Fair enough. I was meaning more explicitly.Waldorf and Sauron wrote:Marduk: The law of consecration is implicitly a temple recommend question, if you have already been through the temple.
Flat tax
Moderator: Marduk
Re: Flat tax
Deus ab veritas
Re: Flat tax
I am of the opinion that how the Church is run and how a government is run are two VERY, VERY different things. So my comments on consecration here don't have any bearing on a flat tax.
I had a wonderful professor for D&C who brought up that the law of consecration is still in effect. My initial reaction was the same as DL - wha wha what?!?! He did a good job of explaining that the United Order/United Firm was not in effect any more, but that consecration still was. For him, that meant using his money for what he needed to (including preparing to send children to school, savings for a rainy day, etc.) then donating the rest back through fast offerings. I thought it was an interesting idea. I don't know if I would be as formulaic about it as he is, but I do know that since then, I've been very concerned about giving as much as I can give. I've tried to think about consecration as more than a theoretical, "What if the Bishop asked for all of my property?" and more of a practical, "What can I give back so others have the opportunities I have been blessed with - education, health, positive role models, etc."
All of that being said, tithing and consecration work on VERY different principles than government compelled taxation, which is why I don't think "The Lord uses a flat tax so gov't should too!" holds up well.
I had a wonderful professor for D&C who brought up that the law of consecration is still in effect. My initial reaction was the same as DL - wha wha what?!?! He did a good job of explaining that the United Order/United Firm was not in effect any more, but that consecration still was. For him, that meant using his money for what he needed to (including preparing to send children to school, savings for a rainy day, etc.) then donating the rest back through fast offerings. I thought it was an interesting idea. I don't know if I would be as formulaic about it as he is, but I do know that since then, I've been very concerned about giving as much as I can give. I've tried to think about consecration as more than a theoretical, "What if the Bishop asked for all of my property?" and more of a practical, "What can I give back so others have the opportunities I have been blessed with - education, health, positive role models, etc."
All of that being said, tithing and consecration work on VERY different principles than government compelled taxation, which is why I don't think "The Lord uses a flat tax so gov't should too!" holds up well.