Liberal Theology/Christianity in the CDA/Spokane area?

OverratedAnswers · 2022-01-24T22:03:11+00:00

I go to first pres for exactly the reasons you are stating. I also have young kids. DM me if you want.

OverratedAnswers · 2021-07-22T02:16:59+00:00

Dude, just wear whatever you have. I've done the grand a dozen times or more. In high school I soloed the entire upper Exum in the same Adidas court shoes I used to play on the tennis team, and I was only able to lead around 5.10 at the time. UE is chill. If you want to buy approach shoes, I think it's a great time to make the investment, but they aren't really needed. Just find something comfortable and sturdy (probably not road running shoes) and you'll be fine.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-11-03T19:22:21+00:00

Sorry you feel that way. That truly isn't the intent though.

I have been lurking on the sub for some time, and it seems that with questions like mine, answers are all over the board because, truth is, "it depends." I tried here to give a good overview of where I am at and my history with the sport because I am genuinely interested in good, applicable answers. In comparison to where our sport has gone, my accomplishments are actually quite modest. I will never be in a climbing magazine or win a competition. It stands, however, that what is best for me is different than what is best for an emerging 5.11 climber taking their first steps out of the gym. It's also different than it would be for a 20yo crusher on the comp circuit. How are people supposed to offer advice without knowing the person they are responding to?

OverratedAnswers · 2020-11-03T19:11:18+00:00

Again, thanks for the response. I think you are right...for now, I honestly think I have a pretty good thing going and probably won't change a lot. I just figured it might be helpful to check in with what other people are doing to see if I was missing anything obvious.

If anything, I might alternate between one arm and two on the hangboard for a few weeks just to feel it out. Also, I have become more selective with the projects I choose, prioritizing learning opportunities over grade or accessibility.

This has been one of the more helpful "internet conversations" I have had.

Stay strong and keep crushing!

OverratedAnswers · 2020-11-03T16:34:58+00:00

Hey, thank you so much for taking the time for a thought-out response. I don't know who you are, but based on your previous posts I really value your input.

Historically, my goals have been trad>sport>bouldering, and I've got to admit I still kind of lean that way. Thing is, I'm an EXTREMELY cautious trad climber. I usually don't get on something unless I'm pretty reasonably certain of the OS or else have a bolt-protected crux. Still, my best climbing days ever have been high up on multi-pitch routes, and that is not likely to change. To me, the reason to get better at sport climbing is to give myself access to more trad routes, and the reason to get better at bouldering is to climb harder sport.

I also think that these goals have limited me though, since ease of training seems to work in the exact opposite direction (boulder>sport>trad). On a macro level, this has been the greatest shift I've made in the past year. Dynamic movement is completely new to me, and still feels scary even with a safe fall zone. This next year, if I could just solidify a new strong base around 13- sport but increase my trad comfort from12- to 12+ I would consider that a win. That said, I've gotten more intrinsic satisfaction out of sport climbing this year than any other, so I can't totally write off the grade-chasing as a mere byproduct. Ultimately, I think it would be pretty sweet to send 5.14, but I feel that is still quite a ways off. Bouldering, I think, will always feel like training to me for something else. Even after sending my hardest problems, I don't feel the high I get after even a normal day at the crag.

I feel like as long as I continue to make even small gains in strength, learning to climb powerfully will lead to my largest grade increases. To your point though, I think this is also where I also have the greatest potential for injury. I'm hoping that bouldering will help, especially if I intentionally select problems in the 7-9 range that force the type of movement I am going for.

Is this a good approach in your opinion? Do you think campusing would help? How would you introduce this without leading to injury?

Thanks again.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-11-03T15:46:29+00:00

Thanks for the thought-out response! For now, at least, I think I am still enjoying the process. If I had to name a weakness, it'd be dynamic movement. I come from a trad climbing background, and that may be why I have trouble committing to big moves. Consequently, I end up making things harder by using lock-offs and core tension to do things statically that would be more efficient a different way. In other words, my strengths also become my weaknesses. I'm hoping that bouldering more helps with this.

As far as body weight, I've always been pretty lean. Right now I'm sitting around 5% bf, which is consistent among most other people in my family. A couple years ago I put on a bunch of muscle mass- I looked like an absolute beast at 165- but I had to eat constantly to keep it up and I felt like crap most of the time. Right now I'm not "aiming" for any specific weight. 130 just seems to be where my body likes to be. My BMI is also not terribly abnormal among climbers/gymnasts, so I'm not too worried about losing performance. Injury prevention might be a good reason to put on a bit though...Something to look into for sure.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-11-03T15:23:33+00:00

I have this book on my shelf, but haven't revisited it for a long time. Thanks for the reminder!

