- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
This was a great post by Andrew S, well worth a read. http://irresistibledisgrace.wordpress.com/2014/10/09/dont-get-your-hopes-up-conservative-arguments-against-liberal-activism-in-mormonism/ I do worry that in such a conservative church, we lose sight of the ability to seek revelation, because revelation brings change. Those who benefit from the status quo are never the ones who question the status quo. Instead they question those who don’t benefit from the status quo.
Amen. My favorite example of this was the block schedule. It really caused havoc, our habits were so ingrained, the only thing that kept people solvent to practice it was this idea of revelation. I don’t believe the block schedule was revelation, just a workable idea in a brain storm session, everyone liked it or the majority liked it. The word went out, a change was implemented and that was that. The irony to me is that my local area kept adding to the revelation with words like, “This is only the beginning.” I heard ideas such as home-church – where family home evening style Sabbath would be practiced or televised church and so on. Well here we are 30 years later and we haven’t fulfilled that dream. I guess the team that was pushing that dream has passed on.
mom3 wrote:I heard ideas such as home-church – where family home evening style Sabbath would be practiced or televised church and so on. Well here we are 30 years later and we haven’t fulfilled that dream. I guess the team that was pushing that dream has passed on.
Not to derail the thread, but I really like that idea.
hawkgrrrl wrote:This was a great post by Andrew S, well worth a read.
http://irresistibledisgrace.wordpress.com/2014/10/09/dont-get-your-hopes-up-conservative-arguments-against-liberal-activism-in-mormonism/ I do worry that in such a conservative church, we lose sight of the ability to seek revelation, because revelation brings change. Those who benefit from the status quo are never the ones who question the status quo. Instead they question those who don’t benefit from the status quo.
From the Andrew S. post:
Quote:The agitation happens because there is already a demand for it.
Why do Americans always assume we’re all liberal or conservative? I’m neither. We already have TV church in some areas. Me I like socialization though.
hawkgrrrl wrote:I do worry that in such a conservative church, we lose sight of the ability to seek revelation, because revelation brings change. Those who benefit from the status quo are never the ones who question the status quo. Instead they question those who don’t benefit from the status quo.
The statement “we lose sight of the ability to seek revelation because revelation brings change” seems like it would apply to most humans regardless how liberal / conservative they are. I could imagine a liberal church not welcoming a potential conservative member even if their ideas were very good ideas. Resisting change seems to be a human trait in general.
That being said I think its a fair point that we shouldn’t get our hopes up too much. Like I shared in another thread, I asked a member of the Q12 about a social issue recently and got a disappointing answer. I believe human nature is largely about incentives. If we believe something is in our best interest we will embrace it, otherwise we generally will not.
SamBee wrote:Why do Americans always assume we’re all liberal or conservative? I’m neither.
We already have TV church in some areas. Me I like socialization though.
Because we basically have a two party system. …Republicans and Democrats.Btw…. I’m a registered Libertarian…
cwald wrote:SamBee wrote:Why do Americans always assume we’re all liberal or conservative? I’m neither.
We already have TV church in some areas. Me I like socialization though.
Because we basically have a two party system. …Republicans and Democrats.Btw…. I’m a registered Libertarian…
Yeah, I could go on and on about the USA’s two-party system and how ridiculous it is. I think in truth a large percentage of Americans are more moderate, but it doesn’t pay to run that kind of platform or to vote that way or you never get what you really want. Eventually most people capitulate and end up in one of the two most popular parties. It becomes hard to even think about the idea of there being alternatives.For me this was the heart of the article: Quote:“What interests me is the progression (or regression). Virtually all of the progMos I knew during Prop8 did not advocate for ecclesiastical endorsement of gay marriage. They were only in favor of gay marriage because they felt it was the lawfully fair thing to do, not because they condoned homosexual behavior. Now, however, most progMos I know favor ecclesiastical endorsement. Why the change? Does progressivism naturally lend itself toward a replacement of religious ideals with secular populism?”
The following response was SO ON POINT (and it indirectly led to the creation of this post):
“I’d say it lends itself to the replacement of religious ideals that synthesize the secular populism of the last generation with religious ideals that synthesize the secular populism of the current generation.”
Essentially that the notions and culture of the 1950’s was deeply imbedded in the church for a long time. That is in part because that was the generation when many in leadership where coming of age. Things are changing as a new generation of leaders take up the mantle.
My MIL believes that black people were less valiant in the PE, prohibits face cards and cola from her home, and believes that birth control is a sin. It is not your grandmother’s church any more. It moved on without her. It is the circle of life and complaining about the young people with their progressive notions will not help.
Our system of lifelong service at the top makes our organization highly resistant to change. You have to wait for the older generation to pass on to the next world to get new blood. And often, they have been steeped in the ways of the church for a long time (and may well have been installed as new leaders given their ability to live by the status quo). I keep saying, I seek my spiritual fulfilment in other ways, while still maintaining a relationship with the church.
SilentDawning wrote:Our system of lifelong service at the top makes our organization highly resistant to change. You have to wait for the older generation to pass on to the next world to get new blood. And often, they have been steeped in the ways of the church for a long time (and may well have been installed as new leaders given their ability to live by the status quo).
I keep saying, I seek my spiritual fulfilment in other ways, while still maintaining a relationship with the church.
I agree but the local ward leadership and experience might evolve much more quickly (or not depending on the area
:thumbdown: ).cwald wrote:SamBee wrote:Why do Americans always assume we’re all liberal or conservative? I’m neither.
We already have TV church in some areas. Me I like socialization though.
Because we basically have a two party system. …Republicans and Democrats.Btw…. I’m a registered Libertarian…
Similar problem in many places… I’m probably to the left of the room, but I’m not a liberal and I’m definitely not a Commie!!! (Somebody accused me of being a Marxist, had to go through all the reasons why I’m not.)
As for how our church treats minorities, eurgh! One of my relatives is a disability activist, and that’s one area I suppose we’re not that bad in.
The social aspect of church is one I enjoy. I don’t experience much o a community outside the church – spoke to one of my neighbors today, but that’s the first time for six months or more!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.