In an age when faith is increasingly mocked, religious conviction is branded as extremism, and traditional values are dismissed as outdated, it should come as no surprise that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—a growing, disciplined, and morally upright institution—has become a target.

When the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) fined the Church and its investment firm, Ensign Peak Advisors, $5 million for financial reporting violations in 2023, progressive media outlets and online critics were quick to label the Church as greedy, secretive, and exploitative. But let’s be clear: this wasn’t a case of fraud or financial abuse. No Church members were defrauded, no money was stolen, and no one lost their savings. This wasn’t about protecting ordinary people—it was about paperwork. The issue centered on how Ensign Peak filed its investment disclosures, not on any harm done to investors or Church members. In fact, the Church paid all applicable taxes and fulfilled its financial obligations. The fine was for technical noncompliance—not corruption.

This was part of a broader trend—one that anyone who cares about religious liberty and constitutional boundaries should pay attention to. It was the latest chapter in a long effort by elements of the secular left to weaponize federal agencies against traditional faiths that won’t conform.

What Really Happened

The Church had used a network of limited liability companies (LLCs) to file required investment disclosures with the SEC. Its stated goal was to preserve privacy, protect sacred funds, and avoid misuse or politicization of those holdings. The SEC decided this approach misrepresented the size of the Church’s overall portfolio.

You’ll discover in what follows that there was:

• No fraud
• No theft
• No personal gain

The Church cooperated, paid the fine, and corrected the oversight.

This wasn’t criminal—it was administrative. But that didn’t stop headlines from twisting the story into something far more sinister. In a media environment increasingly hostile to religion, the outrage was never really about a technical filing—it was about discrediting a successful Church.

Why the Church Is Financially Strong—and Why That Bothers the Left

Critics love to focus on the Church’s $100 billion reserve, but they ignore the reasons behind it. The Church has:

• Invested conservatively.
• Paid off debts.
• Avoided dependence on government grants or fickle donor trends.
• Prepared for the future like Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 41).

This financial strength supports humanitarian aid, temples, disaster relief, education, and the continued growth of the Church in nations that often persecute Christians.

And that’s precisely the problem—at least for those who believe religion should be small, silent, and subservient to the state.

The real scandal for these critics isn’t how the Church disclosed its investments. It’s that the Church is thriving, growing, and refusing to bow to the cultural elite. It refuses to embrace moral relativism. It teaches gender, family, and divine law with conviction. It’s everything the secular Left hates.

What About Tithing?

Another common attack is that the Church requires tithing while sitting on a large investment reserve. Again, this is disingenuous.

Tithing in the LDS Church

• Is voluntary.
• Is between the individual and God.
• Is not enforced by any income verification.
• Is based on conscience and covenant, not coercion.

In a previous article titled “What Is Tithing, Really? A Covenant of Faith—not a Financial Burden,” I emphasized that tithing is not meant to be a heavy obligation but a personal and sacred offering. The Church does not demand financial records or mandate a strict calculation; rather, it leaves the decision to each member’s faith and personal relationship with the Lord. While cultural and administrative practices can sometimes create pressure or confusion, the core message remains: what you tithe is between you and God. The Church’s financial self-reliance actually strengthens this principle, making tithing more about trust than transaction.

The Long Game: Undermining Religious Liberty

Let’s not pretend this is new. Whenever religious institutions grow in influence or wealth—especially those with moral clarity and backbone—they become targets.

• Jesus Christ was hated for His influence (John 11:48).
• The early Saints were driven out of Missouri and Illinois for building thriving, self-sufficient communities.
• The U.S. government disincorporated the Church in 1887, seizing assets to break its power under the guise of enforcing morality.

Today, the tactic is more subtle. It’s not mobs—it’s mandates. Not mobs with torches, but bureaucrats with subpoenas, targeting religious groups that don’t toe the ideological line.

If the LDS Church can be painted as corrupt or predatory, it weakens its ability to speak on life, family, sexuality, and eternal truth. That’s the goal—not just to correct a filing error, but to delegitimize spiritual authority in the public square.

The Real Message

So let’s speak plainly:

• The Church made a mistake in reporting.
• It didn’t steal.
• It didn’t lie for profit.
• It didn’t pressure members.
• It fixed the issue.

What it did do is stand as a symbol of enduring faith in a world drowning in chaos. And for that, it gets targeted.

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil… that put darkness for light, and light for darkness.” — Isaiah 5:20

Final Word

The LDS Church is not a corrupt corporation—it is a covenant people. Its strength is in its principles, its consecration, and its refusal to sell out to cultural or political pressure.

Tithing is not exploitation. It is sacrifice freely given by believers who know the eternal value of the kingdom of God. Critics don’t have to believe it. But they have no right to twist it.

And we, as disciples, have every right—and duty—to defend truth, uphold liberty, and expose the schemes of those who would destroy both.