If we have another great depression because the government no longer can bailout the failed financial institutions I'm not so sure the church would fare that well/

The church seems to have had leadership over the past three decades who are quite reckless in their spending. It all started with Hinkley and has continued up to Nelson. New malls, new conference centers, a large number of temples and all sorts of other things.

One mistake corporations make is they want to grow big. They grow so big that when a down time does hit they don't have the resources to float them through the rough times. I see the same mindset with the current church.

The church got itself in financial trouble in the 1950's by building too many buildings. I think it's making even a bigger mistake now. We have been in a huge real estate bubble and real estate is a key church business. It's been easy money. I'm sure this is where much of the money is coming from along with tithing but can the church weather a down turn?

I don't think "You have seen nothing yet!" Nelson see's we are in a real estate bubble and he wants to spend more and show off more when the church just isn't growing and the real estate bubble could suddenly pop and we go into the depression.

The tithing money that has been coming in won't be coming in and the church won't be getting the rents it once was from it's commercial and agriculture land.

Could be a real problem. Russ. The church hasn't growth in ten years. You are sounding like there is going to be more people coming in and you are going to build even more showpiece temples. Frankly in Rome you and the others sounded full of yourselves and out of touch with reality. Much like well fed and pampered executives living large on a company that is not prepared to hunker down and survive in down times. Maybe The Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will get culled with the other mismanaged corporations.

Good point! Interesting post, Rubi!

I wonder how the church did in the 1930’s depression? They probably had fewer temples to maintain and maybe no malls.

What TSSC has in common with government building roads. Construction is cheap. It’s fixing the potholes every year that kills the budget. Sure they can build these temples but can they maintain them?

The office of the presiding bishop is staffed by many very competent business experts and handles the church finances.

We just came out of an economic downturn even though we never have fully recovered from it.

The church per se was fine. The members though had a rude awakening when the church told them they had no claim on the church for food or monetary help. Irreguardless of any donations, sermons or promises made in the past. It was an eye opener for many.

The church is far more than a real estate company. They have a multi billion dollar stock portfolio and a multi billion dollar bond poftfolio.

The church has a well diversified for profit arm with communication companies and other business ventures.

The church has weathered the savings and loan crisis, the stock crash of the 80s, the collapse of the real estate markets and the last down turn.

Heartless Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The office of the presiding bishop is staffed by
> many very competent business experts and handles
> the church finances.
>
> We just came out of an economic downturn even
> though we never have fully recovered from it.
>
> The church per se was fine. The members though had
> a rude awakening when the church told them they
> had no claim on the church for food or monetary
> help. Irreguardless of any donations, sermons or
> promises made in the past. It was an eye opener
> for many.
>
> The church is far more than a real estate company.
> They have a multi billion dollar stock portfolio
> and a multi billion dollar bond poftfolio.
>
> The church has a well diversified for profit arm
> with communication companies and other business
> ventures.
>
> The church has weathered the savings and loan
> crisis, the stock crash of the 80s, the collapse
> of the real estate markets and the last down turn.

Those were recessions. The subprime crisis of 2008 should have put us into an actual depression but the US government bailed out the lenders.

I'm talking a real depression where the equity markets crash and stay down for a long time and credit deleverages and institutions fail. You usually have to have enough savings to get through ten years of down time as a business.

The church has large amounts of overhead. Buildings unless you are making money off of them are huge liabilities. The members will be hurting and they won't be paying the tithing they used to.

I don't know how competently the church is managed. Everything is compartmentalized and kept secret. I can't say but I know depressions kill off many companies. It doesn't matter if the church owns stock and bonds. Those get hit in a depression as does real estate.

Members are wired to keep paying especially during hard times when they need the blessings.

Sorry, but an inflationary spiral won’t kill the church.