Windy Sydney

I found an article on The Mormon Curtain about tithing to add more information for those who are interested. There is no author available for the article, but I want to be clear that I am not taking credit for this. I hope you like it.

The church does a masterful job at masquerading as a charitable organization. The members fall for it hook, line, and sinker. The idea that the church does so much good in the world has become firmly ingrained into LDS thinking. The reality is shocking and sickening when you digest it all:

The LDS church takes in well over 14 million dollars PER DAY in tithing, which amounts to OVER 5 BILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR (these were estimates from nearly ten years ago, so they are likely higher now).

According to Gordon B. Hinckley in a talk a few years ago:

"Last year alone we sent humanitarian aid to assist with 829 projects in 101 countries, giving 11.2 million dollars in cash and 44 million in material resources for a total $55.2 million."

Assuming we can take the prophet's word for it--and assuming this wasn't an extraordinarily charitable year for the church (which, considering the fact that most years go by without the church releasing any such financial numbers, seems unlikely)-- this means the church spends about 1% of its annual income, or, to look at it another way, LESS THAN $5 PER MEMBER PER YEAR, on charity.

Bill Gates, by contrast (and whose net worth is probably in the same neighborhood as the church's), has a charitable foundation that gives away over ONE BILLION DOLLARS each year to charity, or ABOUT TWENTY TIMES AS MUCH AS THE LDS CHURCH, even taking a conservative estimate for tithing intake and a liberal estimate for the church's charitable givings. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, TBMs, your tithing money would do more good for the world if you were to instead give it to BILL GATES. Alarm bells should be going off in any reasonable person's head right about now.

Clearly the $55 million per year (which was probably a banner year for the church) is nothing more than advertising/marketing for new members, and what a bargain for their advertising dollar when you look at the tithing income resulting therefrom!

I find the mere thought of giving money to an organization like this repugnant. The thought that I gave money to this organization makes me want to puke. I would feel better about giving my money away to BILL FREAKING GATES FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!

The first time, I'd been out of the church for about six or seven years. I'd married a nevermo, changed states, and never attended the ward where the bill originated.

One day I came home from work to find an envelope in my mailbox from the local ward. I was annoyed because I'd been telling them to leave me alone. My husband was pissed because they kept visiting, phoning, and sending ward newsletters as if I was a part of their cult.

Once inside the house, I opened the letter. It was from the local bishop, saying he and the other bishop-prick guys wanted 100% tithing participation. They knew I didn't want contact and would probably not attend some stupid "settlement," so they had prayed and decided to ask for a minimal amount of tithing, something like $200. I turned over the letter and wrote back that I was not mormon and wanted them to leave me alone and sent it back.

A year later, I received a similar bill. Mormons can be such weird fanatical zealots. They actually think they can force some "Lord" in the sky to manipulate a person they don't know or care about into paying money to a detestable organization, one so bad as to pull a stunt like this one.