The Church's financial situation

[Black Diamond Bay]

Originally Posted by Adam

I might be wrong, but wouldn't it be wonderful to have the data and have the conversation? To know that $X billion dollars was being added to the $YYY billion endowment and hear them explain how it was God's will to do that instead of fund the homeless shelter? It really might be God's will--I'm open to the possibility. I would like to believe these decisions were being made with God's will in mind.

Of course the conversation would be absurd and they would look ridiculous trying to justify it--so they are willing to pay $3 million to settle a dubious suit in Oregon rather then release their financial records.

I have always found it hard to understand the argument that you shouldn't keep one person warm because it might attract another who needed to be kept warm. You are right, we might end up keeping a lot of people warm. I don't see how this is a bad thing. It wouldn't be so terrible if Utah came known as a place where homeless people could go to keep warm--that those Mormons would feed and warm anyone. I can think of worse things to be known for.

Your NIMBY-extended argument is sad to hear. Because you don't want one in your backyard, you won't support building one anywhere.

I'm sorry, I don't recall making any such arguement. I believe the point I am making is that homeless people are more often than not CRIMINALS. Maybe you should live on a street where the homeless people chase innocent passerbys screaming obscenities at them, or getting drunk/high and stripping off all their clothes and parading around nude on your street. I personally do think it would be a shame if Utah County became known for being a magnet for that element of society.

I didn't say I wouldn't support it anywhere, I just won't judge anybody that resists having it in their neighborhood. Especially people with little kids. I lived in an area for a year where there were a lot of homeless people, and some of the stuff that I had the unfortunate opportunity to see from my own front porch in broad daylight was ridiculous, not to mention the fact that it wasn't always safe to walk down the street...in the middle of the day. Yeah, you get used to it, and after a while it's just kind of the way things go and you don't really notice too much anymore, but I hope that Utah County doesn't turn into that kind of a neighborhood. So pass judgment on me as a cold, selfish, unchristlike Mormon. I think you're far too idealistic and naive.