I am interested in the various ways that money gets moralized in Mormonism. While certain aspects of Mormonism moralize money in such a way as to symbolize God’s favor, other sets of Mormons value frugality and even poverty as more moral. Added to this complex dynamic are various scriptures in the Book of Mormon as well as the temple. I wonder what most people consider “sufficient” for their needs. How much is too much?
One of the problems with money is that no one really thinks they have enough, no matter how much they have. There is always something out there that they can’t afford, like a bigger boat, a faster plane, or ritzier vacation. We can all agree that these people who worry about such things have more than they “need,” but where is that threshold? Is it the same in Ft. Lauderdale as it is in Spanish Fork?
Should the question of sufficiency be determined by annual income or by net worth? If it is annual income, how does one determine the morality of that? Should the Mormon CEO who earns a lot more simply only accept a certain amount? Or, is it simply the net worth at which one can retire without needing to work again (approx $1 million for every 10 years of life)?