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TITHING - SECTION 3
Total Articles:
13
Mormons are required to pay 10% of their gross income to the Mormon Church in the form of tithing. Mormons cannot enter the temple nor hold important positions without paying annual tithing. Each year Mormons are interviewed in December to make sure they are paying a proper tithe.
Mormons must pay tithing on employment and unemployment insurance, student loans, Pell grants, Social Security, Trust Funds and any other form of income. In Oct 2013, Mormon Apostle David Bednar stated "For those that pay their tithing, I thank you. For those that do not: repent!" he then added "Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance.".
Mormons are counseled that if they do not pay their tithing then they will be burned alive with fire when Jesus Christ comes for the second time - Mormons often refer to this as "fire insurance". In Mormonism all blessings start with tithing. If a Mormon does not pay tithing - they cannot hold leadership positions - and worse - cannot attend the Mormon temple. If a Mormon cannot attend the temple - then a Mormon cannot reach the Celestial Kingdom. In essence, tithing in Mormonism is a form of Extortion.
The Mormon Church in the United States is protected by law and refuses to disclose where tithing money is used. In other countries such as the UK, Canada and AU where the Mormon Church is forced to disclose finances - it is clear that millions of dollars are collected in tithing. Much of that money is funneled through Mormon Church owned Brigham Young University. Less than one half of one percent of the money is used for charity.
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I was a full-fledged member, obeying all the "commandments", etc. I hadn't been to the temple for years; my daughter was planning on a mission and wanted me to go to the temple with her. She really wanted me there with her! At the time I had lost my job, unemployment benefits had run out--I was living on food stamps and not much else. I was one step away from that recommend, but I wasn't paying tithing. My bishop said he was sorry, but couldn't issue the recommend-- he said he talked to the SP about it, and the SP said NO. I was really disappointed, but I put it "on the shelf" in the back of my mind, with everything else. But then that shelf finally came crashing down under the weight of all the accumulated doubts.
It's actually extortion, for you're told you can't be together with your family unless you go to the temple. And Mormons can't go to the temple unless they pay a FULL tithe. And if you work for the church, they know exactly how much you make. You will lose your job if you don't pay up!
| Yes, tithing is the most important thing to the church. The measure for this is acceptance into the temple, since according to the church, gaining entrance is gets you the keys to heaven.
You can break pretty much any other rule and be forgiven, right there in the temple interview (or as some have pointed out, they will give you a temple recommend to help "strengthen" you with whatever you're "struggling" with)
The most important thing is NOT obedience. What do they care if you are obedient? Sure that that may be the lever they use to get you to pay tithing, but there are plenty of people, even on this board (which isn't very obedient), who pay tithing for family or other reasons and can keep their recommend. You can be completely disobedient and still get a temple recommend if you are paying your tithing.
I personally know of people who have:
- Cheated on their spouses (they were told not to tell their spouse, they did because they felt it would be dishonest to do otherwise)
- Sold drugs and admitted it in the interview and were temple married a few weeks later.
- Physically abused their spouse and still hold a temple recommend, even though there has been witnesses against them.
Some Bishops may be more strict than others in letting things pass, but most can and will let anything slide if you appear earnest enough in an interview that you are trying. They may give waiting periods or other probation, but ultimately if you want a temple recommend, the only thing you have to do is pay your tithing.
| Anybody else completely tired of hearing about Romney's "charitable" giving. MORMON TITHING IS NOT CHARITABLE GIVING. REPEAT, MORMON TITHING IS NOT CHARITABLE GIVING. IT'S A BILL!!!!!! Mitt, like all other Mormons has to pay 10% of his gross income or else the following are consequences:
- He can't attend his own kids weddings performed in mormon temples.
- He can't attend any of his relatives weddings performed in mormon temples.
- He can't save his own dead relatives by being baptized for them.
- He can't learn of the secret handshakes and words needed to walk past angels when he dies.
- His dead relatives can't learn of the secret handshakes and words either.
- He can't hold any positions in the Church of any significance, especially if he likes to lead over others.
- In most cases he can't bless his own baby or baptize his own children or grandchildren.
- He has to face the humiliation of not doing any of the above things and everyone in his family knowing about it.
Because of the coercive nature of mormon "tithing", it's actually a sign of weakness in Mitt Romney for him to pay the exhorbitant coercive fee to a Church that gives only 1.6% of it's income to "humanitarian" aid. It's far more impressive for someone to give charity to organizations that actually aren't in the business of only building up themselves. Mitt should know better, because with 3 clicks of his mouse he should clearly be able to see what a crock it all is. Pass the word!
| I was active but not a full tithe-payer and was denied help.
However, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
I had separated from hubby and didn't have a maintenance agreement yet and he was trying to get me to drop it by giving me no money. I was looking for a better job and went and asked the Bishop for some help. He told me to pay a full tithe and the Lord would bless me and help me find a job. And just in case it took the Lord a little while longer to get around to me, if nothing had changed at the end of a month and I'd paid up, I could come back and he'd help me.
I was so torn. The Lard's annointed had told me to put God to the test (as had my dad, who wouldn't "help someone who wouldn't help themself.") I really wanted to, but I was a mother and I caved and couldn't give what little I had to feed my children to the church. I felt so awful when I spent that money. The next day I got a call for a job interview and a week later was offered a much better job with benefits. If I'd paid my tithing and that happened, as it would have, I'd have been sucked in for life. I would have known that it was my blessing for trusting in the Lord. If Bishop had helped me without my paying up, I would have thought it was part of the help from the church and that I truly owed God. Instead, it helped me realize that I got a job despite the good Lord. I got it because I worked for it and I was the most qualified. It was a real epiphany for me and one of the big cracks in the door.
I still thank God for the asshat bishops (and I had several through my life) who helped me see the reality of cult mind control.
| This was one of the main "last straws" for me.
I went to try and get a recommend. I wasn't a FULL tithe payer at the time, but I had desires to catch up and make good. Even though I had paid tithing for the previous 25 years of my life faithfully. (At this time I wasn't paying simply because we were ALWAYS out of town, and We'd wait to get home to pay it, sometimes MONTHS apart.)
I got an hour lecture about how if I wasn't a full tithe payer, he wouldn't sign my recommend, and then I couldn't get into Nauvoo (or wherever the "last stand" is,) That meant, he sternly asserted, "that when the Lord came, and I would be left out of the group and would not be recognized as worthy, and would be damned. "
All because in his exact words "your recommend was not signed by the proper authority, which would prove your worthiness."
I was shocked. I had gone in wanting to settle up, and came out feeling threatened, belittled, blackmailed, and evil.
For the first time I realized that I was "BUYING MY WAY INTO HEAVEN." and that heaven's way was paved with a signature, that could only be acquired by the whims of a bishop. Can you say ego trip?
I never paid tithing again.
| Behind On Your Bills? Can't Pay Your Rent? Family Starving? So What - Pay Your Tithing Anyway
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2012, at 09:20 AM
Original Author(s): Infymus
Topic: TITHING - SECTION 3 -Link To MC Article- | ↑ | From official Mormon website: http://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/12/sac...
"If paying tithing means that you can't pay for water or electricity, pay tithing. If paying tithing means that you can't pay your rent, pay tithing. Even if paying tithing means that you don't have enough money to feed your family, pay tithing."
This is the message in Mormonism. Money. Money above all other things. All blessings in Mormonism come from paying the Mormon Church.
There are hundreds of heart felt posts here on the Mormon Curtain where members were denied help - simply because they had failed to pay tithing. And yet the Mormon Church built a billion dollar shopping mall and their prophet snipped the red tape and exclaimed, "One Two Three! Let's go shopping!"
| The march edition of the Mormon Church magazine "The Ensign" mentions tithing 61 times. If you include the words "tithe" and "tithes" you can get it even higher. There are an awful lot of articles on tithing. Christ is mentioned 24 times.
'The Blessings of Tithing' article is particularly horrible. It's a load of stories from members around the world who describe their struggle to pay tithing due to financial challenges (first two individuals are in Bolivia and El Salvador). They then decide to pay tithing and of course, attribute any blessing to this decision to pay.
It's pure manipulation that flies in the face of a recent GC talk where it was mentioned that we shouldn't expect tithing to necessarily bring about temporal blessings.
In one of the examples a lady describes just a feeling of peace as she decides to prioritise paying tithing before bills - we don't hear any outcome, so she could be living on the street and selling her body by now.
In anther story a lady describes how through paying tithing they were able to plant a vegetable garden and fruit trees and benefit from all of this produce. Wow! If it wasn't for tithing (reducing their ability to put food on the table) they would never have thought about such a clever idea?
