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It's one thing for Hollywood or Nashville to do it. They package things up so you see and feel things that cause a response inside you that you like. It's like eating a really good pie. But you can't live on pie. In fact, too much pie is bad for you. If someone came to me pushing pie on me, telling me it will make me happy (or worse, they will be my friend) then come to find out they just want me to buy their pie, yeah, I'd feel used.

So many of these marketing engines used by the LDS church make me feel that way. Why? Because they still have the ability to pull my heartstrings just like they did all my life. I can't just turn it off now that I realize the church is not true. But now that I know about their warts, I just feel used when those good feelings are aroused in me.

Does anyone else feel this way?

I wonder if the church would ever consider producing some media that is nothing but plain truth without targeting feelings?

Oh yeah. Even though Packer warned that it was easy to confuse emotion and the Spirit, the Church continues to use the same emotionally manipulative tactics that you see in lower-quality Hollywood romances. Only, Hollywood doesn't pretend that the response is anything more than emotional.

zeezrom wrote:It's one thing for Hollywood or Nashville to do it. They package things up so you see and feel things that cause a response inside you that you like. It's like eating a really good pie. But you can't live on pie. In fact, too much pie is bad for you. If someone came to me pushing pie on me, telling me it will make me happy (or worse, they will be my friend) then come to find out they just want me to buy their pie, yeah, I'd feel used.

So many of these marketing engines used by the LDS church make me feel that way. Why? Because they still have the ability to pull my heartstrings just like they did all my life. I can't just turn it off now that I realize the church is not true. But now that I know about their warts, I just feel used when those good feelings are aroused in me.

Does anyone else feel this way?

I wonder if the church would ever consider producing some media that is nothing but plain truth without targeting feelings?

I think it depends on what the uptake of the message is. If it is an effort to subjugate women to the male priesthood, extract 10% of your increase, or put emotions over rational thinking (i.e., do what the COB says, always), then I think it is manipulative. After all, all Hollywood wants is $10 for entertaining you for two hours. It's a much better deal, and more benign use of emotions.

I watched a youtube video about the opening of a temple in some obscure country somewhere. All the youth were dressing up in their native costumes etc. it was very exciting to them. I remember what this stuff was like as a kid. One of them was exclaiming how they looked forward to seeing "the prophet of God" visiting and blessing their country..

This is when the record went zzzzzzwit. Poor kids. Waiting for some old fart to make a miracle happen just with his presence. A president of a multibillion dollar corporation that has no more connection to diety than any other human.

blech.

But now that I know about their warts, I just feel used when those good feelings are aroused in me.

I'm trying my best to get what you are saying, but I can't figure out any specific instances in which one would/could feel used. What specifically are you thinking of when you say you feel used for the Church's teachings or whatever causing your "heartstings" to feel pulled upon?

Obviously since I'm LDS I don't get what you are saying. Please help my un-unbelief.

stemelbow wrote:I'm trying my best to get what you are saying, but I can't figure out any specific instances in which one would/could feel used.

"The nice comfy feeling you have is the Spirit testifying to you of the TRUTH."

Truth is very hard to come by. It takes a lot of work and sometimes it hurts. It is not something you just throw around like a pop singer does using music and sweet words.

When you accept something as true, you give a part of yourself into it. You essentially buy it with something more than money. You buy it with your devotion.

Now that I see the church is spending money to make something sound wonderful in order to lure me in just like a pop singer likes to do, it repulses me.

zeezrom wrote:"The nice comfy feeling you have is the Spirit testifying to you of the TRUTH."

Truth is very hard to come by. It takes a lot of work and sometimes it hurts. It is not something you just throw around like a pop singer does using music and sweet words.

When you accept something as true, you give a part of yourself into it. You essentially buy it with something more than money. You buy it with your devotion.

Now that I see the church is spending money to make something sound wonderful in order to lure me in just like a pop singer likes to do, it repulses me.

This seems to just be more ambiguity. I don't have any idea what in particular the church teaches or does that pulls at your heart strings, only to have you turn around and feel used. What loving one another? When the church teaches such an idea you feel your heart strings pulled, but that pulling only makes you feel used? HOnestly I just don't get the mind-set, but I'd like to.

Does anyone feel used when religion pulls your heartstrings?

Emotions can be the fruit of the Spirit but not the actual prompting of the Spirit itself. However, by denying the fruits of the Spirit, one places themselves in the situation of denying the Holy Ghost. This is an appropriate tension, to entice you to make the leap of faith, or not.

bcspace wrote:

Does anyone feel used when religion pulls your heartstrings?

Emotions can be the fruit of the Spirit but not the actual prompting of the Spirit itself. However, by denying the fruits of the Spirit, one places themselves in the situation of denying the Holy Ghost. This is an appropriate tension, to entice you to make the leap of faith, or not.

Just like not heeding the emotion you feel while watching Serendipity is tantamount to denying the fruits of the spirit.

Or even better, if you're in college and your emotions are telling you to be intimate with your girlfriend, that's the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Buffalo wrote:Just like not heeding the emotion you feel while watching Serendipity is tantamount to denying the fruits of the spirit.

Or even better, if you're in college and your emotions are telling you to be intimate with your girlfriend, that's the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Buffalo,
have you seriously ever met an LDS person who has said that every good feeling comes from the Holy Spirit?