I withdrew my name from the records of the LDS Church a long time ago.

My wife doesn't believe in the truth claims of the church but maintains a small calling as she doesn't seem to care whether true or not.

The relief society president is her visiting teacher.

The president and her husband are very wealthy.

A few weeks ago she spoke in church and explained how God has blessed them monetarily for trying to follow the commandments.

She visited our home the other day and told my wife that we are all on different levels.

Wife asked what she meant and she said that some are more advanced spiritually and some are less because they haven't worked hard enough at it.

Wife asked how to know where we are at and she replied it is almost always easy to tell by how well the couple is doing financially.

I heard the conversation.

I still can't believe there are people in this world smart enough to make millions but dumb enough to believe that God actually blesses them with that wealth based on adherance to the mormon church.

I am a bit surprised that someone actually voiced this out loud...

I feel like this specific belief is a big part of the reason so many people are so up in arms over what they are trying to do in downtown Salt Lake right now.

Whether they admit it to themselves or not, deep down they believe that the homeless people down here right now deserve it. That they brought it upon themselves- by not being righteous enough, not going to church, not paying tithing, not following the prophet, etc...

"We are rich because we are more righteous than you!" This is nothing new, and it is prevalent from what I have seen, but most rich Mormons find ways to express it with more subtlety than that. Pretty vulgar stuff that.

Does your wife understand that she's just been "dissed?"

I've heard it twice though in the last six months from the pulpit in her ward.

I think it is their way of saying that the only reason they have what they have is because of God.

In other words their way of trying to sound "humble".

I'm not sure they really understand how it comes out.

They other aspect of it is that I think many mormons see people as if they are different levels of a path or ladder.

Much like in the hulu show.

If you force them to explain to you - they would admit that the more obedient you are the more enlightened you will become.

Wife has long ago realized that many smart people are poor and many "dumb" people are wealthy and it has to do with hundreds of factors - God has nothing to do with it.

We aren't offended - just find it very interesting that grown ups passively sell the idea that being obedient to mormonism may be the key to being wealthy.

To me it shows a complete lack of critical thought.

I'd explain that most churches teach that it's wrong to judge others. That's God's job.

What else would you expect from prosperity gospel.

I have heard this Prosperity Gospel all of my life. When I was young, I actually believed it for a little while. Over time, I met many "righteous" people who were poor and struggling, and many dishonest and shady people (Mormons and otherwise) who were very well off, often parading their "righteousness".

I started out doing well, but lost out due to two factors: 1. dropping out of college for kids when we were not yet prepared for them (that's Mormon obedience for you), and 2. later being stricken with a serious physical illness. Perhaps I was cursed for losing interest in Mormonism?

Mormons don't see themselves as they are, they see themselves as how they are told/ taught they are.

The promise that people will "prosper in the land" if they "keep the commandments" is found dozens of times in the BoM. It's something that's easy to believe if you're a wealthy Mormon but more difficult to swallow for those struggling financially.

It's easy to see how true the prosperity gospel is. I mean, one only has to look at what an absolute angel our rich president is, and the conclusion is self evident.