Billionaire Jeff Green leaves Mormon church, donates $600K to LGBTQ organization

Just as an FYI, almost all leadership of the Church is lay ministry run by volunteers, the top leaders of the Church receive a small living stipend[0] as they do their work full-time, but beyond that the rest is all volunteers.

0. It is between 95-112k a year, which when you consider the current President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a world-renown cardiologist it is less than peanuts.

I've been thinking about this a lot recently. There's a feedback loop at work whereby more open-minded people tend to self-select out of organized religion over time because of wariness over issues of dogma. This of course means that those who remain are more inclined to seek dogma as a source of stability, hence the many problems we see in religion today--e.g. the religion of peace having violent tendencies, or evangelical Christianity being downright unchristian in its treatment of marginalized groups (of whom Christ tended to be unconditionally accepting).

The problem is that critique from the outside of a group seems counterproductive--there's a raft of psychological evidence that it tends to entrench sides. In national or international politics, it's at least possible--though not always pragmatic--to exert pressure via power (boycotts, protests, laws, sanctions, force, etc.), but when it comes to critiquing a religion (e.g. Christianity), I wonder if there's any better pragmatic solution than evangelizing a more progressive (and christian) form of Christianity.

Who should hold them accountable?

If they pay their taxes then it is between them and their followers. Everyone is free to do what they want with their money.

While I understand what you are saying, knowing the billionaire class of America, it is entirely possible that Bill Green is trying to get some positive Coverage out of it and there is something in it that makes it rather not profitable for him. Billionaire class in America is all in it for themselves. And why is he suddenly donating to LGBTQ community? Those two things (church not doing more for the world) and LGBTQ cause are separate. There is more good to the world that is to be done than LGBTQ welfare unless you are in it for some positive coverage.

I think he is just doing it for a positive spin on his image.

Aren't the religious some kind of protected class, though?

Billionaires, on the other hand, are fair game.

The cynical thing is that every organization that claims to know what's good and what's bad eventually attracts power-hungry people that would abuse it. You can't evade it by jumping ship, since it appears to be a fundamental flaw (or feature) of humanity.

The only way out is to look at specific people and specific ideas, rather than accepting dogmas for granted, and judging information based on the affiliation of the person it came from.

I used to be Christian. I became an Atheist and since a couple of years I got into Buddhism.

I do see how certain aspects of Christianity can help people cope with life the same way Buddhism does.

- The idea of unconditional love. Most people feel that being loved has to be earned. Well you don't have to be anything just serve God and/or be kind. - Letting go of control. Life has up and downs. In Buddhism resisting against pain is what causes suffering. In Christianity everything is according to Gods plan. Don't worry.

There are also differences though. For example, Christianity gives you a simple answer for the meaning of life, so you can stop looking. Buddhism asks why are you looking in the first place.

It’s fascinating that our experiences are so similar, but in opposite directions. I was raised in a secular household with secular values. In college, and afterwords at work, I began to observe that the negative features which I had, in prejudice, attributed to religion and religious people, such as self-righteousness, hypocrisy, prejudice, willful ignorance, reality denial, obstinance, etc., were perfectly abundant in the secular world that I inhabited, and in myself as well. Realizing that maybe these constituted a sort of universal human temptation, I started going to a (Catholic) church. There was plenty of that there, as well, but also something more, which I had never known.

Also like you, I was really bitter (and depressed) for a while afterwards. Losing one’s faith in the worldview that had given life meaning does that, I think. It’s still a struggle for me, if I’m honest. Affirming and living that “something more” is difficult and elusive, and it’s vastly easier to intellectualize and wallow in negations. I don’t consistently do the former.

Anyway, the point here is that I’m sorry you had to go through that, and I know how painful it is to lose your bearings. If you end up disillusioned out there, hit me up.

Ehn, the guy has good point though. For one, I think he strategically made the announcement shortly after pledging 90% of his wealth for charitable purposes [1]. Had he not done it before scolding the church for not helping the poor enough, some folks may have said "ehn you rich billionaire, what are you doing on your part?".

Either way, good riddance for him. It's inspiring to the target audience (ex-Mormons and Mormons on the edge, I think).

1 - https://investors.thetradedesk.com/news-releases/news-releas...

Publicity stunts aren't inherently bad, especially if it's for unselfish reasons. It looks like this person wanted to take this opportunity to make a statement about the Mormon church and its stance on LGBTQ. I say kudos.

The reason you "leave" religious sects without actually leaving them is because apostates get shunned and you don't feel like losing all of your family and friends along with your religion.