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I have a huge problem with the mall. Over a 30 year period the LDS church gave $1 billion in humanitarian aid.
Actually it's over $1B in a 27 year period, and that's just humanitarian aid, meaning it does not include free food, cash, and goods distributed through the bishops' storehouses, through fast offerings, and through other charitable entities.
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Originally Posted by FireoftheCovenant
Now they spend $5 billion on a shopping mall that is not proven it will succeed. Sure, it provided jobs for people who probably already had adequate food. How about them starving people? the homeless? Nah, a shopping mall is more important.
But the poor are still being taken care of. How can you say that the mall is more important if the poor are not being neglected? Is it because more money was spent on the mall? How much money have you spent in the last year on charitable giving versus your own wants (beyond basic level needs)? Certainly you could sell the computer you're using to make these comments and go give the money to the poor. Is the computer more important to you? You're on a slippery slope with this argument.
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Originally Posted by FireoftheCovenant
Jesus in the NT is against riches.
No he's not. He's against injustice and hypocrisy. He suggests riches be used to help the poor, and the church does that. Maintaining a solid financial foundation enables them to continue to do that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FireoftheCovenant
The Book of Mormon is against riches.
No it's not. It's against injustice and hypocrisy. It's against pride and people setting their hearts on their riches. It's not riches in and of themselves that the Book of Mormon criticizes, but the corruption that so commonly results from personal riches. I don't see how building a shopping mall constitutes corruption.
There are stories of the church bribing owners with substantial lower rents / leases if the businesses in their properties stop serving alcohol. Not sure if that policy is still in place in general or has been used at this property.
That's ridiculous. Everybody, including the Church, is fine with alcohol being served at the restaurants it's being served at.
If you do not disagree with something on a small scale, why disagree on a large scale?
How many churches have Cake Sales, rummage sales etc. If you see nothing wrong with that, why find something wrong in having a mall?
I'm surprised I need to explain this to you, Woodrow. I know we tend to become like those we associate most with.
Donations made to a church are considered donations to God, to be used as God, or in this case - Jesus Christ - would use them. Cake or rummage sales are private - they are not donated to God, but specifically for whatever church activity they are doing.
One scripture, different faiths embrace is Deut. 14:28-29: (even if they don't apply it) "At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: And the Levite, (because he hath no part no inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest."
For many years now, the LDS church has kept finances secret. However, it is estimated that less than 1% of donations go to the poor - & these are only "extra" donations, not a penny of tithes (separate categories on donation slip). http://www.salamandersociety.com/foyer/budget/
I imagine that those who are in such favor of a church proclaiming to be the 1 single true church of Jesus Christ, spending billions on a mall, might feel differently if they or their loved ones were one of the almost 1,000,000,000 men, women & children who are starving. http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/...cts%202002.htm
I think this thread is finished..When it turns to off topic subjects other than the Mall in the OP we get into various doctrinal debates which derails the intent of the op..
You are free to start new threads or use the search engine to continue your off topic debates..Keeping the TOS in mind as always..
C L O S E D
C L O S E D
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