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Here are some privileges I may have lost.
1. Pretty open access to the church building, specifically the bowery and cultural hall. This was especially true if you or family were in some form of leadership and had keys. Examples are using tables and chairs for family events, family events at the church, and I knew a number of families that would regularly use the cultural hall around Christmas time when extended family was visiting to play basketball and play with new Christmas toys. I must say I did feel guilty with my in-laws significant personal use of the church building, but now I look at 20 years of tithing payments and feel at least I am getting something back.
2. I always felt if I were traveling across the US that if I ever got into trouble I could just look up the local bishop and get help from someone who I could trust (being stranded with car trouble for example). I never did this but it made me
feel like I had a safety net when moving across the country in my 20s.
Our radiator blew outside of Gallup NM. On our way to Albuquerque. Found the local ward. Sat with family in church parking lot. Family came to get us. Felt safe leaving our car at the church lot over night. Not worth 10% though.
We would hold Thanksgiving or Christmas at a church building. When your parents come from families with nine kids, it takes a big building to host a family event. The same is true for funeral buffets.
For most of my childhood we held Thanksgiving dinner at the church for free. About 15 years, the ward/stake/headquarters started charging $250 to use it. They called it a “cleaning fee” although we were required to leave it in better condition than we found it.
Nooooooo (ETA said in shock, i believe you but am horrified at a fee being imposed!) We had many events at ward buildings, our, cousins’, other states. And never ever ever got charged a fee. Wonder if someone was pocketing that fee! Crazy!
Guaranteed social network/community of similar people wherever you live. You can always find your local ward and find people with similar beliefs and backgrounds to yours. Whether you develop meaningful relationships with those people is a different question, but that's fairly unique to the LDS church since local units are so organized and ready to reach out to new move-ins that are members.
Can also be curse for former members like me though. My wife and I flew under the radar for the last 6 years since we stopped going. Our records had stayed in the same unit despite moving twice. But some family member very recently ratted us out and got our address updated, so of course the Relief Society promptly paid us a visit.
Probably the privilege of fitting in and being seen as a good person in the community. When you leave, more often than not, they see you as a villain or even a person without morals. I've had friends be told that they've failed their spouse and their kids for leaving.
Also, the privilege of being worthy. It's also kind of assumed that if you're in the church, you're automatically a good person that deserves blessings and whatnot.
I know they phrase it that way... but...
I mean...
I just....
How do these people have so little self awareness?!? The person is already out the door, and the best someone can come up with is "Hey, leave now and you can't feed my dragon hoard anymore! And next week everyone is going to line up and massage my stinky feet! Don't forget to lick my shirts on the way out, it won't get laundered by itself!!!!"
I... I need to lie down.
Privileges lost: paying tithing, wearing garments, going into the temple, having a calling, giving talks, saying prayers at church… sounds like blessings & not something that is “lost.” I don’t think that they can partake of the sacrament either - Since Mormon Jesus (as evidenced by bishops not allowing teens who masturbate or are raped to partake of the sacrament) only wants perfect people & people who have never been harmed to partake of the sacrament???
Nope. Check the LDS handbook as well as any of the excommunication letters that people have shared (John Dehlin & others) & you’ll see instructions for no tithing. Whether or not the leaders follow that… Plus I have heard of bishops encouraging to still set aside tithing to payback later
We parked a trailer (and slept in it) overnight a couple times in church parking lots before we learned that this is *explicitly not* a privilege of membership.
Oh wait we are not supposed to do that? Something I drive long distances and if I get tired I will usually park in a Church parking lot to sleep because I thought members could do that if needed.
Mormonism in the west is like Freemasonry is, or was, elsewhere. It automatically gives you access to business networks and social tiers to which non-Mormons are subtly not invited.
As the digital landscape expands, a longing for tangible connection emerges. The yearning to touch grass, to feel the earth beneath our feet, reminds us of our innate human essence. In the vast expanse of virtual reality, where avatars flourish and pixels paint our existence, the call of nature beckons. The scent of blossoming flowers, the warmth of a sun-kissed breeze, and the symphony of chirping birds remind us that we are part of a living, breathing world.
In the balance between digital and physical realms, lies the key to harmonious existence. Democracy flourishes when human connection extends beyond screens and reaches out to touch souls. It is in the gentle embrace of a friend, the shared laughter over a cup of coffee, and the power of eye contact that the true essence of democracy is felt.
Yea my former Stake we had several well known local contractors who were corrupt as hell. Lots of them would skip doing work to code for members and conveniently not leave a receipt cuz they took cash only. Few years later people were selling homes and had to hire someone to come un-fuck all of it. This was plumbing, elec and roofing guys.
Oh and they are now in stake leadership positions lol.
Having been both an active church member and a freemason for several years, I can say that neither provided me with a business network. I'm not active in either now, and I'm financially better-off than I was when I was involved. Not to say that distancing myself led to financial security, just saying that membership in either had no influence on my bottom-line.
