Washington Post: Mormon Church has misled members on finance

[_Meadowchik]

Why are the exmos that find themselves in the spotlight always such insufferable fools?

https://www.newsweek.com/mormons-heres- ... le-1478084

How about backing up your assertion? Also there are plenty of pleasant exmos in the spotlight.

[_Icarus]

They state that they’ve paid out a total of $2billion in charity, which sounds impressive unless you know that the reserve fund currently generates $2billion in interest every year (and that amount increases every year as the principle—excess tithings deposited annually into the fund- increases). Based on their total revenues, they are cheap stingy bastards.

[_Kishkumen]

They state that they’ve paid out a total of $2billion in charity, which sounds impressive unless you know that the reserve fund currently generates $2billion in interest every year (and that amount increases every year as the principle—excess tithings deposited annually into the fund- increases). Based on their total revenues, they are cheap stingy bastards.

I wonder whether this perceived stinginess has something to do with the Church’s welfare philosophy & practice of making recipients of help work. An organization with such an approach would not easily shell out money in situation where no labor could be performed. Sure the Church will send out short term immediate assistance in a limited amount, but the idea of just shoveling money onto problems runs counter to their entire tradition of welfare assistance.

[Guest]

Thinking about this a little more, perhaps the rainy day/second coming fund is really an insurance policy against progressive disaffections by members? The numbers are going against the brethren and who knows if the church will survive or in what form it will survive as the older more believing WWII generation and baby boomers die off. It'll take a while, but what will the church look like in 50 years or 100 years?

The creation of this hedge fund with Ensign Peak could be viewed as a confession of sorts, that the truth claims aren't sustainable, that the younger generations progressively don't buy the nonsense the church pushes on the world, and so the wise brethren started saving for the eventuality when tithing receipts are progressively less and less. Too bad we can't see the internal communications between those who started Ensign Peak (anything interesting regarding motives is probably long since shredded or burned after reading).

[_Kishkumen]

Thinking about this a little more, perhaps the rainy day/second coming fund is really an insurance policy against progressive disaffections by members? The numbers are going against the brethren and who knows if the church will survive or in what form it will survive as the older more believing WWII generation and baby boomers die off. It'll take a while, but what will the church look like in 50 years or 100 years?

The creation of this hedge fund with Ensign Peak could be viewed as a confession of sorts, that the truth claims aren't sustainable, that the younger generations progressively don't buy the nonsense the church pushes on the world, and so the wise brethren started saving for the eventuality when tithing receipts are progressively less and less. Too bad we can't see the internal communications between those who started Ensign Peak (anything interesting regarding motives is probably long since shredded or burned after reading).

Oh, Exiled! Are we not evidence that the very elect, or at least somewhat elect, have been deceived?

[_Dr Exiled]

Oh, Exiled! Are we not evidence that the very elect, or at least somewhat elect, have been deceived?

Perhaps you're correct. We probably use our brains a little too much for our own good when succumbing to gut based thinking was what we should have been doing all along. We were deceived for sure, at some point at least. Sure, the church is just doing what the church does, being conservative republicans, and saving for the possible futures whatever they may be (deer jesus is silent on these issues so the brethren need to be prudent). They are part of the WWII and Baby Boomer generations and we probably just need to listen to our elders and shut up.

[_Kishkumen]

Well, I hope we don't just listen to our elders and shut up. It is not just about listening to our elders. In this case, it is about listening to our divinely chosen leaders (at least in their view). We can choose to do so or choose to do something else. I chose to do something else.

[_Shulem]

He should have remained mostly behind the scenes.

I disagree. Getting it out there in attention front and center for everyone to see will generate the most questions and cause the biggest stir in moving an investigation forward and increasing his odds in getting his reward.

Smart move. He's getting great advice. No back room deals. He's going for it all. Lot's of money.

[_Kishkumen]

I disagree. Getting it out there in attention front and center for everyone to see will generate the most questions and cause the biggest stir in moving an investigation forward and increasing his odds in getting his reward.

Smart move. He's getting great advice. No back room deals. He's going for it all. Lot's of money.

LOL!!! OK, Shulem. He definitely is drawing attention to himself, but I am not sure that this is generating the advantage you imagine.

[_Dr Exiled]

I think we ought to wait to see how this plays out. The letter to the IRS agent is in the public domain now and one can refer to it and the controversy it generated whenever the church is acting like a corporation instead of a church, regardless of what one thinks about the messenger. Maybe the IRS will act on this, but, at worst, the guy showed how the church lied or at least improperly filled out the required IRS forms. Also, more importantly, the guy informed the public on what the approximate size of the war chest really is. Until now, the media had underestimated it. Now the Mormon public is better informed about what they are involved in and can make a better decision regarding contributions to the church investment fund.