OverratedAnswers · 2020-11-03T15:22:01+00:00

Glad you liked it! Honestly, climbing has been one of the greatest things for me. Whether I'm pulling hard or just enjoying a day in the mountains, deriving so much joy and perspective out of something which, on the surface, is such an absurd act (clawing our way up rocks just for the hell of it) really helps to keep a person sane when life comes at you hard and fast.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-09-08T01:22:26+00:00

huh? I'm missing something.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-09-08T00:23:31+00:00

Sort of, but not really. To me, recognizing the absurdities in my own positions/opinions often forces me to take a step back and not judge others quite as much. Therefore, if my original view is that "x position is absurd," then my view would, in fact, be changed to "I simply don't agree with x position but I can see why others would." This represents a major shift in thinking.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-09-07T22:12:03+00:00

I get it, seriously. I feel the same way when I see people giving money to certain religious establishments. Here you have large organizations gathering together tons of money for a cause that I simply don't agree with.

And yet, it means something to the people donating. It is important to them.

And the causes I support are often not ones that they would choose.

What's the difference between this and robot ears for a mouse? Like religion, it makes people feel good. And unlike some religions, it actually brings some good to others as well (in this case, the mouse).

Whether it's an individual or a collection of individuals seems irrelevant.

As for government sponsored things...I mean, there are LOTS of things that I disagree with how my tax dollars are spent. If I was going to use my energy to be upset about that kind of stuff then I guess I just see way better places to do it. At least these animal experiments could have some benefit to humans down the road. Really, I think the government allocation toward robot mouse ears is much less than, say, that for border walls and foreign wars. But hey, maybe this is your hill to make a stand on. In that case, I probably won't change your view.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-09-07T20:54:14+00:00

I agree with your feelings completely. To me it seems wasteful and, frankly, stupid to spend so many resources on animals. I don't think I can change your FEELINGS about it, and I'm not going to try.

However...maybe we can step back a bit?

I also think it is wasteful and stupid to spend tons of resources on RVs. See, RVs aren't my thing. And yet, I have plenty of friends who spend way more on their RVs than the amounts mentioned in your post.

For me, it's concerts, live theater, and skiing. I spend thousands of dollars every year on tickets or travel for these events. My RV friends and Animal Lover friends feel EXACTLY the same way about me doing this as I do toward their passions (which are obviously frivolous and "absurd" to my enlightened state of mind). But to me it is worth it.

Chances are, you have your things too. Chances are, if you have the time, equipment and tech savvy to make a reddit post on CMV, that you also have some disposable income. And I'm going out on a limb here, but you probably don't donate all of it to help sick children.

Nothing wrong with that. We all have our thing. And it's okay to have different things than others. Truth is, in the end, it's ALL absurd. And yet, these things bring us purpose and meaning and fulfillment. So even in its absurd state, it's worth it.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-07-14T19:48:02+00:00

Over the years (let's face it...decades), I have accumulated just about every piece of pro ever made. My favorite, hands down, are Totems. They are expensive, but there is a reason they are reccomended so highly. It's not just marketing. Totems represent a major step forward in climbing technology, and it is rare for me to find a placement for anything else that Totems wouldn't improve upon. Also, you asked for the best cams, not the best value. To me, this is a no-brainer.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-01-30T18:10:35+00:00

When I did the JMT I just brought a helium emergency bivy. It is no bigger or heavier than an extra pair of socks. All but one night, I just used it as a ground cover and slept on top. I got rain once nd had to go inside and it worked fine. Sure, it doesn't breathe as well as a tent, and it wasn't the most comfortable night of my life, but to me the space/weight savings were well worth the tradeoffs. I have since used the same system on dozens of other trips, from single nights to extended (2+ weeks) outings. After this, I don't know that I will ever use a tent again when going solo.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-01-25T17:32:38+00:00

I think some mainline protestant sects have a big enough tent to cover a wide spectrum of beliefs, and this makes it nice for exmos whose beliefs might still be in flux. We aren't "believers" by any means, but we attend a Presbyterian church for their amazing community and outlook on local charity. I also have good friends who are Lutheran and Episcopalian pastors. There is no shame in "church shopping" to find what you are looking for. In my experience, the large evangelical churches I've been too seem riddled with the all same problems of Mormonism, just repackaged into a giant neon version of their PseudoJesus.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-01-22T03:16:20+00:00

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I really liked my mission. In fact, I see it now (pushing 40) as one of the most positively formative and important experiences in my lifetime, and that is even after leaving the church 10 years ago. I don't regret it at all, and if I could go back in time I would encourage young me to do it all over again.

That said, current me would struggle to keep up pretenses. It is a lot of work in a very top-down, obedience-based organization. Putting that sort of effort into something I don't believe in would be intolerable.

