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I am sitting here this evening, just thinking. I read somewhere today that the church isn’t so much about truth as it is about authority: that god has appointed a living prophet, and he is the authoritative source of all I need to know and be happy. All I need to do is follow the prophet and I will never be led astray. I can fake it ’til the cows come home. I don’t believe it. I don’t accept it. It’s a control drama I refuse to buy into.
I will forge my way in this faith tradition because I must, and I really haven’t seen better. But you want to know what I really believe? None of it.
I am sorry if I am in a moment of candor. It is what I honestly feel right here right now.
Some days / weeks / months are harder than others. This too shall pass, methinks – the extreme, not the concerns or disagreements. Quote:I read somewhere today that the church isn’t so much about truth as it is about authority: that god has appointed a living prophet, and he is the authoritative source of all I need to know and be happy. All I need to do is follow the prophet and I will never be led astray.
Hogwash. the end
Wouldn’t it be cool if it was that easy?
😯 Actually, it wouldn’t be. I want the growth I’ve experienced trying to figure out the details of my own faith.
Ray, alls I kin say is that I am hurting right now… I don’t know why… Wayfarer, Would it help to tell you that your words of inspiration often keep me going? Your words, and the words of other posters on this board, are often what is going through my head as I sit in SS. I have actually had days when I literally held the seat of my chair, to keep myself from running out of the door.
I have found, that by reading many of the posts here, I can be an active member of the church without having to believe in the literalness of it.
It must have been in January or February when it started to get better. That is when we discussed 1 Nephi 3:7. It hit me that I can find something of value to learn on each Sunday. Really, anytime I study. For the previous three years I refused to “hear” anything good. Now, I combine that with Jesus’ command to love others as I love myself, and I try to be a better person. And I try to do it for the love of the Lord, and not for love of myself.
I read NOM when I was angry, and it helped to know that I was not the only one. But as time has gone by, I am tired of being angry. Not just tired, but completely fatigued by that anger. That is why I came here to read. I had to let go of the anger, and find a way to grow.
I am sorry you are having a hard day, and am sorry that I have no great words of wisdom for you. I pale in comparison to your ability to put great advice to paper. I just hope that a heartfelt thank you for all you contribute to this board, and for you to know that you have helped me (and surely others), will make you feel a bit better today.
(((Wayfarer)))!!! Wait…Can guys hug each other in non sports contexts? Wayfarer, Just know that you help. You help a lot. I hope you can take some comfort in that thought.
Thank you.
(my first attempt to post didn’t go through, so sorry if for some reason this posts twice)
Outofstep, all first posts / comments need to be approved by an admin before they can be seen by everyone. I just approved both of yours. Quote:Ray, alls I kin say is that I am hurting right now… I don’t know why…
I know, and you have a cyber hug and a shoulder here if you need one.
I also know that there are lots of lurkers here who would say exactly what Outofstep just said.
May there be a road (way).
It seems that the universal energy and consciousness has taken a dip as of late. Its not good. Things are off…just don’t feel right. Pain. Angst. Bitterness. Sadness.
Yeah. That is where I am at too Way.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2
You have been an inspiration Wayfarer. I echo “this too shall pass.” I have found some interesting perspectives on A Thoughtful Faith podcast recently.
Wayfarer, Have you been hanging out on the apologetics board again?
😯 Seriously, I agree with Ray’s assessment of the blind obedience to authority mantra. Hogwash. And then some.
As an aside, this week, I’ve been thinking about the word PONDER. It comes from the same Latin root as the word pound and it means ‘to weigh’. Implicit in the idea of weighing is that there are two weights balancing in opposition, whether it is the force of your body against the bathroom scale or the weight of a measure of grain against a measure of some other crop. There are always two sides that have to be weighed one against the other.
Two versions of church history.
Wild and good fruit growing on the same tree as branches go bad or are grafted in.
Positive morals compared with self-righteous religiosity.
And so we ponder. We look at it all. We take it all in. We spend a lifetime weighing and reweighing and weighing yet again.
Here’s hoping that very soon your pros outweigh your cons.
Much love,
Cate
I have found over the years that there are periods, during the year, when I’m spiritually, emotionally, mentally down & vulnerable. For me it was always the fall season.
It was this time of the year when my drinking was the worse & I went for treatment.
I noticed that even when I didn’t drink (alcohol), I’m down.
I like the changes in the season, the color in the leaves, etc.
It didn’t make any difference.
Maybe that is what is happening to you too.
Mike from Milton.
Wayfarer, I have been visiting this site for months and have very recently started posting and I have come to looking forward to your thoughts. I feel very troubled with some of the things about church right now but I trying to work through it and I can honestly say your thoughts have helped me and always keeps me thinking. I kind of compare your ideas and thoughts to a unexpected home teaching visit, you know the good kind where they don’t bring a lesson per se but when they leave you know you have felt something good and you know that you matter to some one. Thanks for sharing. I can really appreciate the down times as well as the better times. You seem like one of the good guys and now days we need all we can get.
wayfarer wrote:I am sitting here this evening, just thinking. I read somewhere today that the church isn’t so much about truth as it is about authority: that god has appointed a living prophet, and he is the authoritative source of all I need to know and be happy. All I need to do is follow the prophet and I will never be led astray…
Do you mind if I ask where you read “the church isn’t so much about truth as it is about authority”?A point of explanation. I truly love the path of the middle way. What I love most is authenticity. Some days, when I feel down, like when I posted this OP, I express myself in ways that sound negative. And you know? That’s ok! I am tired of pretending. I gave that up a long time ago. I feel that many hold to the idea that enlightenment is going to a new level, where frustration and negative thoughts never happen. To this I say “BS”!!!!
We go through cycles. Every one of us is deeply human. Making mistakes, feeling down… This is what it means to be human.
The flaw of painting our leaders as superhuman makes us want to pretend to be more than human ourselves. Screw it. The authentic “saint” is profoundly human.
This, to me, is real authentic faith: admitting I don’t know, I don’t believe, I’m human… And you know… In that moment of authenticity, we support each other in very unique and special ways. And this, to me, is participating in the divine.
Thank god for all of you… Who are here when I need you.
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