Mitt Romney's name came up on the board recently, as it does from time to time. I am curious to know if anyone has knowledge of his current church calling, and also his current ward and/or stake. Has anyone ever worshipped with him?

From my understanding, in recent years he has established Utah as his permanent home. He has a main home in (possibly) the Salt Lake Valley, and a shared resort home in Deer Valley. He also maintains homes in La Jolla and in New Hampshire. There may be an additional shared family property south of Ontario. He has sold his condo in Belmont, Mass. One article that I skimmed stated that he and Ann spend a great deal of time visiting their sons and their families, now numbering more than 20 grandchildren. His homes are located in close proximity to their son's homes, but now they stay at Tag's house in Belmont when they visit his family.

With all the travel, I can't imagine that he has time for a demanding calling. I do know that he was a bishop in Belmont in the 80s for about five years, and a stake president for the Boston stake at some point after that.

Romney's a poster boy for LDS Inc. His election has been made sure. I'd bet normal rules, including 10% tithing, don't apply. Neither do callings.

StillAnon Wrote:
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> Romney's a poster boy for LDS Inc. His election
> has been made sure. I'd bet normal rules,
> including 10% tithing, don't apply. Neither do
> callings.


Bullshit.

I think I understand your reaction...

But consider... The Rich are not like you and I.

What if Mitt told the appropriate personage, "When I move on to Paradise, la iglesia mormona gets 22.5% of my gross (pre-tax) estate, or more, depending what saves the most for my other heirs."

Then factor in his 2nd Anointing, which if I were a clever church, wouldn't be until the first item had been set in stone.

Once the 2nd Anointing was in place, Mitt doesn't have to do diddly; he doesn't have to pay tithing, etc. His TR is automatically renewed, even if it is mailed in care of the Romney whorehouse, Tijuana, Mexico.

I sincerely believe the Brethren truly know and appreciate being coddled, and they have put a price on it, that once paid, they make good on.

If you have something other than a vehement (and well deserved) opinion, I'd like to hear it... Convince me that patronage doesn't exist in mormonism.

elderolddog Wrote:
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> I think I understand your reaction...
>
> But consider... The Rich are not like you and I.
>
> What if Mitt told the appropriate personage, "When
> I move on to Paradise, la iglesia mormona gets
> 22.5% of my gross (pre-tax) estate, or more,
> depending what saves the most for my other heirs."
>
>
> Then factor in his 2nd Anointing, which if I were
> a clever church, wouldn't be until the first item
> had been set in stone.
>
> Once the 2nd Anointing was in place, Mitt doesn't
> have to do diddly; he doesn't have to pay tithing,
> etc. His TR is automatically renewed, even if it
> is mailed in care of the Romney whorehouse,
> Tijuana, Mexico.
>
> I sincerely believe the Brethren truly know and
> appreciate being coddled, and they have put a
> price on it, that once paid, they make good on.
>
> If you have something other than a vehement (and
> well deserved) opinion, I'd like to hear it...
> Convince me that patronage doesn't exist in
> mormonism.


Because Mormons see tithing as a commandment, not a suggestion. TBM's a very "keeping the commandments" keen.

They will even quote what the scriptures say Christ said of "If you love me, keep my commandments".

Romney is paying tithing. Remember, TBM's don't see LDS Inc as a corporation, but the actual, real and only Church of Jesus Christ on this earth.

He is paying tithing, no doubt.

So again, I call Bullshit on those of us who are ex-Mo's who have forgotten what it means to be a TBM.

you are completely discounting the extreme privilege that elite MORmONS expect and demand

smirkorama Wrote:
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> you are completely discounting the extreme
> privilege that elite MORmONS expect and demand


Expect and demand? Can you show evidence of "expect and demand"?

I really believe that many of us ex-mo's completely forget what it means to be TBM and believe that the LDS church is *THE ONE and ONLY* true church.

Because we forget that, we project thoughts, feelings and idea onto TBM's that simply are not accurate.

I'm not going to bother researching, but it is my vague understanding that he did release some years' tax returns when he was running for public office, and those would have shown charitable donations, i.e.tithing.

Perhaps somebody more motivated than me can do the real work.

But aside from a highly publicized and media-primed work project here and there, I doubt he's putting out chairs, vacuuming hallways, washing pots in the chapel kitchen.

