How Do LDS Men Rise In Church Hierarchy?

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Is it just me or does it seem like almost all the upper leadership of the LDS church are wealthy career-type men? Businessmen, lawyers, doctors, dentists, etc? This is what you might expect of politicians, but it seems strange that this would be the case for a church. I mean, is it just a coincidence or does the amount of tithing one pays somehow translate into church leadership advancement opportunities? Even down to stake presents and bishops–they all tend to be of the same mold.
 
I saw a lot of successful men who do their callings, don’t ask questions, pay tithing and don’t complain. It’s very strange. No one blue collar can rise in the ranks. There might be some farmers, police officers or bus drivers in your local leadership but not much higher.

I was LDS for years and only had calling in the Elders Quorum, Cub Scout leader, etc.
 
By assassinating their predecessors.

Oh wait, that’s the mirror universe LDS.

I admit, you’ve stumped me.
 
I seriously doubt it has anything to do with tithing or how much they make. I have known bishops and stake presidents who had very modest incomes. Boyd K Packer worked in the Church Education System which notoriously pays poorly yet somehow he amassed millions during his time as an apostle. I believe those at the top get a very generous stipend and don’t pay any tithing or taxes.
 
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They don’t pay tithing, and they live very comfortable lives. I’ve had friends who have seen their houses. The average LDS works so hard to support them. I’m so glad I woke up. My parish priest is a very humble and wonderful man.

Edited because I made a mistake the first time and didn’t add a word.
 
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OKComputer said:
No one blue collar can rise in the ranks.
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That seems really odd to me. What does being a successful white collar businessman have to do with being a general authority or an apostle? What does that have to do with being a representative of Christ? You would expect to see a wide range of backgrounds in those positions, but you don’t. It’s like only a certain elite economic group gets considered for the higher up positions.
 
Agree 100%. Word for word. Some of the best men I know are the ones who work in factories, retail stores, landscapers, truck drivers, etc.

I left the LDS church because of the numerous historical and scientific problems with Mormonism, but there are a lot of problems with how the church functions too. I do NOT mean to offend any LDS here and I apologize if I do.
 
Grant Palmer also said that once they are an apostle, they are given 1 million dollars to pay off their debt so they can focus on church issues. They are also given a new bank account so anyone looking wont see anything fishy going on. I’m not sure how much of it is true but knowing that the lds church built that billion dollar shopping center would make me question things about their church and leadership. No church should be spending peoples tithings on things that have nothing to do with religion. And before any lds members say “its not tithings”, ask yourself where does the money come from? Tithings built your church along with donations.
 
I don’t know about the details that Palmer gave about the million dollars but it wouldn’t surprise me . I liked his book, “Insiders View on Mormon Origins.”

We agree totally that no church should be building malls and buying land with money that hard working people give them. Outrageous!
 
I think the business end of Mormonism is often overlooked because of all the other kooky historical and doctrinal issues. But the church has no financial accountability to it’s membership whatsoever. The membership gets no specifics of where their tithing money goes.
 
I’ve been to that mall multiple times on visits to Salt Lake. Why would a church build a shopping mall?
 
I wish I knew, and I wish more active LDS cared about it. These are people who basically agree with the leadership 100% and do as they are told.

And boy Chris, you are SO right that-the membership is in the dark. The worst part is if the leadership of the church was totally open and told them exactly where every dime went, members still wouldn’t care. So tragic.
 
I tend to think that there is a reason the Mormon church does not make it’s financials known to the membership. Perhaps they know that if they did, there would huge problems when the membership found out.

Back to the original topic…as a Catholic looking at this I know that all of our leaders are priests, which means they had to give up any chance of ever being wealthy. I know there are a few exceptions perhaps of criminal priests who defrauded parishes or something, but by and large our leaders are not amassing great personal wealth while doing their job. I don’t see how doing so could jive with being a sheppard of God’s people. I don’t have a problem with people making money, but when church leaders are doing it, that seems to be the opposite of what Jesus preached to His followers.

It does seem quite the opposite with LDS. You pretty much only see wealthy professionals make it past bishop. The question is why.
 
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Seems like the bishops and stake presidents I’ve seen are all wealthy professionals for the most part. There are a few exceptions for bishops but not for anything above that.
 
Yes I heard the same story related by Palmer from his meeting with an anonymous GA. Mr. Palmer has a long reputation of being an honest man so it comes down to what the anonymous GA said. Either he was telling the truth or not. I’m betting on the former.
 
Chris-Wa1 said:
Is it just me or does it seem like almost all the upper leadership of the LDS church are wealthy career-type men? Businessmen, lawyers, doctors, dentists, etc?
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The Mormon faith doesn’t have a professional clergy class. It varies a lot from Catholicism or Protestant denominations, where someone who is called to become a pastor attends a seminary and devotes their entire life for many years to get ordained.

In the LDS, basically all of the men are ordained as priests, and their local church leadership serves without compensation.

Actually, it makes eminent sense that men who are successful in their business lives and professions would rise within the ranks of leadership. Natural leaders are leaders regardless of the realm, and since no particular seminary education or other special requirements are needed, this is what I would expect
 
OKComputer said:
I don’t know about the details that Palmer gave about the million dollars but it wouldn’t surprise me . I liked his book, “Insiders View on Mormon Origins.”

We agree totally that no church should be building malls and buying land with money that hard working people give them. Outrageous!
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The Corporation of the President is a business and it’s their job to make money. The City Creek Mall has apparently been a pretty good business venture, so it’s making money. It’s doing what they hoped it would do . . . to the best of my understanding. Does that justify spending tithing monies on malls? Not in my opinion. But if you give money to the Mormon church, or any church for that matter, you shouldn’t be complaining how it’s spent. Don’t like it? Don’t give.
 
Lemuel said:
But if you give money to the Mormon church, or any church for that matter, you shouldn’t be complaining how it’s spent. Don’t like it? Don’t give.
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Except in Mormondom no tithing = no temple recommend = no eternal family. So it’s not so simple for them to say, contribute their tithing money elsewhere to a more worthy cause if they don’t like how the church is using it. It would be a very interesting experiment if the church stopped making tithing a requirement for keeping a temple recommend.
 
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Augustinian said:
Actually, it makes eminent sense that men who are successful in their business lives and professions would rise within the ranks of leadership. Natural leaders are leaders regardless of the realm, and since no particular seminary education or other special requirements are needed, this is what I would expect
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The church would never say that though. These men are chosen through revelation they would say. Apparently in modern times God only chooses wealthy professional men to be leaders in the church. Sorry fishermen.
 
Right. The leadership of the church holds tithing above your head-Chris-Wa1 hits it out of the park.

Don’t ever forget the power the LDS culture has over people, especially in Utah
 
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