Mahone Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 I figure if Monson wants a nice watch or cool car he certainly deserves it. But it's really humbling to know that he just lives a modest lifestyle. It's kind of neat to think about.To play devils advocate on this, it makes sense for him to live a modest life style - imagine the bad press the church would get if our leaders were living similar lives to David Beckham, to give an example. Seeing as a promise was made to us that not a penny of our tithing would be wasted, it doesn't look good when our leaders own mansions and sport cars. Even if it was out of their own funds and not church funds, the initial impression is wrong - any good business man will tell you the same thing. I'm not saying this is the sole reason he lives a modest life style, but I'm sure it's one of the reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmarklin Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 Hi I was wondering if Pres Monson gets paid? I thought that he did for the presidential stuff and volunteers for the prophet stuff. What is the difference between the two?The general authorities, mission presidents, etc get a living stipend and expenses. Believe me, no one is getting rich.I would assume that some of the more affluent probably forego this stipend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmarklin Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 I've been reading all of the responses to the question. It doesn't seem to me that anyone really knows the answer. Apparently the leaders of your church are paid but no one knows how much.Why isn't this information published anywhere? If the mormon church is tax-exempt there should be some way to determine the answer to the question. I always thought that the government required some kind of accounting for tax-exempt institutions to avoid abuses. It shouldn't be that hard to find the answer. This is puzzling to me. It's not published anywhere because US churches are exempt from that kind of financial reporting to the IRS. Other tax exempt entities are required to report salaries, etc, BUT all info reported to the IRS is absolutely confidential.Like most churches, I'm sure the Mormon church is a combination of church, other tax exempt entities, and as Hinckley stated, taxable entities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john doe Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 I'm sure the IRS knows exactly what Pres. Monson receives from the Church, but that does not mean that it is public information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 To be honest. I don't really care how much each of the GA's receive from the Church. Matters not one iota to me. The fact that President Hinckley had to state that it comes from business funds and not the tithes of members bothers me a bit. Would some actually be THAT upset if it did come from tithes? Absolutely. But that is their problem not mine. Wouldn't bother me a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bytebear Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 The obvious implication is that the GAs are just ripping us off, just like those televangelists. If that were the case, we would have heard about it long ago. The other implication is that we really do have a paid clergy, but that also is not true. There is a big difference between the LDS clergy and clergy of other churches, despite salaries or compensation or living stipends. No one in the LDS church goes to school and decides to make a career out of being in the clergy. No one can. It just doesn't work that way. "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." It has nothing to do with career choice whatsoever.I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Am I the only one wondering how on earth John Doe knew that? :) Here is an article that was on ksl.com today that might explain or have something to do with JD's comment about the apartment being renovated.ksl.com - Wife of LDS Church president recovering from fall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 ...I think it's entirely possible that he makes enough off of book royalties and retirement income that he does not need the stipend.He's been an Apostle since 1963, when he was only 36 years old. Once you're called into the 12, you don't have a career anymore. He's served on boards, but not had actual jobs, so he probably doesn't have much in the way of retirement.Several people mentioned that they thought the GAs live the Law of Consecration. It got me thinking -- doesn't it make more sense that we are living the Law of Consecration, and they are benefitting from it? I don't know where the funds come from (other than tithing), but I imagine that the stipends are made possible by member donations. We make it possible for the GAs to not have to work, but to travel and preach and minister to the Church (and world) instead. That's kinda neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that President Hinckley explained that the stipends do not come from tithing but from the businesses that the Church owns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 I agree with Pam, I don’t care what the tenth gets used for, for I know that the leadership of this church will not waste what rightfully belongs to the Lord. These men are in the full time service of the Lord and need to be able to function as such, whether that is derived from tithe, investments, etc is irrelevant, fortunately I only have to concern myself with what I do with the other 90 % of my income that’s left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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