This week the world learned about Ensign Peak Advisors, a financial holding company owned by the LDS Church alleged to have over $100 billion in assets. While not denying the facts, the LDS Church’s public statement asserts that the news reports have a narrow perspective and that the actions of Ensign Peak Advisors are based on a “sound financial and doctrinal principle taught by the Savior in the Parable of the Talents”. In this episode, we measure the actions and statements of the LDS Church against the scriptures they claim to be the revealed mind and will of God to his church in these days.
D&C 26:2
D&C 104:71-72
D&C 28:13
Isaiah 29:14
Isaiah 5:21
Matthew 25:14-30
Luke 12:13-34
Moses 7:18
Alma 4:12-13
Jacob 2:17-18
Malachi 3
Mosiah 18:27
Isaiah 3:12-15
Mosiah 4:26
Deuteronomy 15:7-8
Matthew 7:22-23
Psalm 41:1
Alma 34:28-29
Helaman 4:12
D&C 56:16
2 Nephi 28:12
Moroni 8:34-39
Isaiah 56: 10-12
I’m glad you guys covered this topic. I just was down at my mom’s house yesterday discussing this, and trying to get them to see how ridiculous it is, but Utah Valley Mormon culture is to strong. I even told my step dad that covenant path is unscriptual and untrue and he could feel free to prove me wrong by the scriptures. Needless to say they didn’t come up with anything. I guess I was in one of my extra annoyed moods, but I really am getting sick of the blatant hypocrisy of the church. As you guys mentioned I believe God will bless those faithful members who are doing what they think is God’s will, however, wo unto the hypocrites who are leading them astray for there is a lake of fire prepared for them. I told my parents that I have nothing but praise for most local leaders, i.e., bishops and stake presidents, because they for the most part are doing what they can to help their wards and stakes, and they even manage to do it without a “modest stipend”. But as I pointed out to them if you are going to claim to be God’s prophets I have every right and obligation to judge the supposed prophets by the prophecies contained in the word of God. In the words of Daniel to Belshazzar:
22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
25 ¶ And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.
26 This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
27 Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
28 Peres; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
Thus, will the “mormon profits” be judged and their kingdom will be taken from them and given to another, for they loved their gold and their silver, and their fine sanctuaries more than the poor. They lack the faith to take neither purse nor scrip and proclaim the true and simple Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead they practice secret combinations in the darkness and seek the praise and wisdom of the world while grinding upon the faces of the poor. O ye Zoramites and hypocrites. Who teach as scripture the philosophies of men, and supplant the Holy Word of God with handbooks written by corporate vultures.
Searcher and MD,
Having taken the Holy Spirit as my guide, I can’t thank you enough for bringing relevant scriptures to light in order to prove the Lord’s position on critical subjects like this. My favorite charity was forced (by “The copyright people) to change its long-standing name (as you can read below) from Liahona Children’s Foundation to Bountiful Children’s Foundation because The Church (TM) didn’t want people to confuse the private foundation with The Church (TM). When I originally investigated LCF (now BCF) to consider donating, one of its founders told me The Church does not support LCF; but has allowed LCF to dispense its nutrition and medicine services from Church properties; however, I understand that was also brought to an end. I would appreciate people in-the-know at private charities expose whether or not The Church (TM) has supported their efforts to care for the poor. Why would The Church (TM) want to distance itself from these kinds of charities?
Shaela Avery
Dec 16, 2018, 9:02 AM
to me
Roy,
Thank you for your email. The copyright people had asked us to change our name a few years ago, but we decided not to. This year the Area President in South Africa visited a stake and found that some people thought we were an official Church program. He’d had problems with other LDS based NGOs. He told us we could not use Church buildings anymore and sent a letter of concern to other leaders. In response, we arranged to have a meeting with two members of the Twelve, one of the Presiding Bishopric, one of the Seventies and the director of Humanitarian Services. They thanked us for our good work, reaffirmed that we should care for the children, and asked us to change our name so that members would not assume we are an official program of the Church. Our board voted to change the name in response to this request, and with the hope that we could build a more cooperative relationship with the Church.
Shaela Avery | Assistant Director
Liahona Children’s Foundation
shaelaavery@liahonachildren.org
I’m dismayed, but not surprised. The Church(tm) trademarked the name Liahona in 1995 to secure rights to the name of the magazine, whereas the Liahona Children’s Foundation was founded in 2008. So legally the Church(tm) had the right to request the name change.
But I agree with you, why wouldn’t the Church(tm) want the free good-will associated with the work the foundation was doing…work the Church(tm) itself is supposed to be doing but isn’t. And how petty to deny them access to church properties from which they could alleviate the suffering of the poor. This is the classic corporate NIH (Not Invented Here) mentality. It doesn’t matter how good the idea is, if we can’t claim it as our own, bury it.