The Wealth of the Church

[_The Nehor]

The acquisition of vast sums of wealth requires certain actions that are the antithesis of the teachings of the New Testament IMHO.

Collecting tithing?

That is not how the Church got rich. You should know that.

Oh, you mean collecting usury from the Gentiles then?

[_skippy the dead]

With all due respect, that's not a valid comparison. The Mormon Church claims that it and it alone is God's representative on earth, and that the Catholic church is an apostate pretender. So why is the Catholic Church the standard to which we compare the Mormon Church?

So should the real Church be richer or poorer?

Poorer. Wealth should not be accumulated by a church. Only enough to cover operational costs - the rest should be used to alleviate suffering in the world.

And to actually pay for janitors at meetinghouses. It's just cheap to make members do it.

[_The Nehor]

With all due respect, that's not a valid comparison. The Mormon Church claims that it and it alone is God's representative on earth, and that the Catholic church is an apostate pretender. So why is the Catholic Church the standard to which we compare the Mormon Church?

So should the real Church be richer or poorer?

Poorer. Wealth should not be accumulated by a church. Only enough to cover operational costs - the rest should be used to alleviate suffering in the world.

And to actually pay for janitors at meetinghouses. It's just cheap to make members do it.

So the Church should spend everything on alleviating suffering in the world with the proviso that they can't be cheap? So President Hinckley's policy of saving some of the Church's money for a rainy day is off the table?

[_Wheat]

You people are so woefully misinformed.

The CoJCoLDS pays millions and millions in taxes each year to governments around the world. Every *for-profit* entity controlled by the church __ ranches, farms, investment real-estate businesses, etc. __ pays taxes. The Church doesn't pay taxes on the tithes or offerings of its members, but any business entity controlled by the Church operates just like its secular counterparts.

I'm always amazed by the ignorance of people who opine about these things. And why is it __ when people start spewing this garbage about the church being involved in commerical enterprises __ that we never hear a word about the hundreds of millions of dollars it has expended in humanitarian projects over the course of just the last few years?

[_marg]

You people are so woefully misinformed.

The CoJCoLDS pays millions and millions in taxes each year to governments around the world. Every *for-profit* entity controlled by the church __ ranches, farms, investment real-estate businesses, etc. __ pays taxes. The Church doesn't pay taxes on the tithes or offerings of its members, but any business entity controlled by the Church operates just like its secular counterparts.

I'm always amazed by the ignorance of people who opine about these things. And why is it __ when people start spewing this garbage about the church being involved in commerical enterprises __ that we never hear a word about the hundreds of millions of dollars it has expended in humanitarian projects over the course of just the last few years?

So where does the money come from to set up these for profit businesses..out of accumulated tax exempted funds? Also what approx. percentage of the 6 billion or so dollars the church takes in yearly does it spend on humanitarian projects? I'm asking you these questions because you apparently are knowledgeable about the church finances.

[_truth dancer]

You people are so woefully misinformed.

The CoJCoLDS pays millions and millions in taxes each year to governments around the world. Every *for-profit* entity controlled by the church __ ranches, farms, investment real-estate businesses, etc. __ pays taxes. The Church doesn't pay taxes on the tithes or offerings of its members, but any business entity controlled by the Church operates just like its secular counterparts.

I'm always amazed by the ignorance of people who opine about these things. And why is it __ when people start spewing this garbage about the church being involved in commercial enterprises __ that we never hear a word about the hundreds of millions of dollars it has expended in humanitarian projects over the course of just the last few years?

Hi Wheat,

I think you misunderstand.

No one is claiming the church pays no taxes on its businesses. And I am pretty sure no one here is unaware of the help the LDS church provides to those in need.

My questions was, how can the church maintain its tax exempt status given that it is the owner of a huge conglomeration.

The church has vast holding, enormous amounts of real estate and numerous businesses. I'm wondering if this is how other churches function.

My experience in the various areas of the country in which I have lived would suggest otherwise. The churches in my area do not seem to be rich nor do they own all sorts of business and real estate, with the exception of their churches. I don't know if the Catholic church for example invests in luxury condos in France, or if they own hundred of thousands of acres of land near for development, and multiple extremely successful business ventures.

I do wonder about the holiness of such enterprises but then again I also know my expectations of what a church of Christ would look like are perhaps too high. ;-) I would envision something more along the lines of what Christ established.

