People apostatizing by not doing the basics....

[_Philo Sofee]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kiwimormon ... th-crisis/

A very powerful blog here. The bishop is of course preaching authoritarian codswallow blaming members for not reading the scriptures and being churchy. It was through reading the scriptures that I found Mormonism doesn't jive with reality. He is good at one thing however, theological prattlespeak.

[_deacon blues]

The final paragraph in the piece was very similar to what my Presbyterian pastor told me when I started attending his church— that is: you have a home here as long you want, and if you feel the need to explore other traditions, we understand.

[_Jesse Pinkman]

One thing that I came to at the conclusion of my faith crisis is that the people are amazing. They are all wonderful people. And the bishops have the toughest job on the planet. They are trapped by Church process. Church policy dictates that they act and respond in a certain way. There are some bishops out there brave enough to go against the grain. But those that don’t aren’t bad people. They are just doing what they have been taught to do in their role as bishop.

That is why I have basically gone my own way. I have not abandoned the Church completely. The people have been a godsend for my elderly parents who live with me and for my son who has gone through this horrific divorce between his Dad and myself.

But I choose when I attend. I drink my coffee in the morning and my red wine at night, and feel no guilt in doing so. I have a very active sexual relationship with my fiancé and feel no guilt in that either. Will I speak with the bishop about any of this? No. It is not his business. And my son will never speak to him about masturbation either. I talked about the conversation I had with my son about that in another thread.

My point is that I am taking advantage of the good that is available in Mormonism through the people. I know that there are a lot of things wrong with Church policy. And I have my own views on God, Christ, and the afterlife that I very much doubt completely mesh with anyone else’s perspective and that’s OK.

[_Tator]

Jesse I think you are doing it perfectly, for you......too bad the church has problems with members doing it perfectly for themselves.

Kudos for taking care of your parents. G'luck!

[_Fence Sitter]

When you look at it this from the perspective of the true believer, it makes sense, in a twisted way.

If just one person can be found who did everything right, and still lost belief, then the church is proven false. Moroni's promise, as well as many others God has supposedly made regarding His church, have failed. Since the church is true and is run by God, such a person cannot/does not exist.

By the way, Scientologist have a similar tactic to control their members. Anyone who attacks Scientology does so because of a serious sin(?) or fault or event, in their past. So when confronting people who are attacking Scientology, the first questions from believing Scientologists are something like; "did you abuse your wife, or commit murder or molest a child?"

So, as in Mormonism, something the unbeliever has done has led to his/her current disbelief. It cannot be the fault of the institution.

[_Fence Sitter]

Also, there is always the time factor trump card members can play. "It's your fault simply because you did not persevere long enough." This serves as the double whammy. Not only is it irrefutable (at least from the TBM's POV) but it also reassures the TBM that they are the more righteous follower of God just because they are hanging in there. "Just give it more time. God will eventually bless you, though you may be dead by then but who cares, you will have held on to the end!"

[_mentalgymnast]

If just one person can be found who did everything right, and still lost belief, then the church is proven false.

Good luck with that.

Regards,
MG

[_Jesse Pinkman]

Jesse I think you are doing it perfectly, for you......too bad the church has problems with members doing it perfectly for themselves.

Kudos for taking care of your parents. G'luck!

Thanks, Tator.

[_Jesse Pinkman]

If just one person can be found who did everything right, and still lost belief, then the church is proven false.

Good luck with that.

Regards,
MG

I think that there are quite a few folks here who followed the LDS formula: Baptism, YM/YW Callings, Mission and/or BYU (females not required to serve missions), Temple Marriage.

But then, things fell apart. Life happened. Temple marriage was not the ideal happily ever after that we had been taught it was. There were financial struggles from getting married and having children too young.

Everyone else at Church seems to have it together. Why don’t I?

I could go on, but I think you get the idea.