I think I can see where Romeny gets this damn attitude--from TSCC. This popped into my mind when I went to SM today. My kids were too tired so I let them have the day off and sleep in. I went ahead and decided to go just to partake of the sacrament, and then split. Good decision.

So anyway, when I came in, I headed over to where my family usually sits. I saw my bishop was talking to one of the senior citizens in our ward. First, a background explanation. This woman has mobility issues and cannot walk. She has gotten to the point where she has to be in a wheelchair to get around. She wants to attend church but her home situation is where her daughter (a nevermo) can no longer, with help from someone in my ward, just take her in a van (it's a long story). Now she has to pay $25.00 every Sunday out of her pocket just to hire a van to take her. In addition, she can't hold up her head and is exhausted by the time SM is over so she heads on home and feels a huge guilt trip for not being able to attend all three hours. I really feel for this woman.

So when I got to my spot, my bishop has his left shoulder around this woman and says, "Yes, Sister X, it is a hard thing on your budget to have to spend $25.00 a week to hire a van but it is so good that you're attending church, yada yada yada." This poor woman is on Social Security, along with her nevermo husband, and she has to put out $100 a month just for attending church just for SM, besides having the strain on her neck! I was so pissed! I made sure to turn around and hiss to myself, "Well then, why the HELL not have the church use some of the tithing to help her pay for expense of the van so she can attend?"

FACEPALM!

Then of course, it was time for slow and testibaloney meeting. As I was getting ready to leave, one of the counselors from the bishopric got up and then went on this diatribe about tithing. No, not about Jesus in any way, but about the blessing of tithing. How he was such a poor struggling college student. He only had a certain amount of money in his account and that was his exact tithing. So he paid tithing. But the very next day, he got a check because he just happened to qualify for some scholarship that unknown to him, someone had secretly applied for him, yada yada yada. And he was barely able going to be able to pay for his two-year mission but somehow through help of his ward, he paid for it yada yada yada. The he was married and a struggling married college student and had legal expenses (HUH?) as well as car expenses, and he put tithing first and somehow lived on loans, yada yada yada.

I felt like my brain was literally going to explode from all the sheer bullshit. I am SO GLAD I had a valid excuse to go home so my kids wouldn't be alone for too long.

It does make sense from a TSCC point of view. The church has come out with statements that the church won't be helping those who are struggling. The detached BIG 15 probably think that there is a "safety net" in place to take care of the poor.

that attending to hear it each week was necessary for my salvation...i would pay much more than 100.00 per month to attend.

....and the lady in the wheelchair was left wondering what it is that she is doing wrong.

That sob.