furrycute said:
Does anyone still pay the Church 10% of his/her annual income?
this is a really interesting point... Other than Abraham, who gave 10 % of all he had once when he met Melchizadech, and an unnamed rich person, who gave a third of all he had to the poor, the Bible never said anyone had to give 10 % of everything to "the church", but "to God"
In several places, it actually describes the people "giving" the tithe as "eating it within the walls of the temple".... The priests would historically stop by each table and take a select portion from each table, but there was no 10 %.
If read directly, you give 10 % to God, not to the church (or to a pastor/priest/rabbi/cult leader).... As long as you are honoring God with your gift, you meet the wording of the Bible.