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.