With a Shrug, The Church Moves on Without Us

[_Fence Sitter]

Some might ignore all these happenings, but not all.

This.

A lot of people might see this change from HT & VT to Ministering as cosmetic. It's not.

An important fact here is the church has encouraged people to use social medial as part of this program. a "visit" no longer has to be in person. For most of the rest of the world, the thought that someone would interact with someone else via social media is so mundane as to be irrelevant, but for an institution living in the past century run by elderly conservative businessmen and lawyers, this is a huge step, to consider an electronic interaction between people the same as face to face.

[_I have a question]

Some might ignore all these happenings, but not all.

This.

A lot of people might see this change from HT & VT to Ministering as cosmetic. It's not.

An important fact here is the church has encouraged people to use social medial as part of this program. a "visit" no longer has to be in person. For most of the rest of the world, the thought that someone would interact with someone else via social media is so mundane as to be irrelevant, but for an institution living in the past century run by elderly conservative businessmen and lawyers, this is a huge step, to consider an electronic interaction between people the same as face to face.

I disagree.

The fact is that ward members keep in contact with each other via social media already. The only change is that the Church will now count such activity as fulfilling the programme. After failing to convince the archers to improve their aim, they are simply drawing a new target around where the arrows have fallen.

Or put another way - the Church is simply moving the goalposts to where members have kicked the ball.

I’ve got more analogies if you want them!

[_Fence Sitter]

I disagree.

The fact is that ward members keep in contact with each other via social media already. The only change is that the Church will now count such activity as fulfilling the programme. They are drawing the new target around where the arrows have already fallen.

Or put another way - the Church is simply moving the goalposts to align with where members are already kicking the ball.

I’ve got more analogies if you want them!

No argument from me that is how members interact on a local level and have been for over a decade, but the point is there is official recognition of that counting as part of what Mormons should be doing. Of course it is moving the goal posts, but we should recognize that they have moved them, even if it is 20 years behind the rest of the world.

This may be fairly unexceptional for those living in the Morridor or even the western US. But for members whose wards are spread out over large areas, like Simon Southerton when he was active, this is fairly significant. Official ward fellowshiping (ministering) can now be done over the internet.

[_Simon Southerton]

Too bad Utah members didn’t have to home teach 5 to 9 families and go on 100 mile routes. ..if that had been the expectation a revelation eliminating home teaching would have happened 40 years ago.

Members outside of the Rocky Mountain mor a dor have always made greater sacrifices for the church in time and calling commitments than those of us in the corridor. No question these changes were motivated by realities outside of Utah

I'm convinced that the reason it has taken decades for these changes to be adopted is that church leaders don't know how to handle critics. People who criticise (point out bleeding obvious problems) have usually been rewarded with shunning and a release from their calling.

Loren C. (no fun) Dunn was the MP in Sydney when my father was a bishop. Dunn instigated the high pressure baptismal discussion which resulted in many people being baptised on the spot; never to be seen at church again. My father was highly critical of this manipulative practise which created a huge burden for bishops. Heaps of faceless home teaching families and name removals. Years later Dunn got his revenge when he came out to preside at our stake conference. He quickly sacked my father, who by then was a member of the Parramatta Stake Presidency. When my father heard Dunn was coming he told my mother he was going to be released.

[_Dr Exiled]

Too bad Utah members didn’t have to home teach 5 to 9 families and go on 100 mile routes. ..if that had been the expectation a revelation eliminating home teaching would have happened 40 years ago.

Members outside of the Rocky Mountain mor a dor have always made greater sacrifices for the church in time and calling commitments than those of us in the corridor. No question these changes were motivated by realities outside of Utah

I'm convinced that the reason it has taken decades for these changes to be adopted is that church leaders don't know how to handle critics. People who criticise (point out bleeding obvious problems) have usually been rewarded with shunning and a release from their calling.

Loren C. (no fun) Dunn was the mission president in Sydney when my father was a bishop. Dunn instigated the high pressure baptismal discussion which resulted in many people being baptised on the spot; never to be seen at church again. My father was highly critical of this manipulative practise which created a huge burden for bishops. Heaps of faceless home teaching families and name removals. Years later Dunn got his revenge when he came out to preside at our stake conference. He quickly sacked my father, who by then was a member of the Parramatta Stake Presidency. When my father heard Dunn was coming he told my mother he was going to be released.

Funny how "inspiration" works sometimes.