Is Thomas S. Monson a Prophet Millionaire?

[_Joseph]

"I also think the general authorities pensions come from church investments and not from the tithing fund."

All of which came from donations of the faithful. It is all Tithing Money folks. There is no way around that even with the legal hair splitting we keep reading.

Moses was not a millionare. Jesus was not. Something about the accumulation of riches by the 'unpaid ministry' today smells.

[_moksha]

Lenny Bruce was of the opinion that any preacher who owned more than two suits was a huckster.

[_The Nehor]

I think the desire for prophets to be wandering impoverished vagrants comes from bad TV and book adaptations of the Bible. Most Prophets were fairly well off.

Many here have a rather perverse need to imagine the worst about anything attached to the LDS Church:

"Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one’s first feeling, ‘Thank God, even they aren’t quite so bad as that,’ or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as possible? If it is the second then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally we shall insist on seeing everything—God and our friends and ourselves included—as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred."

-Mere Christianity

[_Rumpole]

What a charming thread. Is Tommy a millionaire? Of course. What you guys fail to understand is that all of the apostles are as good as millionaires because they have at their disposal the perks of a multi-billion-dollar corporation. Yes, Tommy was shrewd and collected quite the little estate to pass on to his family. Some of the other GAs are not as fortunate in that way.

But, the hidden advantages of being a GA are difficult for you to understand or measure. It comes in the passionate devotion of fanatical followers who would happily jump on a man carrying a bomb to protect your life! Now that is power, and power is difficult to measure in dollar signs, although dollars can be turned into power. So, millionaire or not, each of these men is wealthy.

Montgomery I see where you coming from but I think there are a number of things you have to take into consideration. Yes General Authorities do have the perks of a multi-billion-dollar organization at their finger tips. Also after the age of 70 when they retire them, if they are not wealthy they receive a very reasonable indexed church pension until the grave, which is inline with the dignity of the office.

What are the perks they receive? free car & fuel, free BYU tuition for their children (please keep your comments only general on this matter, save your best comments for later I am working on a more detailed thread devoted to this topic), free meals and accommodation.

I dunno about you guys/girls but I would rather have none of these things than have to live with the responsibility and work load of a general authority day in day out, playing the role. I would rather do the things I wanna do, pursue my own life interests? surely you guys would be the same? anyhow I see it as a great personal sacrifice in those terms.

How do you define "millionaire"? Is that someone who has more than $1 million in his bank account? Or is that someone whose estate is worth more than a million?

I'll bet he has millions in the bank. President Monson has done what he does best, create warm fuzzies and happy stories all for lining his own pocket and keeping the church going. Has he ever said anything faith promoting about the black slave of Facsimile No. 3? No, because that would be too costly for the church and put the General Authorities at risk.

As far as I'm concerned his stories are on par with elder Paul H. Dunn. I don't believe President Monson's testimonies about anything. He has no credibility with me. Zilch!

Paul O

Paul I don't follow about the black slave or it's relevance? I only recall he has a little phallis like object protruding from his head. Always wondered about what it means? Anyhow as long as this is my thread your free to say what ever you like.

Thomas S. Monson is a story teller it is true, hmm. . . I think his stories are embellished to always make himself look good and often to paint himself as the central hero in his own story, however I believe he is a prophet and it is extremely difficult to control ones ego in the position he holds, I do not think I could do any better or anyone else on this forum. I don't think there is anything in his stories that is malignantly false or misleading. I think all his stories about himself are more or less true, they are not too amazing or too dull and for his age I believe they are all are conceivable to of happened for his life span.

No, I do not believe his stories are false, from what I gather he collects them often from people, and uses them only by permission in his talks. Paul H. Dunn on the other hand I believe was a weak pathetic little man who never really had a testimony or knew the church was true. I believe he suffered from pseudologia fantastica, and unfortunately he had never been treated by a church psychologists, I think he should've been treated in extreme confidentiality by a church psychologist under the direction of an apostle for his disorder.

I suspect also there may of been fraud and cheating in his educational qualifications, which play a big role in being called as a G.A. Unfortunately the disorder was not picked up earlier in this life by his parents where it could've been nipped in the butt. I think Paul thought being a G.A. was just a big charisma act and nothing more. As far as I am concerned he is just a little prick who has damaged the credibility of the Lords true servants, and the faith of the good members of the church.

I like the C.S. Lewis Quote Nehor.

[Guest]

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[_moksha]

IAlso not all general authorities receive church pensions, Millionaire GA's do not need it.

Don't suppose we will ever know the truth about this unless someone has a burning in their chest as well as a certified copy of the financial records.

[_ajax18]

Just read President Thomas Monson's biography on Wikipedia. My question is how did he manage to amass this kind of wealth in the seemingly short amount of time he was among the working class? Mission president at 32, apostle at 36? Wikipedia mentions that he married up financially. Is that where he got his start? Are we really talking about inherited money that he perhaps manage to grow very well? Does he still own businesses and collect profits from them even if he no longer works in that sector?

I'm not sure that collecting large salaries from the Church for their service would psychologically unhinge the General Authorities. President Hinckley's statement that they were not paid very much compared to CEOs of comparable sized companies seems to demonstrate to me what ballpark they are playing in and where they place themselves in the food chain.

The wealth of businessmen is usually due to the toil and meager living of those who work for them. This may be legal, but in my view it is not really ethical either. They haven't engineered or invented something that has created wealth or improved human life, like Bill Gates, for example. They're just benefitting from being lucky enough to be on the right end of the capitalist system. OMG, I'm a FOX News faithful patron and I'm starting to sound like a Marxist.

[_cinepro]

Until the mid-1970s, I believe GA's (and especially apostles) would sit on the boards of Church-owned businesses. I'm not sure if or how much these positions would have paid, but it's another possible source of income off the regular books of the Church.

As for Monson's current status, he has certainly been blessed by the Huntsmans. If I could travel like a millionaire, I wouldn't care whether or not I really was one on paper.

[_Rumpole]

I'm not sure that collecting large salaries from the Church for their service would psychologically unhinge the General Authorities. President Hinckley's statement that they were not paid very much compared to CEOs of comparable sized companies seems to demonstrate to me what ballpark they are playing in and where they place themselves in the food chain.

I like this information, it's helpful. But with Fox News I strongly suggest you see the documentary OutFoxed, which analyzed the propaganda of Fox news, fascinating stuff.