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Would You Take Money From An Apostate?


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On the surface I would accept it no problem.

I'm curious WHY some of the family members wouldn't accept it. Not why they wouldn't accept the help, but why they wouldn't accept it from a specific "apostate." It could be something like the idea that you shouldn't pay tithing on gambling money (if you want to discuss that then please don't derail this thread. - go make or visit another one) or maybe it is snippy comments those family members receive over other things that make them think it will be a problem here as well. We just don't know here WHY.

Edited by Rain
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I don't know that I can be considered an apostate or Ex-Mormon but I plan to pay for my niece's mission because it is important to her and that makes it important to me. I cannot in good conscience allow the ego of any disagreements I might have stand in the way of faithful service and charity.

Maybe every two years (or 18 months) I should be a sponsor, if you will, of a missionary in need of monetary assistance.

Now I'm getting too excited!!

I think that's an excellent idea.

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On the surface I would accept it no problem.

I'm curious WHY some of the family members wouldn't accept it. Not why they wouldn't accept the help, but why they wouldn't accept it from a specific "apostate." It could be something like the idea that you shouldn't pay tithing on gambling money (if you want to discuss that then please don't derail this thread. - go make or visit another one) or maybe it is snippy comments those family members receive over other things that make them think it will be a problem here as well. We just don't know here WHY.

I thought about the gambling thing too (on principle, I consider gambling winnings to be ill-gotten gain), but I didn't want to get into that here.

 

Beyond that, I think there may be a problem with accepting a contribution that has strings attached. That's why BYU doesn't accept federal funding, for example.

 

But I don't get the impression that's the case in the scenario posted in the OP. If it's just a matter of the contributor being an unbeliever -- even a more-or-less hostile unbeliever -- I don't see a problem.

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Genuine gifts are a blessing for receiver and giver.  I've never thought that someones religious orientation affected that principle in any way.  I am reminded of how the LDS Church helped build a Hindu Temple in the Salt Lake Valley.  The members who freaked out about it didn't seem very Christian to me.

 

God bless the giver and their generosity towards their former coreligionists.  Hopefully the gift will soften hearts and be accepted as readily as it was given.

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Genuine gifts are a blessing for receiver and giver.  I've never thought that someones religious orientation affected that principle in any way.  I am reminded of how the LDS Church helped build a Hindu Temple in the Salt Lake Valley.  The members who freaked out about it didn't seem very Christian to me.

 

God bless the giver and their generosity towards their former coreligionists.  Hopefully the gift will soften hearts and be accepted as readily as it was given.

I agree with you about the Church contributing to the construction of the Hare Krishna temple.

 

But I don't recall hearing of any of our members freaking out about it.

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I agree with you about the Church contributing to the construction of the Hare Krishna temple.

 

But I don't recall hearing of any of our members freaking out about it.

 

A few people did question the expense of church funds for a "false religion".  They are the same ilk that like to direct the church from their armchairs and basements.

 

By and large when I lived in Utah during that event people were supportive of it.

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A few people did question the expense of church funds for a "false religion".  They are the same ilk that like to direct the church from their armchairs and basements.

Alas, we find that on both sides of the spectrum, whether it pertains to a shopping mall or another faith's house of worship.

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Alas, we find that on both sides of the spectrum, whether it pertains to a shopping mall or another faith's house of worship.

 

Fundamentalists who believe in their own wisdom are always among us.

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On the surface I would accept it no problem.

I'm curious WHY some of the family members wouldn't accept it. Not why they wouldn't accept the help, but why they wouldn't accept it from a specific "apostate." It could be something like the idea that you shouldn't pay tithing on gambling money (if you want to discuss that then please don't derail this thread. - go make or visit another one) or maybe it is snippy comments those family members receive over other things that make them think it will be a problem here as well. We just don't know here WHY.

