I just got a job offer! I love my current job, but this is a nice promotion and sounds like an exciting opportunity. It would be about 20% more than I make now.

Just shows you the blessings of not paying tithing. ;) Actually, it shows the blessings of going back to get a master's degree, which is what put me head and shoulders ahead of other applicants for this job.

Also, I do pay tithing. I put 10% of my gross income into my retirement account every month!

Congrats!

I would also to bear my testimonkey of the blessings of NOT paying tithing to LDS Inc.

Last year I got a new job (my dream job for years). I work less (5/6 hours a day instead of 8/9), I make 20% more, and I do what I like. (Not to mention the two months of annual vacation.)

Moreover, a few months ago I got a raise in my dream job. And I bought my first condo, after a few fun weeks in Europe.

If I were still a Morgbot, I would give the Morg, tithing and the Lard credit for all that.

Now that I have left the bubble, I take the credit, and I celebrate in peace.

In the name of Reason, Amen.

You are absolutely right. I have a lot of people to thank for my successes in life, like my parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, co-workers, teachers, etc. I could even give credit to a deity looking out for me, but it's not because of following the rules of LDS, Inc.

I will give them credit for a few things. I learned French as a missionary. I got a good education at BYU, but I was also admitted to U Texas and would have gotten a good education there as well. I grew up Mormon, so a lot of my personality was formed, for better or worse, because of that.

However, it's not the magical formula of paying tithing, not having sex and not drinking tea. It's about making good choices and working towards goals. They explicitly told me that my grad degree was a big reason they wanted me. I took a big risk 3 years ago by quitting my job and going back to school, and it seems to have paid off.

BTW, where did you go in Europe? I try to go every year, but haven't been this year. I went to Vienna in 2009.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/2010 07:20AM by axeldc.

Axeldc,

I did the same a few years ago. (Left my job to get a Master's degree.) It was a huge sacrifice, but it was a great experience. I went to France, and ended up staying there for six years. (I even think we exchanged e-mails at some point, while I was there.)

If I had served a mission overseas, I might be able to say that the Morg helped me in some way. But I did not leave the country, and my mission was just a waste of time.

So when I did leave the country, it was on my own terms. And come to think of it, it was much better this way. I had a chance to experience Europe in all its splendor, including traveling around without silly mission boundaries and rules, and drinking wine.:)

I never attended a Church college - so once again, I do not owe that to the Morg.

As for Europe, I actually went there a few times this year. (Mostly France, Belgium and Switzerland.) I left Europe recently and I still have a few bureaucratic things to do there.

I used to pay $500/ month to the Morg for tithing (even though it wasn't technically 10% of my gross it was enough to not raise any eyebrows with the bish).

When I quit paying tithing, I just started putting that amount in a Roth IRA. I now have about $15,000.00 I wouldn't have otherwise. Hopefully, I will build it up to about $100,000.00 in a few years.

If I were still paying tithing I wouldn't have this tidy little sum. I am so blessed. ;)