I feel as though that folk-lore “veil” if you will has been lifted from my mind.

This site is just the best. Keep it coming!

I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditures on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. IF OUR CHARITIES DO NOT AT ALL PINCH OR HAMPER US, I SHOULD SAY THEY ARE TOO SMALL. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them. I am speaking now of ‘charities’ in the common way. Particular cases of distress among your own relatives, friends, neighbors or employees, which God, as it were, forces upon your notice, may demand much more: even to the crippling and endangering of your own position. For many of us the great obstacle to charity lies not in our luxurious living or desire for more money, but in our fear– fear of insecurity. This must often be recognized as a temptation. Sometimes our pride also hinders our charity; we are tempted to spend more than we ought on the showy forms of generosity (tipping, hospitality) and less than we ought on those who really need our help.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Alas, many Latter-day Saints have yet to grasp this refining principle.

I still need to add more posts to this series. There are so many more thoughts I have on the subject.

I actually did an experiment with my seminary students a few years ago and asked them to go home and ask their parents what they knew about the Law of Consecration… they returned with all the traditional statements. By the end of our Doctrine and Covenant year they were taught very differently.. I now teach Institute for Young Single Adults, and because they are of Temple going age we concentrate on this Law almost every week in some way or another. They actually get it!

Correct teaching is the only way we will rid the Church of traditional beliefs that are incorrect. I hope you don’t mind but I am going to send the few readers I have your way, to read this post and the next. Brilliant job! Keep teaching truth despite those who would disagree.

Many years ago, while living on the East Coast of the U.S., a family moved into our ward from another state. Because of my calling as R.S. president, I became aware when they needed food and financial help from the Church. This large family said that they had participated in what they termed a form of the law of consecration with some other members in California, and essentially ended up with nothing. That, to me, was an example of how dangerous it can be to go beyond what our leaders ask us to do. They had very good intentions, but poor judgment.

On the positive side, I know of families who have told their priesthood leaders (general, stake or ward level) that whenever they have a special need, they have only to ask and name the amount. They have essentially said, as David Littlefield put it in his comment, “Whatever I have is available for the kingdom.” Absent specific requests, these families regularly give generously to the various Church funds and other worthy causes, help out needy friends and relatives, and then use what might be termed “surplus” (but could also be seen as a stewardship) to invest in a way that creates more jobs and earns money which will be available to be used to help the poor and build the Kingdom in the future.

It is true that socialism/communism is the exact opposite of the law of consecration and a Zion society. Hopefully our posts will help our brothers and sisters more fully understand the Lord’s way and more easily detect the adversary’s counterfeit.

Very interesting post on Keynesian Economics. Looks like history is repeating itself.

I agree with Bryce’s comments. There is much to this topic. I remember while working at FARMS I came across Nibley’s article on the law of consecration. I had recently returned from a mission and when I read that paper, it greatly influenced me. I was not very aware of what other Church members thought about the law of consecration, however, as I gained experience in the Church I perhaps had similar experiences as David L. mentions above (i.e. “lost several friends”).

A few comments to this post caught my eye – especially the ones that reference “savings” and “socialism/communism”. Last week I blogged about Keynesian Economics and Savings. At the time, I was unaware of the comments here. However, I think this topic directly applies to the law of consecration and the united order. As Bryce mentions above, socialism/communism and the gospel/law of consecration are direct opposites.

A few years ago I began to study socialism and communism in more depth. After studying these things, I then turned my attention to the words of the prophets and apostles. I was astounded to see the subtle counterfeit that had been created to bring about the destruction of our society.

On another note, sometimes I wonder if the law of consecration is connected to the last law revealed to Moses in Horeb and which he never revealed to the children of Israel (Joseph Smith). We know – at least in general – the children of Israel were kept from entering into the Lord’s presence and into the holy order (JST Genesis 34:1-2; D&C 84:24), although there were notable exceptions, Isaiah and other Old Testament prophets in addition to Lehi and Nephi come readily to mind. So we know, even under that system of priesthood, that there were those who entered into the presence of the Lord.

Just a thought or two. I really do look forward to reviewing your posts on this topic in the future Bryce. And I hope that some of the posts on my own blog will augment this topic. In fact, that is really one of the reasons I blog about these counterfeits on my own blog – many have been deceived into thinking that statism and the welfare state are the ideal type of society to which we should aspire… The Book of Mormon really was written for our day. It describes exactly what has been happening in our society and world even though it was compiled 1,600 years ago!