Brother Carter and George

[Anonymous]

I liked his response to my comment. I agree with valoel that he seems to want a place to complain and get support in his bitterness that he doesn’t feel right expressing to “real people” in his life. I’m all for that, and he always backpedals when called on his over-the-top statements, so I’m going to back off and see what happens – again.

I’m fine with him being here as long as he is progressing and doesn’t keep pitting the Church against Jesus – which has been the heart of my concern all along. It’s just subtle enough to make me unsure if it’s real or crafted.

[Additional note: I was trying to figure out why I am uneasy about his participation, and it struck me that the descriptions he has given of his family situation are different – only slightly and subtly, so it might be understandable and innocent, but just enough to have registered in my subconscious. When that hit me, I went back and read his previous posts and comments.

In the grandfathering post, he is concerned about his TBM grandchildren staying in the Church – with no mention of his children (their mothers and fathers) and the damage he would do by turning their children against them. There is an undercurrent of total disregard for the welfare of his children built into his “concern” for his grandchildren – almost an anger at his children that I don’t understand, given how he obviously loves them.

I just thought I should share exactly why I am uneasy and distrustful about his participation. Iow, I didn’t know exactly why – and I really don’t fully still – but the logical reasoning just registered.]

[Anonymous]

I did some research on-line, and I think I understand george better now.

He appears to be deeply involved in genealogy – and it’s interesting that most of his work has been through the Church’s resources. This implies that family is extremely important to him. It appears that his son came out as gay in the last few years – and that his disaffection really stems from that issue alone. He apparently feels like the Church is rejecting his son, so it is rejecting his entire family – and that by staying in the LDS Church, his other kids and grandkids are rejecting him and their brother/uncle. In essence, it looks like he feels that his family has to choose between him and his son and the Church.

I still am uneasy about his participation here, even though I think I understand him a little better. I really don’t think he wants to stay in the Church. I really think he has divided it in his mind into “my son” or “The Church” – that he can’t stay in the Church and send the message to his son that he loves and accepts him for who he is. He appears to blame the Church for the rest of his family’s inability to create that same fight – and it appears that the rest of the family hasn’t ostracized or rejected that son.

That’s the most disturbing part – that it appears they have reconciled it but he doesn’t want them to do so. He seems to want it to be an “us against them” battle.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the update. We’ll keep an eye out.

[Author]

Posts