He released his tax returns when he was running for president. I seem to recall that during his years working for Bain Capital, he paid a hefty amount of tithing, but it was not 10%, more like 8-9%.

I thought it was 11% or 11.5%. That does not detract from your point, though, which I believe is that the rich pay much lower rates than the middle class in the United States.

I'd add that they pay lower tithing rates as well. Consider a self-employed person who earns 100,000 a year. That person pays about $30,000 in taxes on average. But if you are rich and have good advisors, you may have set yourself up as an LLC. If you earn a million a year in your LLC but let that money sit in that vehicle and only take a distribution of $50,000, you pay about $15,000 in federal income tax. So a poor person with 100,000 in income pays 30% and a rich person with 10 times the income pays 1.5% based simply on the latter's superior legal structure. The rich person may eventually pay tax on the accumulated wealth in his LLC, or pass it on to his descendants after taking Trump's $12 million exemption or other advantages. That's how rich people shelter their income; that's why Romney pays 11% and Trump even less.

The strategy works for tithing, too, since members are expected to pay 10% on their realized income--which for the rich person is much smaller than the increase in their net worth. So yes, I believe Romney meets the requirements of the church. It's just that the tithe-able amounts are easy to manipulate if you have a lot of money and good lawyers and accountants.

do you think that Brigham Young and / or Joe Smith were paying tithing to their THE church ???


No doubt that those foul con men would tell you that they were, IF they thought that you would be dumb enough ( as damn dumb as my TBM family members) to believe it !!!

People like Steve Young, or Willard Marriott, or Mitt Romney or Larry very dead Miller love to brag about how they paid tithing. The money that they pay tithing on is their pocket money allowance.

smirkorama Wrote:
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>
> People like Steve Young, or Willard Marriott, or
> Mitt Romney or Larry very dead Miller love to brag
> about how they paid tithing. The money that they
> pay tithing on is their pocket money allowance.


Thanks for proving my point. TBM's not only pay tithing, apparently some, even the very wealthy, brag about it.

you completely MISSED the point.

There is a HUGE difference between some poor schmuck paying money that he really does not have for tithing which only makes him go further broke and the pompous privileged elitist wealthy MORmON asses like the aforementioned people who pay what amounts to a pittance token amount compared to their extensive wealth and their ability to meet their basic human needs thousands of times over who then go on to brag about how they pay tithing.

Larry Very Dead Miller and Gordon BS Hinckley loved to publicly extol the financial blessings of paying tithing, because LDS members payment of tithing to their own detriment was the thing that made Larry and Gordon filthy rich.

Angela knew what you meant. Angela is being an ass.

Bullshit? Do Tell. GA's don't pay tithing. Romney's, Hatch's Leavitt's, and a slew of other hi profile mormons don't pay 10%. And it's condoned by the profit.

I also doubt that he scrubs church toilets on Saturdays.

'ring - ring'

"Hello, Romney residence, this is Abner, Mr. Romney's personal assistant."

"Hi... So, my name is Bro. Edgars, Bryan Edgars. I'm the Ward High Priest Group Leader. Is Pres. Romney available?"

"What is it regarding, Bro. Edgars?"

"So, you're a member of the church?"

"Yes, Bro. Edgars, I am. It would hardly seem suitable otherwise."

"Oh, okay. Well, we have a having a joint outing with the ward Elders Quorum a week from Saturday and we wanted to invite Pres. and Sis. Romney to attend."

"I see. Let me check his schedule... No, I'm sorry, he and Sis. Romney will be in Germany that weekend, looking at a horse for Ann."

"Oh, okay... Well, if that falls through, let them ...

"click"

"hello? Hello? Ghawddam it, that son of a bîtch hung up on me!"

StillAnon: "His election has been made sure."

Yes, I'm afraid. To the US Senate. Whenever he wants it. To quote one of HieTwoCholob's more profound remarks: "Sigh...")

Well, he had no luck running in Massachusetts against Ted Kennedy. That's a thankless task, to try to beat a Kennedy in a blue state. He might have better luck in Utah, but I have to wonder if he really wants to give up his retirement at age 70. It sounds like he has a pleasant life.

summer Wrote:
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> Well, he had no luck running in Massachusetts
> against Ted Kennedy. That's a thankless task, to
> try to beat a Kennedy in a blue state. He might
> have better luck in Utah, but I have to wonder if
> he really wants to give up his retirement at age
> 70. It sounds like he has a pleasant life.

