
98: We do NOT ‘Consider the Matter Closed’—Tithing Wealth, Transparency, & Accountability
About this episode
Join Valerie in her analysis of the recent breaking news regarding the financial settlement between the LDS church and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission regarding tithing holdings. In this episode Valerie breaks down the following:
- An analysis of why, in a healthy relationship between ANY two parties [including between an individual and their church], one party does not decide unilaterally that ANY "matter is closed" especially in situations that involve a sacred breach of trust.
- What needs to happen after a violation of trust between two parties to heighten the possibility that trust can be restored.
- A proposal that the chief truth claim of the LDS church makes it vulnerable to struggles with honesty, transparency, and accountability.
- The correlation between institutional perfectionism, underlying shame, and struggles with honesty, transparency and accountability.
- A breakdown of valid and integrity-based victim responses that might follow a breach of trust when the perpetrating party chooses not to be transparent or accountable upon discovery of broken trust.
- An invitation to step into the healing power of the atonement of Jesus Christ, admit wrongdoing, and activate the potential for relational healing between the institution and the parties betrayed (both God and the tithe-paying membership of the LDS church).
Research Mentioned in this episode:
Books:
- Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, by Linda King Newell
- The Challenge of Honesty: Essays for Latter-day Saints, by Frances Lee Menlove
Helpful Links:
Podcasts:
- At Last She Said It | What About Tithing?
- Latter Day Struggles | Episode 35: The Shadow of Joseph's Polygamy and its ongoing Institutional Reverberations
- Mormon Stories Podcast | 1732: LDS Church Fined $5 Million for Hiding Money w/ Mark Pugsley
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