lostindc wrote:Here is a scenerio I recently encountered:
Couple in early 30's with I believe 3 or 4 kids. The husband is a contractor to a govt agency so he earns maybe 70 grand a year. Wife is a stay at home mom and student because child care would be over what she could earn. She is studying to be a healthcare worker. Anyways, they live in DC, roughly in the same area we live. They pay 2,0200 in rent. Take home roughly 4 grand after taxes, deductions (small retirement fund, health insurance, dental, etc). They are also forced to pay roughly 15 percent of their income to student loans (70 grand). The private student loan companies have been especially ruthless to them (this is how I learned of their situation when they asked for help).
So basically they operated maybe 50 to 100 big buckaroos over the red each month. Guess who keeps knocking for their dollars? You must pay the 10% to be able to have the same rights as others, such as temple rec, etc. even if you go bankrupt doing so and cannot provide for the family...
It is an absolute BS system. Luckily, the hotel family (not going to name this famous LDS family) and others are so damn righteous and able to pay tithe on millions of inheritance thus they take on the highly sought after roles in the Church.
As I write this I realized I forget to tell the struggling family they must have done something bad in the pre-existence or at the very least they were fence sitters.
Not bitter, just intrigued.
It kind of reminds me of LDST's failed priesthood blessing/fatality story. When the rubber meets the road, all the promises are empty.
Parley P. Pratt wrote:We must lie to support brother Joseph, it is our duty to do so.
It is so repulsive and morally corrupt that there should be consequences for spewing crap like this.
So you're saying that Jesus was spewing crap when he give the parable of the widow's mites?
What was the meaning of the parable? That every poor person must give all of their money and return home to starve to death in order to attain celestial glory? I don't think that was the point. But if you do, then yes the author of that parable was spewing dangerous, immoral, repulsive crap.
I think the point of that parable is that it is a very easy thing for a millionaire to wax poetic about paying tithes and offerings to the church. It is very easy for them to APPEAR righteous and pious to the world.
~Those who benefit from the status quo always attribute inequities to the choices of the underdog.~Ann Crittenden ~The Goddess is not separate from the world-She is the world and all things in it.~
It is so repulsive and morally corrupt that there should be consequences for spewing crap like this.
So you're saying that Jesus was spewing crap when he give the parable of the widow's mites?
Of course Jesus was not spewing crap.
I take it, then, that you have given every single penny you have to the Church and retained nothing for yourself.
Mark 12:
41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Luke 21:
1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
~Those who benefit from the status quo always attribute inequities to the choices of the underdog.~Ann Crittenden ~The Goddess is not separate from the world-She is the world and all things in it.~