I agree. With his wife's MS, which is a progressive disease, I can't imagine him running for office at his age.

Why put his wife thru that kind of stress? Seems counter-intuitive to me

Good point.

I bet he'd run.

He has lots of money with which to take care of his wife, and ambition and the White Horse tradition both militate in favor of a senatorial run.

I think he'd run if he thought the situation propitious.

I bet something like stake high council. It's not too demanding, and it's a calling has that "important, listen to him" effect on folks.

SHC: Good Choice!

THE SP would want to keep him In The Loop, yet no one would notice if he's absent a lot.

SHC seems to be purely a status/ prestige thing, probably no policy or operational significance EXCEPT for Ex-ing doubters & masturbators: males Only, that is.

GNPE Wrote:
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> SHC: Good Choice!
>
> THE SP would want to keep him In The Loop, yet no
> one would notice if he's absent a lot.
>
> SHC seems to be purely a status/ prestige thing,
> probably no policy or operational significance
> EXCEPT for Ex-ing doubters & masturbators: males
> Only, that is.


Exactly.

Given the big picture of his life at the present time, at the age of 70, with his wife having a progressive disease, it's an "important" calling, without being overly demanding.

Now, perhaps one of his 5 sons (I think it's five), who knows who is waiting in the wings to pick up the torch his father can pass.

He just built a house by his son Josh in Holiday Utah. He was a Stake President for years before his Presidential run in Mass. Not sure now.

Posted by: angel "I bet something like stake high council. It's not too demanding, and it's a calling has that "important, listen to him" effect on folks."

P: I've heard that the church goes to him if they need a pile of money for something (like helping to kill a church scandal), but I doubt he will be asked--or would accept--anything that would take his personally-spent time away from whatever he wants to do.

BTB, IMO, being in a stake high council is dealing in trivia to him, and why should he bother himself with trivia? (Such as having to show up at some Stake Conference, to speak.)

He's got enough stature on his own, to not have to bother with church trivia.

And, 'as is', the church appears content to be proud he is a member, and that others (outside of the church) are aware of this. (That is, 'At last, someone important enough in his life, is also known to be a member of the LDS church'.)

How many of such person can the church brag about as being part of it? I think one hand would be more than enough to count such persons (not even including the thumb).

Back in the day, would the church have publicly denounced Johnny Miller or Donny & Marie if they only paid a fixed amount of tithing per year?

And did Donny Osmond or Johnny Miller catch any flack for not going on missions?

elderolddog Wrote:
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> Back in the day, would the church have publicly
> denounced Johnny Miller or Donny & Marie if they
> only paid a fixed amount of tithing per year?
>
> And did Donny Osmond or Johnny Miller catch any
> flack for not going on missions?


Don't know about Miller, but Osmond, and his brothers, were given a pass on having to serve missions as they (Kimball? or whomever at the time) felt that being out in the public eye helped the mission effort all the more because of the perceived image that they were cast in. And considering the entertainment industry and marketing strategies, good choice no doubt.

Bet there were hundreds if not thousands of baptisms that resulted in the Osmonds being public figures.

Myth is that the Osmonds brought one million people into the church. I was one on them at 14 years old in 1974. Supposedly the Osmonds paid 13% for tithes and offerings. They were also scammed out of $40 million thanks to their father and his dumb business dealings. So tithing didn’t protect them.
I met Mitt Romney twenty years ago when he and his family were visiting. Beautiful family, kind people and Mitt gave me a big smile. He does pay tithing per his tax returns. He seems busy with traveling, family, GOP stuff, and his business dealings. Per media reports 12 GOP members in Congress are leaving. They can make big $ out of Congress working for some lobby group. Why stay and be harassed by POTUS. GOP is falling apart. It's the party of Trump now. If Mitt runs in Utah, he may win. But why bother if he's going to be humiliated daily by Trump? Makes no sense giving up a comfortable live. Mitt's niece runs the GOP so Mitt has all the influence and power he needs.

His calling is "Celebrity Member."

He set himself apart....

Well, kinda. He held Trump's celebrity member while groveling for the Sec State job.

sock puppet, media shill ( just like glenn beck)

Romney's 47% attitude would prohibit him from any mundane & lowly church job. Only a calling ringing of elitism would fit the bill.

I think his official calling is Role Model of How Righteousness Leads to Prosperity and Good Genes.

Yodel lady who