Posted on 01/31/2013 5:05:06 PM PST by Colofornian
Late last year (2012) a copy of the 2006 Mission President’s Handbook was posted on an individual’s blog site. This document, produced by the Mormon Church as a practical instruction manual for mission presidents, “contains basic policies and guidelines established by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to help you lead your missionaries and direct the work” (6). The book is not intended for general readership; “general” readers have found that it contains some things that are surprising in light of the public face that the Church puts forth.
PaycheckOne such surprise is found in Appendix B, Family Finances. It begins,
“While you are serving as mission president, the Church reimburses the necessary living expenses for you, your wife, and your dependent children. Dependent children are defined as those who are under age 26, have not been married, and are not employed full-time. Living expenses include food, clothing, household supplies, family activities, dry cleaning, personal long-distance calls to family, and modest gifts (for example, Christmas, birthdays, or anniversary).” (80)
Additional reimbursable or paid expenses are also listed including (but not limited to) medical expenses; support for children serving full-time missions; dance lessons (and the like) for elementary and secondary school-aged children as well as their school tuition, fees and books; undergraduate college tuition; a gardener; a housekeeper; internet and other utilities; babysitters; transportation expenses including the use of a car and all fuel and maintenance expenses; and personal health and life insurance premiums.
The handbook instructs,
“The amount of any funds reimbursed to you should be kept strictly confidential and should not be discussed with missionaries, other mission presidents, friends, or family members.” (80)
One can only speculate about the reasons for this confidentiality among friends and family. But the mission president is also instructed to keep mum about these financial benefits to the taxman.
“Because you are engaged in volunteer religious service, no employer-employee relationship exists between you and the Church. As a result, any funds reimbursed to you from the Church are not considered income for tax purposes; they are not reported to the government, and taxes are not withheld with regard to these funds…
“To avoid raising unnecessary tax questions, please follow these guidelines closely:
“Do not share information on funds you receive from the Church with those who help you with financial or tax matters. Any exceptions should be discussed with the Church Tax Division.
“Never represent in any way that you are paid for your service.
“If you are required to file an income-tax report for other purposes, do not list any funds you receive from the Church, regardless of where you serve or where you hold citizenship.” (82)
Eric Johnson and Bill McKeever did some calculations on a hypothetical mission president serving in the state of Utah. This imaginary Mormon Church leader ended up with benefits equaling $99,500 per year. Furthermore, Eric Johnson writes,
“It must be mentioned that tithing on these items are not supposed to be paid. Unlike other church members, this family can receive temple recommends without paying tithing on “income.” Hence, for the value of this compensation, which we list here at almost $100,000, the tithe amount would be at least $10,000. So, this particular mission president—who, remember, is considered a “volunteer”—is getting compensation for at least $110,000! Not bad for someone who is not supposedly getting a wage!”
Indeed.
Mormons use the fact that they claim “lay” clergy instead of paid ministers to convince people that they are the true Christian church.
That is the reason this stuff gets posted. It is to inform possible converts that the story being told my missionaries is half true at best.
Do not accuse other Freepers of telling lies; it attributes motive, the intent to deceive. It is "making it personal."
Do not accuse other Freepers of hatred. That is mind reading, it is also "making it personal."
Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.
Mormons use the fact that they claim “lay” clergy instead of paid ministers to convince people that they are the true Christian church.
That is the reason this stuff gets posted. It is to inform possible converts that the story being told my missionaries is half true at best.
The levites were the only ones God gave the authority to collect tithes, the writings of the Apostles do not once mention having that authority, they only took donations.
The early Christians who wanted to be servants of God sold every thing they had and gave to the Church , they lived off of the church in common with the others who did the same.
The tithe collecting churches of today are more what jesus set us free from to begin with except there are hundreds of them now instead of just the one.
So if they want to fight about which one is the most apostate then i guess it should not bother me, so i should just say let them go at it.
Yep, I’m aware that the Catholic Church considers it “The One True Church”.
That’s why I frown upon all the other pretenders who make the same claim.
Cheap azz imitation that can be found at Chinese purveyors on Canal Street in Manhattan.
well; maybe the pay ain’t THAT good; but I’ve heard the benefits are outta this world!
