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It was 1984, and my mother was dying from cancer. She was diagnosed almost three years before, and was bedridden. She had suffered and gone through all the treatments, and was receiving end-of-life hospice care at home. The bishop (and counselors) came occasionally to visit. My mother had taken early retirement (at age 62) after she was diagnosed, and her only income was her small SocSec checks. She had worked at mostly low-paying jobs.
My mother had always paid her tithing on her gross income (as we were all instructed) when she was working. We were told then that we wouldn't have to pay tithing on our SocSec when we retired, because we had paid tithing on our SS taxes when we were younger. Anyway, my mother asked the bishop about this while on her sick bed, and he said, "It's up to you" whether she should continue paying tithing. Of course, my mother decided that she needed to pay tithing on her SocSec checks, too, and the bishop accepted it.
One evening, the bishop was in my mother's room during a visit. My father was elsewhere in the house, doing something. My father said that he entered his wife's bedroom and saw that the bishop had his hand in his wife's purse, taking money. My mother had apparently asked the bishop to get her tithing money from her purse (that was across the room) because she was too weak to get out of bed. My father later understood that his wife had asked the bishop to get the money, but he later told us "It still didn't look right." She died a few months later.
My mother had always paid her tithing on her gross income (as we were all instructed) when she was working. We were told then that we wouldn't have to pay tithing on our SocSec when we retired, because we had paid tithing on our SS taxes when we were younger. Anyway, my mother asked the bishop about this while on her sick bed, and he said, "It's up to you" whether she should continue paying tithing. Of course, my mother decided that she needed to pay tithing on her SocSec checks, too, and the bishop accepted it.
One evening, the bishop was in my mother's room during a visit. My father was elsewhere in the house, doing something. My father said that he entered his wife's bedroom and saw that the bishop had his hand in his wife's purse, taking money. My mother had apparently asked the bishop to get her tithing money from her purse (that was across the room) because she was too weak to get out of bed. My father later understood that his wife had asked the bishop to get the money, but he later told us "It still didn't look right." She died a few months later.
The Mormon church's mantra:
What's ours is ours.
What's yours is ours.
And anything leftover, we'll take.
What's ours is ours.
What's yours is ours.
And anything leftover, we'll take.
... a metaphor of the lds church's attitude toward tithing: 'we don't mind taking it from the sick and dying - as long as we get it...'
It's always a terrible thing to do.
Even with permission.
Always hand the purse/handbag to the owner for them to take out what they want taken out.
Even with permission.
Always hand the purse/handbag to the owner for them to take out what they want taken out.
It's very poor form. : (
He should not have reached into the lady's purse. It would be easy enough to talk to her husband who could have written him a check or given him the cash if he agreed.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2010 02:25PM by Cheryl.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2010 02:25PM by Cheryl.