Pressure on LDS young men to serve missions ....

[_ajax18]

We hope that your serving your Heavanly Father because you want to and not for any personal gain or reward, but if you don't want to go than we're still going to try to make you feel as guilty as possible as well as put every possible social stigma and pressure upon you, but we don't want you to go because you feel guilty or how you'll be looked at by others later in life or because we pressured you, so if you still don't want to do it, we might say for a while that it's in your own self interest to go, only then to later to admit the obvious truth that it's not but again point out that you should just want to because if it were in your own best interest, well, we couldn't tell you why, but we could and will berate you for being selfish and not being the type of person who would just want to do it, but then we can't really tell you why you'd want to become the type of person who would just want to do it except to admit that it's really just a big scam anyway and it feels better from our end to use a stick instead of a carrot. And thus the lovely cycle continues. Isn't this fun!

I maintain that ultimately an individual is moral because it is in his own best interest to be so. Otherwise you simply are who you are and have no reason to be nor become anything different. I think that people come out of the womb selfish. Morality is learned.

Good grief! Even Ayotollah Khomeni gave his followers glass keys to paradise.

[_Mercury]

by the way: The comment "...they're not strictly for proselytizing but also for community service..." does not reflect my particular mission. We were prohibited from doing anything except for missionary work

.

Over the past 10 years or so missionaries are supposed to do at least 4 hours a week of community service. But to state that they are not strictly for proselyting is bunk as well. The few hours a week of service is nice but it is not most of waht they do and it is also done in a PR type way. Get them out there to do service can further the preaching.

We could never do service if we couldn't wear that effing nametag. PR indeed

[_rcrocket]

There is as much emphasis on serving a mission as there ever was, not less at all. It is taught, breathed, pushed cajoled, considered a major rite of passage and so on for all LDS boys. Sure it is a choice, but it is still portrayed as a duty and a commandment.

Is there anything conceptually wrong with this?

I know the Longshore family well. I'm sure they would appreciate being left out of this discussion.

P

[_MormonMendacity]

There is as much emphasis on serving a mission as there ever was, not less at all. It is taught, breathed, pushed cajoled, considered a major rite of passage and so on for all LDS boys. Sure it is a choice, but it is still portrayed as a duty and a commandment.

Is there anything conceptually wrong with this?

Yes.

It is the exact opposite of how the Church portrays itself and that is called "lying". That is what is wrong with it...and typical of my experience with LDS PR.

Or have I missed the point of your question?

[_OUT OF MY MISERY]

Give up bragging rights in the Mormon Culture

His poor parents will not have those rights that thye have looked forward to for 19 years

I still have old old friends that ask me where my oldest went on his mission

I look them in the eye and say New York then I add New York University and their mouths drop open

I do not bother to ask them were thier son went on mission after that because I have left them speechless

And they usually don't want to continue the conversation after that anyway

[_Mercury]

Is there anything conceptually wrong with this?

Very much so. Two years of a young persons life is yanked away so they can form their worldview in teh Mormon mold, forced into it by a social system bent on having them submit.

Time is better spent living away from home AT SCHOOL so the individual can form their own worldview instead of the "Conformatorium".

[_rcrocket]

Give up bragging rights in the Mormon Culture

His poor parents will not have those rights that thye have looked forward to for 19 years

I still have old old friends that ask me where my oldest went on his mission

I look them in the eye and say New York then I add New York University and their mouths drop open

I do not bother to ask them were thier son went on mission after that because I have left them speechless

And they usually don't want to continue the conversation after that anyway

Do you mind if I come right out and say it? Your posts are moronic. Note that this is not an ad hominem.

P

[_OUT OF MY MISERY]

Only because they are true...and the truth hurts ....just like a slap in the face

I am sorry am not a MORONIC Mormon like you

[_Mercury]

Give up bragging rights in the Mormon Culture

His poor parents will not have those rights that thye have looked forward to for 19 years

I still have old old friends that ask me where my oldest went on his mission

I look them in the eye and say New York then I add New York University and their mouths drop open

I do not bother to ask them were thier son went on mission after that because I have left them speechless

And they usually don't want to continue the conversation after that anyway

Do you mind if I come right out and say it? Your posts are moronic. Note that this is not an ad hominem.

P

Although fluffy with useless, calorie-empty bull OOMM's posts have orders of magnitude more truth than yours...even if they are poorly constructed and full of anger towards a criminal enterprise masquerading as a religion.

[_OUT OF MY MISERY]

Well I am a Stake President I am allowed to speak fluff and empty calorie...crap

Who would actually want to listen to what I have to say and get fat/smart

I am a president after all....no one should listen to me>>>they should listen to themselves