According to the Catechism, the Catholic Church professes to be the “sole Church of Christ”, which is described in the Nicene Creed as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.[2] The church teaches that its founder is Jesus Christ, who appointed the twelve Apostles to continue his work as the Church’s earliest bishops.[3] Catholic belief holds that the Church “is the continuing presence of Jesus on earth”,[4] and that all duly consecrated bishops have a lineal succession from the apostles.[5] In particular, the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), is considered the successor to the apostle Simon Peter, from whom the Pope derives his supremacy over the Church.[6] The Church is further described in the papal encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi as the Mystical Body of Christ.[7] Thus, the Catholic Church holds that “the one Church of Christ which in the Creed is professed as one, holy, catholic and apostolic ... This Church constituted and organized in the world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him.”[8] Furthermore, the Church holds that “The Catholic Church alone... is the font of truth, this is the house of faith, this is the temple of God; if any man enter not here, or if any man go forth from it, he is a stranger to the hope of life and salvation….Furthermore, in this one Church of Christ, no man can be or remain who does not accept, recognize and obey the authority and supremacy of Peter and his legitimate successors.’[9]
The Church teaches that the fullness of the “means of salvation” exists only in the Catholic Church, but the Church acknowledges that the Holy Spirit can make use of Christian communities separated from itself to “impel towards Catholic unity” and thus bring people to salvation in the Catholic Church ultimately. It teaches that anyone who is saved is saved through the Catholic Church but that people can be saved ex voto and by pre-baptismal martyrdom as well as when conditions of invincible ignorance are present,[10] although invincible ignorance in itself is not a means of salvation.
You can read more about other religions feelings of superiority here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_true_church
How?
By claiming they wuz the FIRST.
Why?
See above.
Unkown; as the Book tends to be quite vague on the details.
1 Corinthians 2:9
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”—
Isaiah 65:17
“Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
I walk with him, I also fight for him as we are commanded to do against the darkness and its’ false teachings. The all paths Oprah school of Christianity nor any of the Cults such as the LDS have not destroyed the entire faith yet.
But thanks for the concern all the same.
Listen, for many Lds leaders on the take, there's no essential difference between, say $50,000 worth of annual "stipends" and a salary...For more on this, which, btw, includes 70 Lds presiding BISHOPricsS, see: How many church leaders receive a 'Stipend'
So, they are telling the truth, they are not paid. Reimbursement is paying for the goods or service first, you produce a receipt, and are given the money back as a gift in return.
Are you serious? Did you read the article? There's not a whole lot of positions where the following is taken care of 100%:
Living expenses include:
* food,
* clothing,
* household supplies,
* family activities,
* dry cleaning,
* personal long-distance calls to family,
* and modest gifts (for example, Christmas, birthdays, or anniversary).”
* support for children serving full-time missions;
* dance lessons (and the like) for elementary and secondary school-aged children as well as their school tuition, fees and books;
* undergraduate college tuition; a gardener; a housekeeper;
* internet
* utilities;
* babysitters;
* transportation expenses including the use of a car and all fuel and maintenance expenses;
That's beyond the normal "benefits" of med expenses, which are also covered 100%...and I don't know of a whole lot of "jobs" where employees don't have to pay out a co-pay for those...the "mission prez" positions involve 100% med coverage...
I saw your posts on the JW thread, and see you defending the LDS here, be it out of some misguided brotherhood of cults, membership or ignorance matters not.
These “organizations” have trapped good people in their grips and should be treated accordingly. Those so trapped should be freed by any means possible. Those who enable these cults, their operators and manipulators who care little if anything for faith just the filthy lucre they see in front of them must be addressed as the false teachers they are.
The is no hypocrisy in the truth.
Since you seem prone to Bible verses here are a few.
Book of Jude
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron...If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed” (1 Timothy 4:1-2,6).
“’I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears” (Acts 20:29-31).
Galatians 1
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
1 Timothy
19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
We were never told to treat the Devil and his agents lightly, just those whom he has misled if at all possible, but if we must snatch them from the fire then so be it.
These Cults are prime examples of that.
I have seen you ask others their faith but never reveal yours as best I can tell. To make this easy I will tell you I am a Methodist by membership albeit it a very conservative one since I also spent many years in the Orthodox Church, and still attend certain services there.
So how does your home church support itself, if no one gives?
How do you support the poor, the hungry, the needy, your missions, your youth if no one gives?
Shhhh.... you will ruin their self-righteous ranting with facts.
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