|
|
The wonderful topic of GA salaries, or as they call them: a modest living allowance. I have a relative who is a GA. During my exit from the church he flew out to meet with me with the specific purpose of saving my eternal salvation and during our conversation we discussed the hallowed living allowance. Here is what I remember from our conversation as well as research I have conducted on my own. The 70's receive the equivalent of 70% of the average of their previous 5 years earnings. This allows them to maintain the same standard of living that they are used to while working in their career field. They also receive perks such as business class travel which can be upgraded to first class due to their frequent flier status on various airlines. Also, they are encouraged to write books or have their journals/thoughts published and they are paid a premium in royalties for book sales. The 12 Apostles receive, on the average, of $240,000-$360, 000 per year, according to seniority, in "living allowances". They receive the same perks as the 70 including business class travel. In addition they have individual expense accounts that are paid for by church funds. They are not held accountable for what they charge on their cards and some of the brethren are frugal and treat the funds as they should while others feel it is their "reward" and spend like a drunken sailor on leave. The Prophet can, at his choice, live in the church-owned condominium in downtown SLC. He also receives $480,000 as a living expense. He travels by private aircraft provided by Huntsman Chemical Company and while he is away from SLC is given preferential accomodations in Marriott hotel properties- Presidential Suite or similar. He also has a church paid security staff, and VIP treatment wherever he travels. All of the leadership have free health care paid by the church, their children and grandchildren qualify for a free education from BYU, and many get sweet deals on cars, travel, furniture, construction, etc., from companies who do business with the church. They chalk it up to the cost of doing business with the Morg. Now onto the topic of tithing. I read an article a while back that documented the following. 85% of all tithing revenues go toward the operation of church education. BYU, BYU Hawaii, the MTC, Institutes, and Seminary fall into this category. Between 8% and 10% goes into the actual running of the church. The church has vast commercial interests that support the majority of it's building, farming, and like business operations. What really turned me off was when I read about BYU-Hawaii and how the tithing funds supported 4,000 students on Oahu. The President of BYU-Hawaii was quite proud of that fact and appreciated the members of the church supporting his campus. That was one of those things that caused my shelf to break and let to the loss of my testimony. I had never heard about tithing funds going toward BYU and I was angry about it. I hope this helps answer some of your husband's questions. I trust my sources and will not disclose how I uncovered what I have learned. But I feel my numbers are pretty solid and if needed I can back them up- but only if I am subpeoned. I'm sure my friends in the COB would want me to fall on my sword before I betray their confidences.
Dig deeper into The Corp. of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (i.e. "LDS Inc.") Beneficial Life stock portfolio (as I did in the early 80's when working for Hugh Pinnock's Intermountain Financial Group) and you see that in 1984, LDS Inc. investments included large blocks of stock in whiskey distilleries such as Seagrams, Budweiser's Anheiser Busch, tobacco giant Phillip Morris, and casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Let's see, a "worthy" member can't go to the temple if he/she smokes, drinks, or gambles, -- but such "vices" have paid vast dividends to the "Stockholders of Record" of LDS Inc. --- whoever they are!!!
Church leaders expect Church Members to pay up to 20% of their untaxed income, and then to support their children on missions, and, at the same time, they are benefiting financially from "stock" in Church-owned businesses, and prominent Church leaders and their families are making "killings" every year from this stock from tithing-supported non-taxed businesses.
The sons of Church leaders who "mess up" by getting some young Mormon girl pregnant never see the inside of a Church Court. It is all "hushed up" quietly, behind closed doors, not in Church Courts but in the offices of the leaders. The girls are secluded and told not to talk about it. The children of such unions are swiftly adopted out to "faithful" couples without children who won't talk either. It's all hushed up, and covered-up. Just look on how the Church is now handing the Curse of Cain thing! Pure deception!
The sign that a Church is in apostasy is that it will say: "We CANNOT ever go into apostasy!" and this is exactly what the Church is now saying, and what it has said for decades.
Anyway, as you know, I still believe that Joseph Smith was inspired of God. I believe that he prophesied of Baha'u'llah, the Holy Ghost incarnate. I don't expect you to take my word for it. But, please, just read the following: http://bahaisofutah.angelfire.com/1891.html Let me know what you think after you read it.
I don't expect Church leaders to repent of their greed and nepotism. They believe their lies are God-ordained, for the "good of the Church" of course. By "The Church" they mean themselves, their families, and their loved ones. They don't mean "lowly" you and me...we are the cogs, the pawns. They are "The Church". We are just "Members". And, yes, every lie they perpetrate, ever re-writing of Mormon history, every behind-the-door closed deals which makes them and their families more millions, are for "the good of THE CHURCH" (i.e. themselves). These are my thoughts to you. I hope they are helpful. Sincerely, |