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The practice of tithing is littered throughout religious history. Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or Sikh, tithing has, for thousands of years, always been one of the pillars supporting humanity’s major religions. Be it a fail-safe karmic equalizer, the gradual purchasing of a ticket to paradise, or—more seriously—a deeply held desire to contribute to the wellbeing of others, the call for the faithful to pledge a portion of their assets to religious institutions is present in almost all religions.

A new study indicates that people today do not tithe in equal numbers. Evangelical Christians were the most likely to tithe (24%) while Catholics were the least likely of the Christians (2%). Most Evangelicals also gave more than any other segment, the vast majority giving $1,000 or more. Adults in 2007 were less likely to tithe ( 1 in 20 did so) than they were in 2006 (1 in 14.29 tithed in that year).

Over the years, many famous people have tithed. J.L. Kraft, head of Kraft Foods gave about 25% of his income to Christian causes. John D. Rockefeller, the industrialist, also tithed. He claimed he began his practice early on when he was only making $1.50 per week, and he continued doing it throughout his life.

2 Corinthians 9:7-9:7 says:

“Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Though people who tithe comprise only a small fraction of society, charitable giving in general is pervasive. Last year, the odds an adult donated to a church or non-profit organization were 1 in 1.19 (84%). In terms of giving to any non-profit, Protestants gave the most, averaging $1,705, while non-Christian faiths, atheists and agnostics gave the least ($905 and $467, respectively). Many choose to give a set fraction of their incomes to non-profits like UNICEF or the Red Cross, a tithe by another name.