The fourfold purposes of the LDS Church!

[John McClain]

I will be interested to see how this pronouncement takes effect. The Church has always cared for the poor and needy members of the church. This pronouncement is much broader than that. I have donated to charities that focus on the poor and needy over the years, understanding that little, if any of the donation would go to Church members (but that wasn't really the point). I also pay my fast offerings each month. I am guessing that perhaps more in the way of fast offerings will now be something I should consider, as well as other charitable donations. However, Pres. Monson also seems to want us to donate our time as well - that may be more difficult for me.
As an interesting sidenote, I volunteered for a local charity/soup kitchen in my town many years back, but they eventually stopped allowing LDS to work with them because we were not "Christians". I've always felt that despite the good intentions of the Pastor who ran that organization toward the homeless, he was more than myopic on the big picture that Christ taught.

[Portland Ute]

As an interesting sidenote, I volunteered for a local charity/soup kitchen in my town many years back, but they eventually stopped allowing LDS to work with them because we were not "Christians".

Please tell me you are kidding...

[John McClain]

Nope, true story.

I used to give them donations all the time; haven't given them a dime since. Fortunately there are at least 2 other organizations locally that will work with us infidels, so they get my money now (and my time when I have it)

[il Padrino Ute]

I don't understand your wording here. Please clarify.

I was being serious, btw. I think there will be a faction of the Church that has a really hard time with this new emphasis. We have people on this very board that complain about having their "taxes" go to fund programs and the like. This latest edict would obviously require some sort of reconciliation with the need for temporal administration to the poor and the need for someone to fund it.

It is very easy to say, "great, our new emphasis is to care for the poor." Well, what does that mean in implementation? Do we volunteer more at soup kitchens? Do we donate more money to shelters? I don't know these answers. but I am pretty confident that whatever the implementation may be, it will require more than we are currently doing...at least a greater focus.

It would be naive to think that personal politics would not come into play on this one, as this is the first of the 3- or 4-fold "missions" that has direct and tangible political ties.

There is a big difference between taxing the hell out of the citizenry to fund social programs (wealth redistribution) and helping those in need out of love for mankind (charity).

When politics are involved in the process, it's about taking from those who work and giving to those who refuse to work. There are exceptions, of course, such as someone who really is disabled and cannot work. IOW, the help for the needy is done for the wrong reasons.

Charity, on the other hand, is the right reason to help others because one does it because one truly wants to help those in need. It's not forced, nor is there an ulterior motive in helping.

I agree that there will be some in the church that will not see what it really means to help and falsely attribute it to politics, but there will also be some in the church who will use this to further their liberal political bullshit.

[Hallelujah]

Nice move in a good direction.

This is a directional move? I thought that's what most good members practiced without having it put in a manual. I could be wrong. Wonder how much fast offerings the church collects each sunday.

This new purpose/objective is nothing new.

[wuapinmon]

I don't think I am a jackass because this is my outlook.

Man, I don't think you're a jackass because of this. It's because of lots of other stuff!