Tag Archives: tithing

Email to Sydney Australia Mortdale Stake: Pilot Program – Informed Consent

The members of the Sydney Australia Mortdale Stake received an email informing them the area had been selected for a Pilot Program named Informed Consent. The program announced two objectives: 1) to ensure that converts are fully informed before they commit to baptism, and 2) for all members to have a “short” lesson to make …

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How Much is a Modest Living Allowance for Mormon Apostles? How Much Do LDS Church Leaders Get Paid?

Are the top Mormon leaders paid for their callings as General Authorities? Yes! They receive what they call a “living allowance.” In a few instances, church leaders admit this, although they also make repeated statements claiming that there are no paid clergy. Gordon B. Hinckley in a moment of honesty admits that General Authorities are …

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“The living allowances given the General Authorities, which are very modest” LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. What does the LDS Church pay its most senior clergy? 2024 Estimate: $178,746 - The Widow's Mite: Employee & GA Compensation, Page 1. American workers made a median wage in 2024 of $59,228 per year - US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 Study. 3x the average is not “very modest” | wasmormon.org
“The living allowances given the General Authorities, which are very modest” LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. What does the LDS Church pay its most senior clergy? 2024 Estimate: $178,746 - The Widow's Mite: Employee & GA Compensation, Page 1. American workers made a median wage in 2024 of $59,228 per year - US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 Study. 3x the average is not “very modest”.
“I wish to give the entire Church the assurance that tithing funds have not and will not be used to acquire this property. Nor will they be used in developing it for commercial purposes. Funds for this have come and will come from those commercial entities owned by the Church. These resources, together with the earnings of invested reserve funds, will accommodate this program.” - President Gordon B. Hinckley | General Conference April 2003 | wasmormon.org
“I wish to give the entire Church the assurance that tithing funds have not and will not be used to acquire this property. Nor will they be used in developing it for commercial purposes. Funds for this have come and will come from those commercial entities owned by the Church. These resources, together with the earnings of invested reserve funds, will accommodate this program.” - President Gordon B. Hinckley | General Conference April 2003
During my employment at Ensign Peak Advisors, senior leadership and other employees referred to and revered all funds as “tithing” money, regardless of whether they were referring to principal or earnings on that principal. Tithing donations from the Church’s members were commingled with earnings. Every penny was referred to as the “widow’s mite.” - David Nielsen, former Senior Portfolio Manager, Ensign Peak Advisors, Whistleblower | wasmormon.org
During my employment at Ensign Peak Advisors, senior leadership and other employees referred to and revered all funds as “tithing” money, regardless of whether they were referring to principal or earnings on that principal. Tithing donations from the Church’s members were commingled with earnings. Every penny was referred to as the “widow’s mite.” - David Nielsen, former Senior Portfolio Manager, Ensign Peak Advisors, Whistleblower

Donated Tithing Funds vs Earnings on Invested Tithing

The church repeatedly states that no tithing money is used for its business purposes, like funding the City Creek Center or bailout money for church-owned insurance company, Beneficial Life. The church is surprisingly secretive about finances and has not publicly disclosed any financial statements in the United States since 1959, that’s 65 years and counting. The …

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Do General Authorities get paid? "General Authorities are given a living allowance which enables them to focus all of their time on serving in the Church. The living allowance is uniform for all General Authorities. None of the funds for this living allowance come from the tithing of Church members, but instead from proceeds of the Church's financial investments." - LDS Church Website FAQ | faq.churchofjesuschrist.org | wasmormon.org
Do General Authorities get paid? "General Authorities are given a living allowance which enables them to focus all of their time on serving in the Church. The living allowance is uniform for all General Authorities. None of the funds for this living allowance come from the tithing of Church members, but instead from proceeds of the Church's financial investments." - LDS Church Website FAQ | faq.churchofjesuschrist.org
"In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there is no paid ministry, no professional clergy, as is common in other churches." - Boyd K. Packer, Follow the Brethren, September 1979 Liahona
"In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there is no paid ministry, no professional clergy, as is common in other churches." - Boyd K. Packer, Follow the Brethren, September 1979 Liahona

Nothing to Hide?

