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GENERAL AUTHORITIES
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29
Members of the LDS Church that rise past the rank of Stake President are considered General Authorities. They leave their current jobs and work for the LDS Church full time. In exchange, the LDS Church provides them a full salary and often lavish living expenses. Those who rise to the rank of Apostle must sell any business they own and renounce any board of directors for companies that are not directly own by the LDS Church (Hinckley 1996). Generally those who reach Apostle sell their businesses and hand the money over to the LDS Church.
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Members of the LDS Church that rise past the rank of Stake President are considered General Authorities. They leave their current jobs and work for the LDS Church full time. In exchange, the LDS Church provides them a full salary and often lavish living expenses. Those who rise to the rank of Apostle must sell any business they own and renounce any board of directors for companies that are not directly own by the LDS Church (Hinckley 1996). Generally those who reach Apostle sell their businesses and hand the money over to the LDS Church.
In 1984 the Quorum Of the Twelve were paid in the range of $60 to $80 thousand a year for living expenses, excluding benefits. This does not include any money received by business ventures or sitting on the board of directors for other companies. Most all General Authorities of the LDS Church are wealthy businessmen; most have companies whose income exceeds a million dollars a year. Most General Authorities have bank account balances in the six digit figure. In addition to the modest salary, the Prophet and his Apostles are given living arrangments. Thomas S. Monson lives in a 24000+ square foot condo estimated at a value of $2.8 million. The Prophet and his Apostles all have 24hr limo service provided by private drivers. The Prophet has 24hr "secret service" bodyguards who protect him anywhere he goes.
Quinn's book Extensions of Power does have more current numbers that also delineate by rank. The Prophet makes the most, his two counselors slightly less, and the remaining twelve lesser still. What Quinn also points out though, is that until earlier in the 20th century local bishops and stake presidents were in fact paid from a percentage of the tithing funds collected.
When the Mormon Prophet David O'McKay died in 1970 he had an estate worth an estimated at half a million dollars. David was a lifetime church employee (64 years) and accumulated this wealth from the LDS Church.
General Authority figures in Mormonism are treated as heros and celebrities. General Authorities expect obedience and reverence around them and command enormous power over the members. If a General Authority walked into a Mormon chapel and demanded everyone get on their hands and knees, not a single person would be standing.
This section holds articles surrounding General Authorities of the LDS Church. Many articles from this area are moved to individual Topic areas.
| Religion (and Faith) Is A Complex Issue - Zealots Are Hard To Figure Out
Wednesday, Feb 22, 2006, at 10:58 AM
Original Author(s): Former Church Insider
Topic: GENERAL AUTHORITIES -Link To MC Article- | ↑ | There is no way for me to really answer the question... since I can't read their minds, but I'll give it a try (you can call it the FCI dogma if you like). I do not hold myself out to be an expert on religion or faith, nor do I have any particular ability to discern the truthfulness or spirituality of others (unlike Hinckley had with Hoffman).
1. My guess, based on interactions with and observations of some GA's, is that (privately) a third have strong doubts, a third have some doubts and the other third are so self hypnotized that they would not ever let any doubt enter their minds. (it's probably been the same since the inception of the church.... there is just too much to lose in leaving or speaking out... isn't it interesting though that so many more GA's left publicly during the JS/BY era and were outspoken in their disbelief)
2. Many of the doubters are working on the idea of the "greater good"....meaning (in their minds) even if the whole thing is not true, there are benefits (blessings) that come based on conformity to a system that contains "good works", and a "self support" system for so called "believers". The church supplies a social support network and a mechanism for belonging....and if you play the game the way that is asked, and sacrifice "your time, talents, and everything with which the lard has blessed you and with which he will bless you to the LDS church", and do so with an unflinching and unquestioning eye to the glory that is promised in the afterlife.... you (and your family members who believe) will be blessed both in this life and later.
3. A personal friend of my wife is Bob Millet... and I have to be careful here (when I'm fully ousted I'll be more candid)....he's been in our home several times over the years, along with others in fairly high status within the Morg... and it's interesting in candid conversations with others who are well connected within Morg., that they sometimes let there guard down when talking about the church and it's leaders.
When you get a couple of those types together and talking... it's interesting what some of us "fly on the wall" types hear from these "authorities". Don't be fooled by the unison that the GA's appear to have in General Conference and in other public settings... there is much discord among many of the brethren.... and it can become evident in more private settings. Some of the conversations I've overheard lead me to believe that many, if not most of the brethren have doubts about the inspiration of the current leaders of the Morg. - but they've got too much to lose personally by leaving, and know better than to ever express their doubts.
4. A couple of years ago a family friend (from out of state) had a child at Primary children's hospital in serious condition (although not immanently life threatening) after an operation.... through some connections and upon the request of the family, I was able to get one of the 12 there to give the little girl a blessing. I asked one of the nurses later, how often one of the 12 got up to Primary to give a blessing to a child... she said it had happened only three times in the 18 years she worked there (as far as she knew) and that it was an was extremely rare occurrence. The girl did get better, but over the next few weeks, several inquiries came from CAB as to her condition.... and I have little doubt that this story will be told at some point in the future as a "faith promoting" event in general conference or in some printed venue. Had the girl died, so would the story....
You'd think if the GA's had a direct pipeline to healing powers, they'd have someone on call at Primary Children's Hospital on a daily basis.... it just doesn't happen, maybe they feel the priesthood is the priesthood, no matter who has it, and the 12 and other GA's are too busy for these kinds of ordinances.
5. You'll notice that the GA's and particularly the 12 and 1st Presidency do not make themselves available to the "common church" folk much. They protect their privacy and while it is easy to understand why, it is also easy to see in many ways that this avoidance, is for the convenience of these men as much as any other reason. They simply do not generally like dealing with the questions of faith and doctrine that would so easily come up and have to be dealt with in public settings. At some point in the future, I can get into this topic in more depth... but it does raise issues, as there are so many layers of "church authority" that common church members must deal with... yet, a few with connections to the Morg. seem to be able to pass right through this bureaucracy.
...(This is why I enjoy Steve Benson's and a few other insiders candid remarks... it is truly rare to find someone close to these guys who is actually willing to talk about what they know and have observed.)
6. So in summary, do I believe the leaders of TSCC know the "dirty truth"?... Most do.... others are so deluded by their authority, status and power (or the quest thereof), that they are willing to walk blindly in the face of the truth that the Morg. is a fraud.
But he same can be said about so many religions....The question that must be asked is "are any of the church's true?"... which one should I join?.... maybe I should go to a grove and pray about it....
| I’m about tired of Mormons claiming that things their old church leaders said are no longer valid, or that they need to be taken in the context of the times. Look at what Elder Merrill C. Oaks Of the Seventy said. See Merrill C. Oaks, “The Living Prophet: Our Source of Pure Doctrine,” Ensign, Nov. 1998, 82
We have large amounts of written historical material available to us, including sermons of early Church leaders. These give us background that help us understand the early events of the Restoration and the situations that existed in those days. This year we have the privilege of studying teachings of the prophet Brigham Young in priesthood and Relief Society meetings. There are wonderful continuity and agreement of these teachings and those of our more current prophets.
Isn’t it kind of silly that Mormons like to claim that past teachings of prophets need to be taken in the context of the times, yet have church leaders claim that the teachings of Brigham Young are in agreement with the teachings of modern prophets? Who is telling the truth here?
The audacity. Source of pure doctrine.
source n.
* The point at which something springs into being or from which it derives or is obtained.
* The point of origin, such as a spring, of a stream or river.
pure adj.
* Having a homogeneous or uniform composition; not mixed: pure oxygen.
* Free from adulterants or impurities: pure chocolate.
* Free of dirt, defilement, or pollution: “A memory without blot or contamination must be... an inexhaustible source of pure refreshment” (Charlotte Brontë).
* Free of foreign elements.
* Philosophy. Free of empirical elements: pure reason. (I add this since the word pure is being used to modify the word doctrine.)
doctrine n.
* A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief, as by a religious, political, scientific, or philosophic group; dogma.
So what does that mean? Source of pure doctrine. I would argue that Mormons would not claim that their president is the origin, but rather the “point of origin.” I think of it as a spring. The spring is not where the water is made, just where it comes to the surface. Then pure. Free from impurities. So how can doctrine be pure if the president of the LDS church is sometimes speaking as a man. That’s not pure. Doctrine. That’s the body of principles that are presented for the members of the LDS church. Once the prophet has spoken, the thinking has been done. Decisions are not really presented to the membership for their acceptance. Members are supposed to sustain the leaders, not question.
So the president of the LDS church is either the source of pure doctrine or he isn’t. The explanation that the president of the LDS church sometimes speaks as a man is insulting. I have heard few other weak explanations that top this one.
| 1) "It is also to the Book of Mormon to which we turn for the plainest description of the Catholic Church as the great and abominable church. Nephi saw this ‘church which is the most abominable above all other churches' in vision. He ‘saw the devil that he was the foundation of it' and also the murders, wealth, harlotry, persecutions, and evil desires that historically have been a part of this satanic organization.(Bruce R. McConkie. Mormon Doctrine [1958], 130.)
2) "I think no more of taking another wife than I do of buying a cow."
- Apostle Heber C. Kimball, The Twenty Seventh Wife, Irving Wallace, p. 101.
3) "Brethren, I want you to understand that it is not to be as it has been heretofore. The brother missionaries have been in the habit of picking out the prettiest women for themselves before they get here, and bringing on the ugly ones for us; hereafter you have to bring them all here before taking any of them, and let us all have a fair shake."
- Apostle Heber C. Kimball, The Lion of the Lord, New York, 1969, pp
4) "You may inquire of the intelligent of the world whether they can tell why the aborigines of this country are dark, loathsome, ignorant, and sunken into the depths of degradation ...When the Lord has a people, he makes covenants with them and gives unto them promises: then, if they transgress his law, change his ordinances, and break his covenants he has made with them, he will put a mark upon them, as in the case of the Lamanites and other portions of the house of Israel; but by-and-by they will become a white and delightsome people" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 7:336).
5) "The day of the Lamanites in nigh. For years they have been growing delightsome. . . The children in the home placement program in Utah are often lighter than their brothers and sisters in the hogans on the reservation. . .There was the doctor in a Utah city who for two years had had an Indian boy in his home who stated that he was some shades lighter than the younger brother just coming into the program from the reservation. These young members of the Church are changing to whiteness and to delightsomeness. Spencer W. Kimball; The Improvemant, Era, Dec. 1960, p. 923)
6) "You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind....Cain slew his brother. Can might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin." (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, page 290).
7) "Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so." (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Volume 10, page 110.)
8) "Not only was Cain called upon to suffer, but because of his wickedness he became the father of an inferior race."
(Tenth LDS President, Joseph Fielding Smith The Way to Perfection, p.101.)
9) "Let us consider the great mercy of God for a moment. a Chinese, born in China with a dark skin, and with all the handicaps of that race seems to have little opportunity. but think of the mercy of god to Chinese people who are willing to accept the gospel. In spite of whatever they might have done in the pre-existence to justify being born over there as Chinamen, if they now, in this life, accept the gospel and live it the rest of their lives they can have the Priesthood, go to the temple and receive endowments and sealings, and that means they can have exaltation. Isn't the mercy of God marvelous?
Think of the Negro, cursed as to the priesthood... This Negro, who in the pre-existence lived the type of life which justified the Lord in sending him to the earth in the lineage of Cain with a black skin, and possibly being born in darkest Africa--if that Negro is willing when he hears the gospel to accept it, he may have many of the blessings of the gospel. In spite of all he did in the pre-existent life, the Lord is willing, if the Negro accepts the gospel with real, sincerer faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessing of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. If that Negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory.
(Race Problems--As They Affect The Church, An address by Mark E. Petersen at the Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College level; Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, August 27, 1954.)
10) "We do not intend to admit to our campus any homosexuals. If any of you have this tendency and have not completely abandoned it, may I suggest that you leave the university immediately after this assembly.... We do not want others on this campus to be contaminated by your presence." (Ernest Wilkinson, president of Brigham Young University, in a 1965 lecture to the BYU student body, titled: "Make Honor your Standard."
| There was a time in the LDS church when GA’s were not afraid of tough questions from the general church membership.
The gospel had answers to even the most difficult question. Today however church members are not only encouraged but also taught not to write the general authorities about their gospel questions.
If a member somehow overlooks this policy, the members letter is forwarded to his/her local church authority with a letter of smug verbage putting the member in their place, criticizing the member for even writing the GA in the first place and reminding the member just how busy these church authorities are and just how puny and insignificant the member is. How dare a church member ask a question of doctrine of a church "general" authority. The dumb bastard?
