The Tithing Controversy

The principle of cheerful giving and its tributary of prosperity preaching seem to have outshone and overtaken salvation—the underlying raison d’etre of Christ’s first coming and the very bedrock of Christianity—salvation! The ever-potent rhetorical thought of the pointlessness of wealth amassing to the detriment of salvation appears to be have been muffled into painful oblivion. The distorted view about tithing bandied about by modern churches is understatedly lamentable. Evidence of sophistry in tithing and seed-sowing offerings has not just reached epic proportions, but has relegated Christ’s mission to the background. Joshua’s plan—tithes—formulated to ensure fairness in ancient Israel has become the cash cow and a subtle ploy of modern charlatans. Basing its authority on Biblical verses, the piece seeks to shed a much-needed light on the topic while seeking to impede the deceits of those “clergy” of whose calling God is oblivious. Underlying Reasons for Tithes Tithes were invented as a solution to assist the Levites who were left out of the “inheritance”—the inheritance being the lands Joshua was dividing among the twelve tribes of Israel. The scriptural basis for tithing appears in Deuteronomy 14:22-29 and the oft cited and clichéd Malachi 3:8-10. In Deuteronomy 14:22-29, it becomes apparent that one’s produce from the field must be tithed and the producer and his family must eat that tithe. The instruction does not give the slightest hint of tithes being the church’s right. Therefore, the Bible’s enjoining that tithes be taken to and eaten in the House of God may be suggested to be symbolic—accentuating one of the dominant themes permeating the Bible. In tithes, the fear of the Lord is cited just as baptism means being born again and the Holy Communion, eating Christ’s flesh and drinking His blood. Consequently, the searing falsehood that puts monetary value on tithes becomes poignantly disconcerting. Despite the indispensability of money in contemporary economics and way of life, the truth is that tithes have nothing to do with money! This is evident in verses 24-26 of Deuteronomy 14 where if one cannot carry their tithe because of distance, they are required to exchange it for money, which should in turn be traded for whatever one desires. Crucially, those who claim there was no money in those days have their answer! However, the desire for pompous lifestyles—as opposed to humble living—has brought about a grand disregard of the scriptures, where so-called pastors lift and cling onto Biblical verses they can falsify facilely to fool many gullible a Christian. Believing that we perish for lack of knowledge (Hosea, 4:6), this article aims to subjugate modern confidence tricksters who exploit the Bible to perpetuate their lavish lifestyles. Levites and Tithes: Veritas vos Liberabit Thus, the Latin phrase prefixed to this section with its anglicised rendition of “The truth shall set you free” informs both the scriptural meaning and a common-sense approach in demystifying tithes. Nowhere in the Bible is it written that tithes are to fund the administration of churches nor the remuneration of the clergy; fattening the latter who appease the needy congregants with the utopian “sugarcandy mountains” reminiscent of the timeless Animal Farm. Tithes were not completely earmarked for the Levites; the Israelites were not to forsake them when enjoying their tithes. The same request not to forsake the Levites was extended to include strangers, orphans and widows. Being a specific means to helping the have-nots, a full inquiry is required to establish why the modern, non-Jew clergy should even ask for tithes with the abundant evidence in the Bible (ibidem and Joshua, 18:7). Modern churches’ unbridled claim to tithes—a birthright of Levites—demands first, the identification of a Levite and the quest to corroborate if the contemporary clergy belongs to that special tribe. Therein lies the greatest disgraceful scam ever devised by humans to outwit their credulous peers! Let the scriptures be cited on how Jesus’ death makes every pastor a Levite and hence Jews of everyone! The Bible is unequivocal on why the Levites should be helped with part of tithes: they have no inheritance/land and not because they do God’s work (see Deuteronomy, 14: 27, 29). The agricultural economy at the time meant that the Levites could not survive without help from fellow Israelites because they had no lands. Since the reason for helping the Levites was not because of the “priesthood of God [being] their inheritance” (ibidem), it beggars belief that modern educated, working pastors demand tithes. And how morally charming the whole phenomenon becomes when a rich pastor fleeces the poor congregants by employing the mistranslated text in Malachi that says