Wealthy Mormon publicly leaves the LDS Church — shaming leaders for 'doing harm to the world'
A major donor to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints very publicly declared that he's leaving the church because he believes that they are "doing harm to the world."
The Daily Beast reported that Jeff T. Green sent a 900-word letter to LDS President Russell Nelson saying that he believes most members of the church are "good people trying to do right." However, "the church is actively and currently doing harm in the world."
It's a similar take that many feel when it comes to leaders in organized religion. Pastor Andy Stanley penned a list of reasons that people are fleeing Christian churches. The reasons include pastors making people believe that the church is a building and that churches don't make people feel comfortable coming to church if they're being attacked in the sermons.
Green made it clear that the church must modernize when it comes to its message, but it also needs to apply the faith when it comes to the church's past and finances.
“The church leadership is not honest about its history, its finances, and its advocacy," Green wrote."I believe the Mormon church has hindered global progress in women’s rights, civil rights and racial equality, and LGBTQ+ rights."
He revealed he'll be making a $600,000 donation to Equality Utah, where "almost half of the fund will go to a new scholarship program to help LGBTQ+ students in Utah," including any student who "may need or want to leave [Brigham Young University]."
Green, previously a missionary, now is the CEO of an advertising firm The Trade Desk, worth about $4.9 billion, said Forbes Billionaires List. He made it clear that he hasn't been participating in the church for "more than a decade," but with this letter, he's taking an even bigger step.
"Although I have deep love for many Mormons and gratitude for many things that have come into my life through Mormonism, I have not considered myself a member for many years, and I’d like to make clear to you and others that I am not a member," he wrote.
He called the church Utah's largest nonprofit, saying that they have a responsibility to use its "more than $100 billion in assets" to do "more to help the world and its members." He noted that frequently the poor will give money to the Church "expecting the blessings of heaven. Instead, I think the church has exploited its members and their need for hope to build temples, build shopping malls, and cattle ranches… rather than alleviating human suffering in or out of the church."
Read the full report from the Daily Beast.
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