Where am from (southern Africa)couple of months ago the church had a Mormon helping hands service now as the public affairs specialist in my ward-I was responsible for organizing the whole thing with the help of the EQP. So we had meeting to discuss the details of the service project,(might I add that this is the first time I've been part of any church thing).In the meeting I was the only one under 23 yrs plus am a girl in a room full of priesthood holders my opinion was just that an opinion,nobody paid attention to what I had to say.
Anyways the EQ president started saying this was good time and opportunity to get the church recognized by the public and I should do everything I can to make sure it happens,now in was surprised I thought we going to talk about how these service will benefit the community and show some appreciation for them but I was dead wrong .It was about the PR-image image image.
The media, government officials local leaders we all invited to attend and help us as we "help" the community.
What annoys and disgust me the most is that during the interviews from the media the bishop lied about how the church spent money to purchase the stuff that we were using during the service project just so the people can benefit while in all honesty the church didn't use a dime they only provided people with the yellow vests and some sheets of paper where they were asked to fill in their names and phone numbers and the number of hours they worked .
The sad part is that members were so excited about everything and praised the church on the money they used to pay for all that stuff while I was told that I should approach local businesses and ask for donations and yes I did get lots of them like buckets of paint,some offered to provide refreshments some offered their services if we need them for free no charge whatsoever and this one guy offered his bakkie and a few supplies and yet the church took all the credit and not once did they mention any of the help we got from everyone.
Yesterday during the RS class the president went on and on about how great the church referring to the helping hands we had last year and how the" church uses the tithing money to help those in need unlike other churches"and asked me to bear my testimony and I couldn't do it because its lie all of it.Now they all up in my business about why I refused to bear my testimony of what I know is "true".
Should I tell them that no church money was used and that the church lied about and that it was all about the church's image and not about the people we were helping.Or I should just come up with a lame excuse and let things be?

Thank you for the report. I had heard rumors about the helping hands program being a publicity stunt, but I had not heard it from someone directly involved.

I've noticed recently that my TBM mother actually goes around testifying that she "knows" that the church spends billions on charitable work. Pretty disgusting.

I like how you are holding your ground. They are trying to bully you. I would continue to refuse to give a testimony. There is no need to offer them an explanation.

You can simply use the "broken record" technique, such as saying, "I have nothing to add" over and over. Or simply stare silently at the person who is bullying you. Or, walk out of RS and take a break for a while.

If you tell them what really happened you'll be labeled an apostate for being a doubting Thomas.

So by "coming clean," you'll be instantly on the outs with them.

It's your judgment call what you decide to do. By being honest you'll be in effect burning your bridges.

Ask yourself: do you want to continue living a lie? Now that you've seen what is done up close under a magnifying glass as to its hypocrisy and purpose, you will be part of its inside joke on the rest of society.

Or you can come clean, make a break, and be true to yourself. If honesty is more important to you than pretentiousness and putting on a front to convey the church is something it clearly is not, then you know already what you need to do.

If you put up and shut up, you're just going along to get along, but you aren't going to feel any better about the church practice than you do right now. Unless you rationalize it away like many Mormons do.

The choice is yours ultimately which direction to take.

Amyjo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you tell them what really happened you'll be
> labeled an apostate for being a doubting Thomas.
>
> So by "coming clean," you'll be instantly on the
> outs with them.
>
> It's your judgment call what you decide to do. By
> being honest you'll be in effect burning your
> bridges.
>
> Ask yourself: do you want to continue living a
> lie? Now that you've seen what is done up close
> under a magnifying glass as to its hypocrisy and
> purpose, you will be part of its inside joke on
> the rest of society.
>
> Or you can come clean, make a break, and be true
> to yourself. If honesty is more important to you
> than pretentiousness and putting on a front to
> convey the church is something it clearly is not,
> then you know already what you need to do.
>
> If you put up and shut up, you're just going along
> to get along, but you aren't going to feel any
> better about the church practice than you do right
> now. Unless you rationalize it away like many
> Mormons do.
>
> The choice is yours ultimately which direction to
> take.


I've asked my bishop to release me said he won't because he already knows about my doubt's regarding the gospel and everything JS related so he figured the calling will help strengthen the testimony I once had and bring me closer to "heavenly father".
Thing is I already have a testimony that js made the whole thing up.I just have to endure the shit load of crap he called the " restored gospel" until I graduate from college then tscc can kiss my backside goodbye.

"I've asked my bishop to release me said he won't"

Ah, but here's the thing. You're a volunteer. You can stop whenever you want. You don't have to ask.

Just tell your stupid bishop that you won't be doing it any more – and mean it. What can he do, fire you? Please realize that you have the power. You have control. You are strong enough to use it.

They have only as much power over you as you allow. You can release yourself. You can tell the bishop to find someone else. Yes, he will try to shame and guilt you, and make you afraid of the "eternal consequences," but you are smart enough to see it for what it is – pure emotional manipulation – and face him down.

You can do this.

The way I see it, the Mormon church should never get any credit, even if they do part with some of their own money toward charitable purposes. Any time the church claims credit for financial donations, the stock answer should be "great, show us your financial statements to prove it. No statements? Well it looks like there were no donations made at all".

As a 501c3, the church is tax free. As a church, they are not required to file taxes, nor to provide financial statements to the public. But tithing and other donations are not required either. God does not get the money. Money-grubbing church leaders get more of it than anyone would approve of, if they only knew. There is a reason that the church keeps its finances a secret. Everything they do, even charity, is only self-serving. They even admit such. Every time the church talks about this mormon helping hands, they also talk about the good PR they expect to get from it.

That's been its focus and continues to be. The church sometimes helps its own, but does not help outsiders without looking first to how much positive publicity they're likely to receive.

Sad but true.

Don't be complicit.

Bear your test-of-money!

It's called "Helping Hands" because the so called church is HELPING ITSELF to the plight and (mis)fortune of others while taking all the credit and wringing it's HANDS, and helping itself to the lies of it's mouth and the FORGETFULNESS of others.

It's a DIRTY 'CHURCH' masquerading itself as the savior (of stepping on it's members to get to the top of their image).

It DOESN'T CARE about others.
ONLY ITSELF (image). Imagine that!

M@t.

Myself I'd set the record straight. Tell the whole class that last year everything was provided by donations and the church did not spend a dime of its money.

Then tell don't ask, tell the bishop you are done wigh what ever calling is bothering you.

When they get in your face accuse them of exercising unrightous dominion by asking you to lie in God's name.

Know you can stop by here anytime to vent or ask questions.

The Mormon church does that all the time and everywhere - they take people's tithes & fast offerings, and on top of that they want donations for their service projects.

But no one can force you to give them any obedience.
You are free to walk away from this so-called church which exploits people and often abuses them.

Take back your power and stop interacting with Mormons.
If you feel you need a church you may want to look into more established churches which are less intrusive and demanding.

What a story! cainsdaughter, I am impressed and would like to hear more of this. You have something to say, and you're on the right forum. Please continue.

Decades of being taught the restored gospel. Hundreds of years worth in total of continually being told and teaching others that telling the truth is paramount. What did you find? Liars.

Yet, the reality of the end product is rotten fruit. The end product is what Jesus supposedly despised and he physically removed such from the temple. How in the hell is that possible do you think from an organization that advertises Christ as being central to its core?

When a foundation is based on lies then the end product is a lie.

Line upon line precept upon precept mormonism teaches the innocent how to lie from birth all the while thinking they are working ultimately for truth.

It reminds me of an mormon apostle back when polygamy was being hidden from the feds. His fear was that mormonism was creating a generation of liars. Little did he know generation was already in plural form.