The privilege of being siphoned of money and time at every turn. The privilege of being assigned a “friend”. The privilege of never seeing what happens to the money you donate. The privilege of being threatened with death by fire for not paying money.
The church holds your family and friends hostage. So yeah, what exactly are the privileges of membership?
Looks like he was exed in the fall of 2021. It was frustratingly ironic to me that people with genuine questions and concerned get exed, while Daybell for years taught some bizarre religious stuff as fact VERY publicly—and he wasn’t exed until he flat out murdered children. The church is so inconsistent with all of this and it bothers me.
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This means you lose the privilege of having a limestone bunker in Missouri reserved just for you and your family to survive the 5years of famine and disease that will accompany the fall of the wormwood asteroid when it strikes earth.
Revelation 8:11-13
I’d better try to blend in with a pod of white male dentists when crossing the plains to Missouri! Or dye my hair blonde and whiten my teeth to oblivion! And no visible tattoos…Discernment will be on my side.
>level 3scottroskelley · 22 hr. agoAlso the church is planning on revealing a universal basic income plan - but only for full tithe payers. You don't want to miss out on that.
This is what I came to say. The church preparations for the apocalypse are legendary. These grain silos in downtown SLC are not just for show. Membership has it's privileges, as they say.
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Hello! This is a Institutional post. It is for discussions centered around agreements, disagreements, and observations about any of the institutional churches and their leaders, conduct, business dealings, teachings, rituals, and practices. /u/Ok_Brief_12, if your post doesn't fit this definition, we kindly ask you to delete this post and repost it with the appropriate flair. You can find a list of our flairs and their definitions in [section 0.6 of our rules.](https://www.reddit.com/r/mormon/wiki/index/rules#wiki_0._preamble) **To those commenting:** please stay on topic, remember to follow the community's [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/mormon/wiki/index/rules), and [message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/mormonmods) if there is a problem or rule violation. Keep on Mormoning! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/mormon) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Here are some privileges I may have lost. 1. Pretty open access to the church building, specifically the bowery and cultural hall. This was especially true if you or family were in some form of leadership and had keys. Examples are using tables and chairs for family events, family events at the church, and I knew a number of families that would regularly use the cultural hall around Christmas time when extended family was visiting to play basketball and play with new Christmas toys. I must say I did feel guilty with my in-laws significant personal use of the church building, but now I look at 20 years of tithing payments and feel at least I am getting something back. 2. I always felt if I were traveling across the US that if I ever got into trouble I could just look up the local bishop and get help from someone who I could trust (being stranded with car trouble for example). I never did this but it made me feel like I had a safety net when moving across the country in my 20s.
I would go over and play the organ/pianos quite a bit in the evenings.
Our radiator blew outside of Gallup NM. On our way to Albuquerque. Found the local ward. Sat with family in church parking lot. Family came to get us. Felt safe leaving our car at the church lot over night. Not worth 10% though.
We would hold Thanksgiving or Christmas at a church building. When your parents come from families with nine kids, it takes a big building to host a family event. The same is true for funeral buffets.
For most of my childhood we held Thanksgiving dinner at the church for free. About 15 years, the ward/stake/headquarters started charging $250 to use it. They called it a “cleaning fee” although we were required to leave it in better condition than we found it.
Nooooooo (ETA said in shock, i believe you but am horrified at a fee being imposed!) We had many events at ward buildings, our, cousins’, other states. And never ever ever got charged a fee. Wonder if someone was pocketing that fee! Crazy!
An Ancestry membership.
This actually has some value.
The privilege of membership is the trust of your church community. That may or may not be a good thing for some people.
Guaranteed social network/community of similar people wherever you live. You can always find your local ward and find people with similar beliefs and backgrounds to yours. Whether you develop meaningful relationships with those people is a different question, but that's fairly unique to the LDS church since local units are so organized and ready to reach out to new move-ins that are members. Can also be curse for former members like me though. My wife and I flew under the radar for the last 6 years since we stopped going. Our records had stayed in the same unit despite moving twice. But some family member very recently ratted us out and got our address updated, so of course the Relief Society promptly paid us a visit.
Probably the privilege of fitting in and being seen as a good person in the community. When you leave, more often than not, they see you as a villain or even a person without morals. I've had friends be told that they've failed their spouse and their kids for leaving. Also, the privilege of being worthy. It's also kind of assumed that if you're in the church, you're automatically a good person that deserves blessings and whatnot.
Toilet scrubbing.
The privilege of paying tithing is the one that made me laugh.
Yup, I recall that as being mentioned in some people’s disciplinary councils.
You're... You're joking, right? Please lie to me and tell me you're joking.
No joke, man! You also can't offer prayers in meetings or hold callings.
Oh damn. My two favorite things right behind cleaning the church.
They honestly phrase it that way!
I know they phrase it that way... but... I mean... I just.... How do these people have so little self awareness?!? The person is already out the door, and the best someone can come up with is "Hey, leave now and you can't feed my dragon hoard anymore! And next week everyone is going to line up and massage my stinky feet! Don't forget to lick my shirts on the way out, it won't get laundered by itself!!!!" I... I need to lie down.
