It saddens me that Henry Eyring would
use the sacred teachings and the name of Jesus Christ to collect
money for the wealthy corporation of the LDS church. I was outside
the conference center before this talk was given, and I watched the
broadcast from the north visitor center.
Before the meeting began, thousands of
Mormons walked by the beggars on both sides of the street and heeded
them not. In this large and spacious palace, people are being taught
to deny the beggar and only give to the wealthy corporation. These
donations may or may not be used to help the poor. We don't know.
The financial books are not open to the public. On the bottom of the
new tithing slip it says, "Though reasonable efforts will be
made globally to use donations as designated, all donations become
the Church's property and will be used at the Church's sole
discretion to further the Church's overall mission."
While members think they are giving to
the poor, the money is being used however and wherever the top
leaders deem necessary to build their financial empire. This is big
business. They can and have used these sacred funds for the the
building of a multi-billion dollar mall. The evidence is there. You
can look across the street and see it. Outside the mall and the
unnecessary conference center, the beggars sit on the streets denied
access to these beautiful “Christian” structures.
When we go down to Salt Lake City, we
often see our friend Samantha at the North gate between the visitor
center and the conference center. Her story is usually the same, and
she talks of being on and off the streets. I can see her trying to
explain why she is still on the streets begging. Does it matter why
she is begging? Aren't we all beggars who depend upon God for our
every breath? She is a child of God and is asking for help. She told
us yesterday that she appreciates our friendship more than our money.
Most people walk by and ignore her. I don't know why she begs or
what her life story is, but I do know she is asking for love. When I
beg God for help, he freely gives and doesn't bring up the fact that
I'm taking advantage of him again.
So let's look at how Henry has studied
and taught iniquity to the people Mosiah 13:11. When I heard the
first part of the talk, my heart took courage. I thought he was going
to teach the people to care for the poor. He used scriptures that
have a powerful and true message.
“My dear brothers
and sisters, it is a joy for me to extend my love to you in this
general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints. That joy comes from the witness of the spirit that the love
of the Savior reaches out to each of you and to all of Heavenly
Father's children. Our Heavenly Father wishes to bless his children
spiritually and temporally. He understands each of their needs, their
pains, and their hopes. When we offer succor to anyone, the Savior
feels it as if we reached out to succor him. He told us that was
true when he described a future moment we all will have when we see
him after our life in this world is complete. A picture in my mind of
that day has grown more vivid in the days that I have prayed and
fasted to know what to say this morning. The Lord's description of
that future interview was given to his disciples, and it describes
what we want with all our hearts to be true for us as well.”
“Then shall the
King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and
ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye
clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye
came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when
saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee
drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and
clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto
thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto
you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my
brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:34-40
Look at how the Lord's admonition is
twisted into a money making venture for the church:
“You and I want
that warm welcome from the Savior, but how can we deserve it. There
are more hungry, homeless, and lonely children of Heavenly Father
than we can possibly reach and the numbers grow ever farther from our
reach. So, the Lord has given us something that we can each do. It
is a commandment so simple that a child can understand it. It is a
commandment with a wonderful promise for those in need and for us.
It is the law of the fast. The words in the book of Isaiah are the
Lord's description of the commandment and the blessing available to
those of us in his church.”
“Is not this the
fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo
the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye
break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that
thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest
the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from
thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and
thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall
go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward. Then
shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he
shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the
yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if
thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul;
then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the
noonday: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy
soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a
watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”
Isaiah 58:6-11
“So the Lord has
given us a simple commandment with a marvelous promise. In the church
today we are offered the opportunity to fast once a month and give a
generous fast offering through our bishop or branch president for the
benefit of the poor and the needy. Some of what you give will be used
to help those around you perhaps someone in your own family. The
Lord's servants will pray and fast for the revelation to know whom to
help and what help to give. That which is not needed to help people
in your local church unit will become available to bless other church
members across the world who are in need.”
It looks like Henry is saying, there is
so much need in the world, and it is increasing. You don't need to
worry about it, just give your charitable contributions to the church
so we can use it to further our purposes. You don't need to pray and
fast to learn how to bless those in need; we will do it for you.
Isaiah is talking about a personal sacrifice where we administer to
the poor with our own substance in our homes. Isaiah never said give
your money to the church; Henry made that part up. Henry mingled his
money making philosophy with the word of God. Don't go out and just
give to the poor because we won't be able to get our hands on it.
“The commandment
to fast for the poor has many blessings attached to it. President
Spencer W. Kimball called failing to follow that law a sin of
omission with a heavy cost. He wrote, 'Rich promises are made by the
Lord to those who fast and assist the needy. Inspiration and
spiritual guidance will come with righteousness and closeness to our
Heavenly Father. To omit to do this righteousness act of fasting
would deprive us of these blessings.'”
The church members are then led to
believe that their blessings come from giving generous funds to the
church.
Henry then goes on to relate a heart
touching story of poverty, want, and distress. This appeals to the
people's tender hearts.
“. . . Other
storms and tragedies will come across the world to people the Lord
loves and whose sorrows he feels. Part of your fast offerings and
mine this month will be used to help someone somewhere whose relief
the Lord will feel as if it were his own.”
Now he admits that only PART of the
money is used for the poor. We don't know what percentage is used
for the poor. That is not disclosed. Why couldn't Henry say
something like: “ALL of your fast offerings and mine this month
will be used to help someone somewhere whose relief the Lord will
feel as if it were his own.”
We don't know if 1% or 99% is given to
the poor. Henry then goes on to tell another heart warming story of
an African woman.
If Henry understood the scriptures, he
never would have used this story. “Verily I say unto you, it shall
come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be
tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or
they shall not be found worthy to abide among you.” Doctrine andCovenants 119:5 Surplus property is tithed, not the family's income
that is needed to take care of their basic necessities. This is what
Isaiah has to say about this kind of talk:
“Woe unto them that decree
unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have
prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away
the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey,
and that they may rob the fatherless! And what will ye do in the day
of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to
whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall
fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but
his hand is stretched out still.” Isaiah 10:1-4
Watch where the strong emotion is
interjected. This talk has been carefully crafted.
. . . (Eyring With
emotion) “A visitor from the United States sat with Abi not long
ago. During his time with her, he found his eyes drawn to a set of
scriptures that were on a table. He could tell they were a treasure
well marked with notes in the columns. The pages were worn, some were
torn. The cover was detached from the scripture binding. He held the
scriptures in his hand and gently turned the pages. As he did he
found a yellow (with greater emotion) copy of a tithing donation
slip. He could see that in a country where a dollar was worth its
weight in gold. Abi Tory had paid $1 as her tithing $1 to the
missionary fund and $1 as a fast offering for those who in her words
were truly poor. The visitor closed Sister Tory's scriptures and
thought as he stood with this faithful African mother that he was on
sacred ground . . .”
Well, I won't quote the whole talk. You
can listen to it yourself. The sad part is that I have bought into
these teachings for most of my life and have donated way too much to
the LDS church. I too am an iniquitous woman. The Lord has shown me
my iniquity and is teaching me how to repent. I make no claims to be
righteous. I am still in process of repenting and separating myself
from this kind of thinking.
