I have a daughter who works in a Bishops Storehouse. When I visited last year she gave us a tour.

We saw a warehouse full of bulk dry goods ready to be re-packaged with the church label. We saw refrigerators full of fresh veggies and meat. We saw a deep freeze full of frozen goods. We watched peaches being cooked and canned. Silos full of grain outside. Forklifts buzzing around. Everyone busy.

The “grocery store” out front was not big, but the shelves were groaning with pancake mix, cake mix, flour, sugar, canned peaches, all the basic things you can make a lot of recipes from. And much, much more.

A family walked in. They had walked two miles from town to get to the storehouse.
They looked at the grocery store and their eyes lit up. They asked if they could get some food.

“Are you members of the Church?”

Well, no.

“Sorry, this is only for members of the COJCLDS”

Their shoulders slumped. Can’t we just get one bag of groceries?

“Sorry, but here’s the number of a Bishop. Call him and he might be able to help you.”

The father said that could be two days to sort that out, we need something now.

“Sorry”

I’m standing there listening to this becoming outraged.

They family headed out the door. I walked over and gave them $100.00 I told them I belong to this church and I am embarrassed by what you had to go through right now.

The storehouse manager who turned them away was furious with me for giving them money. Made him look like a chump. I got some excuse about inventory control.

I had one of T-Bones A-Ha moments. For all the big talk about welfare around the world it is just not true. The COJCLDS does not look outward except when it can be a photo-op.

to buy food for people we met. We knew the church wouldn't do anything for them.

Sorry, had to say something there. If YOU or your FAMILY is paying it in the first place, it is NOT a STIPEND!!!!

How obscene for a wealthy business empire, masquerading as a charity and literally dripping with cash, forcing its slave labor to pay its own expenses, and then referring to their own money as a STIPEND.

It was YOUR MONEY TO BEGIN WITH.

The notion that the morg "cares for its own" is bullshite.
I think I mentioned this before,
when Mr ambivalentmo and I lost a child,
both of us were out of work
for several weeks.
As a family who was militant about paying a full tithe,
to the tune of aT LEAST
ten thou a year, more with generous fast offerings=$100 a month,
We mistakenly thought that the church might help us....
No can do, said the bish,
at least until the rs president "assesses" the situation..
We had NEVER, EVER, asked for ANYTHING
from tscc.
I was ill, recovering from a radical hysterectomy, and Mr ambivalentmo had been out of work for 3 weeks caring
for me and our surviving 2 young children.
The rs prez came by with a clipboard, and took a FULL INVENTORY of
the contents of EVERY. SINGLE. CUPBOARD. AND .FRIDGE. to make sure we "really" needed the help.
I was so mortified and ashamed,
nevermind recovering from losing my child and major surgery,
That I couldn't even speak...
What the helll kind of christlike love
and charity was this???
In hindsight, we should have just applied for foodstamps.
But, you know, the morg must come first.....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2012 07:07AM by ambivalent exmo.

Angry HELL YES --but in the end you did it because it "was the right thing to do"

JB

This kind of stuff makes me SO mad, because the TBMs truly believe the church's hype when they say they help everyone.

The store manager gave me the welfare printout from the church website to try and make his case for generosity.

I told him this pencils out to $5.00 per member per year for the last twenty years.

He says, "Yeah, pretty good, huh?"

Yep, he's a chump.

"The storehouse manager who turned them away was furious with me for giving them money. Made him look like a chump."

He IS a chump.

The cojcolds is messed up. we all know that.

From what I understand, often even members will be turned down for help from the bishop's store house because they haven't been paying their tithing or attending their meetings properly. The whole "we'll help you if you've helped us," kind of mentality.

When I was in the RS presidency a few years ago, we were struggling to find ways that those who were getting food from the storehouse could "work for" what they got. Bishop insisted that nobody could get assistance unless they did something in return. The problem was that we usually didn't have anything they could do. Once in a while we had someone mow the lawn at the church, but usually it was a single mom who needed help. We made up the task of having some stuff tithing envelopes (instead of setting the envelopes and slips next to each other) and the bishop ended up with enough stuffed envelopes to last the ward about 5 years.

By the time I moved out of the ward, we were seriously contemplating lying to the bishop about some of those receiving assistance (particularly one single mom, who had a son with severe disabilities who required round the clock care) and just telling him that they had helped the relief society or something.

This story wants me to go into Hulk mode...

Rander...smash!

The cynic in me says that the main purpose of the Bishop's store house is to bring to pass the "I didn't have enough money to buy groceries and pay my tithing, so I paid my tithing and still was blessed with enough food to feed my family," type situations.

