Reddit reviews The Book of Mammon: A Book About A Book About The Corporation That Owns The Mormons

Hah... you can get pieces of it in the following books:

The Book of Mammon

David O. McKay's Biography

some pieces are here: http://bycommonconsent.com/2010/03/03/correlation-an-uncorrelated-history-part-1-the-mormon-underground/

and here: http://www.wheatandtares.org/7190/dumbing-downsimplifying-the-gospel/

You get bits about Grant here: https://www.lds.org/ensign/1979/07/jedediah-and-heber-grant?lang=eng

And about Grant's mother: https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewFile/6918/6567

And even a comic book version of Harold B. Lee's christmas miracle here: https://www.lds.org/friend/2001/12/harold-b-lee-shares-christmas?lang=eng


But no, I know of no book that puts the whole thing together quite as succinctly. Once my current book comes out (It's done, just needs some editing); my next one will be "Honest Mormon Nuttiness" or "Nutty Mormon History" and this kind of connected tale comes out from it.

If you are REALLY interested in learning about correlation, Daymon Smith is the expert.

He earned his PhD in Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania in 2007 and wrote his dissertation on the rise of the modern, correlated church. Here's a link to his dissertation.

If you don't feel like reading through his 533 page magnum opus, he did a 9 part series on correlation back in 2010 at bycommonconsent.com which is based on material from his dissertation.

If you want something even more succinct, he did a Mormon Stories interview with John Dehlin in which he discussed his book, "The Book of Mammon: A Book About A Book About The Corporation That Owns The Mormons" and touches upon the rise of the modern church and correlation.

Daymon Smith is the best you will find, especially if your friend is the brainy type. This series of interviews is long but worth the effort. Also, if your friend is patient, I would recommend they listen to the whole Mormon Stories interview with Daymon, episodes 149–52. Even though these interviews are six years old, they are still the best in-depth commentary on correlation. Daymon's writings, including Book of Mammon, were instrumental in my throwing the TSCC out of my life.

You might also recommend the chapter on correlation in Greg Prince's book, David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism.

edit: Your friend may also be interested to know that these two sources—Daymon Smith and Greg Prince—approach the topic of correlation from a faithful yet analytical perspective. For another faithful/analytical perspective, I'd recommend reading Matt Bowman's chapter on correlation in this book, or this essay. PM me if you want pdfs of the chapters by Bowman and Prince.

Mormon Disclosures is honestly pretty reliable. It should be noted that it's normal for apostles to be provided with living space, expenses, and cars, so while I'm not sure whether transfer of property is itself normal I wouldn't be surprised. Obviously other churches provide similarly for their leadership, so I don't see any reason to be skeptical. The church's finances are murky and pretty damn hidden though. I'd recommend checking out this book if you're interested in these things: http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Mammon-Corporation-Mormons/dp/1451553706

I assume you're exmormon since I've seen you post on /r/exmormon, so am I. If you can't afford that book, but are interested I can PM you a link.

Jaded Comments
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>> next unto it is to say something disparaging about Sherry Dew (i wont go into that one, apart from saying that I may have called her a haggish old woman),

I find it funny, that the role model for women in the church is a never married CEO.

>> As time went on, because my employment was directly tied to my beliefs I spent many painful nights trying to get myself to believe

This is my theory on apologists.

>>I have never felt more at peace, happy and self confident as I do now that I have left the church behind me.

Congratulations! I'm happy for you.

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Questions
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1. Have you read this?
   
   
2. Do you have moderately relevant numbers on activity, tithing, expenditures, any of their internal studies, corporate expenses / losses, or other information long kept hidden from the public?
   
   
3. What were your "Wow, you're kidding me. This happens in the Lord's church!" moments.
   
   
4. How many of your coworkers do you think have completely drunk the kool-aid vs just want to keep their job?
   
   
5. How are women regarded by the COB?
   
   
6. How many missionaries did you see take the jobs of FTEs, or FTEs reduced to contractor status to keep their jobs?
   
   
7. Were there any pleasant moments working for the COB?

http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Mammon-Corporation-Mormons/dp/1451553706

That's supposedly covered in this book, written by an insider who got fed up with all the shenanigans in the penis building.

Home teaching started in 1963 when TSCC underwent correlation. Harold Lee gave a talk in the priesthood session of conference explaining correlation, and in that talk he announced the start of the home teaching program (starts on page 86, second column, Chart #6. It was basically a way to make sure everybody got the word out about this new-fangled correlation and to enforce priesthood hierarchy/keep tabs on all the priesthood holders.

If you don't know much about correlation (the period in the 60s when the church became completely centralized, started white-washing its history, and got rid of inconsistent/contradictory doctrines/teachings) I would recommend the work of Daymon Smith. He has an entertaining blog as well as some great books (one about his experience working in the COB), and did his PhD in anthropology studying the history of Mormon correlation. His dissertation is long but completely fascinating. For a shorter account of correlation, see the interview he did with BCC. Also, here's a hilarious video the church put out in the 60s about the "importance" of home teaching (cue the loser, inactive dad, and the clean-cut home teacher who is a better father-figure to the confused, but faithful, young man).

I think visiting teaching started in Nauvoo when the Relief Society was organized as a way for the sisters to go around to collect donations to then distribute to those in need.

Having read The Book of Mammon that sounds exactly like how the Church Office Building operates.

Fiscally conservative...

Do you know how much they spent on City Creek? Did you know the cost of City Creek was about twice per square foot what the most expensive resort, per square foot, in Vegas cost to build? That's just one example.

Here is an in-depth read of the church fiscal responsibility. From what I understand, the author is still a faithful member somehow.

> You accused the LDS church of changing its definition of tithing in order to gain financial benefit. I have asked for proof but it has to be a specific kind of proof. You still haven't met my concern and I don't think you ever will because you have no proof to back up your claims. To clarify: I want a primary source...

Do you trust your own eyes? Drive past the property just south of temple square in Salt Lake City. It doesn't take a genius to see that a lot of money went into that project. Some place the amount as high as 10% of their total assets (3.5/35). If the LDS church is not forthcoming with the actual amount that they spent, then estimates by construction accountants will have to suffice. The square footage will be on full display. Do you think that steel, concrete and skilled labor comes cheap? Whatever the exact answer ends up being, be assured that it is multi-billions. Hopefully, it will end being something people want, and not a white elephant like all of the derelict new structures that dot the landscape in Las Vegas.

By the way, the allegations in this book appear to me to be well researched and reliable. If that is not enough, then trust your own eyes, instead. The city creek mall project is the elephant in the room. Just because current tax law allows them to do it, the question remains: Did Jesus really want a mall as his first priority?

edit: trim link

Wait, so Jeezus himself accepts the money from your very hand? Bull. Shit. You give it to The Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They invest your money and build a shopping mall with it. That is the truth. Source: The Book of Mammon

Ask him if he has read the book of mammon:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Mammon-Corporation-Mormons/dp/1451553706

he goes into depth considering the quad and how it related to sales being the reason for campaigns pushing certain purchases.