What do they do to share their Mormony beliefs? They buy a lot of domains on the internet. They "own" (registered and parked on) over 1300 web domain names , of which 400 are pro-LDS websites. From tax records, it appears in 2007 alone they spent over $140,000 purchasing domains and websites, most of which are believed by the foundation to paint Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in a negative light.
In 2012, at the height of my national media blitz, I was approached by an unnamed individual to buy out my blog (at the time called "prozac-ville"). I declined, and eventually the original blog name was taken by FAIR supporters. I renamed it, eventually, to what it is called today.
The organization states that “While the Foundation is fully supportive of the Church and its mission, it is not directed by or funded through the Church; no Church funds are used for the Foundation.”
However, Futuremissionary reports that their tax returns tell a different story. Apparently, Futuremissionary has found that ''starting in 2009, there were also yearly donations of between $100,000 and $200,000 from “LDS Foundation of the LDS Church.” Over 3 years, donations from this foundation totaled $450,000.''
I also received information derived from 990finder about donations to the More Good Foundation (see below). Effectively, this foundation looks a little like a money-laundering organization for doing the LDS church bidding. (note/edit: I wrote "looks a little like money-laundering" without claiming that it is acutal illegal laundering. Many readers have read too much in my words here.) However, I won't go as far to say that it is a facade for LDS activity, but I am sure that David Neeleman coordinates with a GA regularly about the foundation's activity. I recall when I was a young lad that the owner of Living Scriptures, Inc, Jared Brown (my neighbor and one-time temporary employer), had LDS general authorities on the phone or even at business meetings/conferences to discuss the direction Living Scriptures was taking. At least Mr. Brown bragged about it to me. Thus, I would be very surprised if Mr. Neeleman wasn't also conferencing regularly with his LDS elders.
Of interest is that in 2009, 2010 and 2011 the LDS church was the largest single donor. Previously, it had been Neeleman himself. (The data is shown below.)
Another note of interest, FAIR, the apologetic organization run by Scott Gordon, received $2,500 from More Good in 2006. (See this PDF and this PDF for more data on FAIR -- p.3 of Attch A.)
If you total the contributions and subtract the expenses for salaries (payouts) in the latter years, you will see that most of the foundation money goes to pay salaries of the directors and officers. Very little seems to go elsewhere. So the LDS church is actually mostly donating to pay the salaries of the foundation employees. Why would they do that?
Now, it can be argued that the LDS Foundation of the LDS Church is not owned by the LDS Church. The address listed for this group is 150 Social Hall Ave, SLC Suite 500.
Not only is the building the same, but the same Suite 500 is also the listed address of Beneficial Life Insurance Co. in 2010, owned by Beneficial Financial Group, a Deseret Management Corporation, which is a wing of LDS incorporated. In other words, we can be very sure that these donations to MFG are from LDS inc.
The LDS Foundation has also been linked to Deseret Management Corporation by the Deseret News, the company that oversees the foundation. The reason this is important is because it shows that the LDS Church is paying for defensive positions against critics by using apologetic agents, something they deny doing. Likewise, the money seems to be mostly going to paying salaries. LDS inc also pays its GAs by giving them positions on LDS corporation boards. The More Good Foundation just might be another place for a GA/lackey to get a "stipend" which is actually paid for by an alleged charity arm of LDS Foundation. All in all, it's an elaborate money shell game to hide the fact of their intent with donated money.
Here then is some of the contribution and expense information. From: 990finder.
Taxes:
● 2005
○ $400k total
○ $300k from David Neeleman
○ $100k from Ken Woolley
○ Bus address same as Ken’s
● 2006 (PDF 2006 tax form)
○ GIUSEPPE MARTINENGO paid $51,817
○ received $190,438
○ $163,456 paid to employees
○ Gave FAIR $2,500 (see p. 10 of this PDF)
○ Contributions
■ david neeleman - $115k
■ Ken Woolley - $50k
■ Kevin Rollins - $25,029 in computers. He’s Pres of Dell.
○ $9564 in domain registration
○ $852 hosting
○ Very detailed expenses
○ Paid Allen Wyatt (ex pres) $24,933
● 2007 (PDF 2007 tax form)
○ Contributors
■ $667,782 total
■ $575k - David Neeleman
■ $80k - Ken Wooley
■ $10k - Bill Child (RC Willey owner)
○ Payouts
■ $85,742 for directors, officers, trustees
● Nathan Gwilliam Former Pres - 43,750
● Richard Miller VP - 62,192
● Jonathon Johnson Pres - $25k
● Giuseppe Martinengo Dir - $58,725
■ $153,512 for other employees
■ $17,682 for pension, employee benefits
○ Domain name acquisition - $112,299, $25k for 1
○ Website acquisition - $30k
● 2008 (PDF 2008 tax form)
○ Contributors
■ $602,090 total
■ $51,439 - Jet Blue shares
■ David Neeleman - $300k
■ Tom Dickson - $10k
■ Ken Woolley - $170k
■ JSY Foundation - $5k
■ Bioforce - $25k
■ Ronald A Ferrin - $51,439
■ Steven J & PA Anderson foun - $13k
■ Extra space - $25k
○ Payouts
■ Jonathon Johnson $99k
■ GIUSEPPE MARTINENGO - $81,600
■ Heather Newell VP - $56,333 MormonMusic.org, head mod at lds.net
■ Karen Merkley dir - $46,334
○ Domain name - $112,255 - Book value $46,597
○ Website acquisitions - $30k
● 2009 (PDF of 2009 tax form)
○ Contributors
■ $430,737 total
■ Boyer family - $10k
■ Clayton Christensen $25k
■ David Neeleman - $55k
■ K-tec - $32k
■ Kalan Investments LC - $10k
■ Ken Woolley - $55k
■ Minhavida - $58,500
■ Peery Foundation - $25k
■ Richard Tanner - $5k
■ Steven J &... $16,500
■ LDS Foundation of LDS Church - $100k
■ Tom Dickson - $10k
■ Yamagata Group - $15k
■ Center Seven (cloud hosting discount) - $5,040
○ Payouts
■ $278,825 - Directors, officers, trustees
■ $84,129 - salaries
■ $18,150 - pensions, employee benefits
■ JJ - $126k
■ Giuseppe - $85,200
■ Heather - $67,608
■ Karen Trifiletti - $52,250
○ 70,397 contract writers
○ domain reg 14125
○ hosting 1565
○
● 2010 (PDF of 2010 tax form)
○ Contributors
■ Total - $656,392
■ $25K CLAYTON Christensen
■ $78k david neeleman
■ 57500 ktec
■ 55k ken woolley
■ lds foundation - $200k
■ 66k - minhavida
■ 25k - peery
■ 10k - steven j...
