Posted by:
Jane Doe
(
)
Date: March 10, 2012 09:02PM
Okay, I feel kinda bad about this one, but telling this helps me get it off my chest. No actual cussing was involved.
My dear TBM mother was talking about a new temple being constructed near where she lives. She was hoping to be able to go visit it during the brief period when it would be open to the public, before it's consecrated.
Now, she knows I want absolutely nothing to do with the church, and that I am quite outraged that they have recently decided to deny her a temple recommend because, although she paid tithing religiously for probably 30 years and donated countless hours in countless "callings" for the church, she does not pay tithing now... She is supported by of us kids plus her meagre pensions, but still can't really afford tithing out of that. A good deal of her money goes towards medications stuff not covered by insurance because she has extensive health problems. She presented this information to the Temple Recommend Gatekeepers. Their answer? Pay your tithing, and the Lord/Church will look after your needs. She, and we, aren't ready to turn over shopping for critical medicines, personal care items, special diet etc. over to Church members, who barely find time to even visit or even phone her now that she's too sick to actually come to church most of the time. We're surprised at how little we see them. They also hinted that she should somehow get the money from her kids (inactive Mormons, one of us ex-communicated for the crime co-habiting with the mother of his child without marrying her... they were 17 and 18!)... even if we could afford that, wouldn't that be considered tithable income, too? And why should we be obligated to pay to a Church we don't want to support? To basically buy her entrance into the temple? This is just one of the things about Mormonism that makes my head spin.
So one day she suggested that I could perhaps go with her to check out the new temple. I said, "Are you kidding? Why would I want to even go near a building that wouldn't see *you*, an exemplary member of the Church, as worthy to enter there? I'd just as soon drop a bomb on it."
Well. Let's just say that did not go over well. I was quick to clarify that I was joking, and that even if I did harbour impulses to bomb that tacky building it *certainly wouldn't be when there are people in it*! I wouldn't want to hurt actual people! Truly, I am a non-violent person not prone to bombing anything...Anyway, she should know my sense of humour by now, but I wish I could replay that conversation if only for her sake. I love her like there's no tomorrow. I just can't stomach the thought of an institution that declares a devout, poor, sick widow unworthy to enter their doors because she can't afford to pay tithing. My (admittedly ill-considered) joke was born out of a frustration I imagine JC himself must have felt when he got pissed off enough to give hell to the money lenders outside of the temple. Anyone remember that?