BartBurk wrote:Are there non-LDS Churches near you that she might be tempted to visit?
Are you kidding!? This is Georgia. There are about 2 or 3 churches on every corner! :-)
We tried the Methodists down the road. She definitely didn't like that experience. She's open to trying others.
Good luck! I went to Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian ... finally wound up Catholic, but this is such a personal journey that I would be the last one to try to influence which denomination your wife and you choose. My theology is pretty much Christian Universalist with a Catholic flavor. My wife and children are still actively Mormon, and I don't expect anything will change that.
mledbetter wrote:So, made a deal with my wife that I would shut up and just go to church with her and the kids if she would do one thing for me -- well, really two things.
She just finished reading both essays a few days ago (Saturday, I think). However, she's now digging into all of the footnotes and cited articles of both the essay and the response.
If/When Brain Hales becomes a member of the 12 then maybe his opinion might mean something. The LDS church is big on authority and stating that only those in authority can speak for God/the church.
It is pretty cowardly of the Qof15 to let guys like him get out there and make claims of what Joseph did or didn't do. They should "Prophet Up" and answer these questions once and for all.
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo
Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man. - The Dude
Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just god when he's drunk - Tom Waits
Fence Sitter wrote:My wife is not as analytical. For her, the church is not a 'true or false' proposition so much as it is her way of life. She cares very little about its past or even what current leadership is doing. What is going on at our ward and stake is all that really concerns her.
I can totally relate to that.
Regards, MG
It is a way to approach the church that can be very beneficial. Were I a more sociable person, who enjoyed meetings just to be with others, I think I might very well attend with her. As it is, I find church incredibly boring and repetitive. Frankly I think I am the one who loses out since I do not have anywhere near the number of friends she has.
"Any over-ritualized religion since the dawn of time can make its priests say yes, we know, it is rotten, and hard luck, but just do as we say, keep at the ritual, stick it out, give us your money and you'll end up with the angels in heaven for evermore."
son of Ishmael wrote:If/When Brain Hales becomes a member of the 12 then maybe his opinion might mean something. The LDS church is big on authority and stating that only those in authority can speak for God/the church.
It is pretty cowardly of the Qof15 to let guys like him get out there and make claims of what Joseph did or didn't do. They should "Prophet Up" and answer these questions once and for all.
subgenius wrote:because she is incapable of making her own decisions, realizing her own happiness, or doing stuff without your conditional support.......nice strategy fascist. A woman prone to depression needs you to challenge her belief system because of your personal issues.
that sure is some good tasting mutual respect...she is a lucky lady.....what size leash do you use on her?
Given that it is obvious that mledbetter didn't say any of the stuff you seek to project onto him, I think we have just learnt an awful lot about your marriage and your standing within it.
That's funny, because before I read you're reply I thought it sounded like an unrepentant abusive alcoholic projecting his sins on others. I should know, I used to be like that.
Luckily, I've been sober and in recovery for a while now.
I'm not accusing subby of being a drunk.
What I learned in my sobriety is that I didn't have a drinking problem, just a thinking problem.
Subby seems, to me, to be an alcoholic of the dry variety.
As soon as you concern yourself with the 'good' and 'bad' of your fellows, you create an opening in your heart for maliciousness to enter. Testing, competing with, and criticizing others weaken and defeat you. - O'Sensei
schreech wrote:Good luck and great job - its tough to know how to handle finding out that the religion you dedicated your life to is a sham and you seem to be negotiating it well (although I could never have agreed to bite my tongue and white knuckle my way through 3 hours of grating LDS pontificating - sunday has become my favorite day of the week:))
Thanks, schreech. Sorry for the late reply, I'm just seeing your comment. Sorry, I'm not able to respond to everyone. I appreciate the new friends I have here. You guys are all awesome! This has definitely helped me feel better discussing this all with people who understand. It's not like I can go to anyone in my family about this. (mostly Mormon)
About my deal. My wife knows me. She's knows I was kind of bluffing. She's a great person and she knows how miserable I am at Church. She would never force me to go. Seems like your wife is the same way. Glad to hear she doesn't give you a hard time about not attending.
subgenius wrote:because she is incapable of making her own decisions, realizing her own happiness, or doing stuff without your conditional support.......nice strategy fascist. A woman prone to depression needs you to challenge her belief system because of your personal issues.
that sure is some good tasting mutual respect...she is a lucky lady.....what size leash do you use on her?
Bazooka wrote:Given that it is obvious that mledbetter didn't say any of the stuff you seek to project onto him, I think we have just learnt an awful lot about your marriage and your standing within it.
Kittens wrote:That's funny, because before I read you're reply I thought it sounded like an unrepentant abusive alcoholic projecting his sins on others. I should know, I used to be like that.
Luckily, I've been sober and in recovery for a while now.
I'm not accusing subby of being a drunk.
What I learned in my sobriety is that I didn't have a drinking problem, just a thinking problem.
Subby seems, to me, to be an alcoholic of the dry variety.
Or maybe just a human being of the stupid variety.
So you're chasing around a fly and in your world, I'm the idiot?
"Friends don't let friends be Mormon." Sock Puppet, MDB.
Music is my drug of choice.
"And that is precisely why none of us apologize for holding it to the celestial standard it pretends that it possesses." Kerry, MDB _________________
Kittens wrote:That's funny, because before I read you're reply I thought it sounded like an unrepentant abusive alcoholic projecting his sins on others. I should know, I used to be like that.
Luckily, I've been sober and in recovery for a while now.
I'm not accusing subby of being a drunk.
What I learned in my sobriety is that I didn't have a drinking problem, just a thinking problem.
Subby seems, to me, to be an alcoholic of the dry variety.
Or maybe just a human being of the stupid variety.[/quote]
Quite possible.
As soon as you concern yourself with the 'good' and 'bad' of your fellows, you create an opening in your heart for maliciousness to enter. Testing, competing with, and criticizing others weaken and defeat you. - O'Sensei
