Light the World

[Shulem]

Light the World is purely voluntary.

Yes, it is. Thank you. And I chose not to!

[MG 2.0]

I don’t think ex-Mormons would be so critical of the church’s financial decisions if the church didn’t itself preach that members should give even if it hurts.

The church tells members to give before feeding their families. To give before any other consideration. And yet the church itself is unwilling to donate 10 percent of its increase each year to charity.

It seems the church does not trust God to provide. It acts afraid, as if it might disappear unless it hoards money without end.

That is the very definition of hypocrisy. And no amount of Mormon handwaving can dismiss it.

Light the World is purely voluntary. As can be seen, it has done a lot of good. End of story. Well, not quite. There is the 2025 Light the World going on as we speak...and as some here bitch about it.

Regards,
MG

*bump

Well, you are!

Let the good be good. Don't make it bad!

Sheesh. What an interesting thread, response wise. People want to do good and share during this Christmas time.

That's wonderful, isn't it? (period?)

Don't be a Grinch!

Regards,
MG

[MG 2.0]

By the way, here is another worthy charity:

https://www.lhi.org/giving-machines?hl= ... u-fahrenhe

I've worked with them as a volunteer for a couple of years or so in their shipping an receiving/packing warehouse.

Very little overhead. Much good done throughout the world.

Regards
MG

[Shulem]

Don't be a Grinch!

Does that mean everyone who chooses not to put their money into the Mormon machines is a Grinch? Surely you don't mean that. That is exactly what your statement implies, word for word.

[Res Ipsa]

I gotta go against the grain on this one. I think the giving machine is a good thing. One was in my local mall this last year. Catching people while they Christmas shop and giving them an easy way to donate to a charity they’d be inclined to donate to is a great way to leverage holiday spirit into help for the needy. All my children are grown, but if I had young children, it would be a great way to teach them about charity in a concrete way — putting money in, making a selection, and getting a tangible symbol that represents the good that will be done with the funds.

I did some googling. I think it’s reasonable to assume that participating charities would not be involved if they thought donations were being skimmed off the top by the LDS Church. CWE, who partners with LDS Charities, is an established charity with a good reputation and a four-star rating on Charity Navigator. They confirm that the LDS Church is paying the administrative costs. I believe that includes the 3% credit card fees.

I don’t care who the church hires to do the work. If it is paying the bills, it gets to pick who it hires or contracts with. I also don’t care that the church identifies itself as the sponsor of the machines. That puts LDS Charities on par with every other charitable organization in the world.

Praising this effort doesn’t soften my criticism of the church’s enormous accumulation of wealth. I think I get to walk and chew gum at the same time. And I do think that rewarding good behavior while punishing bad behavior is a good idea. in my opinion, this falls in the good behavior category.

[MG 2.0]

I gotta go against the grain on this one. I think the giving machine is a good thing. One was in my local mall this last year. Catching people while they Christmas shop and giving them an easy way to donate to a charity they’d be inclined to donate to is a great way to leverage holiday spirit into help for the needy. All my children are grown, but if I had young children, it would be a great way to teach them about charity in a concrete way — putting money in, making a selection, and getting a tangible symbol that represents the good that will be done with the funds.

I did some googling. I think it’s reasonable to assume that participating charities would not be involved if they thought donations were being skimmed off the top by the LDS Church. CWE, who partners with LDS Charities, is an established charity with a good reputation and a four-star rating on Charity Navigator. They confirm that the LDS Church is paying the administrative costs. I believe that includes the 3% credit card fees.

I don’t care who the church hires to do the work. If it is paying the bills, it gets to pick who it hires or contracts with. I also don’t care that the church identifies itself as the sponsor of the machines. That puts LDS Charities on par with every other charitable organization in the world.

Praising this effort doesn’t soften my criticism of the church’s enormous accumulation of wealth. I think I get to walk and chew gum at the same time. And I do think that rewarding good behavior while punishing bad behavior is a good idea. in my opinion, this falls in the good behavior category.

No one is come back at you to criticize. Why is that?

Maybe now, folks will click on the second link I provided and donate through Lifting Hands which works in concert with Light the World. Yep, I'm biased. I've worked with them and continue to do so. Good folks doing good work throughout the world.

Of course, there are enough machines out there now where one might be right near you!

Light up someone's Christmas.

Regards,
MG

[Shulem]

No one is come back at you to criticize. Why is that?

Well, I for one have been out and about and not sitting at my computer. I disagree with Res although he is entitled to express his views which are not quite as good as mine, in my opinion!

Maybe now, folks will click on the second link I provided and donate through Lifting Hands which works in concert with Light the World.

Hell no! I wouldn't put a bloody penny in one of those dirty Mormon machines supported by a church that blasphemes the ancient Egyptian religion.

So, take that!



PS. Burn the Book of Abraham!

[Marcus]

...I don’t care who the church hires to do the work. If it is paying the bills, it gets to pick who it hires or contracts with...

According to Jana Reiss, the LDS church asks for volunteers to staff the machines, so it's not paying those bills, which I find a bit disingenuous, given the statement that they cover all administrative costs. For what it's worth, Reiss' assessment in 2023 was positive.

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2023/12 ... -with-LDS/

[Res Ipsa]

I gotta go against the grain on this one. I think the giving machine is a good thing. One was in my local mall this last year. Catching people while they Christmas shop and giving them an easy way to donate to a charity they’d be inclined to donate to is a great way to leverage holiday spirit into help for the needy. All my children are grown, but if I had young children, it would be a great way to teach them about charity in a concrete way — putting money in, making a selection, and getting a tangible symbol that represents the good that will be done with the funds.

I did some googling. I think it’s reasonable to assume that participating charities would not be involved if they thought donations were being skimmed off the top by the LDS Church. CWE, who partners with LDS Charities, is an established charity with a good reputation and a four-star rating on Charity Navigator. They confirm that the LDS Church is paying the administrative costs. I believe that includes the 3% credit card fees.

I don’t care who the church hires to do the work. If it is paying the bills, it gets to pick who it hires or contracts with. I also don’t care that the church identifies itself as the sponsor of the machines. That puts LDS Charities on par with every other charitable organization in the world.

Praising this effort doesn’t soften my criticism of the church’s enormous accumulation of wealth. I think I get to walk and chew gum at the same time. And I do think that rewarding good behavior while punishing bad behavior is a good idea. in my opinion, this falls in the good behavior category.

No one is come back at you to criticize. Why is that?

Maybe now, folks will click on the second link I provided and donate through Lifting Hands which works in concert with Light the World. Yep, I'm biased. I've worked with them and continue to do so. Good folks doing good work throughout the world.

Of course, there are enough machines out there now where one might be right near you!

Light up someone's Christmas.

Regards,
MG

Perhaps because I acknowledged that I was going against the grain. And I didn't try to guilt anyone into using the machines.

[Res Ipsa]

No one is come back at you to criticize. Why is that?

Well, I for one have been out and about and not sitting at my computer. I disagree with Res although he is entitled to express his views which are not quite as good as mine, in my opinion!

Maybe now, folks will click on the second link I provided and donate through Lifting Hands which works in concert with Light the World.

Hell no! I wouldn't put a bloody penny in one of those dirty Mormon machines supported by a church that blasphemes the ancient Egyptian religion.

So, take that!



PS. Burn the Book of Abraham!

Nothing wrong with a little disagreement.