This is all just so manipulative. Members are being taught to expect temporal blessings and that these blessings could be very simple things (essentially look for any small positive thing and associate it to tithing). They are also taught that even when no temporal blessings are obvious, the feelings of peace from doing so are the blessing (I.e feeling of peace = negation of TSCC induced guilt).
| I know several threads like this have existed, but after reading the other tithing thread and the fact that tithing settlement is just a few weeks away I wanted to remind everyone, including myself how bad the situation is.
I was an EQP once upon a time and was allotted exactly $0 for my budget. I was told that if there was something that I thought we REALLY needed budget for I could talk to the bishop and we MIGHT be able to get something approved.
I haven't been a ward clerk in a family ward, so those of you who have please chime in with more specific numbers, but as I understand even the biggest wards in the US have yearly ward budgets in the $2000-$4000 range. $2000/year for a ward of 300-500 people. What on earth can you do with that little money?
As has been pointed out by many, I would say TSCC's decline comes as much from lack of social integration as it does historical issues. Many people who one day go looking for information about the history of TSCC start because they are in some way dissatisfied with their religious experience. If TSCC kept even 40% of the tithing given in the entire stake, distributed it evenly among the wards, and allowed them to plan activities, meals, and events for themselves and community just imagine what good would come! People wouldn't be lining up for the exits if they felt like their church was a place to be among friends and enjoy each other's company.
Instead the church sucks 99% of all tithing up to the top and never sends it back down. If the ward had their budgets from tithing they would be able to excel at missionary work through planning community events where non-members would come and make friends. As TSCC points out, the best converts are the ones who are already friends with members. Their top-down management structure is slowly killing them. By stifling growth at the lowest level they will hurt the source of income they rely on to make big ticket investments at the top, such as malls, radio stations, satellite comms, farmland, real estate etc. At some point the free money they get from members will be to expensive to get. Building temples and churches in poor countries can't be good for their bottom line and if the wealthy country's tithing can't be counted on, they can't keep building in rural poor areas (their only growth areas).
Basically the point is TSCC's policy on tithing vs. ward budgets is hindering their long term profitability to pay for pointless growth in the 3rd world. Members would be happier and have less of a reason to search for historical answers if they felt fulfilled in their religious experience.
| I was a ward clerk for over 10 years (long enough to know all the records by memory).
First of all, people who complain that too little tithing returns to a ward sound like my son during his teenage years. He couldn't understand why 90% of our family budget wasn't spent on entertainment. Why was his parents wasting money on food, shelter, transportation, utilities, taxes, etc?
Many ward expenses are also paid by the Stake. Maintenance of buildings and services consume resources. I know the Church delegates maintenance responsibilities to members, but the capital expenses will still be there. And not just for the local ward but stake buildings and a temple as well.
In some stakes the presidency members and high council can be reimbursed for required visits, etc. A district where I once lived had branches only accessible by air. My previous stake includes 2 provinces and part of a US state.
Even so, when financial figures are released for Canada (where I live) and the UK, a substantial annual surplus is transferred to BYU. Even some of that can be justified because Canadian LDS attend BYU. Subsidized education for members can be a substantial benefit to a ward (although some educated youth never return once they experience paradise in Utah).
Those of you railing against the current ward financing that depends on sacrament meeting attendance must not have experienced ward budgets. During tithing settlement a bishop would also give you your family budget charge for the year (over and above tithing). The ward could also do projects for the budget. One enterprising bishop used his son's wedding reception as a "budget dinner" to raise funds for activities.
What a relief it is that LDS only have to pay tithing!
I agree with the principle of the current ward finances proportional to attendance. The Church is cheap with their money (to their own detriment), but not as extreme as many would charge.
| Prior to August 2013 anyone paying tithing via direct payment to Mormon Church HQ were considered private. No reporting was made back to the local ward. Now all tithing donations are reported locally.
Earlier this year, I submitted a request to set up donations via ACH. Along with the setup form, I asked that my donations be kept confidential from the local ward. (The bishop is practically my next door neighbor, and I just don't think that my donation amounts are his business or anyone else's.) Based on what I had read here and elsewhere, I figured this was just a routine request and wouldn't be a problem.
Boy was I wrong. The email response that I received with instructions for online payment included the following bullet point (in italics): "Your bishop and ward clerk will be able to see your donations and you should attend tithing settlement as normal."
Anyone signed up before August of 2013 would be grandfathered into the old way. No reporting to local leadership.
Anyone that signs up after August can just call and have their privacy setting be put on.
| The recent court summons of Thomas S Monson on charges of fraud have brought the issue of tithing to the foreground. The charge of fraud hinges upon the accusation that Church leaders, of which Monson is the corporation sole, induced the plaintiffs to pay annual tithes by intentionally misrepresenting certain factual claims.
