SCRIPTURE: “And there shall not any part of it be used, or taken out of the treasury, only by the voice and common consent of the order.” –D&C 104:71. [source]
NEWS ARTICLE: “In late March [2012], the LDS Church completed an ambitious project: a megamall. Built for about $2 billion, the City Creek Center stands across the street from the faith’s iconic Salt Lake Temple.” –The money behind the Mormon message, article published in The Salt Lake Tribune, 5 October 2012. [source]
COMMENTARY: I’m sick and tired of people calling the LDS church a cult. A cult would probably ask members for money and then spend that money on things other than helping people and paying for church meeting houses and it wouldn’t tell its members where the money was going. But the LDS church is totally open with its finances and would never spend money on commercial ventures like a shopping mall. If you don’t believe me, just go up to any bishop and ask for a financial statement showing the ward’s total annual tithing receipts and its yearly expenses. I just did that and … oh, shit. He refused my request. Hm. Well. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I’m certain it’s not a cult. But what do I know? I’m just another apostate.