President Gordon B. Hinckley, top leader of the Church (1995-2008) addresses several issues related to the church’s history and practices in an interview on Christmas Day in 2005. The interview covered many topics but here we’ll look closely at what he said about polygamy and fundamentalist Mormons and church history and transparency. Polygamy and Fundamentalist …

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“So there is no misunderstanding, I emphasize that none of that money comes from the tithing of faithful members. That is not how we use tithing funds.” - Presiding Bishop H. David Burton | October 8, 2003 Press Conference Announcing Church strategy to revitalize downtown Salt Lake City | wasmormon.org
“So there is no misunderstanding, I emphasize that none of that money comes from the tithing of faithful members. That is not how we use tithing funds.” - Presiding Bishop H. David Burton | October 8, 2003 Press Conference Announcing Church strategy to revitalize downtown Salt Lake City
“I plead with you in the name of the Lord, and I pray that every man, woman and child who has means shall pay one tenth of their income as a tithing.” - Lorenzo Snow, 1899, LDS Church President. Often quoted by the modern church but replacing “who has means” with an ellipsis “...” which changes the meaning of the quotation. | wasmormon.org
“I plead with you in the name of the Lord, and I pray that every man, woman and child who has means shall pay one tenth of their income as a tithing.” - Lorenzo Snow, 1899, LDS Church President. Often quoted by the modern church but replacing “who has means” with an ellipsis “...” which changes the meaning of the quotation.
Anytime an organization's operational budget is primarily made up of tax-free donations, from my perspective, they have an ethical obligation to be transparent about their finances. The reason why they have tried for so long to keep these portfolios under wraps, is because they are concerned that it would lower people's willingness to pay tithing. - Ryan McKnight, Government Regulator & Founder of Mormon Leaks. The Fifth Estate, October 27, 2022 | wasmormon.org
Anytime an organization's operational budget is primarily made up of tax-free donations, from my perspective, they have an ethical obligation to be transparent about their finances. The reason why they have tried for so long to keep these portfolios under wraps, is because they are concerned that it would lower people's willingness to pay tithing. - Ryan McKnight, Government Regulator & Founder of Mormon Leaks. The Fifth Estate, October 27, 2022
It makes me feel pretty nauseous, to be quite honest, because although it's good to see a church investing funds in blue chip investments, that has to be balanced against how those funds could be used to benefit the lives of individuals and families. Even if it were only individuals and families within the church, a lot of people who are suffering could have their suffering alleviated if instead instead of diverting those monies into investment, they invested in individuals and families. - Neville Rocco, Australian Barrister, Former Mormon, Bishop, Free-thinker - The Fifth Estate, October 27, 2022 | wasmormon.org
It makes me feel pretty nauseous, to be quite honest, because although it's good to see a church investing funds in blue chip investments, that has to be balanced against how those funds could be used to benefit the lives of individuals and families. Even if it were only individuals and families within the church, a lot of people who are suffering could have their suffering alleviated if instead instead of diverting those monies into investment, they invested in individuals and families. - Neville Rocco, Australian Barrister, Former Mormon, Bishop, Free-thinker - The Fifth Estate, October 27, 2022
We knew they had plenty of money, but we always assumed the money was just being used for good, charitable purposes. That's the messaging that you receive through the church anyway. It wasn't a gift, it was extorted out of us, and I want that acknowledged. I want it acknowledged that I did not give that money willingly. I gave it because I had to, and I don't believe the rubbish their peddling. I want my tithing money back. - Trevor and Sue Given, Australian Ex-Mormons, seeking refund of donations to Mormon church - The Fifth Estate, October 27, 2022 | wasmormon.org
We knew they had plenty of money, but we always assumed the money was just being used for good, charitable purposes. That's the messaging that you receive through the church anyway. It wasn't a gift, it was extorted out of us, and I want that acknowledged. I want it acknowledged that I did not give that money willingly. I gave it because I had to, and I don't believe the rubbish their peddling. I want my tithing money back. - Trevor and Sue Given, Australian Ex-Mormons, seeking refund of donations to Mormon church - The Fifth Estate, October 27, 2022
The Mormon church will have you to believe that it's a religion that dabbles in business, but the evidence clearly shows that they are a business dabbling in religion, 100 percent. We uncovered, in terms of dollar value, even if you go on the conservative end of it, the church are clearly without a doubt, the wealthiest single landowner in the United States. There's no no question about it. Nobody comes even close. - Ryan McKnight, Government Regulator & Founder of Mormon Leaks. The Fifth Estate, October 27, 2022 | wasmormon.org
The Mormon church will have you to believe that it's a religion that dabbles in business, but the evidence clearly shows that they are a business dabbling in religion, 100 percent. We uncovered, in terms of dollar value, even if you go on the conservative end of it, the church are clearly without a doubt, the wealthiest single landowner in the United States. There's no no question about it. Nobody comes even close. - Ryan McKnight, Government Regulator & Founder of Mormon Leaks. The Fifth Estate, October 27, 2022