All of those organizations in the OP are "fleecing," but that does not mean that God does not deserve his 10%.

I have not always tithed, but I have always prayed, and I only recently prayed about money. Here is my story, and my results, and this happened within the past few months!

Several months ago I heard a preacher speak about "testing" God. There are numerous places in the Bible where it says this is strictly forbidden and overall it seems like a bad idea, but there is one place in which it is encouraged, and that is in regards to tithing. God welcomes you to test him in this regard. (Sorry I don't have any scripture in front of me.)

So, a month or so later I had forgotten all about it. I was at work and I was dreading going inside. I was stressed out, I was broke, and I knew I had some issues to deal with inside. I sat in my truck and prayed for wisdom and guidance and forgiveness, and I thanked God for all the opportunities I had messed up, and I thanked him for my wife and kids and family and friends, and I admitted that I knew just how blessed I had been, and that I knew how often I messed up the blessings I had been given."

Within moments, before I reached the door to my office, I had several epiphanies. I just "knew" that I needed to visit the little church in my neighborhood. I just "knew" that I had never tithed, and that with all I had been given, I was being selfish by not tithing. I decided that I would begin giving 10% to God before anybody else. I felt like it should go 1. God, 2. Taxes, 3. Retirement, 4. Bills, 5. Spending money. I called my wife and told her that we needed to discuss something, that I felt like I had received an answer to a prayer. (My wife and I are not very religious, and we don't talk about this sort of thing very often, so she was surprised and interested.)

I logged into my computer, and I logged into my bank account to see what bills had gone out that morning, and to my surprise there was an extra $5K in there? I was worried. It must have been a mistake. So after some research, I found out that it was a refund from the University for an overpayment quite awhile back! The money was mine to keep! What a blessing! We went to church that weekend, we tithed as agreed, and we left feeling great!

I went home that Sunday evening to do my taxes. I knew what I had paid in, and I was expecting to get about $1500 back. I went through Turbo Tax, and I watched the little ticker roll at the top, and by the time I was done it equalled $6450! Almost exactly an extra $5K!?!?!?!?

My wife and I were flabbergasted. One prayer and within a week an extra $10K! Sure, coincidence, etc., etc., but I went to church the next Sunday, and I gave my 10%, and by another divine coincidence, the church reached their goal that week, and they were able to plan a mission trip to Haiti! This was only the 4th or 5th time we had ever attended this church over the past year, so the coincidences were starting to add up.

Now, several weeks passed, the money helped us out a lot, but going into March, my income was barely enough to cover our expenses for the month. I get paid monthly, and I pay all my bills at the beginning of the month. We wrote a check for out 10% tithe, but we didn't go to church that week. We held onto the check, and just about 1 week ago, we were wondering how we would get through the month, and the idea to not take that check to the church passed through our minds and lips. We discussed it and decided to take it to the church, and we would deal with the money problem at the end of the month. We went to church Sunday and gave them a few hundred dollars. Monday's mail contained a check?!?!? Another refund for about the same amount as the check that went to the church the day before! The refund was from an old utility company, and it was part of profit sharing and energy usage fees.

As I type this, I can say with 100% certainty that the best investment I have made in 2010 is investment to God and to my little local church! They never asked for it, but it sure did go along way to help myself and others!

I like the way George Carlin said it... God is all knowing, all seeing, all powerful, Omnipotent... But he needs money!

Unfortunately these false prophets get away with it because the sheeple are to stupid or ignorant or lazy to educate themselves so they massage thier fears thinking they are buying themselves a place in heaven.

And unfortunately this same crap carries over to all parts of society. The Priest and the Politician are both cut from the same cloth. They both have a good story to separate you from the fruits of your labors. One of them threatens you in this life with fines imprisonment and even death of you resist giving up the fruits of your labors to them. The other threatens you with hell fire and damnation and an eternity of misery and suffering and even spiritual death if you don't give up your fruits to them... Sigh! Both are nothing but criminal thugs and liars!

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