Billionaire quits church over LGBTQ & women's rights
One of the wealthiest people in the US, the $5.2 billion-worth tech executive Jeff T. Green, has announced his split from the Mormon Church which, in his words, is “actively and currently doing harm in the world”.
In a letter to the church’s president Russell M. Nelson, Green claimed that the Mormon church had “hindered global progress in women’s rights, civil rights and racial equality, and LGBTQ+ rights.”
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, which broke the story, the 44-year-old billionaire and CEO of the Trade Desk advertising platform, had donated $600 000 to Equality Utah, with half of this grant aiming to support LGBTQ students in Utah. In November Green pledged to give at least 90% of his wealth to charities.
“While I left the Mormon church more than a decade ago – not believing, attending, or practicing – I have not officially requested the removal of my records, until now,” Green stated in his letter to Nelson.The businessman cited the financial policy of the church as another reason for his increased antipathy.
He claimed that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church, having accumulated more than $100 billion, “should be doing more to help the world and its members with its wealth” rather than to “build temples, build shopping malls” or to fund investment funds and “own mortgage-backed securities”.
“After today, the only contact I want from the church is a single letter of confirmation to let me know that I am no longer listed as a member,” he wrote.
Green is joined in his move by 11 family members and by a friend.There has been no reaction from the church’s President Nelson so far.
The Mormon Church claims to have over 16.5 million members around the world, with almost 31 000 congregations.