So whatever happened to GA’s the likes of Joseph Fielding Smith, B.H. Roberts and Bruce R. McConkie. These men might have been up in the night but at least these men had the balls to put their answers to difficult questions down in writing. They did at least stand for something.
Joseph Fielding Smith did an entire series of books called “Answers to Gospel Questions“ Bruce R. gave us “Mormon Doctrine“. B.H. gave us “Studies of the Book of Mormon” and of course the first “History of the Church” before others whitewashed it.
All we get now are silly books like: Jeffery Holland's book “Modesty, Makeovers, and the Pursuit of Physical Beauty: What Mothers and Daughters Need to Know” or Boyde KKK Packers book: “Let Not Your Heart be Troubled” just to name a few...
It appears that the days of eating Meat are over...and the membership is back on a steady diet of Milk...mixed with an equal part of water. Wouldn't want to drink too much of that controversial milk now would we....
| According to LDS lore, when a prophet says something boneheaded/reprehensible/embarrassing/whatever he was speaking only as a man, not as the prophet. OK, let's say that's true. Then why would the Lord let false crap go uncorrected?
"Joseph, my son, the stuff you said about ____________________ is totally wrong. Pass the word on to the flock."
But since the so-called prophets aren't EVER speaking for God, they aren't going to be corrected -- at least not until some prophet down the line decides to call bullshit on one of his predecessors.
| For those TBMs saying that the church really doesn't expect members to support their political agenda, Hinckley taught otherwise.
The example Hinckley used in a recent General Conference is very similar to the one now over gay marriage.
"Now may I say a word concerning loyalty to the Church. We see much indifference. There are those who say, "The Church won't dictate to me how to think about this, that, or the other, or how to live my life.""
"No, I reply, the Church will not dictate to any man how he should think or what he should do. The Church will point out the way and invite every member to live the gospel and enjoy the blessings that come of such living. The Church will not dictate to any man, but it will counsel, it will persuade, it will urge, and it will expect loyalty from those who profess membership therein."
"The book of Revelation declares: "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15–16)."
"I make you a promise, my dear brethren, that while I am serving in my present responsibility I will never consent to nor advocate any policy, any program, any doctrine which will be otherwise than beneficial to the membership of this, the Lord's Church."
"This is His work. He established it. He has revealed its doctrine. He has outlined its practices. He created its government. It is His work and His kingdom, and He has said, "They who are not for me are against me" (2 Nephi 10:16)."
"In 1933, there was a movement in the United States to overturn the law which prohibited commerce in alcoholic beverages. When it came to a vote, Utah was the deciding state. President Heber J. Grant, then President of this Church, had pleaded with our people against voting to nullify Prohibition. It broke his heart when so many members of the Church in this state disregarded his counsel."
"On this occasion I am not going to talk about the good or bad of Prohibition but rather of uncompromising loyalty to the Church."
"How grateful, my brethren, I feel, how profoundly grateful for the tremendous faith of so many Latter-day Saints who, when facing a major decision on which the Church has taken a stand, align themselves with that position. And I am especially grateful to be able to say that among those who are loyal are men and women of achievement, of accomplishment, of education, of influence, of strength–highly intelligent and capable individuals."
"Each of us has to face the matter – either the Church is true, or it is a fraud. There is no middle ground. It is the Church and kingdom of God, or it is nothing."
- President Gordon B. Hinckley. "Loyalty," April Conference, 2003.
Doesn't the church expect "uncompromising loyalty" regarding the letter read this week in Sacrament Meeting?
| General Authorities are often men of wealth and considerable influence within hamlets, towns and cities of their birth. They are men who have exercised the power of the priesthood in determining who is favored of the Lord, who should be healed from their afflictions, what changes should be made in scriptures, temple ceremonies and how to position the church in the ecclesiastical market place. The priesthood is the power to act for God. Members are told that every decision, every utterance, and every change to doctrine is inspired of God himself. The power of Priesthood endowment guides their thoughts to select temple worthy men of the church to sit in judgment over the rank and file and supervise the appointment of proper men as middle managers (stake presidents and bishops). They bear the power of the priesthood with eyes gazing into heaven. The power of their position arises from what the people think they can do for them or to them. The rule is plain within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,contrary speaking of the Lord’s anointed will be frowned upon. For the ritual of the priesthood to operate smoothly, super-experts (General Authorities) are needed who make sure that the other experts are performing correctly.
A historical review of the men of Mormonism reminds me of the words of John Stuart Mill (1806-73), speaking about the injustice to women and the damage done to them by men who have attained positions of power he wrote, “men are damaged as individuals, often in ways they are not likely to notice (which is part of the damage).” Mill believes that it is not good for anyone to be brought up to believe themselves superior to others, especially when it happens, as it frequently does, to be others whose faculties are superior to theirs.
Heber C. Kimball (1801-1868), member of the Twelve Apostles and councilor to Brigham Young, is quoted as saying, “I think no more of taking another wife, than I do of buying a cow.” Heber C. Kimball, The Twenty Seventh Wife, Irving Wallace, pp. 101. Apostle Kimball is also quoted while speaking to a group of departing missionaries, “Brethren, I want you to understand that it is not to be as it has been heretofore. The brother missionaries have been in the habit of picking out the prettiest women for themselves before they get here, and bringing on the ugly ones for us; hereafter you have to bring them all here before taking any of them, and let us all have a fair shake.” Heber C. Kimball, The Lion of the Lord, New York, 1969, pp. 129-30. This is the same man that gave his frightened, confused, fourteen year old daughter, Helen to Joseph Smith. Joseph married her in the secrecy of the holy temple. Emma was not invited to the wedding, as she was not invited to any of her husbands more than thirty temple sealingceremonies. Emma was invited to Joseph’s funeral, along with the other wives whom she also did not give Joseph permission to marry. In the case of Joseph Smith, John Stuart Mill was spot on.
Why do the powerful, sustained, elite priesthood bearers gathered in Salt Lake City suppose that by the authority of the holy melchizedek priesthood they have God’s blessing to make women suffer? According to Gordon B. Hinckley, “We must reach out to all mankind.” Reach out to all mankind, with what? Bullets penetrate Mormon underwear just like bullets penetrate underwear purchased at Walmart. A priesthood blessing is as good as the body’s natural resistance to the disease. Members of the Priesthood rejoice when a child blessed recovers from the common cold, but when they learn that the person on whose head they poured oil and placed their hands and promised full recovery has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer they retreat to the fictitious gift of sealing them up to death and the after life. Mickey Mouse has the power to give such a blessing. The Twelve Apostles proclaim that Mormon’s no longer follow Joseph Smith’s proclamation to live The New and Ever Lasting Covenant of Plural Marriage.
So why have Dallin Oaks, L. Tom Perry and Russell M. Nelson been sealed to second wives in the secrecy of the Holy Temple? General Authorities have been reduced to “the-men-who-are-keepers-of-the-secret-that-is-no-longer-a-secret.” The relegation of women to be wives in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom to men who may be as damaged as Heber C, Kimball, Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, and members of the current Twelve Apostles is inconsistent with current answers given by the Brethren to curious journalists. Gordon B. Hinckley, offers his assurance that Mormon’s have forsaken the serfdom of polygamy, but in the secrecy of the Holy Temples, Mormons celebrate polygamy as the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage; the pathway to Godhood and a mansion full of dutiful, possibly surprised women.
An important fact about human suffering is that people will endure it if they think a higher power is watching over them. In that case they may even glory in their suffering.
For the huddled masses of Mormonism who have forfeited free thought and reason to the tyranny of the priesthood over individual expression and the common good of women, one must ask, are you aware that happiness requires individual freedoms?
Is anyone explaining to the young women of Mormonism that the General Authorities worship the covenant of polygamy every time they enter the temple? In 399B.C. Socrates puts forward the premise: “doing harm to people is wrong.” Proclaiming in the quiet and secrecy of the temple that the marriage is for time and all eternity, but to not mention that it is Mormon Doctrine that the bride will be one of many wife’s sealed to the groom, such a lie is to do harm.
What type of men would preside over such behavior? Only men who are damaged.
| A terrifically juicy thread is unfolding on the ironically named FAIRboard. A poster named "hondo" posited the provocative question, "What Do General Authorities Do All Day?" Someone raised the issue that all of the Brethren tend to come out of high-status positions in the first place---i.e., that the "salt of the earth," rank-and-file members don't have any shot whatsoever at being called to apostlehood.
A bit into the thread, good ol' Professor Peterson reminds us about the Brethren's occupations:
Daniel Peterson wrote:
Among today's Twelve: Packer (educator), Perry (businessman), Oaks (lawyer/educator), Bednar (educator), Ballard (businessman), Uchtdorf (commercial pilot), Nelson (surgeon/educator), Wirthlin (businessman), Eyring (educator), Holland (educator), Scott (nuclear engineer), Hales (executive).
Further down, Abulafia makes this extremely interesting observation:
Abulafia wrote:
Pity that there are no office workers, caretakers, plumbers, electricians, builders there, even more of a pity that there are no carpenters, tax collectors (that one couldn't have been a popular choice at the time...how things change!!) or fishermen!! (ahem)
What is so fascinating, though, is DCP's reply:
Daniel Peterson wrote:
Why?
Are those careers somehow more holy?
Would you perhaps like to see quotas of some kind? (E.g., 25% of apostolic callings must go to blue collar workers? At least one apostle at any time should be a house painter?)
He follows this up with a stunning "admission":
Daniel Peterson wrote:
Since, in today's church, service at that level involves administrative decisions for a very complex international organization of millions of people, with a huge budget, I'm not altogether surprised that uneducated people, or people who haven't had any administrative experience or success during their secular careers, tend not to be suddenly thrust into such a role, ecclesiastically.
(emphasis added)
In other words, occupational background is key. It's not spirituality, or promptings from the Lord---it's your work background. Or at the very least, one needs "administrative experience" in order to fulfill the charges of apostleship. Later, Prof. P. tries to backtrack:
Daniel Peterson wrote:
Is there any reason why one cannot be both an administrator and a witness? If there is, I confess that I can't see it. Is there any reason to suppose that being a house painter or an office worker or a fisherman would somehow be superior to being a doctor or an educator in terms of spirituality and capacity for witness? If you think so, please outline your reasoning.
There is reason to suppose this, since none of the Brethren have been culled from the more blue-collar professions.
Daniel Peterson wrote:
Again, though, it seems to me obvious that the skills required to shepherd a multimillion member international organization might be more common among the educated and the successful than among supermarket bag boys.
The bottomline appears to be that one must have certain secular qualifications in order to serve at the highest levels in the Church.
| Our dear late prophet, seer and revelator Heber J. Grant understood the value of not being in debt. He preached this theme in the October 1900 general conference (each asterisk represents the letter "e" in the original):
"I went to a negro minstrel show once, and there were about ten or fifteen on the stage. One of them rushed in with his hat off and said. 'which of these here nigg*rs am lost two dollars?' holding up a two dollar bill. There hadn't any of them lost two dollars. 'Well,' he said, 'if none of you have lost it, I found these two dollars right by the door here and it is my money.' They said all right, and he put it in his pocket. No sooner had he got it in his pocket than up jumped a nigg*r and said: 'Look here, George Washington Jones, you owe me two dollars; pay your honest debts!' He handed the two dollars to him. Another nigg*r jumps up and says: 'Look here, Julius C. Brown, you owes me two dollars; pay your debt.' He got it, and in this way it went clear round. When the last man got it, up jumps George Washington Jones, and says: 'Here, give me back the two dollars; you owes me two dollar.' No sooner had he got it in his pocket than a fellow rushes in and said 'which of you nigg*rs has found two dollars?' George Washington Jones took it out of his pocket and said: 'Here, take your money and go home; we've all paid our debts.'
"I desire that the Latter-day Saints should all pay their debts."
--Heber J. Grant, October 6, 1900 (Conference Reports, October 1900, p 35-36)
| Hello Friends
Today, at a Stake Conference in Scotland, a friend approached Dallin H. Oaks, and politely asked if Oaks would answer a question.
Oaks replied, "Certainly", perhaps thinking it would be a simple one.
However, the question asked was, “In the Book of Abraham, Why does God sit on his throne with an erection, when giving out the keys of the priesthood?”
Oaks kept his composure, and simply replied, “I don’t know the answer to that question”.
In other words, Oaks confirmed that he knew of the problem relating to object 7 in facsimile # 2 in the Book of Abraham, but he did not wish to talk about why - as Mormon apologist and scholar, Michael Rhodes, tells us - the Egyptian god Min was present in the LDS scriptures with a full erection.
