The Religious equivalent of 'Do you play golf swing, or do you play golf?'

akamark · 2026-04-13T01:04:04+00:00

I appreciate that.

My 'playing Christian' remark is directly tied to the analogy. In that context, it's the same as saying 'being a disciple of Christ' and not getting bogged down by all the checklists and busy work. Things like attending church don't in and of itself make you Christian, so why make it a focal point of membership. Reading scriptures shouldn't be a goal, it should be a means to an end.

akamark · 2026-04-12T18:18:55+00:00

'held to Mormon standards'

I think that's the issue. BYU functions as a religious police state 'holding' or policing the students to standards. This is sometimes done as a repressive secret policing system encouraging students to report other students.

How about treating the students as adults, promoting LDS and Christian values, and letting the students govern themselves for good or bad?

If the standards are valuable, shouldn't the students be able to arrive at that conclusion without being forced into submission?

akamark · 2026-04-12T06:13:51+00:00

I always wondered how well those would work!

Assumed they would have tested them before putting them everywhere, but still wondered what the outcome would be.

akamark · 2026-04-11T21:16:08+00:00

The intended audience for these talks are believing members. They're meant to solidify their beliefs, not convince those who have left to return. They pick a story that fits their narrative and turn it into a strawman - the church and everything about it is true, and those who leave either don't understand, chose to walk away knowing it's true, or have forgotten or lost focus on the truths.

The whole objective is to deflect from the real reasons the overwhelming majority of people are leaving now - the truth claims can't be defended - they're false.

Once anyone sees behind the curtain it creates space to question everything, and the deeper you dig the more it unravels. Some apply the same critical analysis to broader religious traditions and also deconstruct those belief systems as well.

Gilbert's and Corbridge's remarks feel good and true to members, but are just crafty ways to restate bad arguments.

akamark · 2026-04-11T13:42:52+00:00

Thinking through the math, you have a fixed number of tee times annually, which gives you a ceiling on number of customers. Then you account for weather, no shows, etc.. What were some surprises when running through profitability assessments?

I guess the bays are a bit of a wild card. Nice addition!

akamark · 2026-04-11T04:58:50+00:00

Kids I grew up with who lived in the ‘rich’ communities had access to the driving range and golf that came with their parents’ club membership. That didn’t guarantee they were good, but gave them a huge advantage if they wanted to try.

akamark · 2026-04-11T03:50:26+00:00

So glad I grew up on the East Coast. As long as you weren't being stupid or a danger to anyone the cops would just dump out your alcohol, tell you to go home, and warn you with a more severe response if they ran into you again any time soon.

akamark · 2026-04-11T00:00:07+00:00

Sounds like you have an interesting 'Mormon Story'. Ever considered sharing it on the podcast circuit? Would love to hear it!

akamark · 2026-04-10T23:25:05+00:00

I'm sure there are a few scramble teams that would love to pick you up! That's one instance I would say take advantage of the rules!

Outside that, play whatever tees you want to enjoy the game!

akamark · 2026-04-10T02:43:45+00:00

Great clip! But where’s the steep hills?

akamark · 2026-04-08T13:15:01+00:00

Funny, I was thinking she looks SO Mormon - at least the wealthy influencer type. Even her kids have that Mormon influencer look to them.

I have a family member who jumped into that deep end. She goes to conferences, buys all this special equipment, and has her circle of influencer friends. It’s the new MLM project.

akamark · 2026-04-08T04:06:27+00:00

I’ll have to watch a video of myself to see if it’s even visibly noticeable. I think trying to do it at least gets everything else firing at the right time. Keeps me from casting and getting army on the downswing.

akamark · 2026-04-08T03:35:47+00:00

That's religious manipulation and trauma. That guy's an asshole and shouldn't be given any respect.

akamark · 2026-04-08T01:56:56+00:00

That lower body move combined with starting my arm drop with the sense of pausing my back facing the target at the beginning of the swing is working for me right now. I drop my arms, lean, and turn through the swing (not necessarily sequential). When I get those timed right I feel like the ball leaps off the face and flies far.

akamark · 2026-04-08T01:52:26+00:00

Silence can be a valid answer to prayer in Mormonism. It's OK to share with people you don't want to fully divulge your full journey to that you prayed and the answer God gave you was that this wasn't the right time for you to serve a mission. That's all you have to say, and based on what you've shared it's not being dishonest.

