Thursday, February 28, 2013

VOTE NO!!! Don't change the Thrivent Common Bond

THRIVENT MEMBERS VOTE NO

DON'T LET THE LUTHERAN IDENTITY 
OF THIS HISTORIC LUTHERAN ENTITY 
BE DILUTED OR DENIED....

When Thrivent has served more than the small percentage of Lutherans it now serves, and when it has served them as fully as they can be served, then, perhaps, we can consider this...


Keep Thrivent Financial FOR LUTHERANS!


21 comments:

padutchprincess said...

I had life insurance and other investments with thrivent when it was Lutheran Brotherhood, I had a wonderful caring agent,in 2001 I cancelled my policy because I needed the money,in 2005, I tried to get a new policy and was rejected flat out and was treated in a very,very uncivil manner.I thought may it was the agent, so last year I tried again and this time I never even got a return phone call,if Thrivent is still for Lutherans,they are not for this Lutheran who asked for a policy which I can pay for and money to invest.Where I live thrivent has already lost it's soul.

Anonymous said...

I recently attended a Thrivent get together to discuss taxes and investments etc. After most people had left I had a chance to bring this up in a small group of Thrivent agents. The consensus in the group was that this will pass (for the good they think) and that it will pass by at least a 90% margin.
I am still not sure what we will do with our investments, but I am leaning to rolling over our IRAs and our other money. We are definitely making less money on these investments than our other ones as I think the agent we use just isn't that savvy about he market, but we appreciated the other work they do. Now, if this goes through? Not so sure.

Mary

Paul said...

Apparently, their is not a required quorum of members on this all important vote, which puzzles me. No doubt, good arguments can be made on either side. Bottom line is that with mainline liberal denominations (read ELCA) hemoragging badly, strategic planners have legitimate concerns about the organization surviving into the next generation. It would still be "for" Lutherans (more or less, from other comments on this thread) but not for Lutherans "only".

Anonymous said...

When almost half of the beneficaries on their insurance and investments products isn't even a Lutheran and when most wealthy Lutherans in your congregation have taken their money elsewhere, what are they to do?

Anonymous said...

I've read a lot of concerned comments about this vote, on Facebook and other forums like this. Many bring doctrinal arguments into this which is just silly. Thrivent never has and never will endorse any doctrine. They have always been a company supporting a community of members by offering financial products and services. The nice part of this organization is that it is owned by the people who do business withy thrivent. You get to choose who the organization serves. There are very few organizations that give you that great power and responsibility.

I think the vote comes down to one important point. And I think if we are to fulfill what Christ tells us to do we need to vote yes. and that Is to accept other believers and help them as best we can. The products and services thrivent offers are some of the best in the industry. Just look at their ratings. We should be sharing our good fortune to have such a resourse with as many as we can.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 9:17 AM must work for Thrivent.

Anonymous said...

Nearly ten years ago a successful agent said this was the eventual plan, to make the group pan Christian. Not long after that I moved my investments to Vanguard. Why pay a six percent sales commission and hefty annual fee which is goes to fund projects in groups that I do not support? I can take the savings and give it to my local congregation and community projects. I'm a Lutheran. The other denominations should support their own social projects. Thrivent Choice has dried up our congregation's source of outside funding to a trickle. Bring back matching funds, a genuine Lutheran brotherhood, and produce an investment product that performs satisfactory, without the 1 and a half percent annual fee, plus oppressive loading.

Anonymous said...

Some folks never get over yearning for the flesh pots of yore. AAL is long past.

There is something wrong with a view of Lutheranism to think that it needs to be promoted by an insurance company. Whatever happened to Law and Gospel to draw people?

This is a business decision plain and simple. Make you choice on this basis.

Anonymous said...

Coming soon: A muslim cleric is awarded a Thrivent grant.

Anonymous said...

Should have known this was coming when they changed the name to Thrivent. I invested in AAL because it is a Lutheran organization. If they want to change so be it. However, I should be able to move my money out with no penalty.

Anonymous said...

It is not just selling to Lutherans, or other Christians. It is where they shell out support money, for other church based purposes. Think about it, next they are helping the Catholic Archdiocese with their sex abuse lawsuits. It could also help double the money for a bake sale, to support the Mormons, or Jehovah's Witnesses. I voted NO.

Anonymous said...

The vote is a scam. There have been errors with the ballots that have been sent out. The vote is unregulated and it will pass even if there is more "No" votes than "Yes" votes. It's all business.

Brunhilde Marie "Brunie" Hudson said...

Glad to read these notes even after I voted NO. If this goes through, I'll probably move all but my life ins. to USAA, where I manage my mom's affairs anyway.

Muffie R. said...

I felt from the outset that Thrivent was trying to "bully" us into voting YES with a lot of marketing material that more or less said "We are 'called' to extend the Common Bond." Are we 'called', or do we want/need to make more money as mainstream denominations hemorrhage members as a result of trying to please everyone? This marketing campaign certainly SOUNDED as though they had already made up their minds, and were looking for whatever formalities they needed to validate their decision. Looks to me as though groups like the Westboro Baptist Church consider themselves Christian; do I want them managing my funds? I am already exploring where to move my holdings if this passes.

Anonymous said...

Yup. Lots of pressure to vote yes. "Lutherans, should we do God's will and vote yes or should we be uncaring and vote no??"
Keep it Lutheran--we have worked hard to make Thrivent what it is. Diluting the organization will result in loss of integrity and loyalty. VOTE NO!

Anonymous said...

previous poster... just what have you specifically done to make Thrivent what it is?

Anonymous said...

Sounds like all many of you had already given up on Thrivent before the vote. Or maybe everything that isn't setting 3 in the LSB makes you angry. After reading this thread, I am glad this vote passed. Maybe it will dilute out some of all of your bad attitudes.

-Proud Lutheran and proud member-owner of a Christian fraternal benefits society

Anonymous said...

That felt like a cheap shot. I do not see any real anger on this thread. Are they angry because they disagree with you passionately?

Have many given up on thrivent? Probably. This has probably been some time in coming and people has already smelt it and left (aside from general apathy). I personally has been voting against any elected position recommended by the board of directors for some time. I have personally felt that Thrivent has deliberately distancing itself from congregations which has bothered me due to personally held (cultrural?) views. Probably started between the name change and the restructuring of branches. But it was still sufficient to my though process to put us the the added hassle give Thrivent a first shot at my insurance/financial needs.

I don't see a strong theological reason to personally decide to no longer buy from them. If there were it would had been when the Lutheran synods themselves started separating doctrinally and not now.

That said, for my purposes, I don't see Thrivent as anything special over normal financial institutions. At that point, there are better vehicles out there and I can work out my end goals on a personal basis.

Anonymous said...

This is Granny, searching for review on Thrivent. Oh my! Why is there such a division in this forum? As I see it, the Thrivent boat now has more people to help scoop the water if it begins to leak. In the meantime, there are more people to help row the boat. Still wondering why so many negative comments about welcoming more than Lutherens to pool their resources for the common good of all. Does anyone have experience with the Flexible Premium Deferred Variable Annuity?

Anonymous said...

Granny,

How many non-Christian causes will Thrivent begin to support?

Coming soon: Thrivent awards grants to HerChurch (ELCA), to the Mormons, and to the gay-affirming Methodists.

Anonymous said...

Finally the last comment has it right!

We are now starting to support non Christian activities. I can not and will not support this organization. First item, Thrivent must remove Lutheran from their title, second, we need to start a new Lutheran base organization to support Lutherans.
Third, I will do what I can to remove our support of Thrivent from within our churches, I hope others will follow.