Of course, the correct answer would have been, “The Book of Abraham is not an authentic translation of the Egyptian papyrus Joseph Smith bought from a travelling salesman."
So, I got to thinking about Questions and Answers - or rather, lack of answers from Mormon leaders…
In general, why does a person not answer a specific question?
Possible reasons:
1. The question is not clear; therefore the person does not understand what is being asked.
2. The answer is not known.
3. The answer is known, but there is calculated intent to conceal the answer.
So far as Mormon leaders are concerned, it’s thought to be perfectly okay to:
1. Not answer questions, or to
2. Lie when answering
This culture of deceit goes back to the very roots of Mormonism. It began with Joseph and Brigham, and is still alive and well today. In fact, it was Joseph who introduced the notion that God himself Lies and encourages others to do so.
Tactic # 1
When a problem question is posed, the simplest response is to avoid the question. This can be done by not answering the question asked but by answering a different question.
This tactic has been employed for scores of years, and because it's such a very well recognised form of deception or avoidance used by politicians, criminals, etc, it tends not to work with much success anymore. Even the gullible can sense something is amiss, go on to process what has been said at a sub-concious level, and then later arrive at the point where they are aware that the question was not answered, therefore feeling dissatisfied.
Tactic # 1 is an enduring favourite among the Mormon elite.
As Boyd K. Packer once said, in quoting Henry D. Moyle, "I never pay any attention to the questions... If he doesn't ask the right questions [the questions I like to be asked], I give answers to questions he should have asked."
Packer added, "That short statement from President Moyle held great wisdom, and on a number of occasions I have been rescued in difficult situations by referring back in my mind to his comment."
[source: Boyd K. Packer, p.63, Teach Ye Diligently]
The use of this tactic is also encouraged at other levels in the Mormon organisation. Robert Millet, for example, encourages this type of deception to be practiced by Mormon missionaries.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMJvqB...
Tactic # 2
If tactic 1 does not work, the next step is often to simply tell a lie.
And whether it's:
a. Joseph Smith denying to Emma and to the public, that he was having sex with multiple girls and women (both married and unmarried),
b. The Stake fortune teller (aka patriarch) telling your friends that you've cancelled your membership because you were an adulterer - that's what was actually said about me, or
c. Gordon B. Hinckley lying to the FBI about his involvement in the Mark Hoffman affair
There are plenty of examples of lying among the Mormon elite.
You may wish to add to this thread by documenting the lies and deceptions from the Mormon holy men that you are aware of.
Tactic # 3
Another way to avoid difficult questions- and one which is constantly employed by the Mormon elite without the batting of an eyelid - is the absolute refusal to answer the question as if it had never been asked.
One example of this can be found in relation to Bob McCue's experience.
Bob McCue sent a letter to prophet seer and revelator, Jeffrey R. Holland, which talked about why Bob cancelled his membership.
Holland replied to the letter, but ignored the entire content of the letter. I don’t have a copy of Holland’s reply and would appreciate a copy if anyone has a copy.
Bob said this, about Holland’s reply:
“To my great surprise, Elder Holland responded to my first letter with a three page, warm, conciliatory reply. However, he did not address any of the substantive issues I raised, and seemed to hold the view that my return to active participation in the Mormon Church was inevitable”
[source: http://www.mccue.cc/bob/postmormon.ht... ]
Bob then sent Holland another letter, this time 80 pages long:
[Note: The links to the files below didn’t seem to work on Bob’s site for me, as I was getting a “server not found”, or “unknown zone” error, so if you have this problem, I suggest you go to the following directory on Bob’s site, and then right-click with the mouse on the desired files and select “save target as” to save the files below to your local drive. Then read them at your leisure]
http://www.mccue.cc/bob/documents/
rs.first holland lt.pdf
rs.second holland lt.pdf
Incidentally, Bob sent a letter to 9 of the 15 prophets seers and revelators. As I understand it, not one of these men answered a single question or offered a comment on any of the subjects raised by Bob.
In a recent conversation with Bob and Pheobe (from RfM), I suggested that Holland and the other apostles were simply wilful liars. Bob was generous in his opinion of them, and persuaded me that these “philosopher kings” were probably very sincere in their beliefs.
Holland - and this goes for the other special witnesses of Jesus - may be a person of high integrity, but by refusing to answer simple questions, how can I tell that he really is an "Honest John"?
There are just so many simple, simple questions that the Mormon elite refuse to answer.
Tactic # 4
The most often used tactic of Gordon B. Hinckley is the “I don’t know” response to any question he’d prefer not to answer.
The catalogue of his “I don’t know” responses to interviewers questions is now pretty hefty, and well known.
One possible reason that the Mormon leaders prefer not to answer questions is that if they choose to answer honestly, then they run the risk of:
1. Enlightening the members
2. Appearing to be stupid and ridiculous. They don’t want to end up looking like a FARMS employee - someone who is paid to contort and invent any explanation to the problems and killer questions that beleaguer the Mormon church. Many an honest soul has gone to FARMS craving support and comfort only to be utterly convinced that the church has no sensible answers to the hard questions and facts.
Of course, both of the above outcomes will result in the loss of tithe paying members.
And that's the dilemma. Lie and lose members. Tell the truth and loose members.
Those poor Mormon leaders. They're between a rock and a hard place.
| This year's collection is primarily CEOs.
Here they are:
Brinkerhoff: Retired businessman
Chambers: director of planning and development services, City of Pocatello
Clark: Pres of BYU-Idaho
Cordova: assistant recorder, Los Angeles Temple (What?) Is this a paying job?
Merrell: CEO, Browz Group
Nattress: President Advanced Health Care Corp.
Osguthorpe: BYU Prof in instructional pshchology and Technology (finally something other than pres of a corpporation)
Price: Project manager MWH Americas Inc.
Trythall: partner Gallina LLP, Vice Pres W.F.Ranch Inc.
Wheeler: Vice Pres Snow College
Whiting: Pres. Waterhouse Inc.
Andersen: Managing partner, Andersen Investments
Archibald: Chairman of the board/president/CEO, The Black and Decker Corp
Burns: Chairman Emeritus, Ryder System Inc; developing residential/commercial property in Heber Valley Ut and Mesquite Nevada
Cook: partner/attorney, Nixon Peabody
Crittenden: executive VP/CFO American Express
Fluckiger: Attorney/Partner, Jones Day
Ingram: high school teacher (Woah! What happened here!) Pardon my cynicism, but I'll bet he'd a retired CEO, now teaching high school for a couple of years...) (Anyone know for sure?)
Melchin: Pres. Encore Communities Inc.
There they are---a real cross section of humanity. Disciples just like Jesus had---fishermen, etc.
| I struggled to be a Mormon, but like so many, I failed. Looking back, I recognized what nothing burgers some of the leaders really were. But I refused to believe my own eyes. I should have known better ---sooner.
Joseph Fielding Smith always comes to mind as the leader no-one liked. If anyone did like him, they had to be related. He wrote dreadful books, changed church history, and spent a lifetime rebuking people. He was cold, mean, and humorless. I have since read that he liked to joke, but I never saw it. When he died, the church magazines had a section on his humor. I tell you, this guy could not have replaced Johnny Carson.
The man had nothing to contribute when he became the church President.
He was mean, sour, cold, and impossible to like or listen to. But when I was on my mission, I told people "I know we have a prophet today. . . ." Hell, I did not know it.
His son-in-law was another gem. If there was ever a meaner guy than Bruce McConkie, I would love to know who it was. He was, like his father-in-law, arrogant, self-righteous, and cruel. McConkie's utter destruction of George Pace was something to see. Oddly, I heard it at the time it occurred, and it left me speechless and horrfiied. I was already out of BYU, and out of the church, but I thought he had reached a new low. Come to think of it, new lows were standard fare for McConkie. I know he was a "true believer," and I know it only made him meaner.
Harold B. Lee was another major nothing burger, a man who was about as inspiring and intelligent as the cold fish he used as a role model. Looking back at the times I saw him, I am stunned I took him seriously. He had no personality of any note, and he was incredibly mean.
He told Ernest Wilkinson that "no daughter of mine will go to BYU if a Negro is enrolled there." He also said "The Negro will never get the priesthood as long as I am alive." He was not alive all that long. Like all the rest, he made the Mormon earth tremble, however briefly, and then vanished into well deserved oblivion.
His passing reminded me of the comment H.L. Mencken made when they told him Calvin Coolidge was dead. Mencken asked "How can they tell?"
And who could forget Mark E. Peterson, the man who said "I would let every Negro drive a Cadillac if he could afford it." This is the same man who had church members spied on.
I knew of a family whose daughter became a polygamist. The parents visited her one weekend, and came home feeling terribly sad. That week, they got a call from their Stake President, who informed them that Elder Peterson had phoned, and told him that "church security" had seen their license plate in Idaho----visiting polygamists. It was, apparently, the business of Mark E. to keep tabs on people, and who they saw. A real comfort, to be sure. Nice to know he cared. Wait a minute--- he didn't care. I forgot that.
The list could go on a long time. The church says their leaders "have human failings." But the average member has fewer "failings" than many of the asshat leaders. It was remarkable to me how mean, cantankerous, and vituperative many of them were----and are. How is one supposed to take these clowns seriously as "prophets?" My hell, you would not want to be seen with many of them. People might talk, and get the impression you run in bad company.
| New Missionary Discussion: "Meet Sister Lewis, A Woman Twice Blessed By The Gospel"
Wednesday, Jan 2, 2008, at 07:02 AM
Original Author(s): Timmy Teaboy
Topic: GENERAL AUTHORITIES -Link To MC Article- | ↑ | I wonder how many converts the missionaries would get if they began teaching the true story about the Lewis family.
Many already know about Thomas Lewis, who, as a young, single and faithful priesthood holder, developed a fancy for an eligible young lady in his area only to find out that the lecherous Bishop Snow had his lust-filled eyes on the same young maiden. Long story short, Bishop Snow decided that he had the bigger priesthood, which gave him the right to get rid of the competition, which he did by ordering local priesthood thugs to castrate young Thomas Lewis.
It would seem that after being thus blessed by such selfless guidance and direction from local priesthood leaders, the Lewis family would be only too happy to let another family be blessed with the loving attentions and ministrations of Church leaders. But the leaders had more big love in store for the Lewis family, particularly for sister Lewis, the widowed mother of the castrated Thomas Lewis.
Yes, none other than the wonderful Prophet, Seer and Revelator, Brigham Young himself, turned his attention to Sister Lewis or, more specifically, turned his attention to some strategically located and potentially profitable real estate owned by Sister Lewis. God or the real estate, or a combination of both, inspired Brigham with a stratagem whereby he could swindle the widow out of her property by marrying her. Once married to the widow, he would take control of the property and cast her aside to live out her years as a beggar in other people's homes.
I'm certain that Widow Lewis felt honored and blessed to be swindled by the Prophet and President of the Church. If you're going to be swindled, you should do it right and be swindled by a man who has authority from the Lord.
Some excerpts from Wife No. 19:
http://antimormon.8m.com/youngchp16.h...
"But a still greater marvel is, that the mother of Bishop Snow's poor victim still retains her faith in Mormonism, and since the cruel and disgraceful tragedy which deprived her of her son, has been sealed to Brigham Young as one of his wives. It was not pity that moved him to marry her, nor a desire to comfort her and lighten her burdens; but it was because he saw by so doing that he could advance his own interests. Mrs. Lewis is never mentioned among his wives, yet he was sealed to her about two years after his marriage to me. Brigham's matrimonial experiences hardly find a place here, but as Mrs. Lewis's alliance with the Prophet came about in a way through this tragedy, it may not be out of place even in this chapter on "Blood-Atonement."
"San Pete was filled with so many sad memories to Mrs. Lewis, after the terrible fate of her son, that she could not remain there, reminded as she constantly was of the affair; so she removed to Provo, where she bought herself a very pleasant home, and, being a woman of considerable wealth, was living very comfortably, when Brigham commenced building a factory so near to her that it spoiled the beauty of the place and made it quite unpleasant. The agents then proposed to bring the water-course through her front yard - an arrangement to which she objected most emphatically. The agents, shocked at her unwillingness to have her property spoiled for the sake of Brother Brigham's factory, rushed in breathless haste to the Prophet, and told him of Mrs. Lewis's rebellion. He instantly formed a plan of inducing her to surrender. He went at once to Provo, and presented himself to Mrs. Lewis with an offer of marriage, stating at the same time, "I know you have had a great deal of trouble, Sister Lewis; you have suffered much for the sake of the gospel, and I pity you. I desire to do something for you; I wish in some way to comfort you; so I think you had better become a member of my family."
