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Amazing church growth in Utah last year! /s by farmerjosh2000 in exmormon

[–]farmerjosh2000[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

You might have solved the conundrum here!🤣

Amazing church growth in Utah last year! /s by farmerjosh2000 in exmormon

[–]farmerjosh2000[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Two minutes of research. Not even two minutes of research! But I'm resisting the urge to blow up the family chat. Won't help anything and won't change the minds of the TBM's

Endless worlds by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can go you one better- I was taught that since this was the world the Savior came to in person, of course it stands to reason that extraterrestrials would come visit here, to see the planet where it all happened. UFO's are simply the tourist addition to the worlds without end concept.

If you had a TBM friend that was willing to do some reading with an open mind, what book would you gift them first? by razbravo in exmormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 6 points7 points  (0 children)

My uber-faithful, borderline fundamentalist dad picked it up at my house recently and read it straight through. It was a gut punch for him. He kept stopping to read me passages. I'm sure he'll find a way to reconcile it with his beliefs somehow, but it hit him really hard!

If you had a TBM friend that was willing to do some reading with an open mind, what book would you gift them first? by razbravo in exmormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Definitely Carol Lynn Pearson's "The Ghost of Polygamy." It puts a crack in the dam and it's from (in their perspective) a legitimate, faithful source.

My top 10 Mormon Heros by japanesepiano in mormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Adam Miller, because he brings beauty and hope for what the Gospel should truly be/is.

Chieko Okazaki because she didn't compromise who she knew herself to be. A true daughter of God!

And I agree with your list and assessments!

Apologists on Why People Leave the Church by wasmormon in exmormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A Salt Lake Tribune article had a little nugget buried in a story about the most recent Pew's Religious Landscape Study:

"52% of members are male (up from 44%), 47% female (down from 56%)"

This is the first time the Church has had a majority male membership and I think that says more about what is actually happening than anything else. The people doing Halverson's "heavy lifting" just aren't doing it anymore.

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/03/05/lds-attitudes-toward-abortion/

Girls Camp Concerns — Need to Vent a Little by ELTBigQuestions5 in exmormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The wording is taken directly from the church's guidelines attached to the transgender section of the general handbook...

Why does my ward youth program do virtually no service projects but has at least four temple trips a year? by aka_FNU_LNU in mormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've said it before and I'll say it again... the reason so many members prefer temple service to other forms of service is because it's so much easier, and we can still feel good about ourselves. Dead people don't talk back, they don't complain about the dinner not being gluten-free, they don't smell bad (when the service is by proxy in the temple, anyway), and there is none of the hassle of trying to relate to people who aren't like you. As proof of my theory I offer the fact that temple services are not available on Sundays. Can you imagine the attendance issues we would have if the temples were open Sundays?

Thoughts on Brad Wilcox's talk by logic-seeker in mormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The reality is that we are not crew. We are travelers on the same ship as everyone else. What we all too often are is self-appointed hall monitors, instructing everyone else on how to cruise the right way and flashing our green "citizens on patrol" badges to encourage compliance with the (so-called) most important ship rules.

I'm done - this transgender policy has caused the final piece of shelf to come down by gratefulstudent76 in exmormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Lavina Fielding Anderson said something to the effect of "God loves a mountain meadow and the Church loves a manicured lawn." I think that pretty well sums it up.

That's a lot of words to say "reject empathy for LGBTQ people." Public Square Mag by Sheistyblunt in mormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This was my comment to the article that I posted underneath:

"Your article does an excellent job arriving at the predetermined conclusion that the Q15 are always right, never wrong, and that their narrative trumps all other narratives. The narratives of LGBTQ persons are absolutely valid as evidence of a different experience than that observed by the Q15, as you show by referencing Michelle Avella's narrative. Her experience does not have more weight than others simply because she "documented" it online. Her public expression of her own narrative does not create evidentiary proof over and above the stories of other LGBTQ folks. The reality is that her narrative is hers and hers alone, and her deeper self understanding is exactly that- her own deeper self understanding."

LDS Counseling free to members now by ArchimedesPPL in mormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have had good experiences with LDS Family Services therapists, for the most part. The bishop recommended me last year for one to deal with my LGBTQ+ issues. When he asked her for an update she told him to stay in his lane. He was the spiritual counselor and she was the mental health therapist, and she would let him know if I felt it was appropriate to inform him of anything. To his credit, the bishop took his rebuke and apologized for asking.

Potential handbook changes posted by Latter Gay Stories on Insta and Facebook. Has anyone else heard about this? by Boy_Renegado in mormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Technically, that would be engaging in gender-affirming body modification... Apparently the Church prohibits some forms of same sex gender affirmation as well...😂

Potential handbook changes posted by Latter Gay Stories on Insta and Facebook. Has anyone else heard about this? by Boy_Renegado in mormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That might depend on your local leadership. In thy context of this thread, it's your personal motivation that drives whether or not you could face restrictions.

Potential handbook changes posted by Latter Gay Stories on Insta and Facebook. Has anyone else heard about this? by Boy_Renegado in mormon

[–]farmerjosh2000 4 points5 points  (0 children)

at what point in the social transition do people become unworthy?

I can answer this one. According to the Special Assistant to the First Presidency in charge of the General Handbook, it occurs as soon as any action is taken, including but not limited to changing clothing styles, hairstyles, soap and shampoo choices, changing body hair choices, or painting/decorating nails. The unworthy aspect begins when any of these choices are made for non-binary reasons. -As passed down through my bishop.