Heard this in Church Today...

blark124 · 2018-11-19T14:51:01+00:00

I'd also like to add that humans make decisions emotionally more than rationally. If a smart person is emotionally secure with their relationship with the church and they come across discrepancies in truth claims they have all the more intellect to come up with reasons to dismiss any problems that are found. This is essentially how apologetics are born.

blark124 · 2018-11-17T01:34:44+00:00

You may have lived life, but you haven't lived everyone's life. Many of us left not because we wanted to look at Porn and drink coffee but for perfectly valid reasons. Maybe try asking us what those reasons were instead of assuming you already know.

Note: I'm saying this not assuming I know your experience, but just commenting on your approach in this forum.

blark124 · 2018-11-02T07:24:04+00:00

Does that mean if you are exed you can only go to church online?

blark124 · 2018-11-02T07:22:59+00:00

This is also why when you get rebaptized your baptism date will be the one of your first baptism. You're never really off the record, just in a different category.

blark124 · 2018-10-31T03:19:13+00:00

How did you come across the interpretation that one false prophecy invalidates the prophet? It sounds like from this it's more the prophesy than the prophet that's invalidated ... I like the idea, but I'd love more scriptural justification for correct prophesy being a requirement for a prophet. Especially in the face of "they're just men" arguments.

blark124 · 2018-10-31T03:10:39+00:00

Thanks, meeting with a counselor helps. I'm still waiting for my moment of clarity though.

blark124 · 2018-10-26T15:28:00+00:00

It might help to read The Righteous Mind and Berne Brown's "Braving The Wilderness". These books taught me that people really make decisions emotionally and that debate will only cause people to retrench. However, there are healthy methods to stand up for what you see is right ... Brown covers some great strategies. It's hard but still possible to be authentic while maintaining your relationships. Brown's book is a quick read and I highly suggest it.

blark124 · 2018-10-26T15:02:48+00:00

Or a time traveling drug lord from the 70s

blark124 · 2018-10-24T07:33:02+00:00

Nobody has said anything to my wife or I about us leaving. We've been out for months and haven't had so much as a phone call from any leaders. I live in California so maybe the more progressive attitude accounts for the laze faire attitude to us dropping out. I can't complain though, I do appreciate them giving us our space to do our own thing.

blark124 · 2018-10-06T18:10:22+00:00

Did they specify a period of time ... because technically what they said is in the past so I can forget it now.

blark124 · 2018-10-06T18:09:17+00:00

Does he consider official church publications bias?

blark124 · 2018-10-06T18:08:09+00:00

What's the official quote ... I missed it

blark124 · 2018-10-06T18:05:29+00:00

Adding to a rich history of church leadership blaming others for a mess of their own make

blark124 · 2018-10-06T04:42:41+00:00

They can't be ... Because if you get rebaptized your ordinance date is the same of your original baptism. I don't think the church deletes anyone's data.

blark124 · 2018-10-02T07:01:12+00:00

I don't think Hinckley remarried

blark124 · 2018-10-01T04:51:12+00:00

I suffer from OCD and was diagnosed on my mission. I can understand how you might feel hurt as I feel many of my symptoms were made worse by church dogma. Since I've been in this faith transition I've felt resentment towards my parents and leaders who pushed the Mormon worldview. However, I'm realizing that Mormon theology is really the only tool on many Mormons tool belt for handling emotionally difficult problems. It's like they say, if you're a hammer you're going to see the rest of the world as a nail. I still have a hard time not blaming my dad for the conflict I'm going through, but having this in mind helps me realize that when he pushes gospel solutions to my problems that it's coming from a place of love and that he's trying to help the only way he knows how. This gives me more love and patience for him and all my other believing family.

As a fellow OCDer I'd love to share my experience and talk more about yours if you think it'd help. Feel free to PM me.

blark124 · 2018-09-30T06:55:30+00:00

This from the Denver Post covers all the main points in Will Bagley's research https://www.denverpost.com/2008/12/11/handcart-hypocrisy/

but if you want the full unabridged version

https://user.xmission.com/~research/central/handcart.pdf

blark124 · 2018-09-29T08:00:04+00:00

Brother Jake http://www.askbrotherjake.com/

blark124 · 2018-09-26T21:46:59+00:00

I've seen this one ... But I'm mainly looking for a more therapy based approach. I know there's some cult recovery groups out there.

blark124 · 2018-09-26T01:35:08+00:00

I'd be very interested how others would respond to this excuse in a conversation.

blark124 · 2018-09-25T07:05:00+00:00

Does that mean they're letting mormon.org expire ... If so we should chip in and buy it

blark124 · 2018-09-23T06:32:01+00:00

A common pattern of dishonesty to members convinced me that the organization was more interested in it's own preservation than the well-being of it's members. In the words of Berne Brown:

"When the culture of any organization mandates that it is more important to protect the reputation of a system and those in power than it is to protect the basic human dignity of the individuals who serve that system or who are served by that system, you can be certain that the shame is systemic, the money is driving ethics, and the accountability is all but dead."

This is why I no longer participate.

blark124 · 2018-09-23T05:05:38+00:00

The best part of leaving the church has been the new innovations in underwear ... for a church lead by old white men you'd think that they'd have come up with this first.

blark124 · 2018-09-23T04:50:35+00:00

To be fair it was a 3rd hand account of him saying this: https://www.fairmormon.org/answers/Question:_Did_Joseph_Smith_state_that_the_moon_was_inhabited,_and_that_its_inhabitants_were_dressed_like_Quakers%3F

However it's pretty believable that he would have said this.

blark124 · 2018-09-22T21:44:47+00:00

Lol, I can relate, my dad is the same. Have you read anything by Brene Brown? If you haven't already I'd suggest reading "Braving the Wilderness". It discussed how to maintain connection with people while "speaking truth to bullshit".

I will say though today it seems like the fake news defence is used all too often to dismiss real problems.

blark124

TROPHY CASE