NOM

SeeNoEvil wrote:What ever the leak is I would like it to be enough for the church to loose it's tax status. I've thought about a few other things but don't think they would be as effective something that would really hurt the church itself and publicly humiliate them. I would like a leak that would bring a federal investigation into the practices of the church exposing the church for what it is.

I agree with SeeNoEvil.

Liberated Me wrote:

SeeNoEvil wrote:What ever the leak is I would like it to be enough for the church to loose it's tax status. I've thought about a few other things but don't think they would be as effective something that would really hurt the church itself and publicly humiliate them. I would like a leak that would bring a federal investigation into the practices of the church exposing the church for what it is.

I agree with SeeNoEvil.

While that would be deeply amusing, here is the downside. Back when this was a rumored threat in 2008, a particularly stalwart LDS friend of mine came to a remarkably faithful conclusion about this problem. He said the we live in the first generation that got to deduct tithing from their taxes. Every other Mormon in history as far back as Adam(!) paid tithing and taxes and we are not somehow better than them. As far as he was concerned, he was happy to give up the tax benefits because it meant that all restrictions on political speech were off and the church could condemn sin in any form they saw fit to condemn. So I foresee many members struggling with it, but largely being faithful.

Second, this will only make the LDS institutional church lean more heavily on the volunteer work of members. They can play the aggrieved martyr card and Mormons will be doing a lot more sacrifice to forward the work of the persecuted true church of God. I'm sure that Monson and Co. would prefer this to not occur, but I am confident that they have plans in place if this happens.