They just have to do it, well, kinda sneaky-like.
--Introduction: Is it True That Those Booted from the Mormon Cult by Its “Courts of Love” Can Still Pay Their Tithing, Even While They're Excommunicated?
The Mormon Cult would have you believe so, but it doesn't seem to be necessarily so. As Joe Smith would put it, "Let's go do some money-digging."
On a Mormon-focused internet site, the asserted is made that even if a person is excommunicated from the LDS Cult, the ever warm and welcoming wallet chasers at LDS Inc. still want to keep the channel open for these individuals to be able to keep on tithin' on during their excomm punishment period. In a related vein involving tapping the veins of the excommunicated for ongoing revenue streams, it's also been claimed that the Mormon Cult directs that excommunicants wishing to be re-baptized at some point (after having first jumped through the required hoops of court-ordered spiritual exile, coupled with required self-inflicted repentance) should save up their money for eventual back-payment of owed tithing which piled up while they were in Cult-ordered spiritual exile.
This is how Mormonism's two-faced approach to simultaneous purging and pursing is said to work:
“Excommunicated members are not allowed to pay tithing; however, the Church does not exempt them from paying tithing. . . . Because the LDS Church is very concerned about lost tithing with the member, the LDS Church instructs the excommunicated member to save all tithing in either cash or in a savings account. If and when the member has served the penalty period (generally one to three years) and is re-baptised. the member is expected to back-pay the tithing.”
("Excommunication and Courts of Love: Excommunication," 8 April 2006)
Huh?
There seems to be some dispute over these money matters, so let's dig a bit deeper. C'mon, Joe! Turn on that treasure-seeking peepstone of yours and let's get to the bottom of this!
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--The Mormon Cult Insists That Excommunicated Persons Cannot Pay Tithing While in Their Separated-Out State of Paying for Their Serious Sinning
The standard line From LDS Central is that those ex'ed from the Mormon Cult aren't allowed to continue their cash contributions to this religiously counterfeit operation until, and unless, they first have gone through repentance, re-evaulation and eventual re-admission.
The LDS Cult-approved “Encyclopedia of Mormonsm” declares in no uncertain terms that among the rights and privileges stripped away when a person is excommunicated from its ranks is the “blessing” of paying one's tithes to the Blue Suits:
“An excommunicated person is no longer a member of the Church, and all priesthood ordinances and temple blessings previously received are suspended. Excommunicants may not pay tithing and, if previously endowed in a temple, may not wear temple garments. “
("Disciplinary Procedures,” by Bruce C. Hafen, “Encyclopedia of Mormonism,” 1992, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University. Provo, Utah,
http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Disciplinary_Procedures)
In keeping with this facade for God, the Mormon apologist website FAIR similarly declares that those excommunicated from the LDS Cult are not permitted, among other things, to pay tithing:
“They can participate in no ordinances, cannot speak or pray at meetings, cannot hold Church callings, may not attend the temple, may not wear LDS temple garments and may not pay tithing.”
(“Purpose of Church Discipline,” under “FAIR Answers: Mormon What Church Discplinary Options are Available?,” FAIR,
http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_Church_discipline/Purpose)
No underwear. No meeting prayer. No paying up your tithing share.
Indeed, under Mormon Cult canon, excommunication is regarded as the most severe penalty that can Be dished out on the Earth-based disobedient--thereby making them ineligible to pay tithing while they're still marking time for their unholy crime.
Let's lay out the specific sins that can get your neck laid out beneath the atoning blade of the Elohim's executioner;
Then-assistant to the Council of the Twelve Apostles, Robert L. Simpson, writing in the official LDS Church magazine, the “New Era," listed the kinds of bad behavior that can get one
severed from the Mprmon Savior:
“There are very few reasons for excommunication in this Church. I can only think of three.
“[1.] Church members can become candidates for excommunication as they involve themselves in gross iniquity. . . . Gross iniquity involves such transgressions as murder, adultery, sexual perversion or serious civil court conviction such as a felony.”
“[2.] Church members become candidates for excommunication as they become involved in or advocate plural marriage.
“[3.] Church members become candidates for excommunication as they apostatize from the teachings of the Church. . . . It should . . . be made clear that an apostate is not an indifferent or an inactive member of the Church but rather one who flatly denies the divine nature of the Church or one who is antagonistic against or unresponsive to his priesthood authority.”
(“Q&A: Questions and Answers,” under the subhead, “What are the Reasons for, and the Process of, Excommunication?,” by Robert L. Simpson, “New Era,” July 1975,
https://www.lds.org/new-era/1975/07/qa-questions-and-answers?lang=eng)
But wait. There's more.
Other acts of defiance for which the Mormon Cult drops the excommunication hammer include:
--seriously violating its secret, Masonic ritual-plagiarized temple covenants;
--failing to repent while under the less serious sanction of probational disfellowship--thereby leading to the sounding of the cow bell from hell for excommunication;
--as a member of the Mormon Cult, posing a significant menace to others by using the CUlt in doing so; and
--as a high-profiled LDS Cult member and/or Cult leader, criticizing it in ways that the Cult feels disparage what it boasts as its positive reputation and uplifting presence in the world.
Because the commission of any of the above-listed acts of wanton wickedness can lead to excommunication, LDS Apostle M. Russell Ballard has pronounced that those found guilty in an LDS Kangaroo Court of Shove are expressly prohibited from paying tithing to the Mormon Cult:
“Excommunication is the most severe judgment a Church disciplinary council can take. Excommunicated persons are no longer members of the Church. Therefore, they are denied the privileges of Church membership, including the wearing of temple garments and the payment of tithes and offerings.”
