Comments on: Relief Society Dues

By: Our Thoughts » Blog Archive » Top Ten Posts of 2005

Our Thoughts » Blog Archive » Top Ten Posts of 2005 — Mon, 29 May 2006 02:14:53 +0000

[…] Relief Society Dues – 64 comments […]

By: Kim Siever

Kim Siever — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 17:27:00 +0000

I think you're equating 'revelation' with 'doctrine.'

No, I'm equating revelation with revelation. Revelation is God's will revealed to us (or to the Church through the prophet).

there are plenty of revelations that don't introduce new doctrines.

Right.

My duty, and yours, is to SUSTAIN him.

I do sustain him as a prophet, a seer and a revelator. That doesn't mean, however, that I cannot question is decisions as an administrator. Frankly, I find it somewhat offensive that you would even suggest that I do not sustain him as a prophet, seer and revelator.

Personally, I prefer adhering to the following council from Brigham Young. Doing so, has brought me much peace.

"I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security....Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not" (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1941], 135).

the Lord still expects us to sustain the Prophet in those decisions. We've covenanted to do so.

Really? I do not remember making a covenant to sustain the prophet in his administrative decisions.

Rick: I think that's a great idea.

By: Chad Too

Chad Too — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Though I don’t know anything official, I think there was a problem with wards in wealthy areas having lavish activities and wards in poor areas languishing just to get by. The Church seems very sensitive to that.

By: Last Lemming

Last Lemming — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Perhaps it is because the scripture says "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse," not "Bring ye all the tithes and dues into the storehouse."

Priesthood quorums could collect dues up until about 1990.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The Relief Society used to be a much more autonomous auxiliary until the ’70s. When the uppity women became too much to handle, everything was taken away–female leadership, money, ideas, lessons–until there is really nothing resembling the dynamic old organization headed by strong women of the Church.

By: Heather P.

Heather P. — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

It was part of the correlation movement. That still doesn't completely answer why, but see for example Derr & Derr (1982), "Outside the Mormon Hierarchy: Alternative Aspects of Institutional Power," Dialogue 15(4), pp. 21-43, available digitally at the UofU.

By: ltbugaf

ltbugaf — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Why are you looking for logic in President Lee’s statement? He simply announced what was going to happen. He didn’t say why it was happening or why it was a good idea. How is it logical or illogical to say, “we’re going to start doing it this way”?

By: Kim Siever

Kim Siever — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

So he made an announcement with no forethought?

By: ltbugaf

ltbugaf — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I see that you're not really looking for logic in the STATEMENT but in the DECISION. So the question I should have asked is, why a requirement for logic in the decision? When the Prophet says we're going to do something, he isn't necessarily saying it's the logical thing to do. Often he's just saying that it's what the Lord has inspired him to do. It wasn't logical to back the Children of Israel up to the Red Sea, but that's what Moses did. It wasn't logical to institute the practice of polygamy but that's what Joseph Smith did.

I personally think there are lots of reasons for doing this that are readily apparent. But if there were no such reasons, it shouldn't stop President Lee from saying that it's what the Church should do.

So ultimately, I don't think it matters very much whether we think the decision was logical or not.

By: Kim Siever

Kim Siever — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

"[He's] just saying that it's what the Lord has inspired him to do"

So you think the Lord is concerned with whether the relief Society covers their operating expenses through dues or tithing?

I would be interested in hearing your apparent reasons.