Utah Heathens Contribute More than the LDS Church Worldwide

The state of Utah regulates the sale of alcoholic beverages via the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, or recently renamed to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services or DABS. The state taxes liquor sales and from these proceeds distribute the funds to different government programs. The sale of liquor in Utah produces $43 million annually specifically for school lunch programs.

In Mormon dominated Utah where alcohol is frowned upon, liquor sales keep climbing each year. State residents bought nearly $428 million in alcohol last year to set another record, continuing a two-decade trend likely fueled a steady influx of new out-of-state residents and a thriving tourism sector…
Nearly $179 million from the sales went to the state coffers, state agencies and other alcohol abuse prevention programs. That included $43 million to the state school lunch program; $4 million to state bureau of investigation for liquor enforcement; and $2 million to an underage drinking prevention program. About $23 million in sales taxes went to state, county and city governments.
ABCNews | Rising Utah liquor sales fueled by more non-Mormons, tourism | Jan 30, 2018
http://web.archive.org/web/20180201011744/http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/rising-utah-liquor-sales-fueled-mormons-tourism-52713943

Looking into the DABS website we can find their Annual Reports which state each year how much is donated to this school lunch program. Over the past 13 years (the only records still online), Utah liquor purchase taxes have contributed nearly $560 million for school lunches! How nice that the DABS is required to report financial information. The church is not required, due to it being deemed a charitable organization, though we can see that the Alcohol Beverage Department of Utah could be considered more charitable than the church!

The state managed Utah DABS (Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services) liquor sales taxes contribute $43 million to local school lunch programs, benefitting Utah's children. In contrast, the LDS Church donates $40 million to global welfare projects. Thus, heathens in Utah are responsible for helping more in their local community than the corporate church contributes globally. | https://wasmormon.org/utah-alcohol-consumers-give-more-welfare-than-corporate-church/ — The state-managed Utah DABS (Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services) liquor sales taxes contribute $43 million to local school lunch programs, benefitting Utah’s children. In contrast, the LDS Church donates $40 million to global welfare projects. Thus, heathens in Utah are responsible for helping more in their local community than the corporate church contributes globally.

Utah’s liquor control system offers definite advantages to Utah’s citizens. Liquor sales provide a significant source of income to the state’s general fund which serves to relieve the individual tax burden of Utah citizens. In addition, the school lunch program receives substantial funding from liquor sales.
77th Annual Report, Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control – 2012
https://abs.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/77th_annual.pdf

School Lunch Program Donations via the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services
$29,555,158
$32,054,791
$34,686,558
$34,858,020
$37,623,855
$40,643,453
$42,747,168
$45,427,000
$47,926,000
$50,022,000
$51,747,000
$54,498,000
$57,914,000 (also includes school uniform fund)
Total: $559,703,003 ($560 billion) over 13 years
Average: $43,054,077 ($43 million)
Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services – Annual Reports
https://abs.utah.gov/about-dabs/annual-reports/

The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services in Utah thus has thus contributed over $500 million to school lunches in the state. This consumer group does not include the membership of the church, since the consumption of alcohol is prohibited by the word of wisdom which th church teaches as a commandment from God. This includes beer (and other mild barley drinks), wine, and stronger liquors such as whisky and vodka. It even includes coffee and tea, which Mormons are not allowed to drink either.

The church gives no transparent reporting of financial dealings since 1959. We only know what they are willing to tell us, and that’s not much at all. What it does tell us is not consistent and they are never transparent.

Since 1985, LDS Charities has provided over $2.2 billion in assistance, including cash, commodities and in-kind donations in 197 countries and territories.
LDS Charities Releases 2018 Annual Report
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/lds-charities-releases-2018-annual-report

The LDS church, with hundreds of billions of dollars in rainy day funds, focuses more on growing investments and real-estate portfolios than on feeding local children, let alone helping solve world hunger. In the same year, 2018, the church didn’t tell how much they donated to worldwide charities, but they did make the broad claim that since 1985 it has provided $2.2 billion in assistance. This assistance includes “cash, commodities and in-kind donations,” so it’s more than just monetary donations. The church is counting all the service hours of the volunteer helping hands, lately even fast offerings (which are provided by members of the church), and likely things like the volunteer janitorial work members provide.

Until 2020, LDSC published its Annual Report covering only external humanitarian efforts. But the 2021 Annual Report includes all types of Church-facilitated service and charity, with no clear distinction between internal and external.
Widow’s Mite Report: LDS Charities: Summary and Analysis of Reported Giving
https://widowsmitereport.wordpress.com/ldsc/

A more representative number comes from Dallin H. Oaks in 2016, when he reported that the church “spends about $40 million on welfare” worldwide. This isn’t a one-off year either, he states that they have “done so for more than 30 years.”

"Each year The Church spends about $40 million on welfare, humanitarian and other LDS Church-sponsored projects around the world and has done so for more than 30 years." - LDS Apostle, Dallin H. Oaks, 2016, University of Oxford | wasmormon.org — “Each year The Church spends about $40 million on welfare, humanitarian and other LDS Church-sponsored projects around the world and has done so for more than 30 years.” – LDS Apostle, Dallin H. Oaks, 2016, University of Oxford

Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said that each year The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spends about $40 million on welfare, humanitarian and other LDS Church-sponsored projects around the world and has done so for more than 30 years.
That would account for approximately $1.2 billion on welfare and humanitarian efforts over the past 30 years. Elder Oaks also said that in the last year alone, Mormon volunteers have devoted 25 million hours of labor.
Deseret News | LDS Church welfare, humanitarian efforts average $40 million per year, apostle say | July 12, 2016
https://www.deseret.com/2016/7/12/20591934/lds-church-welfare-humanitarian-efforts-average-40-million-per-year-apostle-says/

So, if we can take him at his word, we can compare the DABS school lunch funds to the global welfare funds of the One True Church. Though, Dallin H. Oaks, has shown that he’s willing and able to bend the truth or even repeat lies until they sound true and is duty-bound to defending his own authority as a church leader over anything else and make sure the church doesn’t look bad.

LDS Church Worldwide Welfare as of 2016
Total: $1.2 billion (over 30 years)
Average: $40 million per year
Dallin H. Oaks

Utah Alcohol Tax for School Lunches
Average: $43 million per year
Utah DABS Annual Reports

So, we can say that those the church would identify as heathens purchasing alcohol in Utah (be it members or non-member residents or tourists) contribute more through the exorbitant state alcohol taxes than the corporate church does (which remains tax-exempt). We’re looking at the transparent and published values from the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services from 2012-2023 and the completely secretive and non-transparent reporting from the LDS Church, but taking the claim of a senior apostle at his word – with no proof or documentation.

What do you know about the wealth of the church? They claim to not be wealthy, but are hiding their hundreds of billions while demanding all members – even those living in poverty pay tithing before paying rent or feeding their own children. Meanwhile the church is busy investing heavily in businesses, stocks, and real estate. Why would God’s One True Church be so preoccupied with corporate structure and dividends rather than worldwide welfare and doing good? Answer in the comments or consider sharing your own story I was a Mormon story at wasmormon.org.

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