One of the reasons I did this thread is because of something I came across on the web. Chris Tolworthy was a lifelong, die-hard TBM from the UK when he created this website,
Why Prophets, which is now linked to exmormon.org.uk. I don't even know if he posts here, nor much about his background at this stage. He stopped developing the Why Prophets site in 2000, but now has a new site
Here* (see note below).
On one page he gives ten reasons why children should be
Protected from Mormonism.
Considering his staunch TBM background, I was a little more than amazed. It would, I suppose, be similar to someone like BC Space doing a turn around. I would have thought this impossible, but now I'm not so sure. Then again, Dr. Shades was described as the "Ambassador for Mormonism". And many of you come from similar backgrounds.
I think, like many people, including Thama, that the Church does a lot of good. But then there's GoodK, whose experience was nothing less than traumatic. So we have quite a few contrasts. For me this is a tough one to call, considering the contrasts, and considering that Mormons have next to zero influence on the Australian way of life it doesn't directly affect me in any way. But I have to move beyond that self-centred view if Rodney Stark is anywhere near right, which seems not at this stage. I'm also thinking about Ed Firmage's comments. All I can say is that in its current phase, Mormonism seems to be doing more harm than good in America.
The only solution I see is the impossible one, and that is for the Church to drop its literalist views which embraces a potentially harmful fundamentalism in many individuals. But we all know that isn't going to happen. Or will it? I think if the current trend continues, there will be more harm than good done, at least in America, at this stage. The Church does have the capability for accommodation, as we've seen with polygamy and the 1978 change. But what happens at the macro level doesn't always happen at the micro level, and families are still being divided, and some members still think that blacks were not valiant in the pre-existence, and some of these points are made on Tolworthy's exmo website. It seems to me that people like him have some credibility, considering the length he went to defend the Church as a TBM and all the effort he put into Why Prophets, only to turn around and warn people of the dangers of the Church.
On the point of bringing children up in the Church, it maybe is a good thing, until they reach a certain age. But what happens when, like Dr. Shades, everything they believed suddenly falls apart? The Church will never vanish away, but I wonder if it's possible to have a "gentler Mormonism"? One that does far more good than harm. I don't think that's entirely up to the leadership, but to individual members as well. But maybe I'm wrong. Look at what happened to the Worldwide Church of God. When Herbert Armstrong was the head of that Church, I don't think anyone then living could have predicted the outcome. But the LDS Church isn't a one-man band, like the WWCG was.
As I said, I'm not affected, but I will say that although I've taught my children to at least respect it, I'm glad that none of them have chosen to be Mormons. I know the complications and problems all to well.
*
A note from Tolworthy: This is one of a series of web pages I created between 2001and 2006. I was angry and frustrated at the LDS Church. Since then I have moved on and calmed down. So please remember, if you read these pages, that they reflect my past and not my present feelings. Thanks for your understanding! - Chris Tolworthy