Middle way Mormons are in peril

[_sock puppet]

I'd say this thread is veering much more towards backing zeez's Stalin suggestion than to Nehor's denial.

[_Kishkumen]

I'd say this thread is veering much more towards backing zeez's Stalin suggestion than to Nehor's denial.

At the very least something is going on in the stakes in John Dehlin's neighborhood. I would not be surprised to find that it was motivated by someone higher up on the food chain than John's stake president. It is possible, from what I am gathering that a recent NYC symposium was more provocative in that it suggested that a movement similar to Reformed Judaism should take root in Mormon culture.

However JD’s recent news that he is no longer active, and his recent symposium in NYC is likely bringing the Church to some harder choices of how they are going to deal with a rapidly growing no-win situation.

John raised the bar by suggesting a group/society or whatever – loosely termed/related to “Reformed Judaism” (i.e. I’d call it very cultural and universalistic in nature).

Anyway if you have not listened to and looked at the power point, you should: Exploring the Future for Uncorrelated Mormons

I assume the church is on a close watch to see how this develops. One thing to note in JD’s oral presentation linked above, he notes that someone very high up, whom he could not disclose, related that the church currently has an 18% activity rate, and it was suggested that is based on once a month attendance.

[_Kishkumen]

A fellow named Tom Haws on that StayLDS board sees himself at the center of what he views as an unnecessary fuss:

I think that this "Middle Way" group is me. And I am not scary. Why do I think it is me? Well, it fits me. My friend John Dehlin is in Logan, and he created a lot of internet content. I believe it's worthwhile to explore a middle-ish way rather than turning my back on our Mormanity. And I use my real name and schedule social events in real life. That said, it's really interesting (fascinating) to get from you the mythic and ominous description of me through the grapevine. Geez louise, people, there's nothing scary about me. I don't smoke, drink, cuss, hit, sue, steal, or chase around. If I and my friends here were guilty of anything, it was believing and listening too much.

[_Kishkumen]

Well the fellow who was called in by his stake president has dodged the bullet:

Here is what I know. I got another phone call this morning from BP. He talked with the SP again this morning. The SP would like to talk to me - and the BP said it was just a standard visit that SPs do when they release someone from a stake calling (EQP). Also, he said that there will be no discipline at this time and that I am to keep my mouth shut and my opinion to myself, and that if there are no further "reports" than he considers the matter closed.

The BP asked me to lay low until the water clears and mentioned that I should be VERY VERY careful about what I write or say on online forums and emails to family, and that there is no doubt that I am being "monitored" and the SP is in contact with someone about my online activities, and suggested that perhaps I discontinue association with whatever online groups I am involved in, at least until things cool down.

[_Kishkumen]

The lingering question in my mind is this: what is going on with John Dehlin?

[_harmony]

The lingering question in my mind is this: what is going on with John Dehlin?

It would not surprise me that John will be exed by the end of the summer.

His David to the church's Goliath just isn't going to work out ala Biblical myth.

[_The Nehor]

Here is what I know. I got another phone call this morning from BP. He talked with the SP again this morning. The SP would like to talk to me - and the BP said it was just a standard visit that SPs do when they release someone from a stake calling (EQP). Also, he said that there will be no discipline at this time and that I am to keep my mouth shut and my opinion to myself, and that if there are no further "reports" than he considers the matter closed.

The BP asked me to lay low until the water clears and mentioned that I should be VERY VERY careful about what I write or say on online forums and emails to family, and that there is no doubt that I am being "monitored" and the SP is in contact with someone about my online activities, and suggested that perhaps I discontinue association with whatever online groups I am involved in, at least until things cool down.

Oh please........

[_Morley]

Excellent topic, commentary, and coverage. Thank you for the update.

[_Chap]

The only permitted forms of sociability and identity are those set up and controlled by the CoJCoLDS.

Not true at all unless you assume that sociability and identity can only be expressed in either orthodox LDS view or unorthodox LDS views.

This assumption is false.

I may have given you the false impression that I meant that LDS could not, for instance, join a 'gentile' stamp-collecting club, which is not what I intended. In the context of the thread, I was referring to sociability and identity in religious terms. The kind of thing I had in mind was the case, discussed on this board some time back I believe*, of some women who formed a group to get together regularly for prayer and scripture study in a sisterly way, but were told in short order that this would by no means be permitted. It was Relief Society or nothing.

Is that not representative of a general pattern? You do it the correlated, priesthood-led way, or not at all. Or are there any counter-examples?

*Disclaimer: I am a cowardly anonymous critic, and could well just be making this up, couldn't I?

[_badseed]

Oh please........

Hey everyone, looks like The Nehor has some information about what this poster has written that we're not privy to. Can't wait to hear it.