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.
The Lds church has 70 Presiding Bishoprics, do they not?
These 70 Presiding Bishoprics are part of the 854 overall church leaders who receive a living allowance/stipend/salary (whatever game-playing people want to call it). See So How many Lds church leaders receive 'stipends
Noun: Bigoted attitudes; intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself.
Apparently, your post would indicate you are bigoted and intolerant toward those who do not share your views. How ironic, in light of your post!
I’m sorry, I forgot. Jan Crouch is the Esther of our time. The new Mary.. the blessed one... with her gold chair and more Aqua Net than Mormon Mitt...
Who’s Jan Crouch? I thought the picture was a caricature of Donny Osman’s sister.
Just like all or most of the other religious organizations, they collect tithes which they have no authority to do and pay the preachers, in salary or benefits.
Wolves in sheeps clothing.
Can you see a pattern?
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You go first.
Ask 20 questions about Christian churches....
Then I can ask 20 about your church.
What views did I share? I called the poster on his long-standing anti-Mormon bigotry. You respond by calling me “bigoted and intolerant”, and then use the word “ironic”. Get a dictionary.
Seen it thrown around here by those that attempt to mimic the MSM......though never really fazes anyone here much anymore.
Although the criticism of the LDS church for paid clergy seems petty on its face it is actually a valid question. The LDS church claims that none of it leaders are paid. Then they are paid under the table in a way that just seems suspicious, like they don’t want someone to know about it. Then they make up lies about the Christian church by saying that since those people are paid clergy it is a sign that they were hired by the devil himself.
Christians don’t actually care if someone is getting paid but it is really bad form to get pay and then call it volunteer work.
What do you think tithes are for?
The reason the OT people tithed was so that the priests did not have to worry about the daily expenses.
I see losers. I didn’t know Dole and McLame were Mormons.
The mormon church is historically bigoted and intolerant to Christian Churches, and Christianity. ( If you would like footnotes and references...I can give them...Look up J. Smith's words, and B. Young's words. It's all documented..!! )
But yet you claim to be offended and call those that might challenge mormonism "BIGOTS"...and yes considering....what I know about mormonism...it IS ironic.
They are all CINO/RINO's.......Religion had nothing to do with it.
Doesn’t seem to bother the bigots, does it?
The Bible says a laborer is worthy of his hire/wages.
Now if you want to debate the amount of those wages, fine...but the Bible is enough for me on the topic...vs. your lack of authority on this subject.
RE: The Mormons...the Lds church can pay their leaders whatever they want...
But...(1) they encourage their leaders to hide the matter in their leadership manuals...so that other Mormons don't find out about it; and (2) Mormons brag to the world that their leaders are "unpaid" -- which obviously isn't so when you add all the stipends, living expenses, etc.
And hasn't been "so" for quite some time...
#1: See ex-Lds Szonian's post citing www.signaturebooks.com: Post #93 with quotes relating to:
Salaries Ordered for the Quorum of the Twelve
* "By 1904 set salaries were back again for stake presidents, who were allowed $300 per year. . .
* Retirement Allowances for Stake Presidents and Bishops
* Systematic Payouts for General Authorities at the Expense of the Rank-and-File Members
* Massive Personal Wealth for Brigham Young and His Counselors
* General Conference Announcement of General Authority Payments
* Fixed Salaries Established for General Authorities
* Guilt Aside, General Authority Salaries Continued to be Authorized
* Salary Levels of Mormon Top Leadership Determined by Power and Seniority Rankings
* General Authorities Complain That They Aren't Getting Enough
(This was regarding 19th century Lds church patriarchs)
"For several decades only the patriarch had a set compensation, while other general authorities depended on haphazard donations from the rank-and-file or ad hoc appropriations from general church funds. In 1835 the Presiding Patriarch was authorized a salary of $10 a week, plus expenses. . . .
"Both the Presiding Patriarch and local stake patriarchs charged a fee. In the 1840s the fee was $1 per patriarchal blessing at Nauvoo; by the end of the nineteenth century it had increased to $2 per blessing. . . . Joseph Smith, Sr., gave patriarchal blessings without payment of a fee, but would not record them. . . . 'Uncle' John Smith commented that he 'lived very Poor ever Since we Left Kirtland Ohio' in January 1838 until January 1844. Then his nephew Joseph Smith ordained him a patriarch 'through which office I Obtained a Comfortable Living.' . . .
"Financial incentive is another explanation for the fact that individual Mormons received more than one patriarchal blessing in the nineteenth century, often at the invitation of the patriarch. In October 1877 John Taylor criticized the monetary motivation of some stake patriarchs. He said they were using their patriarchal office as 'a mere means of obtaining a livelihood, and to obtain more business they had been traveling from door to door and underbidding each other in the price of blessings.' . . .
"In addition, patriarchs received fees for giving unrecorded blessings of healing to the sick. In fact, Apostle Francis M. Lyman commended Patriarch Elias Blackburn for 'doing a great deal of good among the sick, without receiving very much pay for his services.' . . .
"Patriarchal blessing fees ended in 1902, although patriarchs were allowed to accept unsolicited donations. . . . Not until 1943 did church authorities prohibit patriarchs from accepting gratuities for giving blessings. . . ." _____
Bigotry towards Mormons is the same as bigotry towards Catholics, Jews, or any other religion. And no, I’m not a Mormon. I’m nominally a Christian, but not a bible-beating bigot like some posters here.
Hey, clearly your post was intolerant of someone else’s views. Why you are not more open-minded in how you respond is peculiar. How can you accuse others of being bigots when you think your view is superior???
Ironic.
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