would have thought that evangelicals, conservatives, penecostals, et al would have been higher.

Now. Now. be nice or else I'll be forced to comment on the pathetic less than 1% the Atheists and Agnostics managed to scrape up.

Edited June 8, 2008 by WhiteDove

[Oakspear]

Now. Now. be nice or else I'll be forced to comment on the pathetic less than 1% the Atheists and Agnostics managed to scrape up.

I wasn't being sarcastic, I was basing my observation on the assumption that the types of churches that I mentioned taught tithing.

Being brought up Catholic, I'm not surprised that they were that low. Very few Catholics that I knew gave 10% or more and were shocked that I was giving that much when I joined up with TWI.

Frankly I'm not surprised at the low numbers for atheists and agnostics. To me it seems logical that if you're going to a building every Sunday that is asking you for money, even if it is in a low key manner, you're going to give more than someone who isn't in that position, all other things being equal.

[jen-o]

actually, i'd be interested in how christians compare to agnostics and atheists in giving to charitable organizations OTHER THAN CHURCHES..

(sorry for the caps, i'm on webtv and can't bold or underline it)

what i mean is: i'm interested in how the groups compare if you subtract the money given to pastors or for building expenses and maintenance, etc.

i'm interested in money given directly to help people (for food, housing, orphanages, medical expenses, etc. etc.)

i saw a study about this somewhere (who knows if i can find it), but the results were the same... christians far outgave agnostics and athiests in these non-church categories...

peace,

jen-o

p.s. having been raised "catholic", i too am not surprised by those numbers... grandma & grandpa normally put a dollar in the offering envelope... 5 dollars was reserved for special occasions (this was 40 years ago... but still)... on the other hand, the money they spent on all those novena and mass cards probably added up... modern indulgences, you know...

Edited June 8, 2008 by jen-o

[Twinky]

My understanding is that Muslims are required also to give 10% of their income away. Not necessarily to the mosque but give it away to those in need.

Muslims don't even figure in this breakdown.

"Christians vs atheists" is so much putting people in boxes. It's a false distinction.

[WhiteDove]

I wasn't being sarcastic, I was basing my observation on the assumption that the types of churches that I mentioned taught tithing.

Being brought up Catholic, I'm not surprised that they were that low. Very few Catholics that I knew gave 10% or more and were shocked that I was giving that much when I joined up with TWI.

Frankly I'm not surprised at the low numbers for atheists and agnostics. To me it seems logical that if you're going to a building every Sunday that is asking you for money, even if it is in a low key manner, you're going to give more than someone who isn't in that position, all other things being equal.

Jeno and Oak

As I understand it this study was about tithing 10% period Thats why I bolded the word any . I guesss I should have done the whole line.

Only 5% of Americans gave away 10% of their income to any charitable origination in 2007

As far as I see that was not limited to churchs but included any charitable orginization. That means if one gave to save the earth that would be included. I am surprised at the Catholic percent growing up we always got the tithing envelopes mailed to our house. It was preached in our church, they even had a program where if you tithed you could attend the Catholic High school at a discounted rate or sometimess no fee. I just talked to someone the other day that have kids going there. $4,000.00 a year......

Edited June 9, 2008 by WhiteDove

[WhiteDove]

i saw a study about this somewhere (who knows if i can find it), but the results were the same... christians far outgave agnostics and athiests in these non-church categories...

Jeno

In answer to your question I think that is correct if I'm reading the quote I posted at the start correctly.

"Born again adults remain the most generous givers in a country acknowledged to be the most generous on the planet," said the veteran researcher. "But their donation decisions must be seen in the larger context of the changes occurring in a wide range of religious behaviors. With millions of people shifting their allegiance to different forms of church experience, and a more participatory society altering how people interact and serve others, many Christians are now giving their money to different types of organizations instead of a church. They attend conventional churches less often. They are expanding their circle of Christian relationships beyond local church boundaries. And they are investing greater amounts of their time and money in service organizations that are not connected with a conventional church.

[jen-o]

My understanding is that Muslims are required also to give 10% of their income away. Not necessarily to the mosque but give it away to those in need.

Muslims don't even figure in this breakdown.

"Christians vs atheists" is so much putting people in boxes. It's a false distinction.

twinky, did you read the article?