"She was an old lady, with children all grown, and was perfectly independent of them or any one, and certainly had no need to marry for support. As the Mormons believe that no woman can enter heaven except some man go through the ordinances with her, very many are sealed in their old age to secure salvation; but as her husband had been a good Mormon, and they had attended to all the important matters, she was saved without prophetic intervention. She had no need to marry for a husband who should look out for her welfare, as her children were ready and willing to do anything she needed done in the way of business. So she informed Brother Brigham that she didn't see why she should marry at all."
[Mrs. Lewis had been comfortable and independent in her own home and on her own property. But Brigham Young persuaded her to marry him with a combination of prophetic authority and promises of greater comfort. However, once he had her land through marriage, he stuffed Mrs. Lewis into a home that she had to share with another family and pretended that she no longer existed.]
Another excerpt from Wife No. 19:
"When she had lived at the farm a year, she told me that Brigham had never been to see her once during all that time; but that he had got possession of her property, and was using it for factory purposes. The water-course ran through her yard, her house was made an office, and the whole place was so changed and so entirely spoiled as a residence, that she never could go there again to live. She must, whether she would or not, live there until Brigham chose to move her somewhere else, or until her children could find some place for her to go to. She supports herself entirely, independently of the man who has swindled her out of her home and her property; and the only assistance she receives is from her children, who are very kind to her, annoyed as they were at her for giving up her home, and, above all, allowing it to fall into Brigham Young's hands. His duck-and-goose story was all misrepresentation, made use of merely to induce her to go to the farm; and when she got there she very soon foundthat she would have those lovely feather beds, not, at least, by raising the fowls to supply the feathers. The Prophet's imagination had evidently run away with memory when he ardently painted the glories of the farm to his bride. This poor old lady was made a tool for the gratification of Brigham Young's avarice, as her son had been the victim to one of his followers' jealous anger. She has little to love Mormonism for. Its two leading doctrines, the "Celestial Marriage " and "Blood-Atonement," have pretty thoroughly shut out happiness from her life, and rendered her in her old age lonely and dependent."
| "Some people say a person receives a position in this church through revelation, and others say they get it through inspiriation, but I say they get it through relation. If I hadn't been related to Heber C. Kimball, I wouldn't have been a damn thing in this church." - J.Golden Kimball after he was called to First Council of the Seventy in 1892
The First Presidency
Gordon B. Hinckley : -1st cousin of Joseph B Wirthlin
-1st cousin of Richard B Wirthlin
-nephew of former apostle Arza A Hinckley
-1st cousin, once removed of wife of Neal A. Maxwell
-1st cousin, twice removed of John H Groberg
-3rd cousin, once removed of James E Faust
wife: Marjorie Pay Hinckley -she is not related to any General Authorities
Thomas S. Monson : -2nd cousin, once removed of Graham W Doxey
-3rd cousin, once removed of wife of M Russell Ballard
-3rd cousin, once removed of Spencer J Condie
wife: Frances Beverly Johnson Monson -she is not related to any General Authorities
James E. Faust : -1st cousin, twice removed of former apostle Richard R Lyman
-3rd cousin of former seventy's president Marion D Hanks
-3rd cousin once removed of Gordon B Hinckley
-3rd cousin once removed of former seventy's president S Dilworth Young
-3rd cousin twice removed of former LDS president George Alber Smith
-great grand nephew of former apostle Spencer W Kimball
-2nd great grandson of former apostle Amasa M Lyman
wife: Ruth Wright Faust -she is related to four General Authorities
The Quorum of the Twelve
Boyd K. Packer : -3rd cousin of wife of C Max Caldwell
wife: Donna Edith Smith Packer
-3rd great granddaughter of apostle Luke S Johnson
L. Tom Perry : -nephew of former seventy's president Alma Sonne
-4th cousin once removed of Earl C Tingey
-4th cousin of wife of Richard C Edgley
wife: Barbara Taylor Dayton Perry
-2nd great grand dau of LDS President John Taylor
David B. Haight : -1st cousin once removed of wife of John C Carmack
-2nd cousin once removed of H Verlan Andersen former seventy
-3rd cousin of wife of John E Fowler
-3rd cousin of F Arthur Kay former seventy
wife: Ruby Mildred Olson Haight -she is not related to any General Authorities
Neal A. Maxwell : -first cousin twice removed of O Leslie Stone,former seventy
-wife: Colleen Fern Hinckley Maxwell
-1st cousin once removed from Gordon B Hinckley
-related to four other General Authorities
Russell M. Nelson : -4th cousin of Rulon G Craven
wife: Dantzel White Nelson
-she is not related to any General Authorities
Dallin H. Oaks : -2nd great grand nephew of Martin Harris Book of Mormon witness
1st wife: June Dixon - deceased (relatedness information forthcoming) 2nd wife: Kristen Meredith McMain - married 08/25/2000 - (relatedness info forthcoming)
M. Russell Ballard : -nephew of former patriarch Joseph F Smith
-grandson of former apostle Melvin J Ballard and Hyrum M Smith
-grand nephew of former LDS president Joseph Fielding Smith
-3rd cousin of emeritus patriarch Elder G Smith
-great grandson of LDS president Joseph F Smith
-2nd great grandson of presiding patriarch Hyrum Smith
-3rd great grandson of presiding patriarch Joseph Smith, Sr
wife: Barbara Bowen Ballard
-she is related to five General Authorities
Joseph B. Wirthlin : -son of former presiding bishop Joseph L Wirthlin
-brother of Richard B Wirthlin
-1st cousin of Gordon B Hinckley
wife: Elisa Young Rogers Wirthlin
-she is related to fourteen General Authorities
Richard G. Scott : -related to no General Authorities wife: deceased, was related to six General Authorities
Robert D. Hales : -3rd cousin of Carlos E Asay
-3rd cousin of Glenn L Pace
-3rd cousin once removed of Earl C Tingey
-4th cousin to six General Authorities
wife: Mary Elene Crandall Hales
-she is related to three General Authorities
Jeffrey R. Holland : -2nd,3rd cousin or grand nephew to nine General Authorities
wife: Patricia Terry Holland
-she is related to one General Authority
Henry B. Eyring : -1st,2nd or 3rd cousin to eight General Authorities or their wives
wife: Kathleen Johnson Eyring
-she is related to three General Authorities
| On Saturday April 5th, 2008 conference, Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy said the about dedicating a spongy floating man-made island in Puno, Peru.
"We held their babies, we ate their fish. Faith is increasing among God's covenant people."
Which covenant people are you talking about Ronald?
Surely not the Lamanites?
| First Quorum of the Seventy, Allan F. Packer, 59, was serving as a member of the Young Men General Board and as an employee in the LDS Missionary Department. He has had a career in business and has served as a vice president of several companies. Born in Brigham City, Utah, he married Terri Anne Bennett. They are the parents of eight children. He is the son of President Boyd K. Packer.
Young Women General Presidency, Ann M. Dibb was born and raised in Salt Lake City and is a full-time homemaker. The daughter of President and Sister Thomas S. Monson, she has a bachelor's degree in elementary education from BYU and is married to Roger Dibb. They are the parents of one daughter and three sons.
Seventies, Matthew J. Eyring, 38, Ashland, Mass.
Close to 13 million members and the Lord chooses family members of the 'elite' for key positions time after time.
| 1) "It is also to the Book of Mormon to which we turn for the plainest description of the Catholic Church as the great and abominable church. Nephi saw this ‘church which is the most abominable above all other churches' in vision. He ‘saw the devil that he was the foundation of it' and also the murders, wealth, harlotry, persecutions, and evil desires that historically have been a part of this satanic organization.(Bruce R. McConkie. Mormon Doctrine [1958], 130.)
2) "I think no more of taking another wife than I do of buying a cow." - Apostle Heber C. Kimball, The Twenty Seventh Wife, Irving Wallace, p. 101.
3) "Brethren, I want you to understand that it is not to be as it has been heretofore. The brother missionaries have been in the habit of picking out the prettiest women for themselves before they get here, and bringing on the ugly ones for us; hereafter you have to bring them all here before taking any of them, and let us all have a fair shake." - Apostle Heber C. Kimball, The Lion of the Lord, New York, 1969, pp
4) "You may inquire of the intelligent of the world whether they can tell why the aborigines of this country are dark, loathsome, ignorant, and sunken into the depths of degradation ...When the Lord has a people, he makes covenants with them and gives unto them promises: then, if they transgress his law, change his ordinances, and break his covenants he has made with them, he will put a mark upon them, as in the case of the Lamanites and other portions of the house of Israel; but by-and-by they will become a white and delightsome people" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 7:336).
5) "The day of the Lamanites in nigh. For years they have been growing delightsome. . . The children in the home placement program in Utah are often lighter than their brothers and sisters in the hogans on the reservation. . .There was the doctor in a Utah city who for two years had had an Indian boy in his home who stated that he was some shades lighter than the younger brother just coming into the program from the reservation. These young members of the Church are changing to whiteness and to delightsomeness. Spencer W. Kimball; The Improvemant, Era, Dec. 1960, p. 923)
6) "You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind....Cain slew his brother. Can might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin." (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, page 290).
7) "Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so." (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Volume 10, page 110.)
8) "Not only was Cain called upon to suffer, but because of his wickedness he became the father of an inferior race." (Tenth LDS President, Joseph Fielding Smith The Way to Perfection, p.101.)
9) "Let us consider the great mercy of God for a moment. a Chinese, born in China with a dark skin, and with all the handicaps of that race seems to have little opportunity. but think of the mercy of god to Chinese people who are willing to accept the gospel. In spite of whatever they might have done in the pre-existence to justify being born over there as Chinamen, if they now, in this life, accept the gospel and live it the rest of their lives they can have the Priesthood, go to the temple and receive endowments and sealings, and that means they can have exaltation. Isn't the mercy of God marvelous?
Think of the Negro, cursed as to the priesthood... This Negro, who in the pre-existence lived the type of life which justified the Lord in sending him to the earth in the lineage of Cain with a black skin, and possibly being born in darkest Africa--if that Negro is willing when he hears the gospel to accept it, he may have many of the blessings of the gospel. In spite of all he did in the pre-existent life, the Lord is willing, if the Negro accepts the gospel with real, sincerer faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessing of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. If that Negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory. (Race Problems--As They Affect The Church, An address by Mark E. Petersen at the Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College level; Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, August 27, 1954.)
10) "We do not intend to admit to our campus any homosexuals. If any of you have this tendency and have not completely abandoned it, may I suggest that you leave the university immediately after this assembly.... We do not want others on this campus to be contaminated by your presence." (Ernest Wilkinson, president of Brigham Young University, in a 1965 lecture to the BYU student body, titled: "Make Honor your Standard."
Signature
Others:
Heber C. Kimball, second councilor to Brigham Young, on how monogamy makes a man wither and dry up:
“I have noticed that a man who has BUT ONE WIFE, and is inclined to that doctrine, soon begins to WITHER AND DRY UP, while a man who goes into PLURALITY looks fresh, YOUNG AND SPRIGHTLY. Why is this? Because God loves that man, and because he honors his word. Some of you may not believe this, but I not only believe it but I also know it. FOR A MAN OF GOD TO BE CONFINED TO ONE WOMAN IS SMALL BUSINESS,... I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD DO IF WE HAD ONLY ONE WIFE APIECE.” (Deseret News, April 22, 1857)
Brigham Young declares monogamy a system established by robbers:
“Monogamy, or restrictions by law to ONE WIFE, IS NO PART OF THE ECONOMY OF HEAVEN AMONG MEN. Such a system was commenced by the founders of the Roman empire....Rome became the mistress of the world, and introduced this order of monogamy wherever her sway was acknowledged. Thus this MONOGAMIC ORDER OF MARRIAGE, so esteemed by modern Christians as a HOLY SACRAMENT and DIVINE INSTITUTION, is nothing but a system established by a SET OF ROBBERS....
