Journalistic hit job

Mormon Church takes in billions in tithes, owns billions in property and businesses

First of all: Who the heck cares how much Mormons give to their church? Who cares what they spend it on? And why would anybody be trying to study it?

Ok, folks, once again, it seems that NBC News has decided that the fact that the Mormon Church receives about $7 Billion per year through tithes from its members, that makes it a) worthy of a news story and b) critical analysis of the LDS Church’s investments. I guess this is because probably Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney happens to be Mormon and this gives NBC an opportunity to sling a few globs of mud and stuff.

Well, how about the Roman Catholic Church? I mean Paul Ryan and Joe Biden, the major parties’ presumed nominees for vice-president are both Catholics. What about their church? Oh, the best estimate I could find was somewhere between $100 Billion and $400 Billion, and that does not include the money that church receives from being the largest landholder in the world. As for all it other assets, let’s just say they are priceless.

My point being is that who the devil cares how much the Mormon Church receives in tithes … or for that matter, what any other church receives in tithes and donations? Unless you are member of the church involved, then it really isn’t any of your business … unless, of course, you are looking to stir the kettle of resentment against a particular faith. You think this is silly? Just look at the Jews who have been the targets of pogroms and discrimination because they are perceived to be “wealthy.” It matters not if they are or not, the resentment makes a good diversion from other issues that those stirring the pot would rather the masses don’t notice.

I am sorry, but I was hoping that we in America had gotten past that type of behavior. Obviously, I am wrong, but I guess I could continue to want to hope that we are better than that.

It angers me, not because I am particularly religious (and I definitely am not Mormon nor Jewish), but because it is something that has to be pointed out at all. NBC, the silly professor in Florida who apparently did the study and any other hangers on really deserve to be shunned. You know the good Amish tradition when someone does something that violates community standards, the community just stops talking to them, stops all associations with them. We need to start invoking it against some of these instigators.

It seems that no matter what religion you are these days, you are going to stand condemned for being a believer. I wish those who profess to want to be our leaders would be lashing out verbally against these kinds of attacks. I don’t mean the leaders under direct assault. I mean the other leaders in our communities, our civic groups and organizations, our churches, our synagogues, our temples, our mosques, our city halls, our county seats, our state capitols and, yes, even in the our national government who should be out there saying: This type of attack is wrong. We call on it to be stopped.

Ok, I am a raving lunatic. I know that this is not going to happen, nor does the realist in me ever expect it would ever happen, but I can at least be a lonely voice in the wilderness. Hell, I know I am, but at least I am saying something. I only wish more people would say something.

You know the old saying: If you convince two people to do the right thing and they each convince two people in turn, and you keep that chain going with each individual convincing two more people, it is amazing what you can accomplish.

Anyway, it is a random thought.