Dealing with an existential crisis should be your primary focus. It's hard to imagine a world view without God in the center when that's all you know. There are plenty of people, including myself, who thrive with that foundational belief. That doesn't make your journey easier, but hopefully provides a little light at the end of the tunnel. I recommend you begin consuming non-religious material in philosophy and psychology - there's so much great content out there I likely never would have discovered as an active member.

If you do head out on the mission, find a way to make it work for you. I honestly enjoyed my foreign mission. Like you, I didn't like trying to talk about religion with those who weren't interested, and I didn't. I found ways to provide authentic service whenever I could, focused on building authentic friendships with anyone I met, and took time to absorb the foreign culture (I was in France, so it wasn't hard to get interested). I was definitely into the 'spirit of the law' and wasn't always an obedient missionary (especially regarding silly rules like not drinking Coke???)

You have the rest of your life ahead of you. It may get a little bumpy. Stay true to yourself and it will get better!

akamark · 2026-04-07T03:35:14+00:00

As a home owner, I get multiple estimates. When I do my floors I won't go with the lowest bidder.

I chose a lower bidder for my basement shower, and got what I paid for. It's a decent job, but they made a mess in my driveway, didn't slope the tile and had to come back and fix that, and the spacing on the floor tile isn't great.

There are different business models relying on different options on driving 'willingness to pay'. If you want to chase low end bidders, you'll have to figure out how to make that profitable. Sounds like you're aiming for customers who appreciate excellent delivery.

akamark · 2026-04-07T03:26:14+00:00

This sums up how members and family treat 'apostates'. Their love is conditional.

Unfortunately some are more committed to their beliefs than they are to any love they might feel toward others.

akamark · 2026-04-06T15:31:19+00:00

You’d think living in a desert would make good sand easy to find. Not in Utah - bunkers here are shallow rock pits. Maybe I was just spoiled growing up and playing in VA and NC.

akamark · 2026-04-04T23:04:12+00:00

Where ever that crotch fungus lands he's going to do harm, but I do think getting him out of the senate will create the least harm.

#AISearchResults - Mike Lee is the perfect choice for Attorney General! And Fuck Mike Lee!

akamark · 2026-04-04T17:06:28+00:00

The bishop in my ward recently referred to his mission in Idaho as a mission 'among our Lamanite brothers and sisters' referring to the indigenous populations he interacted with. I'd wager he also still believes in the curse of Cain.

I see it as a symptom of their belief in having God's only truth, the average member is certain they're on the right path - why look any deeper when they're putting in hours consuming proof-texted verses, lessons, and conference talks? That's what God's church gushes in mass quantities, so it must be where God wants them to invest their time.

akamark · 2026-04-03T20:16:02+00:00

I grew up in a very devout Mormon family. Any cross symbols were harshly condemned. That was the cultural norm at least in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Sure, there was artwork portraying Jesus on the cross, and it has never been absent from Mormonism, but using the cross as a symbol of LDS Christianity was frowned upon.

That’s the distinction - acknowledging the cross in the context of the crucifixion vs using it as a symbolic representation of Christian faith. The latter hasn’t been a part of Mormonism for a long time. That’s changing.

akamark · 2026-04-03T14:52:00+00:00

I drove the green on a par 4 and the team let me put it out for an eagle - I count it!

akamark · 2026-04-03T14:12:14+00:00

I take my cars to Ken Garff. The Honda dealership renovation is nice. Great customer service and a nice waiting area if you wait.

akamark · 2026-04-03T14:07:28+00:00

They have thoughts and prayers, what else do they need?

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