LDS Church Builds Chapels the ‘Socialist Way”
Letter in SL Tribune, March 19, 2010
In “LDS and equality” (Forum, March 17), Gregory Mitchell informs us that because of the Mormon policy where construction of chapels is “paid for from a common pool, East Benchers subsidize poorer congregations so all have equal facilities.” I hope Mitchell is not suggesting that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a socialist church. From every Republican definition I have heard, taking from the rich and giving to the poor is the very definition of socialism. To avoid the evils of socialism in this capitalist, market-based system, poorer Mormons should pull themselves up with their own boot straps and build their own chapels. And those Mormons who don’t have boots should wait for charity, worship without chapels or convert to a different religion.
Behrouz Motiee
Salt Lake City
January 7th, 2011 at 10:13 pm
The church buildings are paid for from a pool of money, but it is a pool that is filled by non-solicited freely given money through individual agency of members.