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I think the role that tithing settlement/declaration has played has morphed over the years. Maybe when it started it was once a year at the end of the year because that's when subsistence farmers (or what have you) had a better idea of what their overages were so they could tithe on that. It would b...

Another key is that you have to quietly let go as an individual. If you advertise that you're letting go you'll have a dozen peers, a prophet, and some apostles tell you that you're not allowed to let go, that you have to obsess over those things. If you've truly let go, those voices won't matter to...

It could also be as simple as someone repeating something that they had been taught. I think that's how I got the explicit tithing on gross lessons in my area. Once upon a time tithing on gross was the official policy (1960s) and those were the lessons I received. I'd even venture to say that if som...

I don't doubt that was her experience but it certainly wasn't mine.

I'd chalk it up to a teacher using hyperbole to drive home the importance of obedience to a particular principle and being oblivious to how their words were internalized by others.

Forgot a few: You're regularly subjected to worthiness interviews. Your ability to prove your worthiness determines your level of participation in the church. Worthiness (or ability to qualify) are very important things. If you're paying attention at church and if you're trying at all, you're going ...

My experiences follow Arrakeen's very closely. But I feel like the scare tactic is completely ignored by the disobedient types while driving the already obedient ones insane with the obsession to be more "exactly" obedient. Yes, ironically I think the whole reason behind hammering the rule...

lol, just about the entire church experience is trying to convince people the church is true, even for people that are already members. We're a deeply, deeply insecure church. So the review is basically, "Well I don't know what they said, but I bet it's bad so I better defend against it." ...

Good quote, and I apologize in advance for this one but the first thing that came to mind when I read it was:

The wolf of wall street is miserly with the members.

I've slept on it. Several times. My attitude still hasn't softened. This year is the first year that wards are expected to purchase their own church manuals. I get that most people are using their phones anyway, maybe the charge is meant to encourage holdouts to go paperless, but when you've got eno...