I sat through many a Mormon church service where the missionaries told whoppers much bigger than that.
Two words: Three Nephites. These fellas have a special knack for pulling people out of fiery car crashes.
And I think Mormon leader "prosperity 'gospel'" quackery are even bigger whoppers!
* Are we latching on to 'prosperity gospel'? Mormon/Anti-Christian [Thread posted by Greyfoxx39, but article origin was Mormon Times]
* The Mormon Wealth Attribution [Another piece where article origin was Mormon]
* This second FR thread-posting, btw, led to Mormondiscussions.com posting a thread on this same subject: MormonDiscussions.com forum: The Mormon Wealth Attribution
Also, for details of Mormon leaders preaching such a "prosperity 'gospel'" -- see my next two posts.
Unlike the “inside-out” divine impulse of giving, Mormon leaders have made giving to be an outside-in lock-up, imposed upon from without -- or you're...
...out (of the temple, that is).
No chance for special "callings" in the church;
don't get to see your son or daughter married in the temple.
No "forever family." No living with Heavenly Father forever.
You could pay 9.99% of your income, and still be disqualified from all the above...because you broke their man-made "law."
One of the many “First Presidents” (a leader-title) of the Mormon church, Marion G. Romney chose to cite Brigham Young, who in turn was citing another Mormon general First President (Grant)...anyway, all three are in effect, preaching the "Mormon Prosperity 'gospel'":
President Grant at that time was a young apostle, and in his conference talk he said: “I wish to bear my testimony to the Latter-day Saints that all of us who will obey the commandments of God will be prospered in the land. Sacrifice doth bring forth the blessings of heaven. I bear my testimony to the truth of what Brother Lund has said today, that IFthe people will pay their tithes and offerings, they will not only be blessed in their material affairs, but they will be abundantly blessed with increased outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord. …“I bear witness to you, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, that MATERIAL and spiritual prosperity is predicated upon the fulfillment of the duties and responsibilities that rest upon us as Latter-day Saints. [Then this.] I have rejoiced exceedingly that the debts which the people owe to the Lord in tithing have been forgiven by the Prophet of God. But I want to say to those who are able to pay those debts, it will be a great deal better for them if they will do so, notwithstanding, they have been forgiven.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1899; italics added.)
Source: The Blessings of an Honest Tithe
Lds leader Heber J. Grant: Prosperity comes to those who observe the law of tithing. When I say prosperity I am not thinking of it in terms of dollars and cents alone, although as a rule the Latter-day Saints who are the best tithe payers are the most prosperous men, financially. (Gospel Standards, p. 58.)
Btw in the same Marion G. Romney message above, he said: From this scripture it is apparent that tithing is a debt which everyone owes to the Lord for his use of the things that the Lord has made and given to him to use. It is a debt just as literally as the grocery bill, or a light bill...
So, Mormon leaders manipulate their flock both through the "prosperity" 'gospel' AND they treat it as a bill to be paid!
Mormon leaders bring together Mormons from all over the world twice a year. At the April 2011 General Conference, Lds General Authority Russell Nelson, citing Mormon Doctrine & Covenants 85:3, said:
Not only that, tithing will keep your name enrolled among the people of God and protect you in “the day of vengeance and burning.”
Source: Face the Future with Faith [Real Mormonism]
(Ah....nothing like a lil religious fire insurance, eh?...Just keep sending me 10% and I can promise you, per Smith, that your post-life will be singe-free...Nothin' like modern-day indulgences being sold at religious fairs...Why...I wonder why Nelson didn't cite D&C 64:23-24? -- which says it even stronger:)
‘Verily, it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall NOT BE BURNED at His coming. For after today cometh the burning,’ that is, at the coming of the Son of Man, ‘for verily I say, tomorrow’ – that is, at the Lord’s coming – ‘all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts.” (D&C 64:23, 24)
(Nothin' like a lil' threat of hellfire to get people to pay up, eh?)
“The law of tithing, as embodied in the revelations referred to, [in Sec. 119], is an immutable decree of Jehovah to His people, and admits of no evasion by those who would enjoy the blessings of the faithful on the land of Zion, or be classed among the righteous, and avoid the burning at the coming of our Lord.” (Principles of the Gospel, pp. 174-177.)
Q. What does D&C 119 talk about?
A. “Verily, thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church in Zion," (D&C 119:1)
[Ah, it still went beyond the 10%...Mormon socialism...whereby its God "REQUIRE[s] all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church in Zion..." (D&C 119:1)
Since tens of thousands of Mormons aren't doing that -- and probably tens of Mormon general authorities --...they've held on to their "surplus property"...there ya have it...Law #1 that is making even Mormonism's hierarchical leaders "CAFETERIA" Mormons!!!!