Replies

If you have not been a member, you simply cannot comprehend the severity of the burden of mormonism. 30-50 HOURS A WEEK of free labor, 10% (of gross) tithe with a year end tihing audit, a day's pay once a month for fast offering, and GUILT, GUILT, GUILT mixed in with never ending deceit and false doctrine.

Even as bishop, I never devoted as much as 30 hours a week to church work. (Someone who spends that much time is probably doing it wrong.)

I tithe 10% on my net (not gross) income. I have never conducted or been subjected to a "tithing audit." (Do you mean "tithing settlement"?)

Fast offerings are voluntary contributions to help the poor. The amount given is entirely up to the giver; the cost of two meals per month is suggested. I try to give more, but no one has ever questioned or even commented on my fast offering.

As for guilt—well, I feel guilty when I offend others. In my opinion, guilt is entirely appropriate in such cases. Fortunately, the Atonement of Jesus Christ provides the means whereby I may repent of my sins.

FLDS/LDS "Prophet" Brigham Young had this to say on tithing "There has been so much inquiry it becomes irksome: the law is for a man to pay one-tenth. The Lord requires one-tenth of that which he has given me." (quoted in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young.

I have literally been told at tithing audit (ok I'll use your eupehmism, tithing settlement), that NOT PAYING 10% of GROSS IS STEALING FROM GOD. "HE MADE US FREE, AFTERALL, IT'S ONLY THROUGH OUR SIN THAT TAXES ARE SO HIGH."

I will publicly take issue with your assertion that you didn't even spend 30 hours a week on Bishopric duties. By the time you honestly add up the LDS required Monday night family home evening lesson and preparation time, tuesday night young women's supervision and do not contact list visits, wednesday night young men's supervision and regular home teaching visits, thursday night nursery supervision and Relief society function supervision and temple recommend interviews, friday night bishopric meeting and designated missionary dinner night and couples geneology library work night, saturday stake Bishopric training / young women's camp / scout camp supervision / primary activity, and a 12-15 hour marathon on Sunday starting with ward bishopric meeting, ward council meeting, high priest council meeting, sacrament meeting, two hours of assigned sunday school supervision, counting / accounting / depositing of tithes / fast offerings / missionary fund offerings / SEPARATE humanitarian fund offerings, followed by nearly endless calls from members in some kind of need, liek the ones who request food from the bishop's storehouse which require a "worthiness" interview in which they are told no if they haven't paid a FULL TITHING ON THIER GROSS INCOME. now let's not forget the Temple work, Baptisms for the dead, annointings and endowments for the dead, and now the new edict to organize and supervise a four hour cleaning session on the building by 20 people on saturday afternoon because the fortune 50 sized corporation of the president doesn't want to pay janitors, ETC, ETC, ETC.

Sir, I question your ability to add, honesty, or both. Of course I know there must be slackers in the LDS Bishoprics, but I can tell you of a certainty that 30-50 hours a week on top of full time work, college (in my case), and family is to be expected.

If it wasn't based on fraud it would be one thing, but some of us took that temple recommend interview question about fulfilling our "callings" seriously.

Maybe God has relaxed those requirements in the ~4 years I have been out, when Harry Reid calls Ezra Taft benson an extremist in front of the BYU faculty and staff then later brags about holding a temple recommend I do wonder...