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Money for Humanitarian Work
A Time Magazine report suggested that in 1996 the Mormon Church collected $5.2 billion in tithing money. Church membership has increased 20% since then. At that time, Time Magazine estimated Church assets, which include real estate and some for-profit businesses, to be worth about $30 billion. This money is meticulously managed in order to maximize its benefits, benefits which include an extensive humanitarian program. According to Time, if the Mormon Church were a corporation, it would be listed on the Fortune 500 above Nike and the Gap. How does the Church have so much money?- Faithful members of the Church pay 10% of their income, called tithing money, in addition to "fast offerings," which are used to support the poor. This tithing money accounts for about 90% of the Church's "income," at least in 1996.
- Most of the LDS clergy (including its missionaries) receive no money for their dedicated service, eliminating many personnel costs. (The General Authorities, who work for the Church full-time, receive a modest amount of money because their duties prevent them from taking on secular employment.)
- Because the Church emphasizes industry, many Mormons are well-off. According to Time, "There is no major Church in the U.S. as active as the Latter-day Saints in economic life, nor, per capita, as successful at it..." Of course, there are many, many Mormons with no money, myself included!
- About 10% of the Church's "income money" comes from its financial holdings. Some of the Church's known financial holding include:
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| AgReserves Inc, Salt Lake City, Utah | The largest producer of nuts in America, part of the Mormon welfare system. |
| Beneficial Life Insurance Co. | Assets exceeding $1.6 billion. |
| Bonneville International Corporation | The 14th largest radio chain in the U.S., used to broadcast the LDS biannual general conference. |
| Deseret Cattle and Citrus Ranch in Orlando, Florida | The world's largest beef ranch (312,000 acres). The land alone is worth $858 million. The ranch is part of the LDS welfare system. |
| Farmland Reserve, Inc | Owns 228,000 acres in Nebraska, second only to Ted Turner's 290,000. Also owns land east of Orlando, appraised at $10 million. The reserve is part of the LDS welfare system. |
| Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii | The leading for-profit visitor attraction in Hawaii. |
Reading this list, the tendency is to imagine the Church as a massive, faceless, money-making organization, but this is far from the case. Despite these financial assets, the Church is a non-profit organization. Imagine the influence for good this much money has...imagine the children in Africa getting their immunizations, the impoverished in Brazil getting student loans, the poor and the rich worshiping together. The power for good is unimaginable. (Accurate as of 1996.)
The Church has no debt. All buildings are paid for in cash (about two new congregations per day). (Accurate as of 2006.)
2 Comments » Leave a comment
- Anonymous
10-16-2007, 10:46:23 PM
It is great to know that people are doing good things to bless other people. I am thankful because of the blessings I have received form the church. The money that the church has is not a source of pride; it is to bless everyone. - Philiph Bongomin Onyuta
8-9-2010, 04:17:44 AM
Dear sir/madam, My name is Philiph Bongomin Onyuta a member of the church attached to Uganda misson, Gulu branch, I worked with a interantional humanitarian organisation for peace called Terra Renaissance in Uganda majorly in reintegration of former child soldiers in northern Uganda through capacity building, providing basic human needs, psycho-social support through root and shoot activities and extension of micro-credit support to them at the end of their training with us in the various skills.
Given the increasing number of beneficiaries with us, we would like to partner with the church of Mormon through their charitable wings to support us so that we could save soul of our suffering brethren and sister in Uganda. Am therefore requesting the church to extent for us support to faccilitate our operations in northern Uganda. Waiting to hear from you. Yours truely, Bongomin Philiph Onyuta
El Santo Gringo: Hi Philiph. Thanks for your recent email. I think your humanitarian work is excellent! Unfortunately, AllAboutMormons.com is not officially affiliated with the LDS Church. I suggest you contact LDS Philanthropies, the Church's official humanitarian organization. You can also email them at ldsphilanthropies@ldschurch.org. Good luck!