If Palin Runs Should Christians Give Ten Percent Of Their Income (Tithe) To Her Campaign?

If Sarah Palin decides to run for the presidency in 2012 and receives the nomination then she will be faced with a major decision as to how she would finance the campaign.

Given the massive funds raised by the then candidate Obama in 2008-easily outstripping McCain who took the public option, it is unlikely that the Palin team would also take the public option. Even if President Obama, the presumed nominee for the Democrats, is still unpopular his very large on-line support would guarantee he could raise substantial funds.

Palin would, with the recent Supreme Court ruling allowing corporations to fund campaigns, presumably have access to major funding from that quarter. But, in this new internet age, a major source would be from her millions of Facebook and other website fans. However, allowing for some crossover, a potential massive source of funds might be available from the Christian community, particularly the fundamentalist section .

If the millions of conservative Christians were asked, by the Palin campaign team, and by Church spiritual leaders, to give ten percent of their (gross) income) for the duration of the campaign-say from June to November, the potential funds raised might be very significant.

According to the analysis by Adherents.com there are over 6 million Christians they categorize as Pentecostal, 3.8 million as Mormon, and approximately 5 million with churches possibly considered as in the Pentecostal area. Thus there are about 15 million who might be aware of, or are actively  committed to, the concept of tithing. There are amongst the about 71 million Catholics and numerous non-Pentecostal Christians  many who also are aware of, or
are currently committed to tithing.

Thus there might potentially be 20 million or more Christians who might tithe. At even say, $10 a week, that would equate to $800 million a month from this source alone- billions of dollars over a 5 month campaign.

The first question to consider is "Should Christians tithe"? Tithing is of course an Old Testament (or rather Hebrew Bible) admonishment, for example:

Deut 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

Deut 14:28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:
These passages would support tithing whenever the Lord blesses with an increase (which some define as income). It is beyond dispute that  there are many such references-for those who who wish to see a fuller analysis there is a substantial overview here.

The point made is that tithing should be used for God's work, as directed by God and substantially to aid the poor.

If we look to the New Testament Jesus advises that tithing should be done;
Luke 11:42 "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone."

As this site advises Jesus was complying with the Mosaic law which had not been superseded in his lifetime

"For the same reason he compelled tithing in Matthew 23:23. The Law of

Moses was still in force during the life of Christ. It would have been 'sin' for Christ at this time to have taught against the Law of Moses!" Thus, I consider, and as the site implies, there is no absolute command for Christians to tithe.

There is however, and again as the site shows in numerous examples, much admonition to give and God's work is still to assist the poor. The question here is is there a way in which through "Rendering unto Caesar" the poor can be assisted in a massive, dynamic fashion through the mechanism of a government that so orders society on a Christian fellowship, Christian caring basis, that God's work can be channeled through it?

I believe that with a government of  representatives whose  need to serve is faith based and spirit driven can, by restoring the values of the Founding Fathers and the Christian work and faith ethic which made America great, so restore America's economic structure as to eliminate poverty. America tried the statist "Great Society" method, it has tried the unfettered, ungodly greed method, and both have failed. It is time to restore once again the faith based method which, looking to God for guidance, is the only sure method.

If in 2012 there is a choice between the current, "Big Government" philosophy and a candidate who would  restore the free market, certainly regulated for fairness but unhindered by excessive taxation and government red tape, look to a renewed moral code with particular emphasis on the sanctity of life, was strong on defense and supporting friends overseas whilst opposing those who would destroy us in the name of distorted religion. A candidate who looked to God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit then perhaps the call to Christians to tithe for a short time- to support such as candidate as Sarah Palin-who embodies all these characteristics-is a worthy call and is God's work both in in its inception and activation and end result.