“Why do we believe in and practice polygamy? Because the Lord introduced it to his servants in a revelation given to Joseph Smith, and the Lord's servants have always practised it. 'And IS THAT RELIGION POPULAR IN HEAVEN?' IT IS THE ONLY POPULAR RELIGION THERE,...” (The Deseret News, August 6, 1862)
George A. Smith - Monogamists should be ashamed:
“We breathe the free air, we have the best looking men and handsomest women, and if they envy us our position, well they may, for they are a poor, NARROW MINDED, PINCH-BACKED RACE OF MEN, WHO CHAIN THEMSELVES DOWN TO THE LAW OF MONOGAMY AND LIVE ALL THEIR DAYS UNDER THE DOMINION OF ONE WIFE. They ought to be ASHAMED OF SUCH CONDUCT, and the still fouler channel which flows from their practices; and it is not to be wondered at that they should envy those who so much better understand the social relations.” (Deseret News, April 16, 1856)
Brigham Young - Monogamy is the source of prostitution and whoredom:
“Since the founding of the Roman empire monogamy has prevailed more extensively than in times previous to that. The founders of that ancient empire were robbers and women stealers, and made laws favoring monogamy in consequence of the scarcity of women among them, and hence this MONOGAMIC SYSTEM which now prevails throughout Christendom, and which had been so fruitful a source of PROSTITUTION AND WHOREDOM throughout all the Christian monogamic cities of the Old and New World, until rottenness and decay are at the root of their institutions both national and religious.”
(Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, p. 128)
Mormon apostle Orson Pratt explains that the debauched state of Europe is due to monogamy:
“Some of the nations of Europe who believe in the one wife system have actually forbidden a plurality of wives by their laws; and the consequences are that the whole country among them is overrun with the most abomi[na]ble practices? adulteries and unlawful connections prevail through all their villages, towns, cities, and country places to a most fearful extent.” (The Seer, p. 12)
George Q. Cannon - Monogamy responsible for the decline and fall of the Roman Empire:
“It is a fact worthy of note that the shortest lived nations of which we have record have been monogamic. Rome...was a MONOGAMIC NATION AND THE NUMEROUS EVILS ATTENDING THAT SYSTEM EARLY LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR THAT RUIN WHICH EVENTUALLY OVERTOOK HER.”
(Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 202)
Apostle Orson Pratt:
“This law of MONOGAMY, or the MONOGAMIC SYSTEM, laid the foundation for prostitution and the evils and diseases of the most revolting nature and character under which modern Christendom groans,...”
(Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, page 195)
Brigham Young - Adam was a polygamist:
“Now hear it, O inhabitants of the earth, Jew and Gentile, Saint and Sinner! When OUR FATHER ADAM came into the the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, ONE OF HIS WIVES WITH HIM.”
(Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page 50)
Jesus was a polygamist
Apostle Orson Hyde:
“I discover that some of the Eastern papers represent me as a great blasphemer, because I said, in my lecture on Marriage, at our last Conference, that JESUS CHRIST WAS MARRIED at Cana of Galilee, THAT MARY, MARTHA, AND OTHERS WERE HIS WIVES, AND THAT HE BEGAT CHILDREN.
(Journal of Discourses, Vol. 2, page 210)
Brigham Young, answering critics who claimed polygamy as a relic of barbarism:
“ Yes, one of the relics of Adam, of Enoch, of Noah, of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob, of Moses, David, Solomon, the Prophets, OF JESUS, AND HIS APOSTLES.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, page 328)
Brigham Young:
“The Scripture says that He, the LORD, came walking in the Temple, with HIS TRAIN; I do not now who they were, unless HIS WIVES AND CHILDREN;...” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, page 309)
Apostle Orson Pratt:
“...it will be seen that the GREAT MESSIAH who was the founder of the Christian religion, WAS A POLYGAMIST, ...the MESSIAH chose...by MARRYING MANY honorable WIVES himself, show to all future generations that HE approbated the PLURALITY OF WIVES under the Christian dispensation, as well as under the dispensation in which His Polygamist ancestors lived. “We have now clearly shown that GOD THE FATHER HAD A PLURALITY OF WIVES, one or more being in eternity, by whom He begat our spirits as well as the spirit of Jesus His first Born, and another being upon the earth by whom He begat the tabernacle of Jesus, as his only begotten in this world. We have also proved most clearly that the Son followed the example of his Father, and became the great Bridegroom to whom kings' daughters and many honorable wives were to be married We have also proved that both God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ inherit THEIR WIVES IN ETERNITY as well as in time;... And then it would be so shocking to the modesty of the very piousladies of Christendom to see Abraham and his wives, Jacob and his wives, JESUS AND HIS HONORABLE WIVES, all eating occasionally at the same table, and visiting one another, and conversing about their numerous children and their kingdoms. Oh, ye delicate ladies of Christendom how can you endure such a scene as this?... If you do not want your morals corrupted, and your delicate ears shocked, and your pious modesty put to the blush by the society of POLYGAMISTS and their wives, do not venture near the New Earth; for POLYGAMISTS will be honored there, and will be among the chief rulers in that Kingdom.”
(The Seer, page 172)
Brigham Young - To become a god, one must be a polygamist:
“The ONLY MEN WHO BECOME GODS, even the Sons of God, are those WHO ENTER INTO POLYGAMY.”(Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, page 269)
From the Salt Lake Tabernacle, it is proposed to select executioners and a place to kill people:
“I say, that there are men and women that I wouldadvise to go to the President immediately, and ask him to appoint acommittee to attend to their case; and then let a place be selected, ANDLET THAT COMMITTEE SHED THEIR BLOOD.“We have those amongst us that are full of all manner ofabominations, those WHO NEED TO HAVE THEIR BLOOD SHED, forwater will not do, their sins are of too deep a dye.“You may think that I am not teaching you Bible doctrine, but whatsays the apostle Paul? I would ask how many COVENANT BREAKERSthere are in this city and in this kingdom. I believe that there are a greatmany; and if they are COVENANT BREAKERS we need a placedesignated, WHERE WE CAN SHED THEIR BLOOD.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, pages 49-50)
Joseph Smith prefers cutting heads off over hanging people:
“In debate, George A. Smith said imprisonment was better than hanging. “I replied, I was opposed to hanging, even if a man kill another, I WILL SHOOT HIM, OR CUT OFF HIS HEAD, SPILL HIS BLOOD on the ground, and let the smoke thereof ascend up to God; and if ever I have the privilege of making a law on that subject, I will have it so.” (History of the Church, by Joseph Smith, Vol. 5, p. 296
Joseph Fielding Smith explains how blood atonement was incorporated into Utah State law:
“...the founders of Utah incorporated in the laws of the Territory provisions for the capital punishment of those who wilfully
shed the blood of their fellow men. This law, which is now the law of the State, granted unto the condemned murderer the privilege of choosing for himself whether he die by hanging, or whether he BE SHOT, AND THUS HAVE HIS BLOOD SHED IN HARMONY WITH THE LAW OF GOD; AND THUS ATONE, so far as it is in his power to atone, for the death of his victim. Almost without exception the condemned party chooses the latter death.” (Doctrines of Salvation, by Joseph Fielding Smith, Vol. 1, p. 136)
Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, on the proper way to kill people:
“As a mode of capital punishment, hanging or execution on a gallows does not comply with the law of blood atonement, for the blood is not shed.” (Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce R. McConkie, 1958 ed., p. 314)
Bruce R. McConkie laments that the government does not kill cheaters
“Modern governments DO NOT TAKE THE LIFE OF THE ADULTERER, and some of them have done away with the supreme penalty where murder is involved-all of which is further evidence of the direful apostacy that prevails among the peoples who call themselves Christians.” (Mormon Doctrine, 1958 ed., p. 104)
Brigham Young teaches when one should stab their brother and their wife:
“Let me suppose a case. Suppose you found your brother in bed with your wife, and PUT A JAVELIN THROUGH BOTH OF THEM, YOU WOULD BE JUSTIFIED, AND THEY WOULD ATONE FOR THEIR SINS, AND BE RECEIVED INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. I would at once do so in such a case; and under such circumstances, I have no wife whom I love so well that I would not put a javelin through her heart, and I would DO IT WITH CLEAN HANDS... “There is not a man or woman, who violates the covenants made with their God, that will not be required to pay the debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, YOUR OWN BLOOD MUST ATONE FOR IT;...” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p. 247)
Women's closest relative must kill her seducer:
“The principle, the only one that beats and throbs through the heart of the entire inhabitants of this Territory, is simply this: The man who seduces his neighbors wife MUST DIE, and her nearest relative MUST KILL HIM!” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page 97)
Shooting people is as important as baptizing them:
If you will cause all those whom you know to be THIEVES, to be placed in a line before the mouth of one of our largest CANNON, well loaded with chain shot, I WILL PROVE BY MY WORKS WHETHER I CAN METE OUT JUSTICE to such persons, or not. I WOULD CONSIDER IT JUST AS MUCH MY DUTY TO DO THAT, AS TO BAPTIZE A MAN for the remission of his sins. (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, pp. 108-109)
Non-believers must die:
“The time is coming when justice will be laid to the line and righteousness to the plummet; when we shall ask, 'Are you for God?' and if you are not heartily on the Lord's side, YOU WILL BE HEWN DOWN.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, page 226)
Interracial couples must die:
“Shall I tell you the LAW OF GOD in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the PENALTY, under the LAW OF GOD IS DEATH ON THE SPOT. This will ALWAYS BE SO.” (Journal of Discourses, v. 10, p. 110)
Any man having children with a black woman must be beheaded, and his children must be killed:
“And if any man mingle his seed with the seed of Cane [sic] the ownly [sic] way he could get rid of it or have salvation would be to come forward and have his head cut off and spill his Blood upon the ground it would also take the life of his children...” (Wilford Woodruff's Journal, recording a speech by Brigham Young, January 16, 1852, typed copy; original located in LDS Church Archives).
Brigham Young: Apostates must leave Salt Lake City, or they must die:
“I say, rather than that APOSTATES should flourish here, I WILL UNSHEATH MY BOWIE KNIFE, and CONQUER OR DIE. (Great commotion in the congregation, and a simultaneous burst of feeling, assenting to the declaration.) Now, you nasty apostates, clear out, or judgment will be put to the line, and righteousness to the plummet. (Voices, generally, 'go it, go it.') If you say it is right, raise your hands. (All hands up.) Let us call upon the Lord to assist us in this, and every good work.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page 83)
Do you love your brothers and sisters enough to kill them?
“All mankind love themselves, and let these principles be known by an individual, and he would be GLAD to have HIS BLOOD SHED. That would be loving themselves, even unto an eternal exaltation. Will you LOVE your brothers or sisters likewise, when they have committed a sin that cannot be atoned for without the SHEDDING OF THEIR BLOOD? WILL YOU LOVE THAT MAN OR WOMAN WELL ENOUGH TO SHED THEIR BLOOD?... “I COULD REFER YOU TO PLENTY OF INSTANCES WHERE MEN HAVE BEEN RIGHTEOUSLY SLAIN, IN ORDER TO ATONE FOR THEIR SINS. I have seen scores and hundreds of people for whom there would have been a chance (in the last resurrection there will be) if their lives HAD BEEN TAKEN AND THEIR BLOOD SPILLED on the ground as a smoking incense to the Almighty, but who are now angels to the devil... I have known a great many men who LEFT THIS CHURCH for whom there is no chance whatever for exaltation, but if their BLOOD HAD BEEN SPILLED, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR THEM, the wickedness and IGNORANCE of the nations forbids thisprinciple's being in FULL FORCE, but THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THE LAW OF GOD WILL BE IN FULL FORCE. (Sermon by Brigham Young, delivered in the Mormon Tabernacle, Feb. 8, 1857, printed in the Deseret News, Feb. 18, 1857; also reprinted in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, pp. 219-220)
The way to love your neighbors is to kill them:
“THIS IS LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES; if he needs help, help him; and if he wants salvation and it is NECESSARY TO SPILL HIS BLOOD on the earth in order that he may be saved, SPILL IT. Any of you who understand the principles of eternity, if you have sinned a sin REQUIRING THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD, except the sin unto death, would not be satisfied nor rest until your blood SHOULD BE SPILLED, that you might gain that salvation you desire. THAT IS THE WAY TO LOVE MANKIND.” (Sermon by Brigham Young, delivered in the Mormon Tabernacle, Feb. 8, 1857, printed in the Deseret News, Feb. 18, 1857; also reprinted in the Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, pp. 219-220)
| I have a relative who is in the 1Qot70. He made it known to his family that he gets a living allowance that breaks down as follows: The Church asked for copies of his last 5 year tax returns. They have a formula that essentially pays him the 60% of the average of the "highest" 3 years income. In addition, he is given a credit card for expenses when away on church business.
His travel is handled by Murdoch Travel or someone within the church's travel department. When he visits Stake Conferences, he travels in coach but always has miles built up to upgrade to Business Class. He also stays in the Stake President's home or in the home of a member. He never stays in a hotel unless absolutely necessary. In that case he uses Marriott or Holiday Inn due to LDS Church contracts with those chains.
He usually flies in on a Saturday morning and leaves on Sunday evening after the last session of Stake Conference.
