Church leader: Loss of freedoms is our fault

[marc]

If God chose, He would fill the Energy Solutions Arena/Delta Center with gold to take care of the poor and needy. But that would defeat the purpose of teaching all of us the law of sacrifice.

Getting back to the loss of freedoms theme, and related to this idea...

Nothing can replace the law of the harvest either... or in this case the law of work. Gold is just a way to get other people to do things, and if there was so much gold all of a sudden it would no longer be motivating to people and would not have the desired result.

One way or another the only way to have food, clothing, shelter, or any other temporal thing is through work, either one's own or someone else's by some sort of influence (exchange, threats, love, etc).

Perhaps the greatest sin of the modern world is not the lack of charity, but of using force to restrict both opportunity to work and how work is done. If people cannot provide for themselves the need for charity becomes a chronic thing instead of a temporary circumstance in extreme cases for a small part of the population.

This reminds me...in the Book of Mormon, I find it ironic that gold and many other ores were abundantly found in the land and yet they were condemned (by Jacob, to name one, if I recall), because some spent all their time seeking it and thus lifted themselves up in pride because they acquired much more than others did, who likely didn't care to search for such "worldly things". Meanwhile, the Lamanites were idolatrous and lazy and rather than seek for gold or riches or sow their own crops, they robbed others. And some wore costly apparel because of the riches they obtained, others were humble and comely, though neat in appearance because they simply didn't seek for gain as others did.

[HeirofNumenor]

Thank you, Heir. The law of tithing is a lesser law of the United Order and the law of consecration. It is not a money commandment. It is an obedience commandment. It has been since the foundation of the world. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, not because he was buying his way into heaven, but because he was being obedient. The Lord instructed the Israelites again through Malachi and again to the Nephites in Bountiful to pay tithes and offerings. If God chose, He would fill the Energy Solutions Arena/Delta Center with gold to take care of the poor and needy. But that would defeat the purpose of teaching all of us the law of sacrifice.

No, Thank YOU CoachMark for clarifying how God uses/requires obedience, and how prophets follow...