How could someone be induced to pay tithes in this manner?
A Cheerful Giver
Many churches treat the giving of donation or tithes as something with should be done without compulsion from a cheerful heart, as described in 2 Corinthians 9:7:
"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."
- 2 Corinthians 9:7
In these religions, donations are encouraged and may be frequently requested, or even required for certain status within the actual structure of the organization, but no condemnation or punishment of the eternal prospects of the individual is espoused.
As we will see below - in Mormonism tithing takes on a whole different aura of import.
The Celestial Ticket
First, according to Mormon theology tithing is absolutely required in order to receive all that God has promised in the highest degree of Glory in the celestial kingdom (the highest heaven according to Mormons). If you are not a full and current tithe payer, then you cannot pass your temple recommend interview to receive your endowment (temple ceremony) which is required in order to obtain that kingdom. See the Church publication, the Encyclopedia of Mormonism regarding temple recommends:
"Only members of the Church who have a current identification card, called a temple recommend, may enter. .The bishop, who is responsible as a "judge in Israel," conducts the initial interview. He seeks to discern personal worthiness.
.Worthiness requirements include being honest, keeping the commandments, such as chastity-sexual continence before marriage and fidelity within marriage obeying the laws of tithing and the Word of Wisdom, fulfilling family responsibilities and avoiding affiliation with dissident groups. " ("Temple Recommend" Encyclopedia of Mormonism)
See: http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Temple_R...
The full promise of God's Salvation and Exaltation is only available to those people who pay a full tithe so that they may enter the Temple and receive ordinances therein.
Eternal Family Held Hostage
Second, you only have the promise of eternal family relationships in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom. see the following from LDS.org:
"From another revelation to the Prophet Joseph, we learn that there are three degrees within the celestial kingdom. To be exalted in the highest degree and continue eternally in family relationships, we must enter into "the new and everlasting covenant of marriage" and be true to that covenant." (LDS.org)
See: https://www.lds.org/topics/kingdoms-o...
By making your eternal family relationships dependent upon temple marriage ceremony, which is in turn dependent upon full tithe payment - the church is holding your eternal family ransom for a ransom of 10% of your income for life.
The Fire Insurance Shake Down
Third, modern Mormon revelation teaches that at the second coming of Christ, people who have not paid their tithing in full will be burnt as stubble. Marion G. Romney, 2nd counsellor in the first presidency taught that the payment of tithing is a form of “fire insurance” in a 1982 Ensign article:
"Now, second, the payment of tithing is worthwhile as fire insurance. Through his prophets the Lord has told us that incident to his second coming, which we are now anticipating, there will be a great conflagration. Malachi thus refers to it in connection with his pronouncement about tithes and offerings. He said: "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." (Neal A Maxwell "The Blessings of an Honest Tithe" Lds.org)
See: https://www.lds.org/new-era/1982/01/t...
He goes on to quote a revelation which Joseph Smith claimed to receive from God as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants:
"Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming. For after today cometh the burning . for verily I say, tomorrow all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts; and I will not spare any that remain in Babylon. Wherefore, if ye believe me, ye will labor while it is called today." (DandC 64:23-25.)
See: https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-tes...
The modern mafia would call this fear tactic a "shake down." Pay up - or else you will burn.
Priorities
Other than the threats of burning at Christ's return, the inability to reach the highest heaven or the potential loss of family in the eternities, the church has provided some very practical guidance for priorities in the payment of tithes. In a December 2012 article in the Ensign the following was advised to a new convert regarding the payment of tithing:
"If paying tithing means that you can't pay for water or electricity, pay tithing. If paying tithing means that you can't pay your rent, pay tithing. Even if paying tithing means that you don't have enough money to feed your family, pay tithing." (Aaron L West "Sacred Transformations" Dec 2012 Ensign)
See: http://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/12/sac...
Here we see the priorities that the Church instills in members from the beginning.
Death and Taxes. (And Tithing?)
Some members might exclaim that they pay tithing because they like the programs that the church offers and want to help build the Kingdom of God - not because they are afraid of consequences if they don't pay. Indeed, many tax payers would say that they pay taxes because they like the programs and institutions that the government provides. In truth, they pay taxes because if they don't, men with guns will show up at their doorstep. (see this excellent video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fasTSY...). You can test if this is true when/if taxes are lowered and then see if people continue to pay the higher rate. If the threats of being burned at Christ's return were not meant to induce people into paying tithing, they would never be brought up in the first place.