(obviously, whitedove is only referencing a small part of it)

the barna research group analyses statistics about americans...

i know you have a much higher percentage of muslims in england...

further, the barna research group focuses on statistics about christians... hence, the more detailed information on the various christian groups...

surely, a research group has the freedom to research whatever people groups they like (without being labeled as "putting people into boxes")

i am sure there are other research groups that focus on muslims or other religious groups...

still, the barna group did include americans associated with non-christian faiths as a distinct category (although there was not a detailed breakdown about this)

a comparison was made amongst all the various groups...

it's just that christians (specifically, evangelical christians) fell at the high end of the spectrum while secularists (atheists and agnostics) fell at the low end of the spectrum... hence, there was more discussion about that...

here are a few more statistics taken from the article:

The median amount of money donated during 2007 (for all americans) was $400; the mean (average) amount was $1308.

evangelical christians donated an average of $4620.

non-evangelical christians donated an average of $1581.

christians who are aligned with a church but who are not born again donated an average of $865.

americans who are associated with non-christian faiths (this would include muslims) donated an average of $905.

atheists & agnostics in america donated an average of $467.

these figures are all for the year 2007...

and do represent all donations to non-profit organizations (including both churches and all other non-profit entities)

hope that clarifies it a little better...

peace,

jen-o

hi whitedove,

i don't think it was just a study about tithing... but rather a study about all donations (by americans) to all non-profit organizations...

i agree; the donations were not limited to churches...

and although only 5% of americans "tithe" per se, 84% of all americans did make donations in 2007... with over 1/3 of all adult americans making donations of $1000. or more... and 4 out of 5 evangelical christians making donations of $1000. or more...

i think americans are a very generous people... :)

peace, jen-o

p.s. we must have been posting at the same time...

i agree with the last conclusion you posted!

"Born again adults remain the most generous givers in a country acknowledged to be the most generous on the planet,"

:)

Edited June 9, 2008 by jen-o

[WhiteDove]

hi whitedove,

i don't think it was just a study about tithing... but rather a study about all donations (by americans) to all non-profit organizations...

i agree; the donations were not limited to churches...

and although only 5% of americans "tithe" per se, 84% of all americans did make donations in 2007... with over 1/3 of all adult americans making donations of $1000. or more... and 4 out of 5 evangelical christians making donations of $1000. or more...

i think americans are a very generous people... :)

peace, jen-o

p.s. we must have been posting at the same time...

i agree with the last conclusion you posted!

"Born again adults remain the most generous givers in a country acknowledged to be the most generous on the planet,"

:)

I guess this means I can still come to dinner......... :)

[jen-o]

I guess this means I can still come to dinner

only if you stop insinuating that i insinuate that you insinuate that i am insinuating anything... LOL

lambchops?

:P

jen-o

[WhiteDove]

I saw a study about this somewhere (who knows if i can find it), but the results were the same... christians far outgave agnostics and athiests in these non-church categories...

So why is that any theories? I have observed the same, not only in financial giving but in volunteering time in service.

[waysider]

May I point out that donations, financial sharing and volunteering time to perform services are not what is typically being referred to when people talk about a "tithe", which is considered a REQUIRED contribution. Yes, I know that, technically, a tithe is 10%. I think that fact is somewhat extraneous to the discussion. Hence, "tithing" and "giving", in general, should probably be examined separately and independent of each other.

Edited June 10, 2008 by waysider

[My3Cents]

This subject came up on the who deserves your money thread I saw this study by the Barna group in an article today

Christians vs Atheists Who's being more Stingy.

Only 5% of Americans gave away 10% of their income to any charitable origination in 2007.

Evangelicals were the elite with 24% tithing

83% gave at least $1,000.00

Charismatic or Pentecostal 11% tithed

Conservatives 12%

Protestants 8%

Catholics 2%

Atheists and Agnostics less than 1%

"Born again adults remain the most generous givers in a country acknowledged to be the most generous on the planet," said the veteran researcher. "But their donation decisions must be seen in the larger context of the changes occurring in a wide range of religious behaviors. With millions of people shifting their allegiance to different forms of church experience, and a more participatory society altering how people interact and serve others, many Christians are now giving their money to different types of organizations instead of a church. They attend conventional churches less often. They are expanding their circle of Christian relationships beyond local church boundaries. And they are investing greater amounts of their time and money in service organizations that are not connected with a conventional church.

I was surprised at the percent of Catholics, I thought they would have rated higher.

Here

Those numbers don't fit with my experience. The people I know who give the most are agnostics by belief. In fact for this kind of poll I think any gift that's expected as part of a church membership or (worse) taught by clergy that you should give so much is not at all the same kind of giving that I'm talking about - I'm talking about gifts of money, and in some cases whole family foundations created to do things that they believe will make the world a better place for future generations. And why did that survey leave out so many other religious groups? Jews that I know give a lot. I'm not familiar enough with any Muslims or Buddhists or Taosist or pagans to know what their giving habits are but I think they should be included in a survey.