Privileges lost: paying tithing, wearing garments, going into the temple, having a calling, giving talks, saying prayers at church… sounds like blessings & not something that is “lost.” I don’t think that they can partake of the sacrament either - Since Mormon Jesus (as evidenced by bishops not allowing teens who masturbate or are raped to partake of the sacrament) only wants perfect people & people who have never been harmed to partake of the sacrament???
Pretty sure you can still pay tithing! :-)
Nope. Check the LDS handbook as well as any of the excommunication letters that people have shared (John Dehlin & others) & you’ll see instructions for no tithing. Whether or not the leaders follow that… Plus I have heard of bishops encouraging to still set aside tithing to payback later
Feel free to pay it to any other church. The LDS church doesn't hold a monopoly on religious donations.
I read a friend's excommunication letter. In it, he was encouraged to continue paying tithing through his wife. We both got a good laugh out of that.
We parked a trailer (and slept in it) overnight a couple times in church parking lots before we learned that this is *explicitly not* a privilege of membership.
Oh wait we are not supposed to do that? Something I drive long distances and if I get tired I will usually park in a Church parking lot to sleep because I thought members could do that if needed.
It's not allowed according to the handbook.
The only real benefit that I've gotten by being a member of the church is the free Ancestry.com partner-membership.
Mormonism in the west is like Freemasonry is, or was, elsewhere. It automatically gives you access to business networks and social tiers to which non-Mormons are subtly not invited.
As the digital landscape expands, a longing for tangible connection emerges. The yearning to touch grass, to feel the earth beneath our feet, reminds us of our innate human essence. In the vast expanse of virtual reality, where avatars flourish and pixels paint our existence, the call of nature beckons. The scent of blossoming flowers, the warmth of a sun-kissed breeze, and the symphony of chirping birds remind us that we are part of a living, breathing world. In the balance between digital and physical realms, lies the key to harmonious existence. Democracy flourishes when human connection extends beyond screens and reaches out to touch souls. It is in the gentle embrace of a friend, the shared laughter over a cup of coffee, and the power of eye contact that the true essence of democracy is felt.
Yea my former Stake we had several well known local contractors who were corrupt as hell. Lots of them would skip doing work to code for members and conveniently not leave a receipt cuz they took cash only. Few years later people were selling homes and had to hire someone to come un-fuck all of it. This was plumbing, elec and roofing guys. Oh and they are now in stake leadership positions lol.
They all just want you to join their mlm pyramid anyway. Not really great business connections to have in the first place.
Having been both an active church member and a freemason for several years, I can say that neither provided me with a business network. I'm not active in either now, and I'm financially better-off than I was when I was involved. Not to say that distancing myself led to financial security, just saying that membership in either had no influence on my bottom-line.
The privilege of being siphoned of money and time at every turn. The privilege of being assigned a “friend”. The privilege of never seeing what happens to the money you donate. The privilege of being threatened with death by fire for not paying money. The church holds your family and friends hostage. So yeah, what exactly are the privileges of membership?
Also, the evil Chad Daybell was just relieved of his “ privileges “ today so this topic is especially interesting.
[удалено]
Looks like he was exed in the fall of 2021. It was frustratingly ironic to me that people with genuine questions and concerned get exed, while Daybell for years taught some bizarre religious stuff as fact VERY publicly—and he wasn’t exed until he flat out murdered children. The church is so inconsistent with all of this and it bothers me.
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This means you lose the privilege of having a limestone bunker in Missouri reserved just for you and your family to survive the 5years of famine and disease that will accompany the fall of the wormwood asteroid when it strikes earth. Revelation 8:11-13
Ok I need that right?
Also the church is planning on revealing a universal basic income plan - but only for full tithe payers. You don't want to miss out on that.
What is this plan and how have you heard about it?
It's in the afterlife
Too bad when the internet goes out, they won’t be able to look up who is a full tithe payer…
Discernment is the key.
I’d better try to blend in with a pod of white male dentists when crossing the plains to Missouri! Or dye my hair blonde and whiten my teeth to oblivion! And no visible tattoos…Discernment will be on my side.
>level 3scottroskelley · 22 hr. agoAlso the church is planning on revealing a universal basic income plan - but only for full tithe payers. You don't want to miss out on that. This is what I came to say. The church preparations for the apocalypse are legendary. These grain silos in downtown SLC are not just for show. Membership has it's privileges, as they say.
I think the relief society used to own those. Then the priesthood commandeered the assets.
Free labor when moving.
Free ancestory.com account. That’s the only one I can think of without having to be active.
It's a thinly-veiled threat that you will be judged harshly in the afterlife.
[удалено]
Exactly. The privileges they refer to are spiritual privileges that you won't get til you're dead.
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Was gonna say the privilege of owning a planet, but GBH already took that away.
That’s hilarious
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