From what I understand, 10% if for all charity giving and not just for the church. And since charity begins at home, I try to help my relatives who I know need the help. That way, I know that the money goes to people who deserves help. I also give to our church, but not 10%.
The percentage is not what counts. It is a sacrificial giving.
Time to get some education... here is the first paragraph from Wiki...
"A
tithe (pronounced
/ˈtaɪð/; from
Old English teogoþa "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a (usually) voluntary contribution or as a
tax or levy, usually to support a religious organization. Today, tithes (or
tithing) are normally voluntary and paid in
cash,
cheques, or
stocks, whereas historically tithes were required to be paid in kind, such as agricultural products (that grown of the land, or fruit of the tree). Several European countries operate a formal process linked to the tax system allowing some churches to assess tithes."
The history is 10% to the church....
Here is Wiki for modern time..
"In recent years, tithing has been taught in Christian circles as a form of stewardship that God requires of Christians. The primary argument is that God has never formally "abolished" the tithe, and thus Christians should pay the tithe (usually calculated at 10 percent of all gross[
citation needed] income from all sources), although at the
Council of Jerusalem the Apostles did not include it in the letter to the Gentile believers (
Acts 15:29) and some Christians believe that
"Old Covenant" laws have been "abrogated". The tithe is usually given to the local congregation,
though some teach that a part of the tithe can go to other Christian ministries, so long as total giving is at least 10 percent. "
My underline... so I can see where you might get that idea... but it does say Christian ministries count... so I would assume that others (cancer society, United Way, etc.) do not count...