I’ve worked on Church Farms, Orchards, and Ranches in Texas, Utah, Montana, and Idaho.
Sadly, my disabilities severely limit what I can physically do now, but it was always a very fun and good experience.
I can still do quite a bit at the canneries and we have one of those here in the area too.
The Welfare program of the church is a good model. Members give freely of monies and time and service to help others. Those in need, who are capable of doing so, are given jobs so they can work for the food and help they get...and retain their dignity while so doing.
The nation could benefit from sonehow replicating the principles involved to improve the existing welfare programs which are designed to entrap people and make them dependent on the government and enbale pols to “buy” votes, where the Church program is desigtned to help them with both immediate and long term needs by finding avenues for them to work for what they get and develop themselves to the point where they can get jobs back in the work force if they are able.
While the widows and orphans, and sick and needy who cannot do those things are helped too.
Thanks for that post, Blue, really appreciate it.
Repudiate, affirm, ignore...
Thanks for introducing the subject of the mormon corporation being a business, rather than a religion.
Ostling (Mormon America) compared the Mormon Church to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). They had a similar number of reported members in 1997. At that time, the ELCA had $152 Million in assets that was primarily the pension fund for the employees.
This is compared to the assets of the Mormon Church as reported above. In 1997 the ELCA raised $11.8 Million for humanitarian aid and $3.64 Million for disaster relief for a total of 15.44 Million in cash donations for charity.
In the 14 year period from 1984 – 1997 the Mormon Church reported cash donations for non-Mormon charity at $30.7 Million, or an average of 2.19 Million per year to the Ostlings. This translates to ELCA donating a little over 10% of its holdings in 1997 and the Mormon Church donating approximately .2% of its holdings.
Most businesses in the United States have higher percentage charitable contributions than does the Mormon Church.
A list of a FEW of the holdings of the mormon empire:
Nebraska-Farmland Reserve Inc-Rex Ranch
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/10/06/national1932EDT0838.DTL
Australia-Agreserves Australia Limited-Kooba Station
http://www.lds.org.au/newsmedia/showmedia.asp?m=%7BA160E0E4-1EB2-493D-841D-4F2C85487485%7D
Agreserves Australia LTD Kooba Station,Australia.
Deseret Ranches of Alberta Raymond,AB Canada
Agreserves LTD Cambridge,England
AgroReservas, S.C. Los Mochis, Mexico
Deseret Farms of CA Woodland, CA
Deseret Farms of CA Modesto,CA
Deseret Farms of CA Chico,CA
South valley Farms Bakersfield, CA
Deseret Security Farms Blythe, CA
Naples Farms Naples,FL
Deseret Cattle & Citrus ST. Cloud, FL
Deseret Farms of Ruskin Ruskin, FL
Kewela Plantation O'ahu,HI
Rex Ranch Ashby, NE
Riverbend Farms ST.Paul, OR
Deseret Land & Livestock Woodruff, UT
Wasatch-Dixie Farms Elberta, UT
Agreserves Cottle CO.,TX
Agrinorthwest kennewick,WA
Handcart Ranch Alcova, WY
Deseret Ranches of Wyoming Cody,WY
And, Jeff by your own admission, these businesses utilize FREE LABOR from members along with their tithing dollars.