One of my TBM friends posted this link on Facebook today.
http://www.slate.com/id/2276194/

Really? Thomas Monson is #1 on this list? Really? Really? The only reason that I could see him being listed as more influential than say, Warren Buffett or Noam Chomsky is that these guys do not require 100% blind faith and allegiance. It's pretty easy to have influence when you're a cult leader. Is that was "influential" means to whomever wrote this article? I am sure most Americans do not even know or even care who Tommy Monson is!
What has he done for me lately? Alienated my family and friends from me? Stole 10% of their earnings? Hid in his office at the COB when Packer spewed hatred? Wow! Thanks!

But please, keep spouting propaganda.

http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,44515,44532#msg-44532

:-)

If he considers himself Christian shouldn't Jesus be #1?

1.5 million who are actually active and fully TBM. The rest go from wishie washie to liberal to MINOs (Members In Name Only) who may have joined other churches, but had their names removed.

While Warren Buffet tries to influence people to be responsible with money, Monson urges them to squander it on donation which genmerate "no tangible benefit" as quoted on the year end tithing settlement Tax form.

Look at how bad people in Utah are faring with personal finances, financial fraud, MLM schemes, paying 10% gross on mandatory charitable contributions and bank foreclosures.

I would agree that Monson has more influence over the small minority that he oversees (church members who are TBM). The only reason he has more influence over those people is because of covenants, brainwashing, and scare tactics. The church promises it's members something that they will never deliver.

I did some filtering on the full list and there is a category for "major philantrophy" - Tommy is not on that list. Sad that a church with so much money didn't make the philantrophy cut!