Weird things you miss about Mormonism

[_Everybody Wang Chung]

I generally enjoyed the experience of attending church, even after I ceased believing in the conventional sense. What got me was the strong alignment to the political Right and Religious Right. Still, I didn't mind hanging out with people whose opinions were very different from my own. In the end, it was the action the Church took against Prop 8 and the new policy of refusing baptism to the children of gay couples that did me in, especially the latter. Once it seemed to me that the LDS Church had so blatantly and decisively betrayed basic Christian principles, I could no longer go along for the ride.

What do I miss?

The hymns, the rituals, and the people.

Reverend,

If you don't mind my asking, I would like to know if you have future plans on publishing any more Mormon related articles/books.

I count your prior articles as among the most honest, thought provoking and impressive from any Mormon scholar.

[_Dantana]

The underlying sense of security and elite-ness in knowing you are one of gods chosen. I was just sitting here trying to conjure up the felt sense of that, and for a slight moment...nope, it's gone.

[_Chap]

Shoot..I miss the Gold and Green Ball...the Road Shows..and your own Christmas Bulb on the ward Christmas tree..I miss the ward parties outside with homemade entertainment. And believe it or not..I loved the Sacrament Meeting sacrament songs..everyone of them were just beautiful..easy to play and beauitful to sing.

This. This is the Mormonism I grew up with. If the Church was still like this today, I would still be active. That Church no longer exists.

But I assume that your 'testimony' was based on more than dances, plays, parties, and decorative Christmas trees?

This comment is perhaps indicative of the real change that (from what I read) came over the CoJCoLDS with the imposition of correlation and all that went with it.

Once people were part of the church in an organic way: it provided an entire life-style, all of which was part of being a Latter-Day Saint, a member of a special community privileged to live the way God wanted people to live: going to church, going to the temple - certainly; but also the way you spoke, dressed, played socialised and found a life partner. It was all one expression of belonging to 'the body of Christ' (I don't know whether Mormons use that expression, but I hope you see what I mean).

Then (perhaps in an effort to de-Americanize and universalize the church with an eye to world mission and expansion?), the leadership decided to promote doctrine and the public affirmation of belief in that doctrine above everything else. That meant anything that distracted from that had to go. Hence (I hear) no more roadshows, amongst other things.

Does that interpretation make any sense to those who have lived this story from the inside?

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Chap,

You nailed it. The Church lost its heart and soul. It's just a corporate neptocracy that teaches vague life afffirmations and blandd platitudes..

And it's a cult.

- Doc

[_cwald]

Chap,

You nailed it. The Church lost its heart and soul. It's just a corporate neptocracy that teaches vague life afffirmations and blandd platitudes..

And it's a cult.

- Doc

No. It's not a cult.

Whew. That gets harder to say every day.