Do Mormons sneak runs on Sundays?

Catholic bro wrote:

One of my regular running buddies is LDS. Fairly hardcore too... Has family, kids, etc.

Runs every Sunday afternoon/evening. Long run typically.

LDS people are, in my experience, very fine folks.

Organizationally, I don't get the rigid ( so I've heard, anecdotally at least) tithing bit. We Catholics give what we give and it all works out for the most part. Half the people at my church probably give nothing or next to nothing.. They're no less welcome. I get the feeling, and maybe I'm wrong, that would be frowned upon in an LDS church.

The only one in the congregation that would know if you pay tithing or not would be the Bishop, possibly his councilors, and a finance clerk. There are no plates passed during church so no one would see a person not giving so the general membership would know anything about it. To go to the temple, a member must be in good standing which includes paying a full tithing. The Bishop gives the person a temple recommend after an interview which includes asking if the person pays tithing (to attend the temple you have to have a signed temple recommend). If the person believes in what the temple stands for, then they are happy to pay tithing. The Bishop would encourage a non-tithe payer to become a full tithe payer. The Bishop does not get paid anything or get any financial support for their service and there are no paid positions in a congregation, all are voluntary. Everyone is welcome to come to church whether they pay tithing or not.

Are the words church and temple used interchangeably? I can't tell. If so, it would seem that the first few lines of your paragraph contradict that last. I mean, if you have to tithe to be in good standing (and thus to get into the temple), how can everyone be welcoming whether they pay a tithing or not?

Brofest 2.0 wrote:

Are the words church and temple used interchangeably? I can't tell. If so, it would seem that the first few lines of your paragraph contradict that last. I mean, if you have to tithe to be in good standing (and thus to get into the temple), how can everyone be welcoming whether they pay a tithing or not?

The words are not interchangeable. A church building, serving 1-3 congregations, is for weekly services. A temple, serving 30-100 congregations, is for occasional events (roughly 1-4 times per year) of heightened spiritual significance.

How does the leader of a congregation know if you're a tithe payer? He asks you: "Are you a tithe payer?" Tithing is defined as 10% of...something, with the definition of "something" left up to you. You define the "something," and you choose the answer according to your own conscience.

As for running on Sunday, it's something that I can't justify to myself in good conscience. Running is just a hobby. If I was a pro and Sunday races were unavoidable, that might be one thing. Other people can decide what works for them. Sunday running doesn't work for me.

What he said except you can go to the temple almost daily if you would like to and have a recommend.

As a former member of the bishopric what you say is mostly correct except there ARE paid positions in the Church.

Missionary Presidents are paid.

General Authorities are paid.

Now the Church is slick about it, they officially call it reimbursement.

The Mormon Church hides and conceals many things from the members. The Mormon Church could give seminars on "gaslighting".

Having said all that I like many members of the Church even though I checked out.

Mondo Hondo wrote:

It would be difficult to conceive of another religion as demented and goofy as Mormonism. Go ahead and try.

I’ll give it a shot: atheism.

The most devout and always proselytizing. Zealous and combative in the defense of the beliefs. Writing books, giving sermons, apologetics, self-identifying, etc.

It’s not just a Mormon thing. Sunday is the sabbath. Watch Chariots of Fire. He was not mormon.

runnER/DR wrote:

But it is literally sneaking them in. I go to great lengths to make sure friends and family don't find out. I always keep them private on strava. This is a huge religious and cultural taboo for an "active" mormon.

Well, I know you're trolling, but I'll bite anyway. Most religious people go for an a la carte version of their faith - choosing to observe some aspects of doctrine while ignoring others that they don't find convenient to follow. This is just one of many the ways that religious people are fvcking hypocrites.

blamb61 wrote:

af89( wrote:

Mormonism = Antisemitic.

That is about as far off as you can get!

+1. I'm Jewish and live in a community with a fairly large Mormon population and grew up with many in high school. Never once did I get the impression they had any negative sentiments towards Jews.

sampling from the celestial buffet wrote:

runnER/DR wrote:

But it is literally sneaking them in. I go to great lengths to make sure friends and family don't find out. I always keep them private on strava. This is a huge religious and cultural taboo for an "active" mormon.

Well, I know you're trolling, but I'll bite anyway. Most religious people go for an a la carte version of their faith - choosing to observe some aspects of doctrine while ignoring others that they don't find convenient to follow. This is just one of many the ways that religious people are fvcking hypocrites.

You could use a little religion in you life.

East Coast poor wrote:

+1. I'm Jewish and live in a community with a fairly large Mormon population and grew up with many in high school. Never once did I get the impression they had any negative sentiments towards Jews.

As I stated earlier, "You don't know Mormons very well do you? The LDS Church is hugely pro-Israel. It is ingrained in their policies and even their doctrine. They have set up education centers and other similar institutions in Israel. Of all the denominations in the USA, the LDS Church is without a doubt the most pro-Israel religious body than any other except maybe Jewish congregations and even then it's a pretty close race."