This cult has tons of money but DOES NOT help non-members or even members.

- A TBM family member living in SLC had to swallow their pride and go to a NON MORMON soup kitchen to feed their family. It never occurred to them that their own church could not help them despite years and years of tithing. When they became "the poor" that tithing was supposed to help, the cult DID NOT deliver.

- In between jobs, I spoke with the 2nd counselor of our stake who was supposed to be our family friend, so that I could borrow money to find work, with BORROW being the operative word. The d!(khe@d had the temerity to tell me "it's not the church's policy to lend money to members". Well, when I finally found work that paid well I STOPPED PAYING TITHING AND RESIGNED. That was my middle finger to the cult with stupid, uncharitable policies. Sayonara, D!(k!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/2012 07:01PM by charles, buddhist punk.

It really irritates me when everyone thinks that the cult is helping people, especially members, even if they still think it's a cult. The cult helps no one is any way, at any time, including members.

Except for some disaster releif efforts, sometimes, right?

This whole thing about cult members putting together kits & packets that will go to rot for disaster victims pisses me off.

It helps those at the top quite nicely with 6 figure "stipends," free tuition for their kids and grand kids, global travel on the church's dime, fat contracts to those connected to the inner circle, etc.

There was a very very TBM family that needed a little help.

They had 5 kids. They were the stalwarts of the ward. He had just finished getting his Phd and didn't have a job yet. He went to the bishop and asked for 30 days worth of food and rent until he could get a job.

The bishop turned him down. Their nevermo next door neighbor took them in and helped them out for a month until he landed a job.

That whole situation left me speechless. I always wonder what that neighbor thought of the mormon church. She was a widow living on ss.

One day I was in a Deseret Industries store and a man came in with need for clothing. They hemmed and hawed about giving him clothing. He got some but still needed Socks and They said they had to take this up with the store executive. I bought the socks for the man. I do not have a lot, but the stingeness of the LDS church sticks in my craw. I have spent my life helping others and working with organizations who really reach out to help their fellow man. The LDS church is at the very bottom of charitable organizations(This is stretching it at that!) I am a retired Social Worker and I care about people. The LDS disgusts me!

It has been ever thus. This is proof it is a corporation and not a church - most grassroots charities go through periods where they are down to almost nothing but they still try to help because that is their mission. It is sort of the way the real JC operated.

One of the things that struck me when reading about Mountain Meadows was how after taking care of the children they had made orphans, the Church actually sent a bill to the US Govt expecting compensation for the cost of caring for them. If THAT does not clue anyone in that the Church never had any thing in common with the precepts of basic Xtian charity, nothing will.

A Mormon guy I know got assistance from the Lutherans when he lost his job for embezzling money. No questions or demands, just bags of groceries.

..."because I have been given much I too must give. Because of thy great bounty Lord, each day I live I will divide my gifts from thee with every brother that I see (who is an active tithe-paying mormon), who has the need of help from me."

I always wondered if they even think about what they are singing. Mitt and Ann Romney sing that song. 'Nuff said.

Christians feed hungry children and families!!!!!

When I was working for the non-profit helping starving and isolated seniors in a rural area, I called on all the churches on behalf of a non-denominational group called Faith In Action.

With most churches who were reluctant to join forces with their denominational enemies, when I pointed out that we received phone calls from their own members at times, because they were too proud or embarrassed to ask for help, they overcame their antagonism over female clergy or abortion and agreed to work with us. In return, we promised to call them if any person identified themselves with their congregation.

This worked with 100% of the congregations except guess which one? The Mormons. They didn't give a rat's ass if their people called us and got helped by us. When I told them (ok--I was seething) that these were members, I got the answer that it was church policy that people had a right to call whoever they wanted for help.

You ask anyone in social services. We ALL know who really provides help--a Catholic church will give a bag of groceries to a needy family in the middle of the night. The Salvation Army or St. Vincent de Paul will give clothes, socks, and provide hot food AND shelter, if needed. Please note that the Salvation Army does not have to jack up it's font and spend good food money on larger print for the name of Jesus Christ. They don't have to LOOK more like they are Christians, because they are acting like it.

As far as the disaster relief goes, here's what I heard. The LDS church sent trucks down to Texas and collected donations from the Protestant churches down there, quietly, quietly. Then they delivered the goods after calling the press and outfitting everyone in yellow T-Shirts blaring that the Mormon Church was doing all this. No credit whatsoever to the churches who also donated.

Having said this, it's heresay and could be an Urban Myth (you know I do love those)

Anagrammy

You could find a beggar on each street corner.
Sorry but you are not eliciting my sympathy at all.
I'm speechless how stupid this story sounds.

