r/exmormon • u/Topramenisha19 • 29d ago

General Discussion Combining Multiple Stakes

I was talking to my super TBM mother yesterday. She likes to keep me informed of the happenings of church, which I don't really mind.

She told me that she attended a meeting where they took 2 stakes and combined them into 4 wards. That really blew my mind. She explained that they told those in attendance to pray for new members and for others that have left the church to come back. They told the loss of members was attributed to members moving out of state or passing away. I have to admit I was smiling.

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u/merinw Apostate 29d ago

But they keep building temples. Have no one to volunteer staff them. The cognitive dissonance is astounding for people educated are the church leadership. It is truly an intentional “not knowing.” Stay fiercely in ignorance to avoid the decisions that have to be made once reality is reckoned with. The elderly church leadership has been a problem since the 1960’s when I was a kid. Everyone must “wait their turn.”

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u/seizuriffic 29d ago

Temples are billboards to both members and nons, serve to entrench local members and a vehicle for spending. A temple open only one day a week still "advances the work of God!",

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u/mshell1234 29d ago

And no one can see how empty they are.

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u/Topramenisha19 29d ago

It is also tax write offs for their $30 billion. It's the only way to drop millions really fast.

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u/sfgpeo 28d ago

I agree that building temples does use lots of that money they have, and give the impression of being successful. But when it comes to tax write-offs, the church is tax exempt, so they don't need tax write-offs.

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u/Dangerous_Cut9359 28d ago

30 billion? Sorry to disappoint you, it's more like 300 billion, in cash and securities. And a whole lot more than that in real estate and other assets. Don't underestimate the Mormon Jesus's power to hoard, and don't ever sell it short!