Positives of the Church

[_JAK]

I said some really ugly things about Mormons about a week ago on this board. :)

I was a bit of a hot head and regret I said it. I won't delete it (which is a wonder since I usually spasticly delete crap), because I think there was some (or a lot) of truth to what I observe from the Church.

Yet, I think it's easy to see the negatives and it's often times hard to look at the brighter side and recognize that there are positives as well.

Anyway, I do see some good from the Church and appreciate many of the things the Church emphasizes. One of them that I really appreciate is the emphasis I've noticed for music instruction. I think that's emphasized, at least it appears that way to me. I also really think the emphasis on education is fantabulous!

So, is there anything that you can think of that is positive of the LDS Church? If you have nothing nice to say or you're going to be a smart ass I'll ask you to please refrain from commenting.

Moniker,

Why do you suppose this topic is so neglected compared with many others?

I should think it would have hundreds of Mormon defenders citing “Positives of the Church."

JAK

[_The Nehor]

Moniker,

Why do you suppose this topic is so neglected compared with many others?

I should think it would have hundreds of Mormon defenders citing “Positives of the Church."

JAK

I would speculate that it might be because the Church has maybe three defenders on this board.

[_personage]

I think the church members are the most positive thing about the church.

[_Moniker]

Moniker,

Why do you suppose this topic is so neglected compared with many others?

I should think it would have hundreds of Mormon defenders citing “Positives of the Church."

JAK

Well, I don't know. I know, personally, I usually try to say the positives and what I appreciate about the Church. What I notice of the members and the Church that is less than savory I usually don't comment on. I just regretted what I said and wanted to make amends. :)

There are some wonderful people that are a part of the Church. I don't appreciate the group think I witness -- that actually is one of the most startling things I noticed coming to the boards. Yet, that's not something found only within the LDS Church and I try not to comment on it, usually. I think a lot of the ex-mos take this with them when they leave.

Yet, despite this there are some good people. I think good people do the right thing when pressed up against the wall and are willing to step outside their group -- and that has long been my definition. Yet, I need to show more empathy and compassion to those that perhaps don't feel they have the ability to walk outside that group they're in. So, I'm working on that....

[_RebelYell]

I think overall you need to give the church a thumbs up for their humanitarian efforts - they help when needed and are EXTREMELY organized.

[_Moniker]

I think overall you need to give the church a thumbs up for their humanitarian efforts - they help when needed and are EXTREMELY organized.

Yes, I agree. That is definitely a positive. I knew nothing about LDS, really, before the boards and all I knew of LDS was of their charitable acts and they voted Republican. :)

[_The Nehor]

I think overall you need to give the church a thumbs up for their humanitarian efforts - they help when needed and are EXTREMELY organized.

Yes, I agree. That is definitely a positive. I knew nothing about LDS, really, before the boards and all I knew of LDS was of their charitable acts and they voted Republican. :)

I vote Scorched Earth Party. Here is a parable describing our method of solving problems:

Once they were building this new college, see. And it came time to figure out where they were going to put the sidewalks. You see, they didn't want the stupid students to ravage the nice grass, so they wanted to place the sidewalks just right.

They though about how to do this, and thought and thought, and had an idea.

They built the whole school without any sidewalks. Any at all.

Then they watched carefully, after the stupid, worthless students arrived, and saw where tracks started appearing in the lush lawns. Then they waited by those tracks. And whenever students walked by, they leaped out and beat the living crap out of them.

They kept this up for 9 months.

Then, during the summer, they built their sidewalks WHEREVER THE F*** THEY WANTED. And when the students returned, battered and bruised, they were conditioned not to walk on the grass!

Of course, eight or nine years later, when the starting class graduated, the new students didn't have the conditioning. So the college had to be RAZED TO THE F***ING GROUND!

Now there is nothing there but charred rubble. The end.

Scorched Earth Party -
"Harsh solutions to non-existent problems."

[_Some Schmo]

Actually, most Mormons I've met are pretty nice people. If you actually avoid the topic of religion, they can be very interesting and enjoyable to talk to. That the church tends to attract these types of people could be assessed as a positive.

Also, I like that the church seems to encourage sports participation. I see that as a positive as well.

[_ozemc]

Most of the people in the church that I've met have been very nice, caring people.

They seem to be the kind that would give you the shirt off their back, if needed.

That's probably been the most positive aspect I've seen: the compassion.

We don't discuss the particulars of the religion much anymore, though. :-)

[_BishopRic]

I've said this before here, but I have two of my four children that are still very active -- and happy in the church. They have asked me a few times why I don't try to deconvert them. To me it's quite simple...we ALL have mythologies and stories that we hold dear and give us hope and purpose. I see Mormonism as just one of those, and it does an excellent job of supporting its own, and contributing to humanity quite well, in my opinion. And despite my role as an "anti-Mormon," (LOL), I think the church has many positives:

* The emphasis on education, personal responsibility, and young families, triggers maturity much earlier than the norm. Society benefits from that.

* There is significant emphasis on goals and to succeed in business. I think most members are very diligent in their efforts to support their families.

* When you do get a Mormon out of their box, they are really some of the most loving, caring people I know. I think it is quite natural for a TBM to be quite charitable to humanity.

* The Mormon story, as fictional as I believe it is, gives very clear-cut purposes to every action and activity in life. There is a black and white answer to most questions, and if you can't find it, there is always somebody there to show you how to find it.

* It supplies a support system unparallelled. If you are one of the "tribe," you can be assured to get support when you need it.

Many more, (gotta work a bit now), but for these reasons, I don't feel compelled to de-proselytize my kids. Yes, I see some negatives in each of the above as well, but the balance tips to the positive, in my opinion.