The Mormon Mindset
To be clear, most Mormons today would say that the pay their tithing out of a desire to please God and demonstrate humility and obedience. This is a testament to the sincere character of their devotion. Mormons are good people who want to draw near to God. The leaders and theology that they exist under depend upon this.
How Fraud Has Power to Induce
As I have previously written in "The Lies That Bind" (See: http://thoughtsonthingsandstuff.com/t...) The Mormon Shaman, or spiritual leader, can only acquire and hold his followers enthralled if he has bound them through a truth myth which incorporates the ego of the members themselves. This can only be done by providing misinformation which establishes the leader as possessing a mystical nature. This may take the form of an exclusive divine authority, heavenly powers or prophetic ability.
The seven claims that are cited in the fraud claim against Monson speak directly to the basis upon which the Mormon Prophet derives the authority to endorse the truthfulness of the above mentioned inducements to the payment of tithes.
- The Book of Abraham is a literal translation of Egyptian papyri by Joseph Smith.
- The Book of Mormon was translated from ancient gold plates by Joseph Smith is the most correct book on earth and is an ancient historical record.
- Native Americans are descended from an Israelite family which left Jerusalem in 600 B.C.
- Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed as martyrs in 1844 because they would not deny their testimony of the Book of Mormon.
- The Illinois newspaper called the Nauvoo Expositor had to be destroyed because it printed lies about Joseph Smith.
- There was no death on this planet prior to 6,000 years ago
- All humans alive today are descended from just two people who lived approximately 6,000 years ago
Points 1 and 2 speak to the powers, ability and divine calling of Joseph Smith. His ability to translate the Book of Mormon and Book of Abraham were testaments to his power. Since the Priesthood keys and authority which give the Prophet his position originated with Joseph - if you disprove these texts as factual - then you discredit Joseph's claims to power. If Joseph's power and authority was fraudulent, then none of the subsequent prophets have any legitimate power or authority either.
This is the Mormon House of Cards which hinges upon Joseph Smiths credibility and reaches all the way to the current Prophet, who ever that may be.
Points 3, 6 and 7 all speak to the authenticity of Mormon Scripture, which was brought forth by translation or revelation by Joseph Smith. If you demonstrate these to be false, then you discredit Joseph Smith and the House of Cards falls.
Points 4 and 5 speak to the personal character of Joseph Smith. If he destroyed the Expositor for publishing truths about his practice of polygamy and ambitions for theocracy then his imprisonment at Carthage was justified (though his murder was not). If Joseph lied (See: http://thoughtsonthingsandstuff.com/h...) to church members about his practice of polygamy, he would be using the means of Satan, the father of all lies, to disguise what he claims to be God's commandment of plural marriage. Since God would not use the tools of Satan to establish his Law character of Joseph as a Prophet is discredited and House of Cards goes down.
One can see why these points would be kept out of plain view of the church members. Making them evident would not be faith promoting. Once the House of Cards falls in the mind of a member who sees these connections, the fraud is exposed - and the captive is set free.
Conclusion
It is informative to see the differences between the way that Mormons are taught that God calls upon them to give in comparison to the general Christian view. In one instance you are induced to pay for fear of being burned, and in the other you are taught to be a cheerful giver without penalty if you decline.
http://thoughtsonthingsandstuff.com/lds-tithing-inducement-fear-fraud/
| From another Adam Ford entry on Facebook:
In 1899 the LDS Chruch was almost bankrupt. The 1899 General Conference was "the tithing conference" and where Lorenzo gave pivotal instruction about tithing - which defined the church in relation to tithing going forward.
Lorenzo Snow said in the 1899 Conference Address:
"...I plead with you in the name of the Lord, and I pray that every man, woman and child who has means shall pay one tenth of their income as a tithing..."
Conference Report Oct 1899 page 28 (3/5th way down column 2 on page 28) http://archive.org/stream/conferencer...
However, in the 2011 Lesson Manual, in Lesson 12- Tithing, the Church quote this talk as:
"....I plead with you in the name of the Lord, and I pray that every man, woman and child ... shall pay one tenth of their income as a tithing...."
Teachings of Lorenzo Snow manual, page 160
https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-...
I have found many such instances in Church publications. Sadly, you can't trust anything you read that was published by the Church to be accurate to the author's original work or the quotes used are true to the intent of the speaker.
