Lifting The Veil

Tithes, Investments, and Ethical Questions: How Religious Wealth Aligns—or Conflicts—with Biblical Stewardship The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), commonly known as the Mormon Church, claims over 17 million members worldwide. Alongside spiritual instruction, the church manages an enormous financial empire—collecting billions in tithes, holding extensive real estate, and maintaining a portfolio of businesses and investments. While some of this wealth supports humanitarian and missionary work, the majority is retained, raising the question: how much of this wealth is truly advancing God’s mission? Estimates suggest that the LDS Church collects $7–8 billion annually from member tithing. These funds are claimed to support local congregations, temples, missionary efforts, and church operations. In addition, Ensign Peak Advisors, the church’s investment arm, reportedly manages a portfolio exceeding $100 billion, including stocks, bonds, and other securities. Critics...

In the early 1840s, the Mormon community in Nauvoo, Illinois, tried to protect itself by forming the Nauvoo Legion—a militia under the command of Joseph Smith, who was not only their spiritual leader but also the city’s mayor. While self-defense is understandable, the way the Mormons wielded this power crossed lines and escalated tensions with their neighbors, ultimately leading to violent conflict and tragedy. The Nauvoo Legion was far more than a simple militia. It was one of the largest and best-armed in Illinois, effectively serving as a private army loyal to Joseph Smith and his followers. This blend of religious, political, and military authority gave the Mormons outsized control over Nauvoo and bred fear among non-Mormons. Many outsiders saw the Mormon leadership as authoritarian, using their power to impose their beliefs and silence opposition. A clear example of this misuse of power was the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor printing press in 1844. The newspaper had published...

Tithing is something Latter-day Saints take seriously—and as a Christian, I respect that level of commitment. You're taught to tithe 10% of your income, and many do it faithfully. But here's a question that often goes unasked on both sides of the conversation: Does the Bible actually command Christians to tithe today? Surprisingly, the answer is no. And when we compare what the Bible teaches to what LDS scriptures and prophets say, the contrast is significant—and important to understand. Let’s start with the Bible. In the Old Testament, tithing was part of the Mosaic Law—a system given specifically to the nation of Israel. According to Leviticus 27:30 and Numbers 18:21, the tithe (a tenth of produce or livestock) was given to support the Levites, who had no land inheritance. This was essentially a religious tax tied to the temple system and priesthood in ancient Israel. In fact, there were multiple tithes—including one for the Levites, one for festival celebrations (Deuteronomy...

Alright, so Mormonism has this thing called “exaltation,” and honestly, it sounds kinda wild if you’re hearing about it for the first time. The idea is that if you’re really faithful and follow all their teachings, you don’t just get to hang out with God forever—you actually become a god yourself. Like, you get your own planets to rule, have spirit kids, and basically join this big “god club.” It’s like leveling up from human to deity. Sounds like a sci-fi movie, right? They teach that we’re all made from the same kind of eternal “stuff” as God, and that we’re actually His literal kids. So if we do everything right, we get promoted to godhood. Ultimate family upgrade! But here’s the thing: when you look at the Bible, God is always shown as eternal and unchanging. For example, Psalm 90:2 says, “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” That means God has always been God, and no one else ever becomes Him. When Lucif...

God’s love isn’t something you earn — it’s something He gives. That’s what the Bible teaches, over and over again. But back in 2003, Russell M. Nelson — now the prophet of the Mormon Church — wrote an article in Ensign where he claimed that God’s love “cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional.” According to him, unless you’re obedient, God’s love isn’t fully active in your life. That’s not just wrong — it’s dangerous. It completely flips the Gospel upside down. Instead of a God who loves you first and offers grace freely, you get a God who holds back until you meet certain conditions. That’s not Christianity. That’s a religious vending machine. Romans 5:8 (NLT) says it plain: “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” We weren’t obeying. We weren’t repenting. We were still neck-deep in sin — and God loved us anyway. That’s the kind of love the Bible talks about. Same thing in Ephesians 2:4–5 (NLT): “But God is so rich i...

You’ve probably heard people say, “Mormons are Christians, so they worship the same Jesus.” But if you actually look at what Mormonism teaches, that’s just not true. Real Christianity is all about the Trinity—one God in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit. Jesus isn’t just some regular guy who became God later. Nope. He’s fully God and fully human, eternal, and never changes. The Bible says Jesus was there “in the beginning” and “the Word was God” (John 1:1), and that “the Word became flesh and made his home among us” (John 1:14). Everything was made through Him (Colossians 1:16). He’s the one and only Savior (Acts 4:12). But Mormonism? They say Jesus was once just a man who got bumped up to godhood. Plus, they see God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as three separate gods. That’s way different from the Bible’s clear “God is one” message (Deuteronomy 6:4). Why does this even matter? Because if Jesus isn’t really God, then He can’t save us. The Bible says Jesus is...