delete please

The comment that you made — that being disaffected has value is profound. I feel the same way now. I understand fully that things I used to take for granted as simply “the way things are” as an active member, are really beliefs and choices and values — and they arent’ always correct. I see the other side now.

Last Sunday, someone mentioned that if we raise our hand, sustaining the Bishop, this means that if we are extended a calling, we should take it. We have discussed this at length here, and my personal experiences have me believing this is an organization-only perspective, which completely ignores the needs of some members. Often, the calling is not inspired in the first place (I know this, having extended uninspired callings).

I’m grateful that I see both sides….and what was most interesting was just how disenengaged the whole quorum was as this principle of never saying no to a calling was being taught. Then it moved onto “never speak evil of the Lord’s annointed” – another organization-only principle meant, in my view, to turn people into good Mormons rather than good people necessarily. I asked “But what about the feedback the leaders sometimes need to do their job more effectively? How do they get this feedback if we are not allowed to speak up when they do things we don’t necessarily agree with, or that may not be effective?”

This question sparked an array of hands, and lively discussion, and guess what – engagement from others. They perked up, nodded their heads, shook their heads, and at least were INTO the discussion. Some even had scriptural reasons for their own spin on the question.

Seeing both sides brings color to the Ward experience of others — hopefully good color. CErtainly makes my Sunday experience more colorful. And in this regard, experiencing dissafection creates significant value to the soul, in my view. A broader perspective and the ability to think much more deeply out the LDs Church experience, often reaching very individualistic and worthwhile conclusions.