Brother Young and the Soul Savers wrote:

As a former member of the bishopric what you say is mostly correct except there ARE paid positions in the Church.

Missionary Presidents are paid.

General Authorities are paid.

Now the Church is slick about it, they officially call it reimbursement.

The Mormon Church hides and conceals many things from the members. The Mormon Church could give seminars on "gaslighting".

Having said all that I like many members of the Church even though I checked out.

I knew that the GA's were paid but didn't know that Mission Presidents were paid. Has that been going on for a long time? I don't know the $ amount the GA's get paid but I heard it was a fairly large amount.

A few years ago it was $120,000 a year. They, of course, get living expenses as well.

Reddit ExMormon is resource for those exiting the mind control, gaslighting world of Mormonism.

Oh yea, can you believe the so called prophet claimed god told him to get rid of the word "Mormon" ?

Out of all the things a god would worry about it's wanting to change a religions name ?

I actually have hear Mormon's claim that using the term "Mormon" is akin to using the "N" word.

It was just a couple of years ago the churched pushed the movie "Meet the Mormons"

Brother Young and the Soul Savers wrote:

As a former member of the bishopric what you say is mostly correct except there ARE paid positions in the Church.

Missionary Presidents are paid.

General Authorities are paid.

Now the Church is slick about it, they officially call it reimbursement.

The Mormon Church hides and conceals many things from the members. The Mormon Church could give seminars on "gaslighting".

Having said all that I like many members of the Church even though I checked out.

Here's a little bit more about it.

"A second newly leaked document, from a more recent year, is a 2014 memo from the church's Presiding Bishopric (which handles all financial issues for the faith), noting that the "base living allowance" for all Mormon general authorities was being raised from $116,400 to $120,000"

Haven't seen anything about Mission Presidents being paid although they are given a "mission home" to live in while they are serving a mission.

These people are full time in their church callings, what do you expect? The money quoted is very little compared to what most of them gave up to do full time church service. Here are the biographies of the top leadership in the church:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/prophets-and-apostles/meet-todays-prophets-and-apostles?lang=eng

I have no problem with them getting a living allowance or salary since they are full time. For the Apostles, they serve tell death. Pres Nelson I think is 95 I believe and was a world famous heart surgeon. He gave that up to serve in the Church because he believes in the Church.

I've been a Bishop, couselor to a Bishop, and finance clerk so I've seen how it works at the local level 1st hand. I've never earned a cent for service in the Church and felt it a privilege to serve and still feel it a priveledge to serve. I hope to be able to serve a mission or two after retirement which I will gladly pay for.

Don’t think so. They’re probably too busy marrying 14 year old girls, molesting young boys, or being absolutely hypocritical in everything they do.

Brother Young and the Soul Savers wrote:

A few years ago it was $120,000 a year. They, of course, get living expenses as well.

Reddit ExMormon is resource for those exiting the mind control, gaslighting world of Mormonism.

Oh yea, can you believe the so called prophet claimed god told him to get rid of the word "Mormon" ?

Out of all the things a god would worry about it's wanting to change a religions name ?

I actually have hear Mormon's claim that using the term "Mormon" is akin to using the "N" word.

It was just a couple of years ago the churched pushed the movie "Meet the Mormons"

Why would you say you've heard Mormons say something when you say you were in a Bishopric? What you said about equating the use of the word Mormon with the "N"word is something I've never experienced in my whole life in the Church. I know no one with that attitude. Calling the Church by its true name instead of a nickname just shows respect to Christ which is the main intent of the emphasis on using the real name of the Church.

I guess the title "Book of Mormon" got it wrong ?

As you know, many Christians say the book of mormon shows no "respect" to the bible and Christianity.

Look as in any religion there are good apples and bad apples, unfortunately the higher the calling in the mormon church the greater chance of a bad apple.

Nelson, Oakes and Holland three of worst gaslighters around.

Brother Young and the Soul Savers wrote:

As a former member of the bishopric what you say is mostly correct except there ARE paid positions in the Church.

Missionary Presidents are paid.

General Authorities are paid.

Now the Church is slick about it, they officially call it reimbursement.

The Mormon Church hides and conceals many things from the members. The Mormon Church could give seminars on "gaslighting".

Having said all that I like many members of the Church even though I checked out.

Of course general authorities are paid. They retire very early(and permanently). Not a salacious secret. This amounts to a tiny handful of people.

Mission presidents are definitely not paid or "reimbursed". I know this from numerous friends that have either served as mission presidents or have been vetted as mission presidents. I know several that were vetted but determined they could not make it work financially. I also had a recent lengthy conversation with someone at the top(hint: the very top) who told me if a potential mission president will not likely ever be in a financial position to serve, they will often be called as area authorities instead. This often happens with medium sized business owners that can't just leave for 3 years and come back.

Also, I know several MPs that have recently returned and have lamented about their retirement savings being drained.