When times get tough, the lds church likes to have a PR piece in the national press about how they take care of their own and non members in the community. I use to leave an angry comment, but then I decided to do the opposite. I started leaving comments about how people in need should go to their local mormon church or temple and ask for help. With the money Mittens gave to them, we all know the church has plenty of cash, and either people would get help or see the church for what it really is -- a greedy business.

about the new warehouse they've opened in SLC--and they had the press and other local "celebs" there. They all left with a sack full of food.

I did get help from the lds church. I've said before that I live in a unique ward. I did get the "misusing the Lord's funds is second only to murder"--but then the bishop made sure I was covered after my ex was called to repentance. I then told other single mothers to go ask for help. NOT ONE got any help. I found most of the food to be excellent personally. And I hadn't been paying tithing in quite a while. I had been in this ward for a long time--so the bishop knew us well.

My in laws got help with their mortgage payment and bills. I figure that came from fast offerings, the extra money their community of saints gave for that purpose.
Probably depends on the ward?

To turn away people from groceries is a heartless act lacking in the most base of human empathy and compassion.

Matthew 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2012 09:48AM by suckafoo.

Definitely depends on the ward. In our Wymount student ward we were dirt poor. The bishop heard through the grapevine that we were having trouble even buying formula to feed our son, so he called DH in to talk with him. We thought he was going to offer us some assistance (we were too embarrassed to ask), but instead he chided him for not getting a better job. DH was in the final year of his bachelors program, getting up at 4am for work, spending the rest of the day in class and studying. He usually wasn't home until 7pm. Bishop suggested he quit school and get a full time job- no offer to help with anything.

My brother works in the COB and apparently is one of the honchos that deals with the Bishop's Storehouse stuff. He says they help people out and "The people should at least try to do a little work or something to help pay it back".

I held my tongue when he told me this because I've read the threads on RfM.........

What I find amazing about many members (and some non-members) is this belief that if you're homeless or poor you deserve it. It's the 'you aren't righteous enough for the lord to bless you' syndrome. I've talked to people who honestly believe that every homeless person is an alcoholic or drug addict. So they all asked for it somehow. I know this is a way of mentally removing yourself from the situation, you feel safaer if you can tell yourself it could never happen to me because I'm not a drug addict or alcoholic.

You wish! seriously the majority of the world couldn't guarantee that they were going to be safe for the rest of their lives let alone the next year. Health, finances, relationships can change on a dime and you can only do so much to protect yourself. I don't care how righteous you think you are, the only thing you can count on is change.

As for rutabaga, good on you for helping someone out. I always try to give whatever I have on me to street corner people, if they're outside panhandling I've offered to buy them lunch. I just figure, there but for the grace of the giant spaghetti monster go I.

Given Romney's candidacy, it would make for pretty embarrassing press if a hungry family or long-term unemployed people seeking help are turned down by the LDS church. Does anyone therefore think the church might start acting charitably for the rest of the Presidential campaign?

That really chaps my ass, turning away a family in need.

When I was down on my luck, I never considered going to TSCC for help- I went to local food banks, a Catholic charity, and a food coalition. None of these places had stipulations other than a sign in sheet and you could get food from them a certain amount of times. The soup kitchen I volunteer at around here doesn't even ask for names.

Really, who's using up all that food?

In my last ward there was a couple who were in their early 50's. He had been bishop in the ward a few years ago.
They had 5 adult children that had left home and 1 in HS.

They both had teaching degrees. He was also a brick layer. He took all of their savings and house equity and put it into a MLM scheme selling water purifiers. Naturally, they lost everything they had.

She wouldn't get a job because she still had a child at home. He apparently couldn't get a job. I'm guessing he's probably offended every contractor within a 100 miles.

Their house, which had been built for cost (wouldn't that be nice?) went to the bank. They were left homeless and carless and no med insurance.

The church gave them a used missionary car, paid their rent and dr. bills for a year, and fed them for a year.

She never did get a job, even though she's perfectly capable. He's doing odd jobs here and there. I'm pretty sure they've used up all the good will that anyone had toward them.

They used to be my neighbors. He was the one who would take anything we didn't keep locked up. They were so confused as to why we had more than them. He once asked my husband how we managed to have the things we did.

My husband told him that first of all we didn't have children we couldn't afford. We have both worked. My husband has worked since he was 15. He gets up every single day and goes to work. We didn't gamble our money on get rich quick schemes. We never took the equity out of our home. We have moved where ever and when ever we had to keep financially stable. We've always made sure we carried insurance. Being hard working and responsible has kept us on track.

He didn't like hearing any of that. He never talked to my husband again.