I was chatting today with my virtual co-worker from Ogden, UT. We were doing the virtual equivalent of griping about stuff around the water cooler. She and her hubby are having problems with the neighbors who are Latter-day Aints. Holy smokes... I told her I used to question the likely future event of an Ogden nuke until I heard about her plight.... Phew.....
The topic turned from neighbors to Conference. Her husband has suffered a catastrophic back injury where he is barely able to move (until recently). She is a saint and has successfully nursed him mostly back to health. She has worked as hard on her spouse's condition as I have had to on mine. I expect she will receive exaltation just for her perseverance alone. After her first husband ran off with some PYT that caught his eye and left her with the kids, she had to get a job outside the home and then go back for an engineering degree. Likely on the cusp of poverty. It has been a struggle. And, with her second hubby out of work, it sounds like it still is as she has said that they do not even own a home (even with a mortgage still outstanding). One of the things she has let lapse in the juggle of life, is that she is no longer paying tithing. I have borne testimony to her of this principle.
Her main issue is that the Church is sitting on ~120+B worth of loot (my only beef is that they have heavily invested in big pharma and made ~6B off of the three companies currently cranking out the sterilizer drugs....). Being a good steward over excess funds is a great thing unless you are investing in something that flies in the face of your value set (read; casinos, aborted fetal cell research, non-medical marijuana grow operations, planned parenthood, etc etc). I reminded her that, while this is disturbing from some perspectives, tithing is still a principle whether in Jesus' day (and they likely would have paid their offerings to the corrupt leaders?), or whether it is today. The paying of tithing is more for the payer than for the payee. It is a matter of obedience to a principle and to God, than anything else. Caveated that it is not being used to grind upon the face of the poor or build ridiculously lavish buildings, etc. or used to purvey anything that is raw evil.
I also told her I will be laughing my head off if some middle manager who is responsible for running the investment tab up, while not spending this money to do good NOW, is sitting there with his mouth agape when it all tumbles down in one day, and there is nothing left. We all know the prophecies to be correct and that this WILL happen. I imagine there will be some suicides from that very thing, when the thing they have placed their confidence in, is dashed to pieces.
Knowing that just 1/100th of that loot could install a well in probably every village in Africa or India, just makes my blood boil. This is where we have chosen to direct our humanitarian aid, in lieu of sterilizing kids in poor countries. When you hit the 100 billion mark, do you keep going until you have half a trill? Or do you keep going for the cool trillion mark so you can finally have bragging rights over the Vatican?
In my mind, we could probably get by with a 50 bil nest egg - and do MUCH good with the balance. MUCH GOOD!! I would love to be broke - but have done much good with what I have been blessed with. There is only an empty feeling when I think about dying with millions in an account, knowing that I could have done something to alleviate suffering of my fellow beings.
So yeah, thankfully I have testimonies of when I have experienced off-the-charts miracles related to tithing or I would have pulled the plug on that and paid it out to a charity of my choosing
Thankfully, I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon (the Bible and other scripture is implied). I have a testimony of President Nelson (good global citizen aside), as the Lord's mouthpiece. I know the doctrine is perfect. I know I am supposed to stick with the program until the Church of the Firstborn comes online. May that come sooner than later..... Because the current program is life-limited. It is corrupt enough (at this point) that we need a reset by One Mighty and Strong or the Savior Himself.
The law of tithing as taught by Joseph Smith was always intended to be upon a person's surplus.
ReplyDeleteD&C 119
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church in Zion,
5 Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you.
By requiring a person with limited income to pay upon their entire income creates a perpetual cycle of poverty. The man or woman who provides for their family will be always looking for a handout from the church in this scenario. This not only diminishes their sense of personal accomplishment, but creates a welfare state to the church. It literally grinds the faces of the poor.
We also misinterpret the scripture in Malachi where we are taught to not rob God. The Lord was talking to the church leader not the member.
Joseph smith also taught the law of consecration, which we dont practice,and nobody has "surplus" most would consider me in poverty, but the blessing i have received by paying my tithes, way out ways what i have paid. if the church burns my tithing money,they will reap the consequences,all i can say is what i have lived through, me denying the miracles in my life and there have been many,would make me an ungrateful soul, keep giving that which is not yours,all is gods anyway and he can take it anytime he wishes.
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