Ted Cruz hammered for not tithing

In the struggle for evangelical voters, Ted Cruz has seemed like the most evangelical candidate of them all, with his family history and overt Christian rhetoric.  But his financial records indicate that he doesn’t tithe!  He has given away only 1% of his income, instead of  the 10% that many (though not all) conservative Christians believe the Bible requires.  So now some evangelicals are turning against him.  The main beneficiaries are apparently tithers Mike Huckabee and Ben Carson.

Is this a valid issue, or an example of Christians misapplying their beliefs to politics?

From McKay Coppins,  Ted Cruz Faces Questions About His Tithing History – BuzzFeed News:

With Ted Cruz clinging to a narrow lead in the fast-approaching Iowa caucuses, an increasingly vocal chorus of evangelical leaders and campaign rivals is questioning the authenticity of the candidate’s vaunted Christian faith by pointing to his reportedly meager record of charitable giving.

In a series of interviews this week, political opponents and pastors alike suggested Cruz — an avowed Baptist who is aggressively courting evangelical voters — has flouted the Biblical commandment of tithing in his personal life.

It’s a line of attack that may seem esoteric to nonbelievers, but at least some of Cruz’s critics are betting that it could stick in Iowa: a newly formed political group, Americans United for Values, will launch a radio ad Friday that directly goes after the candidate for his tithes, and brands him a “phony.”

According to personal tax returns released during his 2012 Senate bid, Cruz contributed less than 1% of his income to charity between 2006 and 2010 — a far cry from the 10% most evangelical leaders believe the Bible demands.

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