LDS Nursery lessons changed because people were leaving?

[_Willy Law]

The "I Will Follow The Prophet" Nursery lesson is by far the most egregious.
To me this goes above indoctrination. Even Simon would admit that if he saw this being taught to 3 year olds by any other religion it would be considered brain washing.

Invite the children to march around the room with you as you sing or say the words to the chorus of “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, 111):

Follow the prophet, follow the prophet,
Follow the prophet; don’t go astray.
Follow the prophet, follow the prophet,
Follow the prophet; he knows the way.
Invite the children to sing with you. Repeat, allowing the children to take turns leading the marching. Explain that to go astray means to do wrong things.
--
Tell the children that you know that when we follow the prophet, we will be blessed. Have the children say, “I will follow the prophet,” a few words at a time.
--
Have the children pretend to read the scriptures, and invite them to say, “Follow the prophet.” Hand the picture to another child and repeat the activity, acting out something else the Prophet taught, such as praying, eating good foods, and so on. After each action, have the children say, “Follow the prophet.” Continue until each child has had a chance to hold the picture.

http://LDS.org/manual/behold-your-littl ... t?lang=eng

[_harmony]

I was the nursery leader once, a long time ago. We did Mousersize, and the bishop wanted to join us. We didn't allow him to have treats though, after he got crumbs on the carpet.

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

Content like hers is very damning to the church for sure.

Yeah, too bad it's completely fabricated.

I was in the nursery for many years, and what The Nehor said was basically right. The kids play with toys, you share a short "message" and that's it.

Too lazy to follow the manual?

[_Some Schmo]

The "I Will Follow The Prophet" Nursery lesson is by far the most egregious.
To me this goes above indoctrination. Even Simon would admit that if he saw this being taught to 3 year olds by any other religion it would be considered brain washing.

Invite the children to march around the room with you as you sing or say the words to the chorus of “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, 111):

Follow the prophet, follow the prophet,
Follow the prophet; don’t go astray.
Follow the prophet, follow the prophet,
Follow the prophet; he knows the way.
Invite the children to sing with you. Repeat, allowing the children to take turns leading the marching. Explain that to go astray means to do wrong things.
--
Tell the children that you know that when we follow the prophet, we will be blessed. Have the children say, “I will follow the prophet,” a few words at a time.
--
Have the children pretend to read the scriptures, and invite them to say, “Follow the prophet.” Hand the picture to another child and repeat the activity, acting out something else the Prophet taught, such as praying, eating good foods, and so on. After each action, have the children say, “Follow the prophet.” Continue until each child has had a chance to hold the picture.

http://LDS.org/manual/behold-your-littl ... t?lang=eng

That is intellectual child abuse, plain and simple. I have no doubt brainwashed mos don't see it that way, but that's because, well, they're brainwashed. "Follow the prophet" is tantamount to "no need to think for yourself." That's right; get them young and never teach them to think critically or question authority. If prophets are imperfect men, like the apologists would have us believe, how is this a good lesson for toddlers?

There ought to be a law against this crap being taught on Sundays. I really feel sorry for those innocent children.

[_Runtu]

Another EXCELLENT i-am-an-exmormon video about a woman who started her exit from LDS because of a major change to the Nursery lessons??

NOTE: For nevermos, nusery is basically Sunday daycare for Mormon kids 1.5 years to 3 years old, or the very beginning of the indoctrination into LDS.

She said that 15 year or so ago, they changed the nursery lessons from simple stories for the little kids to major doctrinal lessons. When she confronted the stake leaders about the change from simple stories in nursery she said that the reason was due to people leaving the church and that the decision was made that they must teach the doctrine at an even younger age...

This eventually lead her to doubt TSCC(the so called church) so much that she exited.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... uXc0#t=80s

These videos are very well produced and shot with DSLR cameras using a 50mm f/1.4 lens to give a more intimate feel with a very shallow depth of field. This is a great use of technology to get the message out and to compete with the lameass mormonmessages tripe.

Content like hers is very damning to the church for sure.

I worked on the Primary manuals back when they were redone, and the reasons for focusing on the scriptures instead of the traditional "Tommy stole bubble gum from the Five and Dime" stories were pretty simple:

1. The Primary leadership wanted to focus on the scriptures to illustrate principles and doctrines.

2. Scripture stories avoid problems in cultural translation.

I don't recall anyone saying that it was done because people were leaving the church.

[_Yoda]

How is it anymore inappropriate to teach scripture lessons in Nursery than it is in Primary?

This is Church, after all.

Besides, do you know how much of an actual "lesson" gets taught in a class with crying 18 month olds?

"intellectual child abuse?" Really?

Talk about over-dramatic! Give me a break!

[_Some Schmo]

How is it anymore inappropriate to teach scripture lessons in Nursery than it is in Primary?

I agree. It's not more inappropriate. It's just as bad in Primary, too.

This is Church, after all.

And that makes the abuse ok?

Besides, do you know how much of an actual "lesson" gets taught in a class with crying 18 month olds?

Doesn't stop them from trying though, does it?

"intellectual child abuse?" Really?

Without a doubt.

Talk about over-dramatic! Give me a break!

Yeah, why be dramatic about it? I mean, it's only children. Who cares what we teach them, right? It's not like toddlers are impressionable or anything.

Like I said, I doubt members see it that way, which only makes the situation more insidious and scarier.

[_Runtu]

How is it anymore inappropriate to teach scripture lessons in Nursery than it is in Primary?

This is Church, after all.

Besides, do you know how much of an actual "lesson" gets taught in a class with crying 18 month olds?

"intellectual child abuse?" Really?

Talk about over-dramatic! Give me a break!

I'm always mystified that some people think there's this big, grand conspiracy going on in the Church Office Building driven by panic over retaining members. The reality is considerably less glamorous: it's just a big corporation with territorial departments and political games. The notion that scripture stories are taught with an eye toward brainwashing kids so they don't leave is pretty ludicrous.

[_Some Schmo]

I'm always mystified that some people think there's this big, grand conspiracy going on in the Church Office Building driven by panic over retaining members. The reality is considerably less glamorous: it's just a big corporation with territorial departments and political games. The notion that scripture stories are taught with an eye toward brainwashing kids so they don't leave is pretty ludicrous.

Does the church frame it as "brainwashing?" Of course not. That word is loaded.

But I think that if you deny the church tries to retain members through almost any means possible, you're pretty naïve. Just because they don't call it brainwashing or that not everyone is susceptible to it doesn't mean it's not being attempted. Denying that is what's really ludicrous.

[_harmony]

But I think that if you deny the church tries to retain members through almost any means possible, you're pretty naïve. Just because they don't call it brainwashing or that not everyone is susceptible to it doesn't mean it's not being attempted. Denying that is what's really ludicrous.

Of course the church tries to retain members. And incidently that is appropriate use of the tithes.