Mormons to build 32 story bldg in Philadelphia

[PaulDupre1]

The head in the sand approach…works well for a lot of members.

AKA: “the shelf”. Mormons, when they learn something that is not faith-promoting, tend to “put it on the shelf” of questions to be addressed at some later time after “more light and truth” has been given to the LDS church leadership.

Generally, it is only when the shelf breaks under the weight of the issues placed upon it, that the Mormon begins to think outside the Mormon box and studies his/her way out of Mormonism.

At least, that’s the way it happened for me.

Paul (formerly LDS, now happily Catholic)

 

[twopekinguys]

Hi SpeSalvi,

Could you cite your source that tithing money is being used here? I haven’t seen anything about the source of the funds. The LDS church does own various for-profit corporations totally unaffiliated with tithing money, I’m assuming one of those entities are involved here. Yes indeed, for-profit corporate entities perform actions of a corporate entity.

On a related tangent, can anyone point me to a good source on businesses owned by the Catholic church? All I can find on the internet are vague and unsourced talk of hospitals and colleges and bankruptcies, usually by outside sources.

Where did the money to form, create, or buy the “for profit corporations” come from?

Could it be tithing money? Simply follow the paper trail.

Also, I’m sure the mormon church “invests” some, if not all of the tithing money somewhere. Could it be into one of the “for profit corporations”?

Not really that hard to figure out that it is tithing money being spent.

 

[taylorf]

AKA: “the shelf”. Mormons, when they learn something that is not faith-promoting, tend to “put it on the shelf” of questions to be addressed at some later time after “more light and truth” has been given to the LDS church leadership.

Generally, it is only when the shelf breaks under the weight of the issues placed upon it, that the Mormon begins to think outside the Mormon box and studies his/her way out of Mormonism.

At least, that’s the way it happened for me.

Paul (formerly LDS, now happily Catholic)

Absolutely. Same for me and from what I’ve seen in a lot of others, although my shelf started collapsing as quickly as I started filling it. I could always accept God working in mysterious ways…but not the idea of God abandoning all logic and reason in dealing with the ministry of his church.

 

[taylorf]

The LDS church does own various for-profit corporations totally unaffiliated with tithing money.

To think that any church financial activity was not at one point sourced from tithing money is just plain naive.

 

[iepuras]

To think that any church financial activity was not at one point sourced from tithing money is just plain naive.

This ^^^

It all started with tithing funds at some point. I would LOVE to get my hands on a full org chart, the financial statements and tax returns, but I ain’t holdin’ my breath.

 

[twopekinguys]

This is one of the fascinating things about mormonism.

Doctrine and theology is as free as the wind, and everyone has their own interpretation, and that changes as often as the wind.

Make a comment about tithing money, and all of a sudden they want finite details, references, 3 CPA’s and an attorney to prove the point to them. (and they still won’t accept it)

Mind boggling to say the least.

 

[taylorf]

This ^^^

It all started with tithing funds at some point. I would LOVE to get my hands on a full org chart, the financial statements and tax returns, but I ain’t holdin’ my breath.

I used to cringe when people would reference the church as LDS Inc. Until I found out it really is legally set up as the Corporation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I joke about it quite a bit, but to me it really is just a giant hedge fund except that investors don’t get any return.

 

[phil19034]

Here is an article about a new skyscraper going up in Philadelphia:

philly.com/philly/news/20140213_Mormons_to_build_32-story_tower_in_Center_City.html

This will only be about a block away from the Cathedral Basilica and the Archdiocese’s high rise office building. If it doesn’t work out for the Mormons, maybe Opus Dei can move in

 

[zaffiroborant]

I’m a construction worker who’s laid off at the moment due to the disgusting weather we’ve been having, so I think I have an interesting take on the coffee part of it.

New construction has a unique set of conditions that workers have to deal with. There will be 32 floors; but there will be no functional bathrooms until shortly before the building is “turned over” to the client/owner.

The general contractor provides outhouses (sometimes referred to as “porta-potties”, or “blue lagoons”) for the workers to do their business in.

HOWEVER, nobody ever provides these for every floor. Maybe every third floor at the most; because the outhouses have to be rented, and the company that owns them comes a few times a week to clean and empty them. That takes time and money. Money to rent them, and more money to clean them.

What also takes time and money is leaving your work area to go to the bathroom when the bathroom is three stories away. You can wait for the construction hoist (a temporary elevator on the exterior of the building to move men and materials) to take you to the right floor (depending on how busy the operator of the hoist is, that could be a while); OR you can take the stairs (that can take a while, too).

That is lost time, lost productivity, and if the bathroom is far; that can cause discomfort for the worker too.

**That’s why I NEVER drink coffee at work; because coffee is one of those things that just makes you have to “go”. **

Of course, I would never tell ANYONE what they can’t drink at work (booze excepted, of course); but in MY opinion, coffee may wake you up and keep you going… but coffee ‘keeps you going,’ too.

Maybe the Mormons see this as a cost-cutting measure, too?

Actually, the last two jobs I was on; no smoking, food, or drink (except water) was allowed inside the building. We had a break area set up on the property (a pretty nice little temp building was built there for us to eat in), but no food or smoking.

But coffee? Usually a bad idea. You may have to run for it if you have too much

Soda is far worse for me in the making you go category. I worked in an office for years and drank coffee from the time I got in until lunch, I never had to visit the bathroom more than once, if that during working hours. There was one summer I wound up working in the warehouse which had no air conditioning, so I replaced my coffee with soda since it was to hot to drink coffee. Sprite had me going pee quite a bit more, it was a big nuisance because I had to go upstairs and half way across the building.

 

[pablope]

Quote:
Originally Posted by NeuroTypical View Post

And depends on a large part…by donations and endowments…not profits.

 

[Mike_from_NJ]

rfournier, thank you for the heads-up. I never thought of restroom breaks!

 

[SpeSalvi]

To think that any church financial activity was not at one point sourced from tithing money is just plain naive.

So much this.

I really have no information on Catholic for-prifit ventures. Our diocese specifically funds our schools, the building of new parishes/parish centers, helps out with the Franciscan Friars of The Renewal (an order of friars that work face to face with our area’s poorest and mentally disturbed), and I know a good chunk goes to Catholic Charities, which if you haven’t heard of this particular charity before it’s worth looking into.
Since our diocese is pretty transparent, I know for a fact that we don’t have enough money left over after taking care of our community’s needs to spend any on for-profit ventures. And if it did, it would probably go to our community’s needs anyway.

I would assume that God’s Church on Earth acts like a Church, not a corporation. If you’re comfortable with the LDS Church sinking THAT much time and money into things that won’t remotely help those around them, more power to ya. I don’t have the stomach for it.