■ $110k - ashton family foundation
○ Payouts
■ $346,493 - Directors, officers, trustees
■ $51,881 - salaries
■ $24,865 - pensions, employee benefits
■ jj - $131,500
■ Giuseppe - $87,548
■ Heather - $78,574
■ Karen - $60,363
○ $55,772 contract writers
○ $12,763 domains
○ $3551 hosting
● 2011 (PDF of 2011 tax form)
○ Contributions
■ $903,547
■ Ashton 120k
■ david - 36k
■ ktec - 160k
■ ken - 60k
■ lds foundation - 150k
■ minhavida - 66k
■ peery - 35k
■ blake roney - 140k
■ steven lund - 25k
■ spencer kirk - 60k
■ org dgn - 41k
○ Payouts
■ $398,687 - Directors, officers, trustees
■ $48,203 - salaries
■ $112,571 - Contract writer (same amount as buying domains?)
■ $34,686 - pensions, employee benefits
■ jj - 150k
■ heather - 88578
■ karen 70109
■ david grant coo 90k
○ $12,248 domain registration
○ 7470 hosting
Church Donation:
● $450 total
Misc:
●http://www.moregoodfoundation.org/faq Vids explaining moregood censorship http://www.moregoodfoundation.org/testimonials
● Notice that they stopped having a fund for buying domains and websites (about $112k/yr) and it looks like they replaced it with a fund for “contract writers.” Might they be buying websites with content and calling that writers? The last year, they had the same budget ($112k).
Funded by Church?
“We support The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in every way, but we are not owned or operated by the Church.”
How is the Foundation Funded?
While the Foundation is fully supportive of the Church and its mission, it is not directed by or funded through the Church; no Church funds are used for the Foundation. Our funds come through the good graces of individual donors who are interested in seeing us fulfill our goals and make a positive difference with LDS information.” - http://www.moregoodfoundation.org/about
Domain:
enom $13.95
$12,248 domain registration
Image on More Good Foundation website to
advertise that they want to go international.
David, I have noticed that if if I type in Momonthink.NET then the FAIR website pops up with negative information about moromonthink and its editors. Is this the work of the moregood foundation?
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly is the LDS Foundation of LDS Church? Is this money from tithing?
ReplyDeleteThank you! Does this relate to the October Surprise?
DeleteHow could it not be from Tithes? Does the church have money trees growing inside the COB?
DeleteFAIR has denied getting donations from the church, but if the church is giving money to More Good, and More Good is donating to FAIR, then the LDS church is sponsoring apologetics, despite their disclaimers.
ReplyDeleteIt takes a lot bigger marketing campaign to fool people than it does to tell the truth
Delete@John Hajicek, do you have any information other than character reference concerning the actual topic?
ReplyDeleteI am well acquainted with two board members of the More Good Foundation. One in particular is a good friend of mine. In the summer of 2011, More Good Foundation brought me on to do some freelance work. That work continued on into 2012. It can be easy to speculate where funds really went only having tax records, but I was there. This article is slanderous and inconsistent. Mr. Twede is misconstruing tax records with his own agenda in mind.
ReplyDeleteBEHOLD! It is I, GIUSEPPE MARTINENGO! I challenge any who dare besmirch my fiscal honor to a duel!
ReplyDeleteMeet me on top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Center at dawn. Bring a rapier.
So do any of the payouts, costs or salaries go to anyone associated with FAIR?
ReplyDeleteSo for three years the church contributed less than a third of the total funds contributed. I'm trying to see how this is an issue? Sure FAIR should disclose that some of the funds have been directed their by the church through other sources. But less than a third of the total funds? how is that a big deal?
ReplyDeleteThe big deal is not the amount of money being donated. The big deal is the left hand of the Church saying they aren't involved in the funding of apologetic sites (FAIR) and groups (More Good Foundation) while the right hand gives them money. In my book, that is considered lying.
DeleteThe way you write sounds a lot like the way Mormons write and speak, even if your grammar is mediocre.
ReplyDelete"integrity and compassion and the counsel that he gives me on both spiritual and temporal things where integrity is important."
$398,687 for directors, officers, and trustees? For a foundation that buys domain names? Sounds like a lot of money for very little work.
ReplyDeleteIt appears the More Good Foundation may have been officially hired by the LDS church to teach missionaries (they may have done it 'voluntarily' though):
ReplyDeletehttp://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=34406