Mormon Church Meetings are Hell?

[_LDSToronto]

How can anything be good for your soul if you don't enjoy it?

A question for the ages, Hades.

I think the standard Mormon response would be that, if you don't enjoy it, the problem is with you. After all, "everybody else" is enjoying it.

This got brought up again last General Conference when some GA repeated the hackneyed story about President Kimball being asked how he handles boring sacrament meetings. "I don't know," he reportedly replied, "I've never been to one."

Leaving aside the fact this is a bald-faced lie, the subtext is clearly to put the blame on any person who finds any sacrament meeting boring.

On the other side of this equation, though, is President Eyring's story about how his Dad handled boring sacrament meetings (so, yes, they apparently do exist)--he would close his eyes and think of the sermon the speaker should be giving.

Hugh Nibley just took books to read.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

I'd always pay attention to the youth speaker no matter how boring. I figured that public speaking is bloody hard enough without having to do it when you are 12-18 and completely self-conscious.

After that I'd open my scriptures and find passages that would contradict everything the remaining speakers were saying. That usually whittled away the time and brought me some satisfaction.

Sunday School and high priests group (especially high priests group) were spent arguing.

H.

[_hobo1512]

For decades, I have heard the Mormon definition of damnation as being in a place where one's progression is stopped.

I find it ironic that LDS church meetings now qualify for the LDS definition of damnation.

Is there no help for the widow's son?

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

I have a homework assignment for you. Are you ready? Attend catholic mass every sunday for one month. Let us know what you think. Then, attend the lutheran church service for one month, and let us know what you think.

I would be interested in what you think of the catholic mass. But you will need to handle it as a day of obligation so that if you miss it, you will need to confess your sin to the priest. And yes, you must confess you sin to the priest. No excuses that you are a Mormon.

Been to Catholic Mass.

Been to Lutheran services.

Been to a Mormon service.

There is no comparison. I would rather burn in hell than go back inside a Mormon church/chapel, whatever you want to call it.

But hey, I thought you liked going to mass. How are those imaginary nuns and priests treating you? Has anyone else ever been able to see them, or just you?

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

I'm sure if I were to return to the Mormon church I'd find more than a handful of Mormon teenagers, young adults, and various couples surfing their iPads throughout Sacrament Meeting.

The Mormon church is a mind-numbing exercise in Orwellian groupthink. It's boring, and uncreative.

- VRDRC

[_hobo1512]

Is there no help for the widow's son?

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

Maybe the problem is with you and not with the meetings itself. This is what I have noticed with people existing the church: first, they question the doctrine and the history. Then, because their mind is drifting away, the find the meetings boring and begin to complain about them. But the actual problem is with the person with the bored feeling. We need to remember that you also can make meetings more interesting. You can raise your hand, make your comments and give vibrant talks. Why take it out on average people who are just trying to their best?

Don't you just hate it when truth, facts, and history get in the way of things?

Try blaming good ol joe instead of the guy in the pew.

[_lulu]

It is my experience that they are "boring" because of the absence of any expository preaching. I think the same can be said of Mormon General Conference. Just my view.

For a denomination that was one of the products of revival preaching and speaking in tongues because the preaching descendents of the Puritans had become, oh, I don't know . . . so damn boring? Mormonism has become unapologetically boring.

Homework assignment for "why me." Are you ready? Attend catholic mass every sunday for one month. Let us know what you think. Then, attend the lutheran church service for one month, and let us know what you think.

I would be interested in what you think of the catholic mass. But you will need to handle it as a day of obligation so that if you miss it, you will need to confess your sin to the priest. And yes, you must confess you sin to the priest. No excuses that you are a Mormon.

[_why me]

But hey, I thought you liked going to mass. How are those imaginary nuns and priests treating you? Has anyone else ever been able to see them, or just you?

I do. But it is not exactly exciting. I mean, I am not moving in my pew, shaking my head back and forth and shouting glory to god! It can be boring since the script does not change. My point to consig was simple: the LDS meetings are done by average people who have no training in public speaking and for the most part, have very little time to prepare a talk. Instead of calling his fellow members boring, he should understand them better as human beings attempting to do what is right. But...he would rather call his fellow brothers and sisters boring but he, himself, is exciting as a speaker and a real joy to listen to.

See my point. Oh by the way, you do sound like hosemonkey. Am I right sailor?

[_hobo1512]

But hey, I thought you liked going to mass. How are those imaginary nuns and priests treating you? Has anyone else ever been able to see them, or just you?

I do. But it is not exactly exciting. I mean, I am not moving in my pew, shaking my head back and forth and shouting glory to god! It can be boring since the script does not change. My point to consig was simple: the LDS meetings are done by average people who have no training in public speaking and for the most part, have very little time to prepare a talk. Instead of calling his fellow members boring, he should understand them better as human beings attempting to do what is right. But...he would rather call his fellow brothers and sisters boring but he, himself, is exciting as a speaker and a real joy to listen to.

See my point. Oh by the way, you do sound like hosemonkey. Am I right sailor?

LOL...no, I'm not Hosemonkey....LOL

It's just driving you nuts not knowing who I am....lol. Or should I say nuttier?

Back to the subject.

You fail to realize that all priests and deacons have other responsibilities besides the homily at a Mass,(but hey, your imaginary nun and priest friends should have made you aware of that.) so that part of your position fails miserably as usual.

Also, the part about being trained in public speaking fails for yet another reason. Learning and discerning the scriptures and translating that into a homily in today's world has nothing to do with being trained in public speaking.

Boring is boring no matter where or what it is, but you were blaming the guy in the pew instead of where it truly belongs. 1. Good ol Joe 2. Mormon theology (since it is so fluid and ever changing)

by the way, your comment "am I right sailor?" is rather creepy. Isn't that what hookers say down on the docks?

[_lulu]

But it is not exactly exciting.

Find a parish with a better liturgist and preacher. Something you can't do if you are a Mormon since you have to attend your assigned ward.

By the way, the script does change week to week, unlike the temple ceremony.

Propers change, the lessons and gospels change.

And believe it or not, I have been to liturgies where congregants shake their heads back and forth and shout glory to god!

One of my favorite eucharists of all times, for the Offertory, had us singing a rollicking gospel hymn with snare drum and other instrumentalists while the priest in full regalia incensed the alter and this priest really knew how to incense an alter. Some folks got style, others don't.

PS I'm a sailor

[_Albion]

Homilies? I really feel that is the problem with Mormon meetings. Not only are the speakers rarely experienced in public speaking but they usually lack any kind of Biblical knowledge that allows them to offer any kind of expository preaching and a subsequent application to godly living. As I said above... the last time I listened even the leaders of the LDS Church have the same failing in their conferences...usually they prefer the same droning homilies.

[_bcspace]

Fortunately, as Poelman once infamously articulated, you don't need the Church in order to live The Gospel...

But, as the scriptures teach us, you need the Church to know what the Gospel is and to continue to know it lest you forget (Ephesians 4:11-14). Without a Church organization, there is no Gospel teaching and hence, no living the Gospel.