The top ten most evil acts perpetrated by the LDS Church

[_asbestosman]

Um. You mean kinda like taxes. Right?

See how far not paying taxes gets you in this country. Forget about attending the temple--or any other place that doesn't involve you in an orange jumpsuit.

I criticize the government too, absman. Loudly. Vehemently. Relentlessly. They've never offered to ex me, though.

The government isn't in the habit of ex-ing people--unless you mean execute.

I think there's a big difference in the consequences of tithing--which is considered voluntary--and taxes which is considered compulsory.

[_harmony]

I think there's a big difference in the consequences of tithing--which is considered voluntary--and taxes which is considered compulsory.

Voluntary... more like volentold.

[_asbestosman]

Greed, no matter where you find it, coupled with secrecy has the same result, no matter what the context.

That is not necessarily true. One man's secrecy is another man's privacy. It's greed with a complete disregard for others that causes problems. Greed needs to have boundaries placed on it, but greed and privacy can coexist without problems so long as the appropriate limits and safeguards are in place.

[_asbestosman]

Voluntary... more like volentold.

More like obligated to do it after having promised to do so. Kinda like pledging to donate.

[_moksha]

Easy. I'm not ready to be excommunicated for apostasy just yet. That's also why I changed "evil" to "problematic". I'm not going to criticize the brethren, prophets, etc. unless I'm ready to apostatize. Also, while I see nothing "evil" in LDS theology, it is problematic to gaining converts.

Excellent reasoning. The Church has positive symbolic truths to offer as well as drawbacks in some real world actions. I have always been a fan of Asbestosman and his quest to seek truth rather than apologetics. I look at LDS leaders as honorable men with spiritual insight rather than as religious and corporate oligarchs. However, their ability to get things done must be tempered with the realization that not everything Man can do is good.

.

[_Morley]

Um. You mean kinda like taxes. Right?

See how far not paying taxes gets you in this country. Forget about attending the temple--or any other place that doesn't involve you in an orange jumpsuit.

I criticize the government too, absman. Loudly. Vehemently. Relentlessly. They've never offered to ex me, though.

The government isn't in the habit of ex-ing people--unless you mean execute.

I think there's a big difference in the consequences of tithing--which is considered voluntary--and taxes which is considered compulsory.

Taxes and tithing are both voluntary. The government can only take away your house and your freedom. God (in the guise of the Church) can take away your family and your eternal salvation.

[_NorthboundZax]

6. The tripple passive

What is this?.

Words were said.
Eyes were rolled.
Snores were heard.

I was surprised to see Glenn Beck all the way down at 7, but you've convinced me that these other atrocities are deserving of the higher spots.

Superfluous use of the word "even" deserves an honorable mention.

[_sock puppet]

Converting my ancestors so that i would be raised a Mormon.

There it is, the most evil act perpetrated by the Church.

I am grateful for the day, after back from my mission, I started digging deep (deeper than the correlated crap, that is). I'd have probably done it on my mission, but it was 'against the rules' to read anything but the Standard Works, the little white missionary handbook, materials handed out at zone conferences or from the mission office, SWK's The Miracle of Forgiveness, Talmadge's Jesus the Christ and Articles of Faith, and Richards' A Marvelous Work and a Wonder--oh, and the LDS Hymn Book. Limiting the reading list so, the 2-year whitewash was on.

But once free of that reading list bondage, I looked. And lo and behold, what I found was--well, the truth has set me free (as well as my parents, but not my yet poor, deluded only sibling).

[Guest]

Converting my ancestors so that i would be raised a Mormon.

There it is, the most evil act perpetrated by the Church.

I am grateful for the day, after back from my mission, I started digging deep (deeper than the correlated crap, that is). I'd have probably done it on my mission, but it was 'against the rules' to read anything but the Standard Works, the little white missionary handbook, materials handed out at zone conferences or from the mission office, SWK's The Miracle of Forgiveness, Talmadge's Jesus the Christ and Articles of Faith, and Richards' A Marvelous Work and a Wonder--oh, and the LDS Hymn Book. Limiting the reading list so, the 2-year whitewash was on.

But once free of that reading list bondage, I looked. And lo and behold, what I found was--well, the truth has set me free (as well as my parents, but not my yet poor, deluded only sibling).

I'm not willing to say it was evil, but Mormonism did screw with my life. Without it, I would've made smarter choices.

[_Hoops]

I am cuing up a song for our wet exmo friend abman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0WxgSXdEE

Mostly because the op is about the alleged evil of the churh, not enron. I'm just showing that, in my opinion, Dude's comparison doesn't work.