More or Less Dissent Today?

[_truth dancer]

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm just not sure how it is all playing out these days.

For sure I am aware of many, many believers who do not buy the whole LDS story, yet remain a believer of sorts.

It seems the church is less willing to X folks than in the past, and obviously tolerates them unless they speak out.

My observation is that less and less people hold to many of the ideas that were once, in my opinion, foundational beliefs/doctrines.

So, who knows how it will all play out? I suppose, as has been a pattern since the beginning, the church follows the norms of society and little by little will move along, releasing some of the more unusual or difficult beliefs/doctrine in favor of more acceptable ideas.

~dancer~

[_Jason Bourne]

For sure I am aware of many, many believers who do not buy the whole LDS story, yet remain a believer of sorts.

It seems the church is less willing to X folks than in the past, and obviously tolerates them unless they speak out.

My observation is that less and less people hold to many of the ideas that were once, in my opinion, foundational beliefs/doctrines.

Can you list out the beliefs you think lass and less people hold too yet remain LDS?

[_harmony]

For sure I am aware of many, many believers who do not buy the whole LDS story, yet remain a believer of sorts.

It seems the church is less willing to X folks than in the past, and obviously tolerates them unless they speak out.

My observation is that less and less people hold to many of the ideas that were once, in my opinion, foundational beliefs/doctrines.

Can you list out the beliefs you think lass and less people hold too yet remain LDS?

for starters:
Global flood
Fall of Adam and the entire creation story
that all ministers of other faiths are guilty of priestcraft
that the earth is 6000 years old

[_mentalgymnast]

On another thread, John Larson wrote,

I just think you can get away with more criticism of the Church these days then say, in the 70s. Dissent is starting to creep in. More and more run of the mill members are not so comfortable with towing the party line.

I think it all began with the birth control debacle.

I'm interested in your opinions on this matter.

Do you think the church is more tolerant of criticism, disagreements, and unusual interpretations of doctrine/teachings/belief than in the past?

I think the emphasis is keeping the three hour block on Sunday very structured/scripted. Any unorthodox sorts of things going on pretty much are relegated to "after hours".

Are members more able to pick and choose what they want to believe?

Yes. As long as the party line is adhered to while at church on Sunday.

Is the church actually losing control a bit?

I don't think so. As long as Sunday meetings are structured/scripted, everything has the appearance of normality/stability.

Is it more difficult to believe it all these days?

Of course it is. If you were in this world pre-tech age, would you even be aware of the multiple reasons to disbelieve? The information age has made it more difficult to focus on basics. We tend to get off on tangents/side roads.

It certainly does seem to me there are more and more "alternative" believers (smile), members who pretty much dismiss/disregard any teaching/doctrine/belief that doesn't fit with what they want. (Not to be confused with those who embrace their personal truth and incorporate/assimilate the church into their authentic beliefs).

Things surely are different than they were back in the old days. A lot of stuff to muddle through before finding a path of faith.

Regards,
MG

[_Inconceivable]

At age 42 just 3 years ago, I bought into everything that the church told me was substantiated. I look back and think about how naïve I was, but in reality, I witnessed many miracles that both they and I equated to the truthfulness of the entire product.

So it wasn't even a slight stretch to believe. What I did not understand was simply a test.

It always baffled me how so many members did not believe it all as I did. I actually considered them less enlighted. It was my purpose in life to bring others up to speed in may various teaching roles.

I was a dying breed.