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We have a lot of phrases in Mormon culture. Some have been used enough that many consider them doctrine. Others are just part of our language. Some I love and some not so much. A favorite of mine is the RS motto, Charity never Faileth. It’s a beautiful sentiment based on scripture and is very Christ centered. One I hate is “no empty chairs.” It comes up frequently in our ward and there was a recent article in the Ensign by that title. In my immediate family (parents, siblings, children), the only active members are my husband, myself, and my mother. That makes, three filled chairs and a bunch of empty ones, which I have no control over. The saying, when it comes up, is not inspiring, but is just painful.
I’m interested to know what others favorite and not so favorite mormonisms are.
It would take me a while to find one I like. I like a few. One that drove me crazy for years was, “I never said it would be easy. I only said it would be worth it.” On a couple of different levels. First it was attributed to Jesus Christ – I have no idea when he said that. I can’t find scripture close to it.
Second – It was the most un-Christlike phrase I could think of. I kept imagining an abusive parent telling me the abuse was for my own good and that I would appreciate it someday.
Every time I heard it I cringed.
As to the empty chairs one – I also didn’t love or don’t love the physical image of the empty chair. I don’t believe in it. Jesus died for everyone and I believe he has a longer term plan before he decides who gets to sit at the table.
Chew The Rice – indifferent to that one. Families are forever – depends who your family is.
Reach out to inactives – can we do that properly?
Serve a mission – not so keen on that one.
Keep the commandments – cliche.
mom3 wrote:I One that drove me crazy for years was, “I never said it would be easy. I only said it would be worth it.”
On a couple of different levels. First it was attributed to Jesus Christ – I have no idea when he said that. I can’t find scripture close to it.
Second – It was the most un-Christlike phrase I could think of. I kept imagining an abusive parent telling me the abuse was for my own good and that I would appreciate it
As to the empty chairs one – I also didn’t love or don’t love the physical image of the empty chair. I don’t believe in it. Jesus died for everyone and I believe he has a longer term plan before he decides who gets to sit at the table.
I always though of that one as schmarmy, but hadn’t thought of it in terms of someone being abused. That’s awful with that perspective.
I don’t believe in empty chairs either. Having so many people I love “fall away from the church” (oh, there’s another one
SamBee wrote:Chew The Rice – indifferent to that one.
I haven’t heard that one. What does it mean?
Kind of a phonetic version of Choose The Right… we sometimes say chew the rice around here… and I’m sure there’s some joke about driving around here. Quote:What exactly happens to someone who lives a good life, but doesn’t go on a mission or get married in the temple or go to church. I do want my family with me forever. I’ve heard people talk about how there is a greater plan and God will work things out, but is that what the church really teaches?
Yes, it is what “The Church” teaches, ultimately, since we are told that only God can judge our actions based on our understanding, ability and the intent of our hearts, but that grand grace gets lost in translation at the individual level far too often. We tend to be hardest in that regard (judging others) on those who are the closest to us, since we think we know them well enough to make that type of judgment and since our expectations are higher for them.
Think about it:
Whose lack of understanding of you hurts the most – and who is the most hurt by your differences with them?I’m betting it’s family, close friends and fellow congregants. It’s a lot easier to forgive someone for their view of you if you realize how hard it is for them to understand and accept your view of them. It’s easy to focus on the hurt we feel and forget the hurt we cause others to feel.
SamBee wrote:Kind of a phonetic version of Choose The Right… we sometimes say chew the rice around here… and I’m sure there’s some joke about driving around here.
My husband would love that one. He loves plays on words. Kinda like “we believe in being honest, true, chased by an elephant and in doing good to all men.”
😆 SamBee wrote:Kind of a phonetic version of Choose The Right… we sometimes say chew the rice around here… and I’m sure there’s some joke about driving around here.
I like it – “chew the rice”…When confronted with a difficult choice, chew the rice… chew on it for a while – don’t swallow without chewing first – “think it through,” maybe?
It reminds me of something a child might say when they misinterpret what their parent whispers in their ear when they share their testimony…
Parent: I know it’s important to choose the right, like Jesus did. I know this church is true.
Child: I know it’s important to chew the rice, like Jesus did. I know this church is blue.
I don’t like when speakers begin with, “When the bishop asked me to speak…”
I also get annoyed when there is a praising talk to introduce speakers… just let the speaker speak!
When people explain how they are related to some historical Mormon figure, I don’t see how it helps for everyone to know it.
“I’d like to bare my testimony”… imagine saying that in a casual conversation!
😆 I guess some things like what we say in prayers, is common in other churches too…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgfq0RxIakQ One thing I love is how we call each other Brother and Sister…
…and I propose we extend that to others, Brother Bono, Sister Gaga, Brother DeNiro, Sister Streep…
“All in favor please signify by raising your right hand. Any opposed by the same sign…”
(Since I couldn’t see, we’ll just consider all votes when hell freezes over.
BTW: Many are cold but few are frozen.)
Referring to human beings as “investigators” and viewing them as a commodity always bothered me. As someone who works in sales and is a convert, calling a person an “investigator” is not a good sales tactic. We all make bad choices but how many of us would want choose the wrong all the time? Or worse choose the evil? I think sometimes it’s code for obey authority… two words the church uses without recognizing the negative connotations these words have. – “Honey, why are we driving in circles?”
– “Well, you keep telling me to choose the right. Couldn’t we go left occasionally?”
I always associate it with one of our worst hymns… we don’t do chirpy hymns well…
Still “chew the rice” could catch on as well-
“DAAADD! Danny just tried to Force me to smoke a cigarette!”
“Whatever son, just chew the rice….”
AngryMormon wrote:Referring to human beings as “investigators” and viewing them as a commodity always bothered me. As someone who works in sales and is a convert, calling a person an “investigator” is not a good sales tactic.
For sure! Investigator makes me think of the following more than the church’s definition –
* Sam Spade and private detectives snapping pictures of cheating spouses.
* Someone sent in to check out fraud in a business, usually tax.
* Someone looking at an aircrash or train accident.
* Nancy Drew and Scooby Doo.
* Mulder and Scully investigating aliens.
* Someone who looks at haunted houses and paranormal activity.
* “Are millions of people being sold fake lawn mowers? Tonight LDSTV investigates…”
None of the above are the kind of images one wants in connection with a church. More crime squad than God squad.
Amen on the investigator comments. Referring to people as members/non-members also drives me nuts, it is as if we are declarin their social value. As for the tradition of using brother/sister, that one has never been a comfortable one for me. I see it as a sign of respect between youth and adults, but not a necessary term. When an adult adressses me as brother… instead of Ian it feels very impersonal. Like they don’t remember my first name or something, or that they just aren’t comfortable enough around me to use it.
I like the brother/sister thing… it is a social leveler in my view. I like it in the temple – no sir, mr, mrs, miss, ms or dr etc, just brother/sister X. However, it always strikes me as bizarre that “brethren/brothers” marry their “sisters” in our church… shades of Freud there.
You crack me up Sister Featherina. Loved the link. I’ll have to listen to more of that guy. Featherina wrote:I don’t like when speakers begin with, “When the bishop asked me to speak…”
Could be worse. The talk could start with “Webster’s Dictionary defines … as ….
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