Tithing - to - churchbuildingfund seems to be a major revenue stream for the morg corporation. It is legal money laundering...it isn't really money laundering as much as it is tax-exempt money washing. The mormon contractors are making some money but the real money goes to whoever is at the top of those companies.
Since the church growth rate has flattened out and the church doesn't want to build more meetinghouses that will then be torn down they are resorting to massive remodels to keep the money flowing back to the top.
Agreed it's a way of laundering money and paying off "faithful" mormon contractors.
At the same time, though...those hastily-build McTemples were indeed pieces of crap, and it isn't at all surprising they're falling apart and need work.
"The Lord just called again, He said He can't dwell in his house when the plumbing is all effed up and He's really pissed that the crappy marble veneer is falling off."
It does seem really weird. I mean, how many other multi-million dollar buildings only have a 20-year shelf life. You'd think that buildings built with so much inspirational input would last longer than average, not shorter.
But OTOH, I laugh every time I drive past the temple and see it shrouded in black. Just seems so appropriate.
There are two main reasons for money laundering: 1) make illegal income look legal (example, drug income slipped into casino receipts so it looks like legal gambling income, or buying real estate with embezzled or drug money, then selling the property, turning the money into real estate capital).
2) hide the money to avoid taxes.
Tithing money is already legal and tax free. It doesn't need to be "laundered". Paying it to contractors converts it to taxable contractor income.
The repair work may be a sweetheart deal or a kickback, but I certainly wouldn't consider it money laundering.
I like your viewpoint. Therefore, it appears that in this case, construction is a way to pull funds from a religious institution and put it into private hands.
I personally think that the men who control the mormon church are Kirton McConkie and the two or three main construction companies CEOs.
The money laundering happened years ago. The church is now paying the price.
When the temples were built the church paid for top grade materials and received low end materials. The difference filtered in the pockets of the elite.
Now phase 2. Renovations fixing the problems were money for substandard materials will filter into the pockets of the elite.
Phase 3. Real estate.
Tearing down temples that are no longer in neighborhoods that are in harmony with the spirit of the Lord and selling the land. Then relocating the temple and repeat phase 1 and 2 or....
Buying areas around temples to bring them in harmony with the spirit of the Lord.