Money and Heavenly Favor

[moksha]

On a number of occasions, I have heard my fellow Mormons talk about the relationship between financial wealth and having been especially worthy in the pre-existence. That idea has always seemed to me to be rigged in favor of the wealthy.

I recently read that the worldwide charity organization, Oxfam, has calculated that eight men - six of them American (headed by Bill Gates) - have the same net worth as the bottom 3.6 billion people in the world. None of these Super Eight are Mormons, so what does that mean? Did their heavenly accolades place them beyond the need for Mormonism or does it illustrate the bogus nature of this pre-existence reward idea?

[Rob4Hope]

The whole idea of money and worthiness is bull. What is funny is the contradictions in the LDS scriptures. The BoM has a whole section on this--ye will seek riches to bless your neighbor....period.

Part of the LDS tradition is to justify things while ignoring their very scripture. The Corporation of the President doesn't use its wealth to lift people as much as it appears it uses its wealth to build shopping centers.

[Corsair]

This is among the thinnest of flimsy folk doctrines and all possibilities are structured to make faithful church members remain faithful.

• Wealthy and Faithful Mormon: Obviously they are blessed and possibly this is due to the faithful service in the pre-existence so they can continue to serve the Kingdom of God on earth
• Poor and Faithful Mormon: Their righteousness will not be debated, but their humility and useful service will be mildly appreciated. Plus they are at the top of the list for cleaning church toilets.
• Wealthy Apostates: Alma 30:60 Satan will drag them down at the last day, just you watch.
• Poor Apostates: God does not "open the windows of heaven" and bless the unfaithful so their poverty is expected.

There is no conceivable situation that is allowed to put the LDS church belief system in a bad light. More generally, the LDS church does not have a solution to the Problem of Evil that is any improvement over any other Christian attempt to understand the nature of suffering.

[Rob4Hope]

OK...so here is an inconsistency that just rankles me to no end.

I remember when Boyd K. Packer came to a stake conference many years ago. Our SP made sure every ward had multiple talks about how we stand as a sign of respect for the Apostle when he entered the room--and how we were to show deference and respect to this "Man of God". But here is what just totally blows my mind....

The LDS faith teaches that children who are severely handicapped were "so righteous in the pre-existence that they have no need for testing--they are Going to be EXHAULTED." So, on one side you have this guy Packer who is NOT guaranteed exhaultation (unless you are up on the "second anointing" stuff--supposedly), and on the other side, you have this handicapped child tied into his electronic wheel-chair as he contorts his body and his eyes roll back in his head.

How come no-one is standing in respect to the kid in the chair? From LDS Theology,...that child IS BETTER OFF THAN BOYD!

I recall how I felt when everyone went silent and stood, how Boyd and his wife walked in, and everyone was in the most solemn manner and all that.

Back then I was TBM all the way,...and it felt like idol worship to me...It really did. Now, it creeps me right out.....

These men are setup up like Gods...they are worshiped.

[MerrieMiss]

When I was home from college I went to Gospel Principles with my mom. She was a ward missionary. My parents have always struggled financially, so when it was taught that wealth is the blessing for faithfulness, she spoke up and very naively said she didn’t understand why god was withholding blessings from her since she was faithful member of the church and did everything she was asked.

The teacher, a well-to-do businessman in the ward drew a dollar sign that took up the entire size of the chalkboard. “The lord doesn’t bless you because this,” pointing to the dollar sign, “is what you really worship.” My mother was very embarrassed. I couldn’t believe she actually asked the question and his response only confirmed my already low opinion of him.

The idea that wealth is tied to faithfulness has never made sense to me; most people in the world who have wealth are people that are not doing what the LDS church believes god wants them to be doing.

A reward system based upon actions in the pre-existence makes very little sense. I was taught that the most faithful in the pre-existence were born into the church. Shouldn’t the most faithful be born outside of it and be able to find the truth? Shouldn’t the path be easier for those who have the least faith? And if wealth is tied to faithfulness in the pre-existence, why was the Smith family so poor? So many questions…