Scott Lloyd Posted March 28, 2014 Posted March 28, 2014 (edited) I don't think most people leave the church because the church had not been 'candid' with them. I think they leave because when they find out different facts, they weigh those facts as to the truthfulness of the of the new fact itself vs the old non-candid fact. Example. Polygamy - explanation given to me. Many men died on the trek and women needed to be taken care of and also could not own land on their own. I could really buy into that with a loving God wanting to take care of these women. Newer explanation : to raise up seed : Nobody now wants to say Joseph had children with any of these ladies. Where are the seed? My own conclusion is that Smith used his 'authority' to further his sexual wants and desires. I've been misled several times in my life after giving trust to someone. Sometimes intentional, sometimes unintentional. Sometimes detrimental to the relationship and sometimes not. I believe if the church opened up their finances (Hey, the church is really trying to be more candid these days), many more people would pack up and leave than stay. Wow, look at how open this church is, I believe I will join them because they don't like to hide anything.So it would seem, then, that at least some of those clamoring for the Church to open its records to public perusal are not interested in candor so much as they are interested in causing a mass exodus of members from the Church. That what they really want is to destroy the Church. They want transparency to the extent that it furthers their malevolent desire in that regard. I suspected as much; you have just sustained my suspicion. So why should I even for a moment give serious consideration to their clamoring? By the way, did it occur to you that a reason, perhaps, why Joseph did not have children with his plural wives is that he was not allowed to remain alive long enough to do so? Edited March 28, 2014 by Scott Lloyd
AndyDnom Posted March 28, 2014 Posted March 28, 2014 why would people leave if the church disclosed its finances? are they doing stuff with money that would make people leave? 1
Scott Lloyd Posted March 28, 2014 Posted March 28, 2014 (edited) why would people leave if the church disclosed its finances? are they doing stuff with money that would make people leave?Anti-Mormons dearly love to think so. At least they believe they could make it appear so if they were able to access the information. Distorting fact has long been a primary weapon in their arsenal. Edited March 28, 2014 by Scott Lloyd
sdc999 Posted March 28, 2014 Posted March 28, 2014 Anti-Mormons dearly love to think so. At least they believe they could make it appear so if they were able to access the information. Distorting fact has long been a primary weapon in their arsenal.In order to distort fact, one must first have the fact available to them.
Scott Lloyd Posted March 29, 2014 Posted March 29, 2014 In order to distort fact, one must first have the fact available to them.Which is a good reason, in my view, for not opening up the books to public gaze. Most if us who pay tithing are content with the annual auditor's report given in general conference and with the occasional assurance that the Council on Disposition of the Tithes is being careful with "the widow's mite."I would have very little interest in seeing a detailed balance sheet. I have even less interest in seeing such a thing made publicly accessible, especially if, as it appears here, antagonists only want it so they can use it to make the Church appear disreputable. 1
cinepro Posted March 29, 2014 Posted March 29, 2014 Anti-Mormons dearly love to think so. At least they believe they could make it appear so if they were able to access the information. Distorting fact has long been a primary weapon in their arsenal. There might be good reasons for a multi-billion dollar religious corporation that claims to be led by direct revelation from God to hide the details of what it does with the money that it collects from believers in God's name, but I can't think of a single one. Certainly complaining that some anti-Mormons might distort the truth isn't a good reason for withholding that truth in the first place.
sdc999 Posted March 29, 2014 Posted March 29, 2014 Which is a good reason, in my view, for not opening up the books to public gaze.Most if us who pay tithing are content with the annual auditor's report given in general conference and with the occasional assurance that the Council on Disposition of the Tithes is being careful with "the widow's mite."I would have very little interest in seeing a detailed balance sheet. I have even less interest in seeing such a thing made publicly accessible, especially if, as it appears here, antagonists only want it so they can use it to make the Church appear disreputable. There might be good reasons for a multi-billion dollar religious corporation that claims to be led by direct revelation from God to hide the details of what it does with the money that it collects from believers in God's name, but I can't think of a single one. Certainly complaining that some anti-Mormons might distort the truth isn't a good reason for withholding that truth in the first place. Not a religious perspective, but I think ANY coporation that claims exemption status should not be able to keep closed books. I think they have a fiduciary responsibility to Americans and those that do pay taxes as to why they should be exempt and not pay a fair share.
Scott Lloyd Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 (edited) There might be good reasons for a multi-billion dollar religious corporation that claims to be led by direct revelation from God to hide the details of what it does with the money that it collects from believers in God's name, but I can't think of a single one. Certainly complaining that some anti-Mormons might distort the truth isn't a good reason for withholding that truth in the first place. Being led by revelation from God does not necessarily prevent an entity from being victimized by those who would distort its intent or actions (such has been the lot of the Church of Jesus Christ from the days of the Resotration). Nor does it obligate the entity to facilitate such distortion by its antagonists. To me, frustrating such antagonists in their malevolent intent constitutes a very, very good reason for keeping its financial records private. Edited March 31, 2014 by Scott Lloyd
Scott Lloyd Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 Not a religious perspective, but I think ANY coporation that claims exemption status should not be able to keep closed books. I think they have a fiduciary responsibility to Americans and those that do pay taxes as to why they should be exempt and not pay a fair share. Religious and other charitable organizations are granted tax-exempt status on the theory that they provide benefits to society (caring for the poor, mitigating the effects of natural disasters, social services, etc.) that to some degree relieve the taxing entity of providing such benefits. If the government were compensating the Church for providing such charitable benefits, you might have a point. But it is not, and you don't.
Tacenda Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 https://www.lds.org/topics/peace-and-violence-among-19th-century-latter-day-saints?lang=eng&query=scholar New church essay.
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