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Last night some friends of mine on a gay Christian forum I belong to posted the following links: SALT LAKE CITY, June 29 (Reuters) – Troubled by issues ranging from polygamy to gay marriage, several dozen Mormons plan to resign this weekend from the church en masse in an unusual public show of defiance in Salt Lake City.
Article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/29/mormon-group-plans-mass-w_n_1637877.html http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/30/mormons-quit-in-mass-resignation There are several members on my group who are still active Mormon that I am sure would be upset reading this, so I posted this following reply to these articles to be supportive of them. I also mention this group. :
Dear group,
Yesterday, I was cleaning out and organizing my study and computer room. I have a whole closet full of posters I hand made for all the lessons I taught the past 30 years in the lds church. I put a lot of work into these lessons and posters as I was an art major in high school and 2 years of University before I attended Cosmetology college. My father was a commercial artist who taught me how to make beautiful posters. So I have saved them all these years in case I might need them in future lessons. As I was sorting through these posters, I was flooded with so many wonderful memories. They were all such character building, Christ-like lessons. Members appreciated my efforts and loved how I taught.
After returning from a 2 year mission for the lds church in Austria at 23 years old, I went on to teach 8 years in the women’s relief society of the congregations I belonged to. After that I was called to teach the 16-17 year old girls in the lds youth group for 2 years. Later I went on to teach the Sunday school Gospel Doctrine class for 4 years, and then the investigators class for 4 years. I want you to know that I loved teaching and I loved the Mormon church. I truly believed many of the teachings and loved the idea of a prophet and apostles who could guide me in these turbulent last days. The lds church gave me many opportunities for growth and a wonderful sense of support, security, and community for many years. Most of my family members are still lds and my father became a professional genealogist that loved doing temple work.
So, as I was reading through these articles on people in the lds church having a mass open resignation in Salt Lake City, it really trigged me. I just broke down and cried because I know for myself how very hard it was to leave the lds church. This is not a simple matter. It’s huge leaving something that meant so much in your life and did so much good. There is tremendous cognitive dissonance when you leave and it is so hard to lose your tribe and sense of community, not to mention your faith. It really hurts your relationship with family members, lds members, and loved ones who are still in the lds church. I have grieved this loss many times and I want you to know what these people are going through when you read these articles. I wanted the Mormon church to be true with all my heart. I loved the church. Finding out that things were not as I had believed was devastating to me. It would be like finding out that your mate had misrepresented themselves all those years and had betrayed you. It is so easy to think in black and white and right and wrong, but I have learned that people and organizations are a mixed bag. So, you end up making a decision of whether you can still stay or have to leave. I debated back and forth in my mind for several years. I joined on line groups like ‘staylds.com’ and “New Order Mormon” which is made up of lds members who are struggling with their faith but want to stay in the church. Eventually, our family ended up leaving. Our names may still be on the church records and we will probably never officially join another church, but we could no longer be a part of it.
So, my heart has been heavy this morning as I pondered all this. Even though I may strongly disagree with some things in the Mormon church, I also wanted you to know that there are powerful and wonderful reasons people join and stay in the lds church. I have met many great Catholic people who have gone through similar feelings such as mine and these people in the articles. I personally could never do what these people have in such a public way, but I understand it. It is just so important to not be quick to judge or condemn a church with people who are fallible and often doing what they believe is right at the time.
Sincerely, Bridget
Bless you, Bridget. So well said. Like you have indicated, each person coming to a the realizations you did doesn’t always leave the church. Some of us try to trod the very difficult path of staying in while dealing with prejudice and even hatred of those that differ from the True Believing position. When I encounter the judgment by others who, through white or black thinking, reject our attempts to make sense of cognitive dissonance, and condemn us, I lose hope that there is a viable Middle Way. At these times I feel the need to back off and find peace elsewhere, which is what I feel to do now.
It is lonely to trod this path alone. Thanks for being here, for sharing your thoughts. It helps a lot.
I would love to see your art if you’ve posted it.
Thanks Wayfarer, that means alot to me. I love to paint flowers mostly and do impressionist type of oil painting. I love Van Gough and Monet. Bridget
Ah, van Gogh… I was just staying in amsterdam right next to the van Gogh Museum… He started painting at 27, first successful work at 32, dead in Arles at 37 — a short, intense career with amazing impact.
a case of extraordinary talent accompanied by psychological issues that now would be diagnosed, named and medicated. He probably would have lived longer – but he probably wouldn’t have created what he did. I’m not sure which option he would have preferred. Sound familiar?
As to the focus of the news, I believe everyone must act according to the dictates of their own consciences, but I do not support actively recruiting others to leave the Church in some kind of organized movement. No matter the motivations, that is the most basic definition of apostasy possible – and it is absolutely the least effective way to influence positive change.
Old-Timer wrote:
As to the focus of the news, I believe everyone must act according to the dictates of their own consciences, but I do not support actively recruiting others to leave the Church in some kind of organized movement. No matter the motivations, that is the most basic definition of apostasy possible – and it is absolutely the least effective way to influence positive change.I agree Ray…it just did not feel right to do this publically. The article said they was no malice, but when you do it this way you are making a statement of lots of anger and retaliation. It really hurts family and friends who are in the church still too. Plus, the media will love using it politically.
I just wonder what the Church(TM) could/should do to curtail this sort of thing….whether it’s individual or group efforts. Should they be more forthcoming about troubling aspects of their history? Can you imagine missionary discussions showing JS peering into his hat containing his seer stone? How would they reconcile revelation that used to be angelic visitations with what is now, what we would commonly call, inspiration? Should they allow non-TR-holding family members into temple weddings? Should they say they were incorrect in making the WoW a commandment? Should they divert more funds into helping the poor? Should they become transparent with their finances? etc.
I wish I knew the answer. It’s heartbreaking to see folks leave over stuff that may have been prevented.
According to Zilpha Larsen: Quote:“We’re doing it to support each other in this decision that’s going to cause pain for our families, which will cause pain for ourselves.”
So I ask again, what’s so wrong with that? Can anyone here NOT relate to and empathize with what she is expressing? Sure, it may fit someone’s narrow definition of “apostasy”, but I thought the idea around here was to see beyond these labels and into people’s hearts and minds with compassion and understanding.
doug, it’s the public announcement and the self-promotion that bother me. It’s hard for me to believe they are doing it merely to support each other, when they knew each other previously and could have gotten as much support from each other without making it a public spectacle.
As I said, I support anyone who feels like they have to leave in order to live according to the dictates of their own consciences, even as I wish they could stay – but this goes beyond that, imo. The action just doesn’t fit the explanation, imo.
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