GameOver wrote:I agree with this. It's about the MONEY. The Church requires it from the members and gives very little back. It uses the members for everything it can get from them, yet it provides as little as possible in return, except for the programs it creates to indoctrinate them.
The difference in providing membership benefits in other Churches is STARK. The Mormon Church uses "covenants", "commandments" and guilt trips to coerce its members into participating. Other Churches provide tangible benefits to keep members participating. When I am sent the lists of activities and helpful groups to join from other Christian Churches, it makes Mormonism look appallingly void and vacant by comparison.
This is my opinion only, but it's based on a few decades of observation in several different Wards.
This is what I see happening, too, and after it hit me, I stopped paying tithing.
My daughters were getting ready for girls' camp. We had donated goods, helped them with their projects, and done fundraising so they could earn money to go. At some point, I looked at how much I had given the church that year. I realized I had given enough to pay for every single girl in the ward to attend camp at no cost to them. By myself, I could have funded the whole week experience for those girls. But instead, I had given the money to SLC, plus more for my kids to attend camp, plus time and other donations.
I can't believe I was so blind to how the church robs members. I have been in a bishopric. I've seen the weekly donations. I've counted the money, stuffed it in an envelope, and mailed it to church headquarters. I've seen our little ward bring in $200,000 a year and get back $7000 to spend. I can't believe it didn't phase me before.
But back to the topic, when the church cut individuality in the wards, and had everyone go to a mandated budget from SLC, it really cut down on the activities. Now, even if the church tried to bring back activities, it couldn't bring them back because people are burned out. At least here, anyway.
Trimble, you ignorant sack of rhinoceros puss. The only thing more obvious than your lack of education is the foul stench that surrounds you.