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Ask the Readers: Does Rich Equal Righteous?

Posted by Alyssa - March 3rd, 2008

From a book called Incredible Optical Illusions given to me by a friend:

I've been having a discussion with a friend of mine about the status of wealthy people within Mormon culture. My friend feels that Mormons tend to equate being wealthy with being righteous. His argument is that wealthy Mormons tend to be more respected and are given more leadership callings than others. (Most of the apostles were very successful in their fields and became quite wealthy.) He says there's even doctrinal support for it in the Book of Mormon: in the pride cycle, as the Nephites became more righteous they were often blessed with more riches. (Until the scales got tipped too far in that direction, of course.)

I argued that Mormons actually see frugality as being more righteous than being rich per se. A "good" Mormon is one who doesn't spend excessively, who bargain-shops, who never goes into debt and who lives well below their means. I've even seen "righteousness show-downs" between various Relief Society sisters about who drove the crappiest car to stay out of debt the longest, who paid off their house the fastest by sacrificing basic amenities, etc. They beam with pride as they talk about how they sewed their own clothes out of burlap sacks and made Thanksgiving dinner out of nothing but mustard packets and popcorn kernels. (Okay, I'm exaggerating now, but you get the idea.)

Mormons have a pretty solid reputation for being cheap. My mom works as a server in an airport restaurant and she hates waiting on Mormons. "They leave TERRIBLE tips," she says. "They're about as good at tipping as college kids." Other waiters in Utah I've talked to say they're lucky if they make 5% some nights. Mormons are thrifty to the point of being borderline Scrooges, they complain.

But, to give my friend the benefit of the doubt, maybe the purpose of all this frugality is to amass more wealth... And to therefore be more righteous.

What's you call? Does rich = righteous (whether consciously or not) in Mormon culture?

Comments

snicketrules@msn.com said on Mar 3rd:

I will agree that wealthy mormons do get the leadership callings and you have to wonder if that is why. More righteous--I seriously doubt that--just lucky. And yes, Mormons are horrible tippers--shame on them.

Marin said on Mar 5th:

Living in a retirement ward gives me many opportunities to hear the opinions of the "older" generation. I have frequently heard some of them say that , in essence, if bad things are happening to you, then you must be doing something wrong. At times, they have compared this to how wealthy or poor they have been at different times in their lives. I believe that some in the older generations would definitely agree that riches = righteous. Thankfully, this is not my opinion but an opinion I have heard expressed many times before.

LaDawn said on Mar 5th:

What is your personal "refiner fire"? I think we get the trials and blessings we need. We probably won't know till the other side, if not until judgment day, just what a blessing a trail was. Or... how bad we'd have blown it with some of the blessing we thought we wanted. I sometimes think like Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof) would it spoil some vast eternal plan if I were wealthy. There again, I won't change my blessings for another's.

Alyssa said on Mar 5th:

Ha ha... Marin, I initially misread your statement to be "living in retirement." I was thinking, "She didn't tell me the reason she left her job is because she went into early retirement..." :P

That's really interesting about the people in your ward. It really reminds me of Job's friends. (Maybe we should put scare quotes around the word "friends.") You could be right about the generation gap. For me, when my friend told me that I was thinking that it was the first time I'd ever heard that concept. I've never thought there was a correlation between wealth and righteousness, personally. Just never even crossed my mind. If anything, I thought rich people were at risk of becoming too prideful.

LaDawn, I think you're right that what could be considered a "blessing" is relative. It's like that old saying that sometimes your greatest strengths are your greatest weaknesses... I could see that being true of wealth for sure.

Father Ted said on Mar 5th:

So... every time I look at the camel in the needle, I keep thinking of Father MacDougal: "These cows are very small. Those cows are FAR AWAY. Very small. FAR AWAY."

wayne madsen said on Mar 6th:

The correlation doesn't exist because there is an assumption which must be clarified and derided: so-called "important" callings doesn't mean you are more righteous.

While I agree that it is common in our church, at least in the United States, to call more established people to more demanding callings there is more of a connection between the need for the church to have someone who has available time and resources to direct the flock above and beyond "righteousness." I will not diminish the great spirituality of the apostles or prophets, but you can't tell me those are the MOST righteous men in the world because that's not what their calling is. Their calling is to be special witnesses of Christ, not to be "the most righteous men." An Elder in South Africa can be just as righteous as an apostle, but not have the calling because the Lord doesn't need that man to lead his church and be a witness to the world.

Yet, I do believe that the majority of United States Mormons do have the erroneous belief that if you are righteous, you will prosper monetarily in this life. The Book of Mormon does allude to the pride cycle of the Nephites and the blessings of prosperity that can come with righteousness, but it also states that blessings aren't usually material, as does the D&C. Yet Mormons persist in this belief. I was in a class at BYU taught by a non-member who pointed this out to the class and the students erupted in protest.

However, in response to the blessings brought by wealthy Mormons, I know a man who is very wealthy and an inspiration to myself. Once he explained to me about how Jacob 2:18-19 has ruled his economic life. The purpose and aim he has set for himself in the long hours of work and wealth he has accumulated has always been to benefit others. He became bishop of a singles ward and always let his home be open to all the singles and activities and weddings, etc. While this man wasn't the most righteous man I know, he did what the Lord would have him do.

Jamey said on Mar 14th:

Alyssa, I'm a little behind on your blog. That's why I am frantically posting every where:-) I used to get caught up in this debate I think. Righteousness=wealth???? Today I would say "No." One doesn't necessarily mean the other. There are plenty of wicked rich people and plenty of righteous rich ones too:-) And the same goes for the poor. I've completely changed how I think about money since reading "the Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. I don't like the book as much as I like his radio show and Financial Peace University Course. http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/ It's excellent.