When General Conference rolls around he is in meetings Monday thru Friday before GC. If a GA is not from Utah then they either stay with another GA or they stay in a hotel near Temple Square. They may use their credit cards for incidentals while in Utah.
All receipts must be turned in and all expenses accounted for. There is a very specific list of what the church issued credit card may be used for. Anything out of those guidelines are the responsibility of the individual.
Also, they have a per diem that is allowed for meals. It varies on location but they are not allowed, for instance, to have a $100 steak dinner just because they have the credit card. I believe the limit is $30 for dinners, $20 for lunch, and $10 for breakfast, or something like that.
Their clothing is paid for out of their own pockets. They are paid the standard IRS mileage rate for using their personal vehicle for church business. If they choose to take the reimbursement then mileage records must be submitted. If not, then they may use the mileage as a tax write-off on their tax return.
| While reading over the changes in the new “Gospel Principles” book I came across an odd change.
“Twelve Apostles, who are special witnesses of "the name of Jesus Christ," teach the gospel and regulate the affairs of the Church in all parts of the world…”
Personally, I am very happy that they can clear this up. Think of all the hours lost to this great debate.
I can not wait for conference. Who will be the first of the 15 to testify that Jesus Christ is really the savior’s name? Once they have said it, then they can get back to their real job “regulate the affairs of the church.”
So I get it, they do not get to see JC anymore, but who told them his real name? I guess they got tired of people asking them if they have seen JC. Now they can simply say “No, I have not seen JC, but I testify to you that his true name is Jesus Christ, in the true name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Really? Jesus Christ? Thanks for clearing that up.
I think TSCC needs more of these witnesses, like special witnesses of the name of John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John special name witnesses. Now everyone can have a calling.
http://www.mrm.org/gospel-principles
Chapter 17-The Church of Jesus Christ Today
| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quorum_o...
Packer:
Packer has bachelor's and master's degrees from Utah State University and an Ed.D. degree from Brigham Young University.[1]
Perry:
Perry graduated from Utah State University in 1949 with a B.S. in business.
Nelson:
Nelson studied at LDS Business College while in his mid-teens and then worked as an assistant secretary at a bank.[2] He did undegraduate studies and then received an M.D. degree from the University of Utah in August 1947He received a Ph.D. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1954.
Oaks:
He graduated from Brigham Young High School in 1950, Brigham Young University in accounting[2] in 1954, and the University of Chicago Law School in 1957.
After graduating from the University of Chicago Law School, Oaks clerked for Chief Justice Earl Warren of the United States Supreme Court from 1957 to 1958. After his clerkship he practiced at the law firm of Kirkland and Ellis in Chicago. Oaks left Kirkland and Ellis to become a professor at the University of Chicago Law School. During part of his time on the faculty of the Law School, Oaks served as interim dean. Oaks left the Law School upon being appointed President at Brigham Young University.
Oaks would also serve five years as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)[2] (1979–1984)[3] and eight years as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Polynesian Cultural Center.[2]
Ballard:
Professionally, Ballard became involved in several enterprises, including automotive, real estate, and investment businesses. He was the top-selling salesman for his father’s Nash car dealership when he left it in the early 1950s to pursue other business interests. In 1956, Ballard returned and took over the Ballard Motor Company from his father. During this period he also served in the United States Army Reserve, resigning his commission as a first lieutenant in 1957.
During the late 1950s, Ballard was recruited by the Ford Motor Company to become the first Edsel car dealer for Salt Lake City. After praying for guidance, he had the "clear impression" not to sign the franchise. He did anyway and incurred a huge loss, "without doubt the darkest period" of his business career.[3]
Scott:
Scott graduated from George Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.He later completed, what was an equivalent to a doctorate in nuclear engineering at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, but due to the classified nature of the work, a formal university degree could not be awarded. He also worked on the development of the first commercial land-based nuclear power plant.
Hales:
Hales was born in New York City, New York, and raised in Queens. His father Rulon Hales was a successful artist. He received degrees from the University of Utah and Harvard Business School. Hales was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He married Mary Crandall, whom he met as a college sophomore in Queens, and they have two sons.
During his professional business career, Hales served in executive positions with four major national companies. After joining the Gillette Co., he became president of Papermate, a division of Gillette. Then he joined Max Factor as a vice president, and later headed Hughes Television Network. Just prior to his call to be a general authority, he was president of Chesebrough-Pond's.
Holland:
Holland later transferred to Brigham Young University where he graduated with a BA in English. He then received an MA in Religious Education from BYU while also teaching religion classes part time.[1] After earning his master's degree, Holland became an Institute of Religion teacher in Hayward, California. He next served as an institute director in Seattle, Washington. While in Seattle, Holland served as the bishop of a single adults ward. Holland attended Yale University and earned a second master's degree, this time in American Studies, and later a Ph.D in the same subject. [3] At Yale, Holland studied with American literary scholar and critic R. W. B. Lewis and authored a dissertation on the religious sense of Mark Twain.[4]
Bednar:
then attended Brigham Young University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication in 1976 and a Master of Arts degree in organizational communication in 1977. He then received a Doctorate in organizational behavior from Purdue University in 1980.
From 1980 to 1984, Bednar was the assistant professor of management in the College of Business Administration at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He became assistant professor of management at Texas Tech University from 1984 to 1986. He then moved back to the University of Arkansas as the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the College of Business Administration from 1987 to 1992 and was then the director of the Management Decision-Making Lab from 1992 to 1997. In 1994, he was recognized as the outstanding teacher at the University of Arkansas and received the Burlington Northern Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching. He has twice been the recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award in the College of Business Administration.
Cook:
He graduated from Utah State University in 1963 with a bachelor's degree in political science and from Stanford Law School in 1966.
The Cooks moved to Hillsborough, California, where they had three children. Cook worked for 27 years as a corporate attorney, becoming a managing partner of Carr, McClellan, Ingersoll, Thompson and Horn in the San Francisco Bay area; for three years as president and chief executive officer of California Healthcare System (CHS); and then for some time[citation needed] as vice chairman of Sutter Health System. His tenure at CHS was marked by controversy as he orchestrated the lease of the once-public Marin General Hospital; the lease resulted in the transfer of millions of dollars of public funds to CHS.[1] Cook also volunteered for 14 years as city attorney.
Christofferson:
After his mission, he earned a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and a J.D. from Duke University School of Law.[1]
Christofferson began his law career as a law clerk to Judge John J. Sirica during the Watergate hearings.[2]As a lawyer, Christofferson worked in Washington, D.C.; Nashville, Tennessee; Herndon, Virginia; and Charlotte, North Carolina.[3] Christofferson was the associate general counsel for NationsBank in Charlotte and was the volunteer chairman of Affordable Housing of Nashville, Tennessee.[4]
Anderson:
After his mission, he graduated from Brigham Young University and earned an MBA degree from Harvard Business School. He lived and worked in Tampa, Florida, where he was the vice president of the Morton Plant Health System. In the church, Andersen was a stake president in Tampa.
| OK. The wonderful topic of GA salaries, or as they call them: a modest living allowance.
I have a relative who is a GA. During my exit from the church he flew out to meet with me with the specific purpose of saving my eternal salvation and during our conversation we discussed the hallowed living allowance.
Here is what I remember from our conversation as well as research I have conducted on my own.
The 70's receive the equivelant of 70% of the average of their previous 5 years earnings. This allows them to maintain the same standard of living that they are used to while working in their career field. They also receive perks such as business class travel which can be upgraded to first class due to their frequent flier status on various airlines. Also, they are encouraged to write books or have their journals/thoughts published and they are paid a premium in royalties for book sales.
The 12 Apostles receive, on the average, of $240,000-$360,000 per year, according to seniority, in "living allowances". They receive the same perks as the 70 including business class travel. In addition they have individual expense accounts that are paid for by church funds. They are not held accountable for what they charge on their cards and some of the bretheren are frugal and treat the funds as they should while others feel it is their "reward" and spend like a drunken sailor on leave.
The Prophet can, at his choice, live in the church-owned condominium in downtown SLC. He also receives $480,000 as a living expense. He travels by private aircraft provided by Huntsman Chemical Company and while he is away from SLC is given preferential accomodations in Marriott hotel properties- Presidential Suite or similar. He also has a church paid security staff, and VIP treatment wherever he travels.
All of the leadership have free health care paid by the church, their children and grandchildren qualify for a free education from BYU, and many get sweet deals on cars, travel, furniture, construction, etc., from companies who do business with the church. They chalk it up to the cost of doing business with the Morg.
Now onto the topic of tithing. I read an article a while back that documented the following. 85% of all tithing revenues go toward the operation of church education. BYU, BYU Hawaii, the MTC, Institutes, and Seminary fall into this category. Between 8% and 10% goes into the actual running of the church. The church has vast commercial interests that support the majority of it's building, farming, and like business operations.
What really turned me off was when I read about BYU-Hawaii and how the tithing funds supported 4,000 students on Oahu. The President of BYU-Hawaii was quite proud of that fact and appreciated the members of the church supporting his campus. That was one of those things that caused my shelf to break and let to the loss of my testimony. I had never heard about tithing funds going toward BYU and I was angry about it.
I hope this helps answer some of your husband's questions. I trust my sources and will not disclose how I uncovered what I have learned. But I feel my numbers are pretty solid and if needed I can back them up- but only if I am subpeoned. I'm sure my friends in the COB would want me to fall on my sword before I betray their confidences.
| Cook compared the rise of secularism to the Nazi’s bombing of London, and argued that societies without religion inevitably spiral into violence and moral anarchy.
That is rather interesting given that Cook bases his belief on the foundation of the Old Testament. Cook's god, if he really existed, would be rated among the most violent and morally bankrupt. What Cook should have said was, "societies built on the foundation of the Bible are in grave danger of spiraling into violence and moral anarchy." The Bible is chock full from beginning to end with god commanded mass drownings, infanticide, genocide, and massacre. There are also the numerous creative sexual relationships brought about by god's directives on polygamy, the need for Adam and Eve's children to marry each other, and the purchasing of wives. Cook should prepare his next conference talk with direct quotes from his beloved scriptures. Here is an excellent resource for him to use as a starting point: http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/
In fact Gene Cook's "paradise" world is being played out in living color throughout the Middle East. Those who take the Bible and the offshoot Koran the most seriously are living in a daily hell filled with violence, hatred, and intolerance. Cook does not seem to be able to make the connection between what he claims he wants and the reality that exists every day in the most strict areas of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, etc. That is the world of the Old Testament god. Maybe his mother never told him to be careful what he wishes for because he just might get it.
Cook and Packer both seem to have lost their copies of the New Testament. While still fraught with challenges, it is infinitely more tolerant than the Old Testament. TSCC would be more aptly named The Church (Corporation) of the Mosaic Law.
His selection of the word "inevitable" is also incredibly problematic. There is very little in our existence that is inevitable.
Atheism is no royal road but Cook's religion is not a viable option.
| Emeritus GA Ted E. Brewerton gave a talk in the local stake on “16th Century Ancient American Writings”. I attended, and was even asked by a missionary (who knows my interest and own studies in this subject) what I thought.
At the beginning, Brewy made the following claims:
- The books he would reference were “records of history prior to the Spanish conquest”
- Joseph Smith could not have known these things before the BoM was written
- Anti-mormons are diligently searching to destroy this evidence and claim the BoM is imaginary
- Quoting Neil A. Maxwell: while the BoM will never be proven, there is “plausible evidence” to be found to help the faithful
- Quoting Tvedtness: “elements of BoM have ancient precedants”
He then went on to quote the writings of Catholic friars, priests and others, who it is claimed wrote the mythologies from the Mayans and Aztecs. Some examples are the Popul Vuh, Title of the Lords of Totnicapan, Books of Chilam Balam, Quotes from Aztec prince XTLILXOCHITL.
He gave around 40 slides of ancient quotes. There were a few mentions in the quotes to the Mayans believing they were a lost tribe, the great flood, the tower of babel, etc. But the large majority--nearly every quote--focused on Quetzalcoatl, which is translated as “Feathered Serpent”. As he started with the quotes, he referenced the scriptures in Numbers about the brazen serpent raised to heal the Israelites (which story is in Nephi and referenced in other parts of the BoM). Such that the feathered serpent can be translated as Healer with wings, or the “healer that descended from the sky”. He then referenced the passages in 3 Nephi where Americhrist heals the nephites.
