Are LDS Church Revenues Really $50 Billion/Year? (Part 2)

In our next conversation with Dr. Michael Quinn, we’ll talk about LDS Church revenues per year. Would you believe it is as high as $50 Billion? Dr. Quinn breaks down how much comes from tithing and for-profit businesses, and also states how many church members pay tithing.

Michael: The tithing has never been 100 percent in payment. And in fact, in the 1990s, a Deseret Book publication said no more than 50 percent in the ’90s, which would be a dramatic improvement over the 1920s. But, it’s always been a part, even of devout members of the church who have paid a full tithing.

…

But, the lowest level that I have reported by a member of the Presiding Bishop was 25 percent and that could be the area that it’s hovering around maybe 25 to 40 percent pay full tithing. But it depends, because I’ve heard praise given during the Cold War. For example, I heard praise given by General Authorities for the members of the church in East Germany, which was a communist, very repressive regime that they paid 80; 80 percent of its membership paid a full tithing of what little they had.

…

So, it varies and I’m sure it varies internationally and people who are very poor give the widow’s mite and this would be true of the poor in many developing countries who barely have enough money to feed themselves and their children. And yet many of them are not exempted from tithing despite that poverty and they do their best and then some succeed to pay 10 percent and still keep their kids from starving. So, I don’t think we should be flippant about the fact that many people don’t pay tithing.

Are LDS General Authorities expected to pay tithing?

Somebody who is a church General Authority, for example, who has no other source of income, but what the church gives him, it’s still expected to pay 10 percent of that back to the church. Otherwise, and I’ve seen the PBO[1] reports. He is defined as a part or no tithe payer.

GT: Do they take away his temple recommend?

Michael: Right, it could happen and it wouldn’t be the first time that a general authority has been threatened with being dropped from office for one reason or another. But, in the tithing reports that I had access to from the 1890s to 1928, typically a general authority who said he was a part-tithe payer was only in that status for a year or two. And then he became a full time payer. Whether there was pressure applied, I don’t know. But, sometimes it did last more than one year.

Check out our conversation…

Dr. Michael Quinn breaks down the percent of tithing and church businesses that contribute to LDS Church revenues. Do they invest in Bitcoins?

[1] I believe PBO stands for Presiding Bishop’s Office. The Presiding Bishop is in charge of church financial affairs for the entire church.

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Don’t forget to check out our previous conversation where we get acquainted with Dr. Quinn and discuss the Deseret Hemp Company!

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Guest: Michael Quinn
LDS Finances, LDS Leaders
Historical Mentions Mormon History
Tags: GT Podcast, iTunes, LDS income, LDS investments, LDS Revenues, LDS Tithing, Tithing

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Date: August 6, 2018
Guest: Michael Quinn
LDS Finances, LDS Leaders
Historical Mentions Mormon History
Tags: GT Podcast, iTunes, LDS income, LDS investments, LDS Revenues, LDS Tithing, Tithing
Posted By: RickB

Table of Contents: Are LDS Church Revenues Really $50 Billion/Year? (Part 2)

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