Does the Church Discourage Discussion? The Debate.

[_Absolutist]

I don't expect the Church to advertise all of it's faults. No organization will or should be expected to do that. I do however have serious issues with LDS leadership stifling of individual research and investigation into the messier issues surrounding Mormonism. Many members have questions but have been so conditioned to not trust any source outside of correlation (and GA books) that they do not dare to look very far. They have been taught to not trust their own ability to identify truth. It must be left up to the Church.

I find this ironic coming from the religion that supposedly began from the First Vision and that encourages investigators to question their beliefs in order to convert in the first place.

This isn't true. I've studied and read to my heart's content, or discontent at times, since the early nineties. I have never been stifled. I have not been conditioned. I have not let correlation get in the way of my studies. Where are you getting this idea that "the church" does what it doesn't do? You're not the first one to make this accusation and probably not the last. I've heard it over and over again and it gets a bit old.

Regards,
MG

Your experience is the exception. Most members do not study church history outside correlation.

[_Maxrep]

Honestly, I think most people just want to know enough to get by in life.

For example, I run a business that deals with some cinema/home theater technology. 99% of my employees know enough to do a great job, but have no interest in gaining a deeper knowledge or understanding of what they're working on (or why they do something a certain way etc.) I make opportunities available to them to learn more (classes, training, seminars), but they just don't care.

Likewise, the Church used to sponsor Friday and Saturday evening "Know your Religion" classes where members could make an additional effort to learn stuff outside their traditional Church meetings, but these were canceled (from what I understand) for lack of interest. Certainly, these weren't classes on Joseph Smith's polygamy or the Kinderhook Plates, but it probably wouldn't have made much difference.

Cinepro,

I for one would be interested in the nuts and bolts of your business, I have some Salk HT3's...wink.

I think a members interest in church studies also is tied to exhaustion. How many lds, for example, read from the Book of Mormon daily? Read the ensign, new era, and friend with their family? How about family home evening and all the personal prayers? What about complete lesson preparations and studying the coming sunday school, priesthood, and relief society lessons? What about actually cracking open the Bible?

Perhaps it is a simple matter of attrition that keeps history off of members plates.

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

I don't expect the Church to advertise all of it's faults. No organization will or should be expected to do that. I do however have serious issues with LDS leadership stifling of individual research and investigation into the messier issues surrounding Mormonism. Many members have questions but have been so conditioned to not trust any source outside of correlation (and GA books) that they do not dare to look very far. They have been taught to not trust their own ability to identify truth. It must be left up to the Church.

I find this ironic coming from the religion that supposedly began from the First Vision and that encourages investigators to question their beliefs in order to convert in the first place.

This isn't true. I've studied and read to my heart's content, or discontent at times, since the early nineties. I have never been stifled. I have not been conditioned. I have not let correlation get in the way of my studies. Where are you getting this idea that "the church" does what it doesn't do? You're not the first one to make this accusation and probably not the last. I've heard it over and over again and it gets a bit old.

Regards,
MG

Well, as you've already stated: "When one sees oneself as a disciple of Jesus Christ trying to walk in his footsteps alternate voices are less intrusive."

But before that, you said: "On the whole I think that members are busily engaged in living their religion rather than looking for reasons to pick it apart."

I guess you are in that perfect zone where you are busily engaged in living your religion so you don't look for reasons to pick it apart, but still have plenty of time for studies with no worries because being a disciple of Jesus Christ protects you from any dissonance?

[_mentalgymnast]

I guess you are in that perfect zone where you are busily engaged in living your religion so you don't look for reasons to pick it apart, but still have plenty of time for studies with no worries because being a disciple of Jesus Christ protects you from any dissonance?

Living the religion is just part of everyday life. Doing good to others. Overcoming faults and weaknesses. Praying for strength. Serving in the home. Reading a scripture selection here and there. Looking for simple reasons to have hope and faith in God and in Christ's atonement. Obeying the commandments. Serving in a calling in the ward. It's not rocket science.

There is plenty of time when spread out over the long haul to study, meditate, and such. I guess the zone you refer to is not perfect, but it's doable.

Completely protected from dissonance? No. Buffered/cushioned so that there is a balance, might be a better way of looking at it.

Regards,
MG

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

I guess you are in that perfect zone where you are busily engaged in living your religion so you don't look for reasons to pick it apart, but still have plenty of time for studies with no worries because being a disciple of Jesus Christ protects you from any dissonance?

Living the religion is just part of everyday life. Doing good to others. Overcoming faults and weaknesses. Praying for strength. Serving in the home. Reading a scripture selection here and there. Looking for simple reasons to have hope and faith in God and in Christ's atonement. Obeying the commandments. Serving in a calling in the ward. It's not rocket science.

There is plenty of time when spread out over the long haul to study, meditate, and such. I guess the zone you refer to is not perfect, but it's doable.

Completely protected from dissonance? No. Buffered/cushioned so that there is a balance, might be a better way of looking at it.

Regards,
MG

I know what you mean; I was there for a long time. So well buffered/cushioned that I wasn't even aware of how easily I put things on the shelf, didn't know there was a shelf. Good times. Don't so much want to go back there, though, but that's just me.