church assistance and ipad

[Tick's wife]

so is it just me or is there something wrong when members who receive church assistance show up to church with ipads or in a mercedes benz? But then again, I don't know their entire circumstance so I can't judge but it looks pretty bad, no?

[Indy Coug]

What about members that are illegal aliens with big HDTVs and are getting church assistance? That looks pretty bad too.

[Slim]

Makes me glad I don't know who is on church assistance and who isn't.

[Indy Coug]

Makes me glad I don't know who is on church assistance and who isn't.

Ignorance is indeed bliss.

[DapperDan]

yeah, it looks pretty bad.

When my dad was bishop he had a family that had bought themselves into church assistance. IIRC, he gave them some assistance but told them if they didn't get rid of some of their stuff and cut their expenses he would cut them off.

[Levin]

Same reason it looked bad when most of the LDS student families at my law school were on Medicaid and WIC, but always got the latest iPod, new leather couches, went out to eat all the time, etc.

The non-LDS families were fairly scandalized, as were those of us who remember some of the pioneer ethic of self-sufficiency.

Medicaid and WIC among LDS student families constitute at this point a self-perpetuating cartel where the student families recruit the newbies and tell them how great it is, telling them it's not a big deal and helping them get over the initial uneasiness with the entire enterprise. I always found it interesting that not one of our friends on Medicaid or WIC told their parents about it, and actively hid the fact when their parents visited. But they loved their Banana Republic jeans, macbooks, and Acuras.

I may have $10,000 more in student loans because I paid for my own babies, milk, and cheese, but for self-respect, it's a bargain.

[ERCougar]

Same reason it looked bad when most of the LDS student families at my law school were on Medicaid and WIC, but always got the latest iPod, new leather couches, went out to eat all the time, etc.

The non-LDS families were fairly scandalized, as were those of us who remember some of the pioneer ethic of self-sufficiency.

Medicaid and WIC among LDS student families constitute at this point a self-perpetuating cartel where the student families recruit the newbies and tell them how great it is, telling them it's not a big deal and helping them get over the initial uneasiness with the entire enterprise. I always found it interesting that not one of our friends on Medicaid or WIC told their parents about it, and actively hid the fact when their parents visited. But they loved their Banana Republic jeans, macbooks, and Acuras.

I may have $10,000 more in student loans, but for self-respect, it's a bargain.

There is a third path, you know. How about not buying the Banana Republic jeans and the macbooks and the acura?

We lived like paupers in med school and residency. I had no problems taking WIC and Medicaid help along with my subsidized student loans for our (unexpected) pregnancy and childbirth that occurred ten months into our marriage. The other option would be to drop out of medical school and default on the loans I had already picked up. Some of us don't have rich parents to turn to for help (or wouldn't if we could).

Isn't this exactly what these aid programs are for? Getting you back on your feet again? Considering the free care and taxes I give back, I think I was a pretty good investment.

[Pheidippides]

There is a third path, you know. How about not buying the Banana Republic jeans and the macbooks and the acura?

We lived like paupers in med school and residency. I had no problems taking WIC and Medicaid help along with my subsidized student loans for our (unexpected) pregnancy and childbirth that occurred ten months into our marriage. The other option would be to drop out of medical school and default on the loans I had already picked up. Some of us don't have rich parents to turn to for help (or wouldn't if we could).

Isn't this exactly what these aid programs are for? Getting you back on your feet again? Considering the free care and taxes I give back, I think I was a pretty good investment.

Yup. This was me too. I'm paying for it now - but I wouldn't be able to pay now if I hadn't taken Medicaid (we didn't do WIC that I recall) back then. It's a net positive to the Gov't and it was a net positive to me.

[Tick's wife]

I did medicaid, WIC, and food stamps when I was a single parent but I also went to school and received my BA so that I could pay back, to society, what I used to help me get through. I had the bare necessities. I hated seeing people that abused the system. Shoot, I even paid tithing on my welfare check, after I joined the church (not realizing I didn't have to).

When we were on one income, Tick and I, we had medicaid because his insurance and income was not that good and then we had WIC because we could and it helped us out a lot. We were not on it long but long enough to recover from having a baby. Other than that, he worked his butt off to provide the basics and we worked opposite shifts and then eventually I went back to work....only once did we ask for assistance and that is because someone said something to the Bishop and we paid it back through service.

[Sullyute]

Isn't this exactly what these aid programs are for? Getting you back on your feet again? Considering the free care and taxes I give back, I think I was a pretty good investment.

I witnessed the same thing in school and struggled with it a lot. I worked full time to help support my family and I was bitter towards those that didn't. Now that I can look back at it with perspective I have changed my attitude and cannot say that I would honestly make the same choice had I the chance to do it again.

These programs are there for this very reason. Why should people who are seeking an education and will pay back into the system X times the amount that they take out during those few years in school not be able to take advantage of it? There is nothing wrong with it and there should be no shame among members that do. I hope that more LDS & non-LDS student families and those in bad financial situations turn to those programs so that they can become more productive citizens (and members) in the long haul.

[Tick's wife]

our parents couldn't help us let alone, wanted to. they figure it's our life, we need to deal with it. That is what they did and that is what we did.

[wuapinmon]

It has been my experience that people who get welfare from the Church often didn't arrive at that point by making correct decisions. It's not (y)our money anyway.

[The_Tick]

It has been my experience that people who get welfare from the Church often didn't arrive at that point by making correct decisions. It's not (y)our money anyway.

Church support is paid from Fast Offering money. Which I pay. So in a roundabout way...it is my money.

[Indy Coug]

Church support is paid from Fast Offering money. Which I pay. So in a roundabout way...it is my money.

Once it hits the hand of a member of the bishopric, it ain't your money any longer.

[The_Tick]

Once it hits the hand of a member of the bishopric, it ain't your money any longer.

Which I do see as a huge problem.

As a member of the Church I would love to see a copy of the books.

My faith gets smaller and smaller every year.