LDS Church kept the lid on its $100B fund for fear tithing receipts would fall, account boss tells Wall Street Journal

[Moksha]

The $129 million paid for this 13,000 (going on 14,000 honest) square foot building was a real steal. Just take a look at the foundation.

This is a prime London real estate location, and it is now owned by an LDS charitable foundation. If a profit is ever realized, it will be sent to Ensign Peak Advisors to help build the intergenerational Space Ark Nauvoo.

[Analytics]

Obviously I’m coming from a different place, but I think the best approach is #1 because it is more honest. Of course you should keep in mind the obvious fact that there are true things that Jesus didn’t say and false things that he did.

Do you personally believe there was a man named Jesus who actually said these things?

Yes.

The son isn't being a good steward of what his ancestors have built for him. He should be expanding on that $5 million not consuming it.

I see more virtue in using some of the money for an excellent cause and dedicating your life to a cause more worthy than accumulating wealth.

Money makes money far better than labor ever will. The key is to have $5 million and live like you don't. The world is full of people who are heavily in debt who ilve beyond their means and they're usually punished rather severely for it, spending much of their lives as servants to the lender.

I'd love to see your reaction to the government living this way. "Yes, we collect 15% more in taxes every year than we spend and yes, that money is being used to built up a surplus that is already at $100 trillion*, but we can't even think about a tax cut, much less spending a bit more on infrastructure--we need to act like we don't have the assets we actually have!" Would you be happy about your tax bill being unnecessarily high to build up a surplus in the government that is already too high 20 times over?

Did Jesus own the clothes he wore? Because if he did, he wasn't following the commandment he gave the young ruler, right?

Presumably was okay with people owning the clothes they were wearing. But that doesn't mean he thought people should hoard wealth.

_________________________________________________--
* A $100 trillion government surplus and taxes that bring in 15% more money than the budget is commensurate with the Church's budget and assets.

[ajax18]

I'd love to see your reaction to the government living this way. "Yes, we collect 15% more in taxes every year than we spend and yes, that money is being used to built up a surplus that is already at $100 trillion*, but we can't even think about a tax cut, much less spending a bit more on infrastructure--we need to act like we don't have the assets we actually have!" Would you be happy about your tax bill being unnecessarily high to build up a surplus in the government that is already too high 20 times over?

It wouldn't come from raising taxes:) I'd like to see a tight ship run on welfare similar to how the lds church does it but less since it's the church's role to dole out welfare not the governments.

Presumably was okay with people owning the clothes they were wearing. But that doesn't mean he thought people should hoard wealth.

It's a real philosophical argument. If Jesus sold everything he had and gave it to the poor, he wouldn't have had any clothes or sandals to wear.

[Philo Sofee]

I'd love to see your reaction to the government living this way. "Yes, we collect 15% more in taxes every year than we spend and yes, that money is being used to built up a surplus that is already at $100 trillion*, but we can't even think about a tax cut, much less spending a bit more on infrastructure--we need to act like we don't have the assets we actually have!" Would you be happy about your tax bill being unnecessarily high to build up a surplus in the government that is already too high 20 times over?

It wouldn't come from raising taxes:) I'd like to see a tight ship run on welfare similar to how the lds church does it but less since it's the church's role to dole out welfare not the governments.

Presumably was okay with people owning the clothes they were wearing. But that doesn't mean he thought people should hoard wealth.

It's a real philosophical argument. If Jesus sold everything he had and gave it to the poor, he wouldn't have had any clothes or sandals to wear.

Since that time, if we were to believe the church, Jesus has become a real hording mongrel and selfish little jerk hasn't he......my how time changes everyone. Jesus owns well over $100,000,000,000 and won't lift a finger to help his people in the world. That's some love right there... yeah that's a guy I can get behind and learn how to care for the poor with. I betcha his plan is a really good one..... I just wonder when he's gonna enact it......

[ajax18]

Jesus owns well over $100,000,000,000 and won't lift a finger to help his people in the world.

Well in truth Jesus owns everything in this world regardless of what LDS church finances are. This doesn't change the problem of evil coexisting with an all powerful God. It takes more faith than most possess.

Jesus owns well over $100,000,000,000 and won't lift a finger to help his people in the world. That's some love right there... yeah that's a guy I can get behind and learn how to care for the poor with.

I could see the Church no longer asking for tithing at a certain point and just living off the interest of their assets similar to how Catholics do. The fact that missionaries aren't leaving their families penniless as in the days of Brigham Young, that mission presidents aren't sent without purse or scrip makes for a much better equipped force for good than a bankrupt Church could ever give.