From the 16th century quotes, basically he was trying to demonstrate the following about the myth of Quetzalcoatl:
- He was white
- He was bearded
- He was God the creator
- He was the healer (serpent)
- He lived 1500 years earlier
- He taught virtue and set up his kingdom among them
- He would return again
He ended with a testimony that while it doesn’t prove the BoM true, there is no way Joe could have known all this about Quetzalcoatl and made it up. Therefore, it’s implied as proof. The congregation was obviously overwhelmingly impressed, by the comments and attitude I heard and saw at the end.
I was disgusted with his sloppy scholarship (or even deceit):
- He did not “prove: that the records were before the conquest (they aren’t, Cortez began his conquest in 1519. The docs were all dated many years after that (1530-1600s). Brewy slipped in earlier dates pointing to the *birthdate* of the writer–very disingenuous.)
- He never once talked about what nearly every scholar believes about these texts: they are Spanish propaganda trying to mold Cortez into Quetzalcoatl as his return, in order to soften the conquest and help him take over by subterfuge and fiat.
- He never quoted the parts of the Popol Vuh that are completely contrary to his story.
- He never showed the murals of Quetzalcoatl that portray the Mayan/Aztec god as dark skin, clean shaven and clearly pagan.
- He never talked about how the major worship center of Quetzalcoatl during the same claimed era of utopian Christianity (33-200AD) was in Teotihuacan, at the temple of the Feathered Serpent, and which practiced human sacrifice and even infanticide at the temple from 100-150 AD (at the peak of the BoM's supposed Christian experiment).
I emphasize: if Quetzalcoatl were the Americhrist, then the similarities in the archeology would increase and be more similar the further back in time you go. What Brewy showed is the similarities are better in accounts that were produced by Cortez’s propaganda. Pre-Colombian ancient murals and artwork, have far less to zilch similarities. The dissimilarities between the original legend and the Spanish perversion of it are the ones which most resemble Jesus, and are the ones Brewy presented to highlight the Americhrist of the BoM.
My take is, Brewy at the least cherry picked his data and ignored important elements of history in his excitement at finding random hits of match to the BoM. At worst, Brewy knows he’s deceiving the crowd, because he’s been doing this investigation for decades. There’s little chance he hasn’t come across or found contrary information. His mention of anti-mormons in the beginning make me strongly believe he knows very well, but refuses to present the contrary info.
The crowd believes him because he was a GA. The 15 (I believe) cover their asses because he’s emeritus. I’d bet a year’s salary he’s still on the pension plan with full perks and travel paid.
I told the missionary that it was interesting. That Brewy probably convinced the crowd who’ve not seen any of this before. But I remain unconvinced. He asked why. I gave him the list above of the scholarship that Brewy-baby conveniently left out. The missionary asked me if I could tell him more. He gave me his email address and I said I would send him links and documents. He’s asked me in the past for other information. I believe he is a closet doubter.
The other things that bothers me with this:
1) Unlike Denial C Peterson, John L. Soreson and other Moaps, Brewerton carries the title "Elder" and gets away with really shoddy scholarship, even by the horrible Moap standards. Brewerton is doubly worse.
Yet, members trust his opinion even more because he carries that title, "Elder" (emeritus or not).
2) This Quetzalcoatl propaganda is being used to gain control over a group in modern times, just like it was in the past.
At one point in the 16th century and later, the Spaniards demonized Amerindians (in mesoamerica at first, and then the English did in the US later). The demonizing propaganda against the Amerindians is in line with the motives behind Brewerton's trick. He was crafty.
I knew Brewy in my mission. I was AP and traveled with him and the pres all over Guatemala for a few trips. He was propagandizing us back then too.
It seems the Spanish were telling the natives they were holy and looking for a savior in the Spanish lords. Then they told the troops they were demons to be destroyed. They used a bifurcated "doctrine" to motivate each side and make the conquest easier. Disgusting. And now the Mormons still use one set of the lies to promote their scam. Just as disgusting.
| This is from an old article that a friend just sent me the link for.
Matt Holland, son of GA and president of UVU gave a talk in September to UVU LDS students. His advice:
“As you pursue this education, you will find things to which you disagree that will challenge things that you felt in the past. Guard against … new ideas that (will) lead you down the path to accepting that which goes against the teachings of the Lord.”
Hmmmmm, feelings trump information.
Exactly what new ideas go against the "teachings of the Lord"?
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=968andsid=17308459
| Interesting 1972 Ensign article by A Dyer regarding the newly formed Church History Department and their plans for the future. Too bad Peterson, Packer and Benson didn't allow this to continue.
http://www.lds.org/ensign/1972/08/the...
Once collected, the records of the Mormon past are arranged, classified, and indexed to make them available to members of the Church and others interested in LDS history
In 1976 Ezra Taft Benson, then president of the council of the twelve warned of the tendency to humanize church leaders. Such an approach minimized God's ruling hand and undermined "our prophetic history."
After it was shut down Leonard Arrington lamented
"Our great experiment in church-sponsored history has proved to be, if not a failure, at least not an unqualified success."
One has to wonder how much better today's chapel Mormons would be prepared to defend their history had Arrington been allowed to continue guiding the Church History Department.
| Julio Davila is a former 70 from Colombia. In the mid-90's Colombian became a focus for the church- Calling authorities from there, temple, etc. They believed that since the risk of kidnapings and attacks on church facilities was dwindiling, that this would be the next Brasil.
Enter Julio. He was called to the 2nd quorum of the 70's. Spoke at general conference, he was a gifted speaker and then he dissapeared...well my father and I know Julio well, this is what happened:
Julio came to Salt Lake often for his calling. During these trips he received his 2nd annointing. After a lifetime of service, He began to realize that church was not at all what he was led to believe.
Julio has a secretary. Julio had an affair with this secretary. Julio took her as a "second wife". Julio was one of the few GA's ever to want to go public, despite the affair about the church. The church reminded him of his legal (contractual and financial) obligations to the church. Julio quietly moved to Mexico City, where he resides this day with his secretary.
A few years ago, my dad called him. My dad wanted to know if he would help with a non-profit effort in Colombia.
He greeted him- Brother Davila, how nice to hear your voice!
Davila responded- I am not your brother, please dont call me your brother. He explained to my dad that the church would have a hard time getting anyone of color into the 70 or the 12 becuase white people are culturally willing to see the fraud and think that it is for a grander course, while minorities tend to see it, take it and live it all literally.
Needless to say Julio was pissed he was contacted and was ansked to be left along. This of course ecalated to a massive call/ love bombing by another friend. Julio responded that being in or out of the church was not a matter of following Jesus, or of even belief, it was a matter of what set of lies you believed or could not believe. He asked to never be contacted again. That he came to know this was not christ's church and that no ammount of good intentions, group think, or apologies would make it christ's church and that he had no interest in it at that point. He said that he was ecouraged to look past the faults, becuase he was told these were the faults of well meaning men.
I wonder how many GA's have simple dissapeared into oblivion, how many know what fraud this is, how many have been kept silenced.
Can you elaborate on what these obligations are. I've suspected that the cult used some kind of legal means to keep people quiet. Perhaps giving them loans that can be called due of they step out of line. Can you tell us more about this point?
May dad was a church employee for 20 years before he left. I myself did a bit of consulting for them 15 years ago. This is what I have learned myself:
Intellectual reserve, the legal proprietary arm of the church, makes you sign a contract. You cannot disclose what you did for them, how much you were paid or that you were hired as a contractor (I was). You cannot keep copies of the work, talk or publish it, it is owned it its entirety by the church.
General authorities (I don't know of this applies to 2nd quorum of the 70's) sign over their property over to a trust, if you violate your contract they keep your property.
What I have researched and heard from other ex- leaders:
Since the time of BY, the church "lends" money to GA's for personal projects. This money is interest free and does not have to be repaid (this is for legal, tax and doctrinal reasons) if you tow the line. If you step out of line it becomes due and it is a lien on your property. Any income from sitting on boards, as director, consultant, etc- which is what the 12 spend most of their time doing, you keep, if you leave, since you are a representative of the church on those boards, you lose and may have to pay back. of course you loose your "living expenses" (60-120K), your access to church property for personal use (Hawaii, Florida, Europe, etc)
This is how a "humble" life long seminary teacher (BKP) or meager church employee (GBH) can end up as millionaires as pass on significant wealth to family members. If you step out of line, its all gone and you are in serious legal trouble.
| After reading through and commenting on GetTheLedZepOut excellent post on "Countering the Growing Discontent.will the `15' double down?" I wondered exactly who is going to be make this important decisions for the TSCC's future?
Here are the decision makers:
Pres Thomas Monson
Age: 85
Mission: None (Served in U.S. Navy)
Degrees earned: Business Mangement (Utah), MBA (BYU)
Church hierarchy positions: Mission President, Apostle, First Presidency Counselor, President
Career: Ad executive, sales manager, general manager (all with church owned Deseret News, Newspaper Agency Corp, and Deseret News Press)
Notable for: Being a good story teller, speaking in triplicate
MoreEvilThan's opinion: suffers from insecurities.he knows he'll never be as popular as his predecessor, is creepy.
Henry Eyring
Age: 79
Mission: ?
Degrees earned: Physics (Utah), MBA (Harvard), DBM (Harvard)
Church hierarchy positions: Commissioner of Education, Counselor Presiding Bishopric, Seventy, Apostle, First Presidency Counselor
Career: Professor (Stanford), College President (Ricks)
Notable for: Crying
MoreEvilThan's opinion: Someone this smart should know better, and he probably does. Does the guilt make him cry?
Dieter Uchtdorf
Age: 72
Mission: ?
Degrees earned: Studied engineering in Germany
Church hierarchy positions: Seventy, First Presidency Counselor
Career: Luftwaffe fighter pilot, commercial pilot, instructor pilot, SVP Flight Ops, Chief Pilot
Notable for: Aviation stories. Having an impressive career outside of the church. Leapfrogging over a bunch of older guys with more seniority.
MoreEvilThan's opinion: Probably thinks most of the other 14 are a bunch of dumb Americans asleep at the yoke while the airplane is on a collision course with reality. I'm not gay, but admit this guy is easy on the eyes.
Boyd Packer
Age: 88
Mission: None (Served in Army Air Forces)
Degrees earned: B.S. (Utah State), M.S. (Utah State), DEd (BYU)
Church hierarchy positions: Mission Pres, Q12 Assistant, Apostle
Career: Bomber pilot, teacher, administrator
Notable for: Hating anyone attempting to lead a happy life. Unravels millions of dollars spent on public relations with a just a single talk.
MoreEvilThan's opinion: Envy prevents him from sharing pilot stories with Uchtdorf. Is probably gay.
Tom Perry
Age: 90
Mission: Northern States (Also served as U.S. Marine)
Degrees earned: Finance (Utah State)
Church hierarchy positions: Counselor Stake Pres, Stake Pres, Q12 Assistant, Apostle
Career: Treasurer for retail companies
Notable for: He is tall. Seems to be rather blunt. I like people who tell it like it is.
MoreEvilThan's opinion: If one of these guys had to be my grandpa, it would be him.
Russell Nelson
Age: 88
Mission: ?
Degrees earned: B.A. (Utah), M.D. (Utah), PhD (U of Minnesota)
Church hierarchy positions: Stake Pres, Gen Pres Sunday School, Regional Representative, Apostle
Career: Heart Surgeon, Research Professor, Director of Residency, Chairman of Thoracic Surgery LDS Hospital
Notable for: Looking forward to polygamy in the next life.
MoreEvilThan's opinion: Clearly a brilliant driven individual. Either compartmentalizes very well, is deluded, or in on the scam. A family member had the chance to work with Nelson's son, also a doctor. Said he was a ball of hyper-activity and had a "Don't you know who my father is?" attitude.
Dallin Oaks
Age: 80
Mission: ?
Degrees earned: Bachelor (BYU), University of Chicago (J.D.)
Church hierarchy positions: Apostle
Career: Lawyer, law professor, College President (BYU), Justice of the Utah Supreme Court
Notable for: Convincing millions (okay, maybe thousands) that a white salamander is also a synonym for an angel, or, "a mythical being thought to be able to live in fire."
MoreEvilThan's opinion: I humbly submit that a white salamander leading J Smith Jr to buried treasure is analogous to a snake tempting Eve to eat The Fruit. Too bad the document that needed his agile legal mind to work around was 100% fake. Why would the church, thinking this document was real, want to suppress it? I hate lawyers with their gifts of persuasion and complete lack of intellectual integrity.
Russell Ballard
Age: 84
Mission: England
Degrees earned: ? (attended Utah)
Church hierarchy positions: Mission Pres, Seventy, Apostle
Career: Automotive, real estate, and investment businesses
Notable for: Making MoreEvilThan sleeping when hearing him talk.
