Sexy Healthy Wealthy

The headline reads “Utah Bankruptcies soar 56% from a year ago…..” Full article here

Utah has a teensy debt problem.  The Church has answers: in the last General Conference (a bi-yearly 2 day event full of hypnotic speeches and lots of oreos around the TV) Mormons were taught by Robert D Hales:

“Today I speak to all whose freedom to choose has been diminished by the effects of ill-advised choices of the past. I speak specifically of choices that have led to excessive debt and addictions to food, drugs, pornography, and other patterns of thought and action that diminish one’s sense of self-worth. All of these excesses affect us individually and undermine our family relationships. Of course some debt incurred for education, a modest home, or a basic automobile may be necessary to provide for a family. Unfortunately however, additional debt is incurred when we cannot control our wants and addictive impulses. And for both debt and addiction, the hopeful solution is the same—we must turn to the Lord and follow His commandments. We must want more than anything else to change our lives so that we can break the cycle of debt and our uncontrolled wants.

Being provident providers, we must keep that most basic commandment, “Thou shalt not covet” (Exodus 20:17). Our world is fraught with feelings of entitlement. Some of us feel embarrassed, ashamed, less worthwhile if our family does not have everything the neighbors have. As a result, we go into debt to buy things we can’t afford—and things we do not really need. Whenever we do this, we become poor temporally and spiritually. We give away some of our precious, priceless agency and put ourselves in self-imposed servitude. Money we could have used to care for ourselves and others must now be used to pay our debts. What remains is often only enough to meet our most basic physical needs. Living at the subsistence level, we become depressed, our self-worth is affected, and our relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and the Lord are weakened. We do not have the time, energy, or interest to seek spiritual things.”

Then there is a sad story about buying his wife a fancy coat to show his appreciation to her and the first thing she says is “Where would I wear it?”  For some reason I think that’s sad, but maybe I’m alone there.  I mean, where would she wear it? On a date?  Hahahahah….right.

Anyway…to continue the lesson….

“The foundation of provident living is the law of the tithe. The primary purpose of this law is to help us develop faith in our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Tithing helps us overcome our desires for the things of this world and willingly make sacrifices for others. Tithing is the great equitable law, for no matter how rich or poor we are, all of us pay the same one-tenth of our increase annually (see D&C 119:4), and all of us receive blessings so great “that there shall not be room enough to receive [them]” (Malachi 3:10).”  Full article here.

So…let me get this straight…you’re not even going to address commanding young people into having kids they can’t afford.  You’re not even going to address one-income families because women need to stay home.  You’re not even going to address the lack of education for women that absolutely have to work.  You’re not even going to address the church as a part time job for most people, time that could be spent actually earning money to support all their kids. Really?

PAY YOUR TITHING!  10% of your income - BEFORE taxes goes to the church. 

Why on earth would these intelligent, loyal hard working people do such a thing?  They will tell you faith, they will tell you of countless blessings they have received as a result of paying tithing.  And I would have told you the same thing.

Until I reached a time, on my own, when I couldn’t afford tithing- I could barely afford rent.  I was working at a temp job, and kept very careful track of my hours and money earned.  One day I received a check in the mail.  They had sent me the same check twice.  When I tried to give it back to them, they refused.  They couldn’t take it back, with their computer system.  They said go ahead and cash it, so I did.

My roommates were overjoyed.  “It’s a good thing you pay your tithing!  SEE!  See how paying your tithing blesses you!  Good for you!  Yay!”

I couldn’t bring myself to tell them that I HADN’T been paying my tithing.  That somehow the Universe (or this benevolent computer glitch) had blessed me anyway.  And besides that, I was stunned.  And I can tell you many times of when I’ve been blessed, when money came when I needed it most.  I’ve always felt provided for–without paying any of my income to the Church.

So Mormons…..I was able to automatically give myself a full 10% pay raise….ASK ME HOW.

And don’t think that you Americans are any better in this area….what do you choose to spend YOUR money on that you’ve been told will make you happy?  Mormons are exposed to a powerful marketing plan with deep pockets. 

What’s yours?

<i took this pic in nyc, chinatown>