Making up commandments

So, what do you think? Is it a commandment to fulfill our callings? Are they really “sacred obligations to God”? Or was this guy from the HC just laying on the guilt to get people to step it up?

Somebody probably called it a commandment, but I don’t think an individual’s commitment to God can be declared by a third party.

Some people do hold callings as sacred obligations to God, and to them yes they are.

He may have been trying to use guilt to encourage fulfillment, if so I say he has some things to learn – and that’s okay, we all do.

It seems to me that scriptures / commandments are kind of one and the same, and for them to be “real” commandments that are universally recognized they need to be recognized as scripture. I really like the explanation about what doctrine (scripture) is on the staylds.com home page. A high councilor proclaiming something as doctrine doesn’t cut it.

Yesterday was high council Sunday for my ward also. Our HC said some interesting things which bothered me. He brought up that things like watching rated R movies, eating out on Sundays while traveling, 2 pairs of earrings is breaking commandments, and yes – not fulfilling your calling. He also said that most people who leave the church hide behind not believing the doctrine but that it’s really because they have committed major sin.

It might not be breaking a commandment, but not fulfilling a calling can make other people’s lives difficult – those that have to fill in. That being said, I can’t cast any stones here because I do believe most people generally do the best they can or know how.

I do think it should be a commandment that high councilors shall not offend the masses or give boring talks.

MayB you just summed up my church existence for the last 3 1/2 years. I serve as the president right now. Love,love the kids…but the training, Ward Council, extra BS is very draining. I will take active children anytime.

Once in WC going out to eat as a group after a high pressure monthly ward temple trip was a commandment.

Wearing nylons…commandment.

Sitting in the chapel, not the overflow…commandment.

I could go on and on, but I am finding it irritating to remember all the added commandments. Completely frustrating.

Not to be commanded in all things . . . commandment.

Roadrunner said:

“He also said that most people who leave the church hide behind not believing the doctrine but that it’s really because they have committed major sin.”

I have to admit I used to feel that people who left the church were looking for a reason to leave, and then when they were offended or upset by something that was their excuse to go.

I feel badly about that now, as I am myself experiencing doubts and problems with some of the doctrine and history, and am actually searching for a reason to stay. I haven’t committed any major sin, and don’t plan on doing that in the future. It is such a cop out to make the assumption that people who leave are major sinners. And It is very judgmental. After going through such turmoil and sadness about questioning what I have been taught, it gives me new eyes to think about others I know who have left, and while I never assumed they had committed a “major sin,” I didn’t really give them the benefit of the doubt that they were sincere or justified in their reasons for leaving. I imagine that if I decided that I couldn’t stay in church, there would be those who would speculate about my worthiness or lack of worthiness and my “real” reasons for leaving.

One more comment. I am really really tired of the rules and decisions that are made for the sake of the adults in my ward, or to follow some imagined important edict. Meaningless rules that make things harder for the membership, mainly the youth, and to the detriment of the whole ward. It would be great if the letter of the law was less important than the individual members and their needs. Sooooo irritating to me. I can’t get into details because I’m a bit paranoid of being discovered here, but why are all the petty rules and decisions made without the individual members in mind. GRRRR. I just don’t understand it.

For me, it doesn’t matter if it’s a commandment. It’s a matter of personal integrity that if you accept a calling, you will follow-through on it to the best of your ability. If you can’t fulfil an obligation, you find somebody to take your place — or at least send advance notice of your inability to keep the commitment if you can’t find anybody.

It’s NOT a commandment (in spite of what Packer implied in the Unwritten Order of Things) to accept every calling that proceeds from the mouth of the local leadership. Nor is it a commandment to stay in the calling when it’s not working for you anymore.

My bishop recently said something similar recently in reference to D&C 84:33

33 For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.

The good news as you can see is that this refers to the calling of the priesthood so as a woman you are off the hook.

More good news is that as we realize that the modern church members take these scriptures out of context to prove their points – we have ample reason to ignore them. :thumbup: