This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In response to Martha Tinker's letter, ("Women should pay less tithing since they have less authority," April 11):
To those in the LDS Church: Was tithing not commanded by God to every single person? Indeed it was. It cannot be denied or ignored. Women are not and will never be an exception to God's law. The idea that 'women should pay less tithing since they have less authority' is absolutely and completely absurd. Merely because women don't hold the priesthood, which they weren't created to hold, but share with their husband, doesn't mean that tithing should be a smaller amount than men. If this occurred, they would break a law they claim to believe.
It's simple: God gives us ten, we give him back one. Paying tithing is clearly a blessing, because the money we offer is distributed among those in need. Are we that selfish that we don't want to help? Granted, we all have our own wants and needs, but I refuse to tell my Father in Heaven that I want to pay less tithing and willingly break a law He commanded me to do. I myself am a woman, but I hold a different role in life and will not compare myself to a man. Thank God for tithing and the chance to show Him at least 10 percent of my love, gratitude, and obedience.
ShaLae Marie Jenson
Eagle Mountain