I was somewhat perplexed concerning the front page article on Oct. 15 in which D. Michael Quinn is portrayed as somewhat complementing the LDS Church regarding its current financial acumen.
Somehow, it seems a little contradictory a church named after Jesus Christ, the same person who angrily chased the money changers from the temple, as boasting of earning billions of dollars while the vast preponderance of faithful members are still commanded to pay a full 10 percent of their earnings to receive a temple recommend and therefore qualify for the best heaven has to offer.
How about a more progressive system of tithing now that the church is flush? Even the often despised federal government promotes the fairness of tax bracketing based on ability to pay; 10 percent for top earners is obviously much less a financial burden than for those earning considerably less. With billions of excess earnings/assets in hand, might now be time to lower the tithing required of lower income members. Under the current financial bonanza, wouldn’t that be the more Christlike fundraising approach to embrace?
Raymond A. Hult, Bountiful