StayLDS Ideas help shape the thinking of a TBM leader….

I thought I would share something here. We talk about effecting change through our continued involvement in the Church at this site, but it’s more of a sideline to our own personal issues, I’ve noticed (and that’s OK). Until recently, I’ve seen effecting change as a relatively futile effort given the strong cultural norms and the CHI which most leaders treat as near or total doctrine, even though it isn’t. The voice of one person, expressed in such a way as to NOT rock the boat, probably won’t change much….so, I haven’t really tried up to this point.

Recently, a traditional believing former, high profile leader in our Ward approached me frustrated with something. A current leader in the ward had told everyone God wasn’t pleased with us because of our efforts in a certain program and the traditional believing Mormon friend said he was sort of offended by that. Who was this leader to speak for the Lord? What did he hope to accomplish by guilting people into that program? etcetera.

I was able to help him see that:

a) this was mere opinion of the leader who said it, even though it’s his right to claim revelation for his stewardship if he wants (this leader didn’t claim revelation, by the way, but did give strong words)

b) that even apostles and GA’s say things that are mere opinion, with BKPacker’s talk a case in point (having been edited after the fact regarding whether the Proclamation was revelation or merely a guideline). My friend was not aware of this…..I used the phrase “the opinions of men, mingled with revelation”, with revelation hard to distinguish at times unless crowned with some kind of spiritual, personal stamp.

c) Elder Oak’s talk that all leaders can do is teach general principles, and that each person may have exceptions which need to be worked out with you and the Lord — so not all statements by leaders appplies to each person equally.

d) that even the CHI is not doctrine, as doctrine needs to be accepted before the Church so what I said about the leaders’ harsh words aso applies to the CHI.

e) that the leader was probably just frustrated with getting results and was using whatever intellectual or motivational arguments he could think of to try to change things….that my TBM friend should replace his frustration/feeling offended with empathy for the leader in his frustration and give him a pass.

I was a little afraid of how he might react to such contrarion ideas (from a TBM’s perspective), but he was actually really appreciative of what I said, asked questions etcetera. He wasn’t aware that BKP’s talk had been edited, nor the process of accepting doctrine before the Church. Also, as he sees me as a TBM of sorts, I think my words carried some weight in helping him form his own conclusions….

This man is the sort who will end up in strong positions in the future in the Church (has been in the past, and is on a hiatus due to moving soon), so perhaps I have altered his thinking somewhat? Perhaps a good thing to do is to attach many of the reasonable arguments/principles we learn here to people’s individual issues at Church when they come up? Perhaps it’s OK to portray oneself as both faithful and a divergent thinker, at the same time, so others seek you out as this man sought me out? And then, so you can share ideas that will help alter some of the cultural beliefs we hold that present stumblingblocks to their activity?

I’m musing here, but I found the experience above to be the most memorable and important experience I had at Church this week.