~dancer~

[_GoodK]

You people are so woefully misinformed.

The CoJCoLDS pays millions and millions in taxes each year to governments around the world. Every *for-profit* entity controlled by the church __ ranches, farms, investment real-estate businesses, etc. __ pays taxes. The Church doesn't pay taxes on the tithes or offerings of its members, but any business entity controlled by the Church operates just like its secular counterparts.

I'm always amazed by the ignorance of people who opine about these things. And why is it __ when people start spewing this garbage about the church being involved in commercial enterprises __ that we never hear a word about the hundreds of millions of dollars it has expended in humanitarian projects over the course of just the last few years?

Hi Wheat,

I think you misunderstand.

No one is claiming the church pays no taxes on its businesses. And I am pretty sure no one here is unaware of the help the LDS church provides to those in need.

My questions was, how can the church maintain its tax exempt status given that it is the owner of a huge conglomeration.

The church has vast holding, enormous amounts of real estate and numerous businesses. I'm wondering if this is how other churches function.

My experience in the various areas of the country in which I have lived would suggest otherwise. The churches in my area do not seem to be rich nor do they own all sorts of business and real estate, with the exception of their churches. I don't know if the Catholic church for example invests in luxury condos in France, or if they own hundred of thousands of acres of land near for development, and multiple extremely successful business ventures.

I do wonder about the holiness of such enterprises but then again I also know my expectations of what a church of Christ would look like are perhaps too high. ;-) I would envision something more along the lines of what Christ established.

~dancer~

You have to wonder why in the first place. Does the church really have nothing better to do than to get involved with secular enterprises?

Of course, a lot woule be better understood if the Church did not hide their finances and were upfront with their members about where their tithing goes.

[_The Nehor]

You people are so woefully misinformed.

The CoJCoLDS pays millions and millions in taxes each year to governments around the world. Every *for-profit* entity controlled by the church __ ranches, farms, investment real-estate businesses, etc. __ pays taxes. The Church doesn't pay taxes on the tithes or offerings of its members, but any business entity controlled by the Church operates just like its secular counterparts.

I'm always amazed by the ignorance of people who opine about these things. And why is it __ when people start spewing this garbage about the church being involved in commercial enterprises __ that we never hear a word about the hundreds of millions of dollars it has expended in humanitarian projects over the course of just the last few years?

Hi Wheat,

I think you misunderstand.

No one is claiming the church pays no taxes on its businesses. And I am pretty sure no one here is unaware of the help the LDS church provides to those in need.

My questions was, how can the church maintain its tax exempt status given that it is the owner of a huge conglomeration.

The church has vast holding, enormous amounts of real estate and numerous businesses. I'm wondering if this is how other churches function.

My experience in the various areas of the country in which I have lived would suggest otherwise. The churches in my area do not seem to be rich nor do they own all sorts of business and real estate, with the exception of their churches. I don't know if the Catholic church for example invests in luxury condos in France, or if they own hundred of thousands of acres of land near for development, and multiple extremely successful business ventures.

I do wonder about the holiness of such enterprises but then again I also know my expectations of what a church of Christ would look like are perhaps too high. ;-) I would envision something more along the lines of what Christ established.

~dancer~

Demanding all of the member's funds be deposited for the common good? We tried that. We failed.

[_truth dancer]

Demanding all of the member's funds be deposited for the common good? We tried that. We failed.

Hmmm, are you saying Christ demanded all follower's funds be deposited for the common good?

Saying I envision a true church of Christ to be more in line with the church Christ started (from what we gather), is a far cry from endorsing the early LDS church's attempt at the united order. But just to be clear, I don't see the early LDS church anything remotely reflecting the early teachings (again so far as is recorded) of Christ.

~dancer~

[_Jason Bourne]

With all due respect, that's not a valid comparison. The Mormon Church claims that it and it alone is God's representative on earth, and that the Catholic church is an apostate pretender. So why is the Catholic Church the standard to which we compare the Mormon Church?

It is a valid comparison and better yet it is for me. I think it a bit polyanish to attack the Church or any other religion for having assets and managing them in the manner that created more revenue to meet whatever their mission is. I am ok with people opining on whether or not they should buy a mall or other things. I don't even have a problem with people opining maybe the LDS Church should give more to feed the hungry of the world or whatever. But it is silly to argue that in the modern world we live in any large organization is somehow bad because it is a good steward over its assets.