Important Hearing Occurs Over Latter-Day Saints Tithing

According to the official website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “tithing” involves donating 10% of your income to the Church. It is a requirement for all people of the Mormon faith, and the church describes the practice as a “commandment” practiced since ancient times. Tithing has proven to be incredibly controversial, and it has led to a major religious lawsuit in the United States. This lawsuit took a major step forward during a recent federal court hearing. 

The Background of The Tithing Case

The plaintiffs in this case are members of the LDS Church, and they want their tithes returned. As discussed in our previous blog entry, the plaintiffs claim that their tithes were invested in reserve accounts – something the church never informed them of. They also claim that the church lied when it specifically told them that their tithes would not be used for a new land development in Salt Lake City. Aside from having their tithes returned, the plaintiffs also want a court-ordered system that would ensure greater transparency going forward. 

These efforts are complicated by a legal doctrine called “church autonomy” or “religious autonomy.” This doctrine is associated with the First Amendment, and it essentially prevents the government or courts from interfering with the organization of any religious entity. Due to the First Amendment, religious organizations like the LDS church are free to engage in virtually any consensual financial practice. However, there are exceptions to this doctrine – especially in regard to self-dealing, embezzlement, and misrepresenting plans for tithes. 

What Happened During the Hearing?

The strength and long-established nature of the church autonomy doctrine became clear during the recent hearing in January of 2025. The District Court Judge questioned whether the plaintiffs had sufficient grounds to “pierce” this doctrine. The defendants’ attorneys pointed out that if this occurred, it would set a “dangerous precedent” for future lawsuits against various churches across the United States. 

The plaintiffs argue that the church made statements about the intended use of the tithes – statements that contradicted the actual expenditures. But the judge stated that he had not seen any Church statements that seemed to indicate a specific goal for the tithing funds. The judge also questioned the attorneys about whether the church’s actions represented a specific type of fraud under Utah law. 

In addition, the judge needs to determine whether the statute of limitations prevents this case from going any further. The time limit seems to have begun when the new reports about the tithing issues aired – but the plaintiffs took many years to file their suits after seeing these reports. However, some argued that the time limit should begin much later when an SEC settlement was first issued.  

How Common is Tithing in Religion?

A notable part of this case came when plaintiffs accepted that tithing was a common practice in most US religions. So, which religions practice tithing aside from the LDS Church? Several faiths within Christianity tithe their followers, including Methodists, Eastern Orthodox, and Congregationalists. 

Aside from Christianity, Orthodox Jews must donate 10% of their income to charity. Some Jews in Israel practice agricultural tithing and adult Muslims pay a “wealth tax” of about 2.5%. 

The Goal of the Universal Life Church’s Blog

Each month, various cases test the nature of religious rights in this country. While the basis for many religious rights is the United States Constitution, there are still countless cases that question the exact nature of these rights. The Universal Life Church’s blog is focused on documenting the most noteworthy of these cases in an objective manner that can be easily understood by readers.