Instead I have found that love of wealth tends to be highly correlated with wickedness. Whether it’s the wealthy who love their own wealth or the poor who covet the wealth of others. Either tends to lead to significant sin.

They pay TITHING.

Do we really believe that paying tithing will open up the windows of heaven?

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Shockingly, the economic profile of active Columbus-area Mormons is much closer to the suburban Pickerington/Dublin/ Clintonville/Bexley average (these are the places where the mayor, the president of Ohio State, the head of the Limited corporation, etc., live) than to the downtown population. From what I understand, this central area was so needy that the original wards were dissolved and the population divided amongst the stakes: if I stay in my stake, many of my neighbors will be Section 8 recipients but my ward members will be some of the wealthiest people in the state.

It doesn’t hurt that HUGE numbers of Mormons out here go to dental school/law school/etc. — and all the kids, even in the poorest, most dysfunctional wards, at least graduate from high school. There’s also all the RM “I can speak a foreign language and know how to pay my rent on time and talk to people” experience.

But I imagine the same kinds of things affect these numbers in Mexico (and everywhere else, too.) And they have the PEF, and at least occasional contact — even from a distance — with very successful people (visiting GAs, etc.) on top of everything else, which opportunities aren’t all that common for most Mexicans, I’m sure.

As Randall points out, this situation raises difficulties if one thinks through theological implications. Who is heaven for?

As Cicero and Frank point out, there are often advantages to being a member of the Church that can lead to improvement’s of a member’s financial situation. One could add to these the perpetual Education fund which helps people obtain an education that improves their social standing. There is still the earlier question, though. Does the Church’s structure favor some kinds of people over others? While the two concerns are probably not separable given the data we have they are important.

The anthropologist in me is not surprised that different denominations favor different social groups. But the religious person wonders about the sacred significance.

Perhaps the whole ’self reliance’ thing gets in the way of providing church owned transportation too.

Actually I am in favor of members providing rides for members. I think it helps build the community of Saints.

It was worth it just for the look on the faces of the folks who were standing at bus stops when we passed by without stopping.