 

As far as I know, there's no suggestion that these are ill-gotten gains. The apostate relative has the same job as before the apostasy and hasn't, to my knowledge, started gambling or selling drugs or anything like that. It's just that it seems to rankle a few family members that she's taking money from an apostate. Most of the family is fine with it, but there are a few vocal relatives who seem pretty upset about it.

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WRT the tax deduction: I admire his integrity, but disagree with his reasoning.  That's his money to begin with; the government simply takes it from him because they can.  If, by law, he's entitled to some of his own money back, then it was always his; he's not accepting any favours.

 

Just my view, anyway.

 

I disagreed with him too.

 

His thought was that he didn't view it as a charitable donation.  He wasn't donating any money to the Church or, in his mind, to forward any missionary work.  Rather, he was just taking care of us kids and allowing us to have an experience and fulfill something we thought important.  Had we not gone on a mission, he would likely have been paying a lot more for room and board in college or for some other endeavor, something that wouldn't have qualified as a tax deduction.  In part, I think he was stubborn, that to him it was a matter of principle, that he was helping his kids out and didn't want to think of it or have it treated as anything else.

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...there are a few vocal relatives who seem pretty upset about it.

 

I will selflessly volunteer to take their share if they reject it.   :rofl:

 

My non-Mormon mother likes to play the lottery once in a while, especially when the jackpot gets huge.  She teased me that she wouldn't have to share with me if she won millions since I believe gambling is a sin.  I responded, "I'm more than happy to put filthy lucre to worthy uses."

 

(Neither of us are millionaires yet)

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I will selflessly volunteer to take their share if they reject it.   :rofl:

 

My non-Mormon mother likes to play the lottery once in a while, especially when the jackpot gets huge.  She teased me that she wouldn't have to share with me if she won millions since I believe gambling is a sin.  I responded, "I'm more than happy to put filthy lucre to worthy uses."

 

(Neither of us are millionaires yet)

 

Years ago, when we lived in Utah, I would often drive up to Idaho to pick up my wife's mother, who was LDS but sometimes active, sometimes not. When I would take her home, she would always buy me a single lottery ticket and say if it won, we'd split the winnings. Of course, she never won. After she died, my wife would always buy one lottery ticket every time we went to Idaho because she thought it was a fun tradition. 

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Years ago, when we lived in Utah, I would often drive up to Idaho to pick up my wife's mother, who was LDS but sometimes active, sometimes not. When I would take her home, she would always buy me a single lottery ticket and say if it won, we'd split the winnings. Of course, she never won. After she died, my wife would always buy one lottery ticket every time we went to Idaho because she thought it was a fun tradition. 

 

If you win I will split the winnings with you. :)

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Someone I know has a daughter on a mission, and just after she entered the MTC, her father lost his job. They were struggling anyway, but now it was impossible to pay for their daughter's mission. A relative of the mother stepped in and is paying for all but about $50 of her expenses each month. Apparently, there's some controversy in the family because the relative who stepped in is a fairly outspoken ex-Mormon, and other family members feel it's inappropriate for the young lady to accept money from an apostate. No one in the family has the money to support the young lady, but they feel the family should ask the ward to support her instead. 

 

What do you think? Would you accept money from an apostate to support your mission? Will the apostate be blessed for supporting a missionary? Personally, I think this family should just take what is offered in the spirit it is given and be grateful.

Hey John, my dyslexia gets the better of me (no surprise there with my constant misreads and spelling). When I first read the thread title I thought it read, "Would you take money from an Apostle". My first response would be to your question or the misread question; is it green?
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Not having read the whole thread this may have been answered. I see nothing wrong if a family member wants to contribute to someone's mission. Even if the Apostate hasn't been ex'd they can still pay tithing as far as I know. The bishop can't accept tithing from an excommunicated member bit I don't know if other offerings, like humanitarian offerings have the same rule. I wouldn't think they did. And yes some excommunicated members do want to pay tithing as they are trying to return to church. I knew someone who put all his tithing in a separate account to pay when his membership was restored.

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