those non-tithe-paying people are cursed. Common-sense Theorising about Tithes Tithing is one of the symbolic ways of showing the fear of God—a theme that pervades the entire Bible (Proverbs 9:10; 1:7 and Psalm 111:10). It is patently obvious that the present-day clergy cannot lay claim to being the helpless Levites who, even imbued with the zeal to farm, had no land on which to work. The legitimate question is on whether or not tithes should be paid. The modern pastor is not a Levite and the agricultural economy being almost non-existent coupled with the fact that modern pastors are educated and have the ability to take employment mean that they do not deserve tithes. The Bible posits that at the end of every three years, tithes kept in the storehouse be brought out to feed the Levites (they are redundant now), strangers, orphans and widows. Are there churches following this very humane dictate of the scriptures? In the negative response to this rhetorical question, tithes should be paid directly to the needy in society and to charitable organisations rather than entrusting them to a few sordid people whose selfishness and personal welfare take over any godly considerations. Moreover, in the twenty-first century where tax-collecting governments bill citizens over ten per cent to build roads, schools, hospitals and for supporting welfare funds, no unregulated organisation (including churches) should collect tithes from its members. The average twenty per cent tax each citizen pays is clearly more than the ten the Bible requests. And if tithing means a tenth, what happens when a farmer has nine sheep and not ten? Concluding Comments In summary, the philosophy of coercing people to give and the threat of curses for not paying tithes are quite un-Christian. The Bible is littered with giving from the heart but not grudgingly. Christ Himself made a fitting example of the widow’s mite. The shocking tale of Ananias and Sapphira’s perfidy and its outcome in Acts Chapter 5 is an excellent example why nobody should be forced to give to God. Moreover, if Christian means of Christ, then Christians’ actions must bear a semblance to Christ’s. His excruciating metaphor—camel going through the eye of the needle and the rich entering God’s Kingdom—must not be lost on anyone; for, it underpins humility against opulence, which has become a byword of the modern clergy. In fulfilling the scriptures, He sat on a donkey and not a flying horse. Hence, the sophistry-filled rationales supporting so-called Men of God driving about in flashy cars, acquiring private jets and expending immorally huge sums of money on their birthdays must be rejected flatly. The point is not that blessed people should not help the church financially. But it must be remembered that a penny from the heart is more of a blessing than a cargo of gold given begrudgingly. Using one’s resources to help the needy in society must be encouraged as tithing. The despondent penchant of the modern clergy to “cite scripture for their purpose” (with apologies to Shakespeare) is disturbing. Since ignorance is not strength in God, woe unto those whose witless grasp of the subject of tithes is tantamount to mass deception. Thomas Dickens.

Skulduggery on Professor Mills' Death

The premature and startling death of Professor Mills in 2012 cannot be ignored until the truth is out. I had to hold my fire on the eve of the first anniversary of the tragedy since the topic was hammered to such a crescendo that my opinion would have been drowned in the countless monotonous effusions on the issue. My innate conviction is that the former president was murdered! This controvertible point does not even acknowledge the incessant rumour-mongering that greeted the Professor’s cessation. The argument borders on the bungling public-relations faux-pas which were highlighted in trying to adduce various reasons for the Professor’s demise. This piece is not conspiratorial; the raison-d’etre of this article only relies on logical-cum-critical inquiry into Professor Mills’ bereavement—a demise which to all intents and purposes was orchestrated – just like the palace coups of yesteryears—for the sake of maintaining the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in power with the hitherto confirmed rumour that the peace-seeking gentleman was planning to resign from Ghana’s presidency. It is an open secret that the late president had a few health concerns and notwithstanding the worn-out metaphors on the abruptness of that preordained blow; Professor Mills’ death was indeed unexpected! In the perplexity following the announcement of his death, Ghanaians were informed that “a massive stroke” was what sent the Professor to his early grave. This reason was then followed by elaborations of how he lifted his hands up into the sky