Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The Best Kept Secret In The Investment World : The Mormon Church And Its $100 Billion ....

Not gettin down on them, just saying, No doubt someone would have done it if they didn't.

They learned there lessons well from the Catholics, and the Masons. Smith was a Mason before he started carrying Egyptian Sarcophagus around the south claiming he could read "reformed Egyptian.

I collect all early Mormon literature, especially original works, The fundamentalists pay big bucks for them.

Probably tell you a lot of things the missionaries aren't told.

If you want a good read, I would suggest "No Man Knows My History" by UCLA prof. Fawn McKay Brodie,,, David O'Mckays granddaughter.

That and her book "Sir Richard Burton" draw a lot of parallels. (Maybe Smith got a few from Him)

Laughing very hard at this.

If my kid who grew up not affiliated with any church, converts and marries a girl that is Baptist, can I as his father attend the wedding? Same for papist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, or Assembly of God? Can I as a non member of any of those churches attend a mass or service?

Now, ask yourself the same question if my kid converted and married a mormon gal.

Just one little example to prove my point, besides what Etoh has pointed out.

But to answer the question, I would not be happy with ANY organized religion having that much money and/or land. Even the Christian ones.

There is NOTHING in the Bible about any church possessing more money than it needs for it's current operations. If they have extra money, they need to have a small reserve but then be spending it to do the Lord's work.

Are their investments and landowner profits tax free?

The taxes would be in 2 forms filed, State and Federal. Each state would have their own laws, for taxing profits, or various exemptions aimed at property taxes so forth. Federal would be somewhat the same as it would depend on what taxes were exempt by the Fed. as it was already paid to each state.

income type taxes (you call profits) wouldn't exist because the management set up would rechannel the funds into capital expansion, operating costs etc. There isn't a landowner in the sense of the word except the church.

Im sure they have some of the best Corporate Finance people in the business. Thats what that large building up from the SLC temple does, its the "business" head quarters.

While you are correct,,, Mormons consider the Bible to be only one of four Holy Scriptures, and even then only as far "as it has been interpreted correctly" from their articles of faith.

Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price.
Old and New testaments

I’ve attended Mormon services, Mormon funerals, Mormon weddings. Always welcomed with open arms.

The only thing that is restricted to Mormons in good standing are Temple ceremonies, mainly sealing.

You can attend the wedding if it is a Civil Ceremony. A lot of times they do this for the specific purpose of having the relatives etc. in on ceremony

As far as the Temple sealing and Ceremony goes, no yu are not allowed to attend.

I'm going off of what I've been told by multiple mormon acquaintances. One of whom was a convert whose parents were not allowed to attend his wedding. That struck me as extremely odd, I couldn't imagine my folks not being allowed to attend my wedding. So over the years I've asked more about it from mormons I've worked with and had reason to associate with, as I'd like to try and at least understand a bit. I've known and worked with many dozens over the years, some I considered friend.

I grew up going to several Protestant denominations, and can't imagine ever being turned away from a worship ceremony. Or a wedding if you were invited. I've even been to mass.

Sealing?

Are we talking rain gutters? Clubbing seals? What?

Sealing is the Mormon temple ceremony joining the couple for time and all eternity.
You better be pretty sure you get along.

Last I heard a woman can only be sealed to one husband; a man can be sealed to multiple wives.

As someone who attends a Non Denominational Fundamentalist country church. (Simply an independent bible based church)
I bristle at a church "government" that tries to control
what happens in every church in the land.

We have a book that covers what needs done. No need
for any more.

Like Etoh said, the wedding ceremony can be performed in the Temple, or in any other place that the couple chooses. The sealing ceremony is performed in the Temple, members only for that one. More and more couples are choosing to be married outside the Temple, so all their family can attend, and then be sealed in the Temple at a later date, or even later that day. It's always been possible to do this, but wasn't very popular in the past.

As far as the 100 Billion number, that came from a "Whistleblower" who was trying to get the IRS involved, so he could get a cut of the fines. I have no doubt the LDS church has plenty of money socked away, but probably not 100 Billion cash.

I was raised Catholic, left the faith when I became an adult.

I have a few close Mormon friends. Ive read most of the books criticizing the Mormon faith. "Under the Banner of Heaven", "No Man knows My history" and others. The Mormon faith now is constantly ridiculed and attacked by our progressive secular culture. Its no more quirky or provable than Jewish, Christian or Muslin religion. I used to be on the anti Mormon bandwagon until I had the opportunity to spend time and work with them.

May take away is this: Ive always been treated great by Mormons, They came to my Mom's house and cleaned up her yard( 8 hours) when my Dad was dying from dementia and wouldnt, take a cent from my Mom , they value family hard work, education and are typically very conservative voters. I like em and good on them for making money. Phuggin the pope, Imans, Rabbis and Joel Osteen can rake in tax free millions by fraud and doing nothing.

A church with money .... never heard of that before... Oh WAIT...

One person gets sealed to another. Marriage ends at death, sealing survives death. You can also get sealed to your children, including adopted children.

LOL probably makes more sense.

Little background.

The "Churchs" you see that are Mormon are not churchs, they are meeting houses. No "sacred" rituals go on there. Anyone can go in them. They are "stake" houses (not the type you eat). Stakes are comprised of several wards and members are assigned to on geographical area. Ironically the members must attend that ward (except when visiting a another ward) and cant go to just any ward although an outsider can. One big building is used on a continuous basis by all the wards to cut down of operational costs of heating etc an empty building (see you knew it was about money). In the 1900 the meeting houses were used for civil weddings, but so many people started using them it came into conflict with regular meetings.

Holy grounds are the Temples and where sacred rites are conducted. Marriages, for time and eternity (sealing), baptism for the dead, certain meetings and rites performed by the Melchzidek priesthood members and spaceship preparation (just kidding). If you believe in metaphor this preparation is for the trip back to Kolob.

So when you hear something like "Romney was a Mormon in good standing" doesn't mean anything if he doesn't have a temple recommend. And unless he shows it the only people that would know would be his Bishop and Stake President.

Yes and as the world becomes more polarized --- the larger this Church will grow. Its world wide and growth rates are higher outside the US.