MoreEvilThan's opinion: Who were we talking about again?
Richard Scott
Age: 84
Mission: Uruguay
Degrees earned: Mechanical Engineering (George Washington)
Church hierarchy positions: Mission Pres, Seventy, Apostle
Career: Nuclear Engineer
Notable for: Even through the TV, he can stare deep into your soul. Evidently doesn't agree with polygamy, widower since 1995. Only apostle not called because of nepoti..wait. Nevermind, his late wife is related to six General Authorities.
MoreEvilThan's opinion: Anyone that could work for Admiral Hyman Rickover for 12 years has to be emotionally detached from their own feelings, or impervious to criticism.
Robert Hales
Age: 80
Mission: ? (served in U.S. Air Force)
Degrees earned: Bachelors (Utah), MBA (Harvard)
Church hierarchy positions: Mission Pres, Counselor Sunday School Pres, Apostle
Career: Fighter pilot, business career, executive for three different corporations
Notable for: Cannot make himself cry, so the voice cracking will have to do.
MoreEvilThan's opinion: I imagine his peers in the Air Force though he was as exciting as a Cessna.
Jeffery Holland
Age: 72
Mission: ?
Degrees earned: English (BYU), Religious Education (BYU), PhD American Studies (Yale)
Church hierarchy positions: Seventy, Apostle
Career: Academics, Academic Administrator, College Pres (BYU)
Notable for: Jowls. Getting owned by a well spoken apostate with an authoritative English accent. Which makes me wonder, how do US citizens sound to Brits? Bland? Unread?
MoreEvilThan's opinion: The cog-dis has to be eating this guy from the inside-out
David Bednar
Age: 60
Mission: Germany
Degrees earned: Bachelors (BYU), Master (BYU), Phd Organizational Behavior (Purdue)
Church hierarchy positions: Regional Rep, Seventy, Apostle
Career: Academics, College Pres (BYU-I)
Notable for: Looking good sir after 6 decades. The pickle talk.
MoreEvilThan's opinion: A hardliner that arrived too late. He will be beside himself after unsuccessfully convincing his peers what the church needs is some good old fashioned purges.
Quentin Cook
Age: 72
Mission: Great Britain
Degrees earned: Poly Sci (Utah State), J.D. (Stanford)
Church hierarchy positions: Seventy, Apostle
Career: Lawyer, board member, CEO of a California HMO
Notable for: Hmmm, a lawyer and C-level manager. What would a religious organization want with such an individual?
MoreEvilThan's opinion: Great, another lawyer.
Todd Christofferson
Age: 68
Mission: Argentina
Degrees earned: Bachelor (BYU), J.D. (Duke)
Church hierarchy positions: Stake Pres, Seventy, Apostle
Career: Lawyer
Notable for: By 2008 I had stopped paying attention, so I have no comments.
MoreEvilThan's opinion: Yet another lawyer, and General Counsel for banks. I knew there was a reason I should not trust this guy.
Neil Anderson
Age: 61
Mission: ?
Degrees earned: Bachelor (BYU), MBA (Harvard)
Church hierarchy positions: Mission Pres, Seventy, Apostle
Career: Business interests in advertising, real estate development, health care
Notable for: Knowing multiple languages: French, Portuguese, and Spanish
MoreEvilThan's opinion: Finally, someone who isn't an attorney. Then I saw real estate developer.sigh.
A few things did surprise me while going through their bios on lds.org. Often there is no mention of a mission. I assume if this is omitted, they did not serve a mission. I understand the older generation's mission years were interrupted by WWII, but what about people like Anderson?
They are all obviously intelligent driven individuals, most of whom rose to the top or near to the top of their chosen vocation, or made a ton of money as a businessman or lawyer. Only one is what I consider to be a theologian, and even that is a stretch. I'm sure heading a wealthy powerful organization with its fingers in all sorts of business ventures is very rewarding for people like this, as is the rock star status given to them by members.
The members need the church less than the church needs them (or their money). This has to be disconcerting to these A-type who are used to getting their way and having subordinates respond to their orders. When dealing with a mass of people with many different viewpoints, desires, and backgrounds has to be a little exasperating. And these differences are only increasing as younger generations are exposed to more and more ideas that their parents never had access to.
They are all so alike: well educated, white, wealthy, conservative, old, and revered. They have a lot to lose. And I can't see them checking their egos at the door and doing what is best for the organization. I of course am assuming something can be done.
| When Their Loyalties Are To Their Royalties: General Authorities Cashing In On Book Deals
Tuesday, May 21, 2013, at 07:18 AM
Original Author(s): Steve Benson
Topic: GENERAL AUTHORITIES -Link To MC Article- | ↑ | In another thread, RfM poster, "thematrix," posed the question:
"Book deals and General Authorities--Is it big business?"
That question was prompted by an episode from "thematrix's" own personal experience, as he explained:
"My wife was given a copy of a president Uckdorf book by my parents for Mother's Day. It got me thinking about the financial side of book deals for these guys.
"I'm just curious if anyone knows the financial side and gain that these guys receive for 'writing' their pieces. When I was a TBM I believed that they wrote these books with all profits going back to the Church.
"Silly Matrix, profits are for Prophets.
"Anyway, perhaps [oosters here] might have some insight into this. I know an individual that recently wrote a pretty popular piece that made about 300k off of his book and he didn't have the name power that a top 12 does. I just wonder if part of the 'contract' of the Twelve is to write for-profit books by the prophets."
("Book Deals and General Authorities--Is It Big Business?," posted by "thematrix," on "Recovery from Mormonism" discussion board," 20 May 2013)
The answer, of course, is a big, fat YES.
When it comes to Mormon General Authorities and their lucrative LDS Church-book royalties, we might as well start with Church-arranged book deals for its two most recent presidents.
--Proof of Profits: Thomas S. Monson and His Money-Making Church-Book Gig
Earlier this year, RfM poster "Oh Tommy Boy" posed a specific question about Monson's worker relationsship with the Mormon Church and how that might play out in sales of his books:
"[Is] Thomas S. Monson . . . an employee (i.e. salary)?" That question was followed by details surrounding Monson's actual book-deal earnings:
"Below is the info from the Library of Congress from one of Thomas S. Monson's book.
"As an author myself, I am aware that a 'work for hire' does not require an employer-employee relationship, but an 'employer for hire' on a copyright application often (not always) does.
"It's interesting to note that he doesn't hold the copyright, but TSCC [The So-Called Church] does through its IP arm. Typical book deals have the author holding the copyright, and they license it to the publishing house or whatever for a period of time.
"There are other books that Monson has written where he holds the copyright and Deseret Book published it, so he, like other GAs, probably still draws royalties from said books. But for this project below, it appears he was acting as an employee.
?Nothing earth-shattering here, but it was intriguing to me as I know this process from registering my own works with LOC.
"'Type of Work: Text
Registration Number / Date: TX0005330861 / 2001-05-29
Title: Three gates to open / by Thomas S. Monson.
Description: 1 v.
Series: CES fireside for young adults
Copyright Claimant: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Date of Creation: 2001
Date of Publication: 2001-01-14
Authorship on Application: Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, employer for hire.'"
("Thomas S. Monson is an Employee (i.e. Salary)?,," by poster "Oh Tommy Boy," on "Recovery from Mormonism" discussion board, 10 January 2013)
Monson certinaly makes his money through the Church.
Next.
--Hiding the Financial Facts: Gordon B. Hinckley Fudges on the Extent of General Authority Living Allowances (including GA earnings from Church book sales)
Premier contemporary historian on Mormon matters, D. Michael Quinn, provides details on the big business of General Authority writing royalties in his book, "Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power" (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1997):
"Speaking of LDS Church-owned businesses and stock-portfolios in 1985, First Presidency Counselor Gordon B. Hinckley said that 'the living allowances given the General Authorities, which are very modest in comparison with executive compensation in industry and the professions, come from this business income and not from the tithing of the people. However, tithing was the source of these 'living allowances' from the 1830s until the Church's corporate success in recent years.
"Moreover, President Hinckley's description of the hierarchy's income as 'very modest' depends upon one's own concept of wealth.
"For example, when Joseph Fielding Smith died at age 95 in 1972, he had worked nearly all his adult life at LDS headquarters, first as a paid employee in the Historian's Office and then as a General Authority with a Church living allowance. At his death, President Smith had $245,000 in bank deposits, $120,000 in cash, $120,574 in stocks/bonds, and $10,688 in uncashed checks (INCLUDING DESERET BOOK ROYALTIES OF $9,636). Even 25 years after his death, few rank-and-file Mormons have such 'modest' amounts of cash and liquid assets available to them in old age."
(pp. 210-11, emphasis added)
--General Authority Cash Cow: The Regular (Albeit Informal) LDS Church Money-Making System of Book-Sale Earnings
Quinn reports:
"Although not a formal salary, General Authorities can also receive significant income from the books they publish.
"When he published 'The Way To Perfection' in 1931, Joseph Fielding Smith specified that all its future royalties would go to the LDS Genealogical Society. However, he was not as generous with the royalties from his dozens of other books. For example, when President Smith died in July 1972, his royalties from Deseret Book Company totaled $9,636 for the previous six-month period.
"Presiding Bishop (and later Apostle) LeGrand Richards set a remarkable example by accepting no royalties for his 'Marvelous Work and a Wonder' which had sold 2 million copies by the time of his death in 1983.
"However, a president of the LDS Church's publishing company has observed that very few General Authorities have declined royalties for their books. Mormons purchase books written by General Authorities primarily because of the Church office the author holds, rather than for the book's content. Although many General Authorities do not write books, such royalty income is a direct consequence of being an LDS leader."
(Quinn, "Extensions of Power," p. 210)
--Accruing Inflated Book-Sales Revenue: The Mormon Church Use of Foreign Entities
As RfM poster Jim Huston reports:
"There [are] a number of ways that the Morg can shift income away from foreign subs to the main Corporation or vice versa. The information reported in foreign countries is most likely manipulated to show what TSCC [The So-Called Church] wants to show.
"By selling books, temple clothing, magazines and equipment to the foreign entity at inflated or deflated prices, the income can be managed and changed significantly."
("Mormon Finances and Charity," posted by Jim Huston/aka "nao crer," at: http://www.google.com/url?sa=tandrct=jand...
Finally, cases of other General Authorities and their royal-book royalty treatment.
--Disgraced General Authority and War-Story Fabricator, Paul H. Dunn: How He Prospered in Forced Church Retirement through Book Royalties
Jerald and Sandra Tanner, in their article "Dunn in the Name of God," report on Dunn's rake-in of signficant Church book royalties, even after Dunn had been exposed as a whopping liear and put out to pasture for having notoriously manufactured false claims about his life and career:
". . . [A]fter the [Mormon] Church had terminated Lynn Packer's teaching contract at Brigham Young University for pursuing the story [of Paul H. Dunn's phonied-up World War II exploits], he [Packer] provided information he ha[d] collected over the past four years to 'The [Arizona] Republic.'
"Despite Dunn's 'retirement,' his grandfatherly demeanor and down-home, self-deprecating storytelling style continue[d] to make him a popular public speaker and author. 'He also remain[ed] the most prolific author among [then-]current and former Church leaders. He receive[d] royalties from 23 inspirational cassette tapes and 28 books . . . . They [were] among the more popular items in LDS bookstores. . . ."
("Dunn in the Name of God: Confessions by Emeritus General Authority of the Mormon Church Raises New Questions about the Origins of Mormonism," by Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Thhttp://nowscape.com/mormon/dunn.htme "Salt Lake City Messenger," Issue No. 78, June 1991, at: http://nowscape.com/mormon/dunn.htm)
--Mormon Book Royalties for Members of the Seventies: An Insider's Report from a Mormon General Authority Relative
The claim is made as follows:
"OK, [on] [t]he wonderful topic of GA salaries, or as they call them: a modest living allowance.
"I have a relative who is a GA. During my exit from the church he flew out to meet with me with the specific purpose of saving my eternal salvation and during our conversation we discussed the hallowed living allowance.
"Here is what I remember from our conversation as well as research I have conducted on my own.
"The Seventies receive the equivalent of 70% of the average of their previous 5 years earnings. This allows them to maintain the same standard of living that they are used to while working in their career field. They also receive perks such as business class travel which can be upgraded to first class due to their frequent flier status on various airlines. Also, they are encouraged to write books or have their journals/thoughts published and they are paid a premium in royalties for book sales."
("Mormon General Authority Salaries," by "TheDrive," 23 July 2010, at; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Greater...)
So, you can close the book on questions about GA royalty-earnings from their Mormon-Church writings.
Speaking of books, book 'em, Danno.
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