and proclaimed: “Oh God, into your hands do I lay my soul!” The massive-stroke invention would have washed until its embellishment of hand-lifting and loud-voice purported prayer triggered a few critical questions to be posed. For clarity, a stroke is a cerebrovascular accident which results in the rapid loss of brain function culminating in the inability to move one or more limbs, incapability to understand or formulate speech (see Donnan et al, 2008) and so on. These rudimentary details about stroke makes Dr Cadman-Mills’ story (the Professor’s brother who confirmed the hand-raising and the prayer story) sound highly unbelievable and at best a piece of concocted tale told in the Ananse style especially when the stroke suspected to have killed Professor Mills was so severe as to warrant the adjective “massive”. Unless, the Professor was such an archetypal superhuman who defied the symptoms and effects of stroke! That brings into sharp focus the “massive” nature of the stroke which made it imperative for blood to ooze from his nostrils and his earlobes. This, according to the fictitious stories, led to his instantaneous death in another breadth. And yet, this same massive stroke brought to the fore the messenger of death before the Professor who was permitted to make one last speech of committing his soul into the hands of God. I learn that blood oozing from nostrils and ears is symptomatic of poisoning despite ascribing it to cancer—one of the diseases believed to have bedevilled the Professor. Moreover, the unconfirmed reports of the late president dying at the Castle before being rushed to the 37 Military Hospital, the much ado with ambulances; his being rushed to a maternity ward notwithstanding the Military Hospital being equipped with a presidential suite; the non-existence of a hospital record and being shoved from pillar to post all leave much to be desired. Though these rumours may be denied vehemently; the truth shall stand either for posterity or at the “judgement seat of Christ”. As the above thought was being contemplated, Seth Ofori, the late president’s former Press Secretary let slip the truth on Joy FM’s “Newsfile” programme of 28th July 2012. On that programme, Mr Ofori who was arrayed in mourning attire bashfully confirmed that, four days before the Professor’s death; NDC gurus were jostling for the vice-presidential position! It is capital to recall that President Mahama was the vice-president and that the clamouring for that position can only be suggested to affirm the fact that vice-president Mahama was going to be promoted. The aforementioned struggle for power represents the most consummate epitome of villainy with respect to the late president’s death. The whole Ghana and the world had to imbibe the cacophonous “The president is healthier and will hand over in 2017”! In the course of these ostensible deceits, the poor Professor became the unfortunate puppet of some young, overambitious men who suddenly discovered that sycophancy is an indispensable key to unlock every door of opportunity. Thus, against sound medical advice, the poor man was forced to expose his impaired vocal cords; coerced to undertake a heart-tearing trot among other ridiculous machinations. For a learned man of doubtless integrity and incorruptible character to be cuffed and buffeted this way by a bunch of power-hungry criminal-politicians is depressing indeed! Professor Mills has been dead for over a year—may he rest in peace—and we are yet to fathom what caused his demise. All that we know are a collection of lies whose inconsistencies expose them as such. In civilised societies, accidental deaths are subject to autopsies. Compare that with the Ghanaian situation where a whole sitting president dies under very dubious circumstances and nothing is done—even a dead sheep will be treated with dignity! In their frenzy to obscure the truth, the late president has been ennobled by the very people who had a hand in his murder by naming almost every monument in Ghana after him and blasphemously claiming he has replaced the Christ on God’s right-hand side! Until the truth is revealed, some of us will not relent in our efforts to seek justice for a dead man. Why would NDC gurus be fighting over the vice-presidential slot four days before Professor Mills’ death? Was he given a “slow poison” whose potent effects could be felt on the fourth day? Or were those butting for the vice-presidential position soothsayers with the inimitable penchant to foretell Professor Mills’ death? The whole event must incite pity and fear: pity for Professor Mills and fear lest his plight should befall another president! The fact is that the late president was murdered and only bootlicking buffoons may be fooled with spin-doctoring and its attendant conflicting cock and bull tales.