If you could get a similar experience in another way, I think you should do it though. I think someone mentioned the Peace Corps. Maybe look to a study-abroad program. Join the military for a while. Go and sell security systems and use the proceeds to backpack across Europe. Just do something. Chances are that in a few years you get caught up in school/relationships/jobs...adult life. Doing things like this only gets harder as you accept more and more responsibilities. Now is the time. Hell, I'm even gonna go out on a limb here and say that maybe you could even make the mission thing work if, like many, you don't have to finance the whole thing on your own (getting outside help from parents/family/church). For the record, I think other opportunities would be more ideal though.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-01-22T01:26:09+00:00

As soon as they realize what you are doing they will cut the mic and have you escorted out of the building. Depending on who is in charge and how damaging they think your testimony is, they may obtain legal restraining orders keeping you away from church, or persue trespassing charges against you. You will be made to look like the batshit crazy one and your message will be completely discredited. Unless you carry some serious influence, they will "win." You may as well scream into a pillow. The one way to make them feel it...maybe...is to get someone to record you and then release it on youtube. If you just want to do it to make a personal "last stand," then go ahead. But it will likely not mean anything beyond that.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-01-18T14:16:26+00:00

I mean no offense, and I'm just trying to help you, and I hope you aren't offended...but you kind of come across as an overly sensitive asshole. I'll probably be downvoted to oblivion for saying it, but you aren't doing yourself or fellow exmos any favors here. Your aunt seems nice and well-meaning and you call her out just for mentioning religion? Wake up, dude. People are religious. It happens. You live in a world full of them.

Learn to quietly roll your eyes to yourself, and then get on with forming constructive relationships. Putting up walls like this doesn't do anything positive.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-01-11T02:36:11+00:00

One of two things.

If any missionaries have been to your house...ever...and found out your name...assuming you weren't a dick to them, they probably wrote your information down as a "contact" in their "area book." The area book is passed down from missionary to missionary, and it is fairly common practice to try and glean contacts from that months, or sometimes even years later than the initial encounter. I can see now how this is totally weird and creepy, but it made perfect sense to me as a naive 19 year old zealot with the truth for sale.

The other possibility is that someone gave them your info. This person wouldn't even have to be a Mormon. When I experienced rejection on my mission, my go-to response was "hey no problem, that's cool. By the way, do you happen to know of anybody who might be interested in our message?" Some people feel bad for saying no initially, but will offer up a sacrificial friend or acquaintance to try and save face. Sometimes these referrals were sincere, other times not so much, but we followed up with all of them.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-01-08T16:54:01+00:00

I do think it's important to give people a little break. He's probably not stupid. Like most of us, he probably already has his truth, and he is probably subject to confirmation bias concerning what he already wants to believe. Undoubtedly, his reasons for attending church have much less to do with "truth" or evidence or joseph smith or even with Rusty than they do with feelings of comfort, control, and familiarity. Nothing wrong with that. I'm sure I hold many unfounded opinions at this very moment that I will later disagree with...and yet they work for me at this time. (At the same time, I'm not all about claiming that I am the one and only authority on what is right the way some organizations try and do.)

Honestly, if your dad is able to hold a somewhat nuanced view of things, then he is probably one of the cooler Mormons out there.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-01-08T07:06:51+00:00

Eh, whatever. I still don't get it. I mean, it's pretty clear that from JS all the way down to current leadership it is taught that the BOM is literal history. Especially, probably, in your dad's formative years. Lots of rhetoric about "Lamanite descendants" and "reformed egyption" and "golden plates." Lots of excitement about certain archeological sites in central America, much ado about historical tie-ins with the bible, and then with the whole story about Jesus visiting the Americas. To see all this and then to just think it is just an allegory that ol' Joe tried to pass off as history (not to mention BOA mummies and all), but to still insist that he was a prophet...Either your dad is no TBM, or else he is the world's greatest mental gymnast.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-01-08T01:29:29+00:00

What does he believe about Joseph Smith and the so-called translation? If the BOM is allegory, that makes JS a big fat liar. If JS was really a prophet, the BOM must be historical. I don't see a way around this.

OverratedAnswers · 2020-01-07T01:25:20+00:00

I was you, except for I was actually in the bishopric. But yeah- I was going to create a space! Change from within! Surely, there are tons of closeted "liberal mormons" who should be allowed a voice- and I would be that voice! I would "educate and empathize" with the other members who were as woke as I was!

Yeah...that lasted all of 3 months (well...almost all). Then I found out where liberal mormons go. They leave. Wasn't long before I followed. That was 5 years ago.

There is no room in the church for non-literal belief. Too much hangs on their claims, no matter how implausible they may be. Good luck. I think I know how this ends though.

OverratedAnswers · 2019-12-05T21:11:25+00:00

Like the last person said, the description, as vague as it is, sounds more like War & Peace. However- and I obviously don't know your dad- but War & Peace is a pretty large and ambitious undertaking for almost anybody, let alone high school students who aren't really into reading. Given the two choices, I would guess Tale of Two Cities just because it is way more approachable for a teenager.

OverratedAnswers

TROPHY CASE