Release the Mormon Church Financial Statements

[_Drifting]

Kevin Sim

The main reason the church should publish its financials is transparency. These are just men. They are not gods. When things are hidden it is easier for men and women to do things that they may not do when things are transparent. I don't buy the argument that once I give it is given to God and I should not care what is done with it. That is between the stewards and God. The LDS leaders are not the owners of the Church. Well the president may be in a legal sense. But it is the Church body has a vested interest in the money that they so willingly donate. To show transparency is simply the right thing to do. The Church did this until 1959. Then they stopped. No explanation was given. But it seems suspect that they had run a few years of annual deficits due to an over ambitious building program run by Henry D Moyle. At the same time there was a big push to increase tithing revenue to cover the annual deficits. Then they brought in N Eldon Tanner who was a financial whiz and he cleaned things up.

Now the Church was not about to go broke. It had plenty of assets to cover the debts. But the annual deficits were concerning. It just seems odd to me that the books were closed when this was going on.

The Church publishes financials in the UK.
In summary about a third of tithing donations are spent on salaries.
A further third is spent on travel, stationery etc etc.
The remaining third is split across missionary work; upkeep of buildings; education materials including manuals, handbooks etc; and a sum being placed in interest gathering deposit accounts.

If (and there's a strong chance) the worldwide Church financials show a similar profile, what is the harm in publishing them?

[_Albion]

Stormy Waters. I have no problem trusting God...it is generally men who have proven to be untrustworthy. If you think your leaders are immune from the human condition you are a fool. You might start with Joseph Smith's Kirtland banking scandal and go from there.

[_Albion]

Sorry, that last post should directed to Kevin Sim.

[_KevinSim]

You see, it's common knowledge that several leaders of the LDS church have made statements that when they were given, had the full weight of doctrine, but after a time these statements have been cast aside(think Adam God.) obviously the leaders of the LDS church have trouble distinguishing between their own pet theories, opinions, and the everlasting word of God, so I don't think it's an unreasonable request that the church make at least an attempt at transparency in its dealings.

Molok, how do you go from the ability of LDS Church leaders to make mistakes to a need for transparency in their dealings?

[_KevinSim]

Stormy Waters. I have no problem trusting God...it is generally men who have proven to be untrustworthy.

Albion, what exactly does it mean to trust God, when you admit that it might not be wise to trust men? What do you trust God to do?

If you think your leaders are immune from the human condition you are a fool.

I don't think the LDS leaders "are immune from the human condition"; all I claim is that when God tells one God wants that one to follow and support men He has chosen as leaders for His church, He knows what He's talking about.

[_Drifting]

I don't think the LDS leaders "are immune from the human condition"; all I claim is that when God tells one God wants that one to follow and support men He has chosen as leaders for His church, He knows what He's talking about.

Kevin, how do you know these leaders were picked by God, did He tell you?

The Church publishes financial accounts when it is forced to do so by law i.e. in the UK.
Why won't it do so by choice?

[_Albion]

Kevin, I trust God to be true to his word because he is a faithful God. You appear to be placing a great deal of trust in mere men who have placed themselves between yourself and God just because, as I see it, they say so.

[_KevinSim]

The Church strong arms 10% of the faithful's annual income and then doesn't tell them where it's going. People should have a right to know what their so called charitable contributions are paying for.

Why? I'm not sure I'd call what the LDS Church does strong arming, but even if we assume that it does, how do you go from the fact that the Church strong arms members into paying 10% of their income to the conclusion that people "should have a right to know what their ... contributions are paying for"?

Is that true in every case where someone gives money to someone else, that the former has a right to know what her/his contributions are paying for? Or is it only when the latter is strong arming the former? The US government could be said to strong arm its citizens into contributing a substantial amount of their income, so do you think that the US government doesn't have the right to classify a portion of its expenditures as not to be revealed to the general public?

If God is inspiring above board spending, then what is the problem? Why the secrecy?

Hades, until you've established that Latter-day Saints do have a right to a detailed report of the Church's expenditures, the current policy is no more evidence of secrecy than your lack of publishing your liquid intake for the mentioned three consecutive Tuesdays.

[_KevinSim]

Kevin, how do you know these leaders were picked by God, did He tell you?

He told me back in 1976 that He picked Spencer Kimball, but Kimball taught the succession in the presidency that leads to the conclusion that God also picked Thomas Monson.

The Church publishes financial accounts when it is forced to do so by law i.e. in the UK.
Why won't it do so by choice?

I have no idea what the precise reasons are why the Church doesn't do it. That doesn't mean there aren't any such reasons.

[_KevinSim]

Kevin, I trust God to be true to his word because he is a faithful God. You appear to be placing a great deal of trust in mere men who have placed themselves between yourself and God just because, as I see it, they say so.

Albion, how do you determine what God's word is, without ending up trusting mere men somewhere in the process?