(“A Chance to Start Over: Church Disciplinary Councils and the Restoration of Blessings,” by M. Russell Ballard, "Ensign," September 1990,
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1990/09/a-chance-to-start-over-church-disciplinary-councils-and-the-restoration-of-blessings?lang=eng)
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--Now, for the Exceptions (and We All Know How the Mormon Cult Survives and Thrives on Exceptions)
--Despite the supposedly inflexible ban on excommunicated persons giving tithing to LDS Inc., it appears that, at least in some cases, they still are permitted to do so, as long as its apporved by authorized Mormon leaders.
Put another way, the LDS Cult’s bark may be worse than its bite, especially when bucks are up for grabs.
For instance, RfM poster “PapaKen," in speaking of his own excommunication experience, reported in this forum how his tithing situation was resolved in a way that was designed to keep the Mormon Cult supplied with an ongoing airdrop of his non-member manna:
“In my letter of excommunication, the stake president said I could continue to pay tithing after my excommunication, as long as it was done through a ‘worthy’ member.
“So, they didn't want me, but they were still glad to take my money."
(“Re: Not Allowed to Pay Tithing Until You're Baptized?,” by “PapaKen," pn "Recovery from Mormonism" discussion board, 17 March 2014,
http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,1206542,1206813#msg-1206813)
Similarly, another excommunicated Mormon stated on an internet Mormon-focused chat site that they were allowed to pay “offerings,” even while in a sinful state of excommunication:
“At my excommunication, I was specifically granted permission to pay offerings. I understand that that is not usually the case. My current stake president respected the allowance but said that usually ex'ed members cannot pay offerings.”
In the same forum, another contributor responded by asserting that “anyone can pay tithing. Are they gonna hunt you down and return the cash?”
To which a participant chimed in, “[T]hey [the Mormon Cult] won't hunt you down and return the [tithing] cash but they will decline to accept it if you try to hand it to them, so you'd have to mail it, and they may actually return to sender if you list your address, or not cash the check if you write one. Only way really is to mail cash with no return address, which ain't really a genius move.”
(“Should Excommunicated Members Pay Tithing?,” comments circa less than a year ago, on internet Mormon discussion board)
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--Devout Mormon Members are Going Around Saying There are Ways to be an Excommunicated LDS Cult Penitent Pay Pal--As Long as You Do It Right
Yes, some true-believing Cult members steadfastly claim that those who are excommunicated can still funnel their tithing to Salt Lake City. On a website addressing those on-the outs who trying to get back into the good graces of the Mormon Cult after being excommunicated, the following advice is given:
“. . . [I]n returning to the [LDS] Church, [one must] obey all the principles of the gospel. There is not one that you cannot obey as a non-member.
"The Church may not accept tithing contributions from you, but you can still pay your tithing. In doing so, you might open a bank account and faithfully deposit in it 10% of your gross income. When you are re-baptized, then the Church could accept your tithing. Don’t forget to include the interest that has been accrued, because that also belongs to the Lord.”
(“How Do I Come Back to Church after Being Excommunicated?,” by "Gramps," on "askgramps,”
http://askgramps.org/2574/how-do-i-come-back-to-church-after-being-excommunicated)
In other words, the Mormon Cult will graciously grab your tithing offerings retroactively. Just focus on building them up and secreting them away in a private bank account while you're still excommunicated. Then, when you get back in the good graces of the Mormon god, you make your tithing back payments, as required by the accounting department in the Celestial Kingdom. Just be sure to do it through back channels.
Finding one's way back to the Mormon Lord through financial loopholes is openly admitted by Mette Ivie Harrison, a self-identified “nursery leader”in a Cult ward somewhere who holds a PhD from Princeton. Writing recently in the “Huffington Post,” she admits that excommunicated black sheep can still get their tithing money to the Mormon Cult collection center--as long as they don’t bring it in through the front door:
“If someone is excommunicated from the Mormon Church, . . . [they] are no longer allowed to pay tithing or give any offerings to the Church (at least not directly).”
"At least not directly." Heh. How clever of them.
(”Why Does It Matter If You Are Excommunicated From the Mormon Church?,” by Mette Ivie Harrison, ‘Huffington Post, 1 September 2015,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mette-ivie-harrison/excommunicated-mormon-church_b_8066072.html)
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Conclusion: Don’t Let Excommunication Get in the Way If You Want to Give the Mormon Cult Your Tithing. We Can Work Something Out
The "Salt Lake Tribune" reports that those excommunicated from the Mormon Cult have their work cut out for them. After all, they've had their “baptism voided,” their “temple sealing for eternity to [their Mormon spouse] . . suspended,” plus they "cannot wear [their] temple . . , take the sacrament, . . , pay tithing, hold a Church calling, speak from the pulpit, offer a prayer at services or vote in the sustaining of Mormon leaders.”
“Excommunicants can [however] attend Church meetings and, in fact, are encouraged to do so.”
(“What It Means to a Mormon to be Excommunicated,” in "Salt Lake Tribune," 23 June 2014,
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/58104815-78/mormon-church-kelly-temple.html.cspAnd, come to find out. they can also pay tithing. They just have to be creatively coy about it.
So, ex'ed brothers and sisters, don't let a little sin keep LDS Inc. from raking it in. As the Mormon Cult has proved time and time again: Where there's some pay, there's a way.
Edited 15 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/2015 12:10PM by steve benson.