In Lorenzo Snow's day they believed in paying tithing on an increase of wealth--wealth measured only after feeding and housing your family. Today the Church specifically teaches that tithing comes first and is to be paid on income before household expenses.
It is this type of deliberate changing of history by altering quotes that is at the heart of the recent fraud complaint filed in England. If you want to believe or teach something, fine. But when you lie and misrepresent in order to convert or convince adherents to give you money, then you move into a murky area.
It is a fine line between religious liberty and religious fraud. A well reasoned legal analysis of the issue can be found here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/vo...
| Media and LDS apologists at FAIRMormon have used catch
phrases to describe the Mormon Fraud Case in the UK as an attack on religious
belief. In a blog, FAIR contributor and "US
Civil Defense Lawyer" aptly named Steve Densely Jr. opined
that: "English law does not allow courts to adjudicate on issues of religious belief."
However, I believe the House of Lords (UK Supreme Court)
would quite disagree with the media and FAIR that this a case about religious
worship. And they do adjudicate on these issues. Have done so very nicely in fact. There's a strong precedent in a
case brought to the House of Lords by the tax agent (Valuator) against the LDS
Corporation. The LDS Corporation argued unsuccessfully
that its UK temple property should not be taxed. See Judgments - Gallagher (Valuation Officer) V Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for the actual decision, quoted below. (hat tip to Christopher Ralph for finding and providing this link.)
In the decision that was on appeal (dismissed in 2008), the primary counsel for the LDS
Corporation (Sumption QC) attempted to define for the Lords that the LDS temple
is a public place of worship. The Lords went
through each of the candidate definitions of various structures owned by the
LDS Corporation to categorize and define the temple.
They ruled it is not as a charity ("it would be unwise to regard charity
law as a paradigm of rationality" para. 7, 9), not a training center (para.
19-20), not administrative offices (para. 10, 19), not intended to support
maintenance of the grounds and buildings (para. 21), not a hotel of "accommodations"
to patrons (para. 21), and not a workshop, a daycare facility or cafeteria
(para. 1).
So how did the Lords decide to define the temple?
Paragraph 5 is key:
".the Temple is not a place of "public religious worship"
because it is not open to the public. It is not even open to all Mormons. The
right of entry is reserved to members who have acquired a "recommend" from the
bishop after demonstrating belief in Mormon doctrine, an appropriate way of life
and payment of the required contribution to church funds. Such members are
called Patrons and the rituals which take place in the Temple are exclusive to
them. These facts are agreed." (emphasis added)
These facts are agreed: not a place of public religious worship. Exclusive "patrons" -- not every Mormon (and certainly not the
general public) -- must adhere to strict criteria to enter the temple, including demonstrating
belief in Mormon doctrine and paying the required contribution.
The language in this House of Lords decision is a
precedent. The LDS Corp lost its appeal
to define the temple as a place of public religious worship. The Lords define it as a place of ritual
exclusive to paying patrons.
Lord Hope of Craighead tells the LDS counsel: "Temple is not
entitled to exemption" (para. 36) and that "I cannot accept Mr Sumption's
primary argument that the Temple is a place of public religious worship." And
this based on an earlier precedent (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
v Henning (VO) [1964] AC 420) in which "Parliament has been content that the
words "a place of public religious worship" should continue to receive the
interpretation that the House gave to them in Henning." (para. 26)
Oh snap!
Sorry LDS Corp, your temple is not entirely exempt. All the Lords agreed to dismiss, most of them
using similar language. It's not a charity either. And worse, the
House of Lords has ruled that payment AND demonstration of belief in certain
beliefs are the basis for exclusive entry into this non-exempt, non-religious,
ritual performing, patron house. Not just the basis, but "required" was the word.
Once again, as I wrote in "Obey, Pay and don't look at Internet-Hearsay" and as Lord Hoffman elucidates a "recommend" giving "right of entry" makes the temple worthiness interview is a key part of
how this fraud case comes together.
Exclusivity is dependent on accepting beliefs that Phillips argues have been falsely
represented and payment is secured before you can go in. The word "required" is used in Lord Hoffman's
decisive precedent. Tithing is "required".
Mormons have argued that it is not a requirement to believe and tithing is not forced. But the House
of Lords seemed to disagree with the Mormons.
Oh double snap!
Oh buggers!
Sorry, FAIR. Sorry, Monson.
Bloody Brilliant, my Lords. Praise the House of Lords!
http://mormondisclosures.blogspot.com...
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