Going Public?

I just read your first two posts and enjoyed them quite a bit. I appreciate what it takes to put yourself out there like that.

Thanks for sharing your blog.

Remember that once the cat is out of the bag, it doesn’t go back in. I’ve linked my blog in my signature. I occasionally mention it to a few people. I’ve recently shared it with my mum. She’s reading through the whole thing. But we’ve been chatting at length for about a year. She has some very strong convictions, but is also aware of the need for a nuanced view of some things.

Personally I think it’s better, for me, to stay anonymous but send the link to people I know selectively. Not just post a link to Facebook. It’s a personal place to write. I don’t think I want the whole world to know it’s me. I also want to write exactly what I want and not feel like I have to be careful based on who’s reading.

I have a “corporate” reputation that matters too. I don’t really want my clients and colleagues to stumble across it. I’d rather keep it away from the stake leaders eyes too. I could do without the hassle.

I have a “corporate” reputation that matters too. I don’t really want my clients and colleagues to stumble across it.

That is a VERY important thing to consider. It’s not all about church members and family. For many people, their job matters a lot in things like this.

I’m not trying to be combative, but do we have examples? Are we talking about someone in Utah who is a real-estate agent or psychologist who doesn’t want clients to Google their name and find their spiritual musing before finding their professional page? Are we worried about our own kind not following this basic tenant of the faith?

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

Maybe these statements just need some more nuancing for me to fully understand the concern.

I am in the process of applying for a job with the church right now. I wouldn’t want them reading about my faith crisis at all.

I went public but not with church, although I freely share all available information to

Those who ask who are not members. What I went public with(because of being asked so many

Times was information on marketing strategies to influence out behavior and how they work, marketing terms and claims and what they really mean and the real numbers behind them, how hey are really measured and why they results don’t jive with real measurement). I was informed that this could lead to a lawsuit possibly. But the way I figure it, it’s peoples right to have access to all available information that effects them directly or indirectly that is shaping their behavior and decisions. Example— many TVs have a published “dynamic contrast ratio of 7-10,000,000 on them. Real world testing with professional instruments calibrated shows just a mere 800-3000 contrast usually. Very dramatic difference, but compiles take the lake of regulation on testing procedures to

Their advantage in marketing and actually measure the tv black level with the tv turned off in a black room and then white level in a total lite room instead of measuring the difference on the screen between the darkest black

And brightest white at the same time…as contrast implies so they throw a term “Dynamic” in there to not be liable for lawsuits.

Long term I don’t know what will happen. But it was so frequently requested of me I tarted publishing it(it gets tiring educating people one by one).

Things like this are of a similar nature. Although I don’t feel I could do it just yet because I gave already I gaged in marketing tactics. Doing both would be overkill. Both have + and minus.

Naturally anyone has the right to express themselves in what they believe in a friendly manner.

Just be aware of the possible negatives and accept if you can live with them.

Personally I made my decision because I’m tired of having the rights of large corporations outweigh the rights of the individual. I’m tired if people using “fear” and “examples” out of people to scare them. Basically I’ve been a Edward snowden all my life. I’m aware if the consequences but I’m tired my “right to make money or public imagine outweighing a persons individual rights to like things they effect them.

Often the church can do the same thing once it detects outsiders or a perceived threat.

I expect that of all corporations however. But if a person is afraid to earnestly speak how that feel in a non threatening manor and they are afraid to, it speaks volumes to the bad atmosphere that creates that fear.

I agree it us superficial to pretend all the time just so that a person isn’t judged.

I tend to think if I have to pretend so much as to keep mostly or completely quite about what I believe or have personally gone through and learned, then i don’t have a real relationship with family , friends or church.

It would be just an imagined relationship, based in what I wished instead of what really is.

I say go for it if you want, be aware there are those who will try to convince it silence you. But they aren’t your real friends if they try to anyway. It can serve as a accidental

Filter to know who your real friends and family are. If you can live with knowing that.

I have been in a position to be part of the hiring process for quite a few years now, and I regularly Google candidates. I would not use religion against them, but I’ve seen some things that absolutely influenced final decisions.

Understood, and I think it’s an extremely valid point that we should be vigilant about what we make available to the world, and we should try to understand the consequences that may follow, depending on what we make available to the world.

Thanks Forgotten_Charity.

I have opened up to all of my immediate family and some of my closest friends already. My church leaders are in the know. It may be valuable to note that I no longer hold a temple recommend, but I’m perfectly at peace with that. I’ve already made several comments on Facebook that would incriminate me as unorthodox. I understand what you mean by having people try to convince me or silence me. I became a project to my mother-in-law initially, but she’s finding acceptance. Here’s something one of my close friends just posted on my Facebook timeline this week:

So, here’s the thing…I am reading the Book if Mormon right now as a part of a challenge to the youth in our ward right now and every time I read I come across something that makes me think if you. So I decided to start sharing them with you, I hope that’s ok.

Today as part of my reading I read Jacob 7. A great chapter that has a lot if meaning for me but the verses that made me think of my awesome friend Matt, were 3&4. “And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts of the people, insomuch that he did lead away many hearts; and he knowing that I, Jacob, had faith in Christ who should come, he sought much opportunity that he might come unto me. And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of speech, according to the power if the devil”

I have a conversation going on with her right now about whether I remind her of Sherem or if some of the people that inspire me right now remind her of Sherem. Either way, I’m not bothered by this in the least. I find the stories of Sherem and Korihor to be a bit petty, and they seem to teach people to fear their doubts, their reasoning, and their conscience in the name of faith and obedience. In my opinion, both sides in these stories are too confident in their stances for me to be comfortable with either viewpoint being presented. One side says “There’s a God!” and the other side says “There’s no God!”, and neither can prove their point. I tend to lean more on Alma’s reasoning, but that’s far from making me want to believe everything Alma says.

The only time I would go public would be if:

a) I cared nothing for the church experience anymore — for my self or my family

b) I was independently wealthy and didn’t care about me employment

Other than that, StayLDS is as public as it gets.

SD