Jerseygirl

[Anonymous]

DarkJedi wrote:

Jerseygirl wrote:

I think because I realized I have more common ground with TBM’s than I thought I did. I think the key for me is being vulnerable and revealing (without going into my FC issues) that life is a struggle for me. When I am vulnerable in an appropriate way, people can connect and we can all support each other, instead of feeling like we are in a righteousness competition with each other. No one wins that competition– we are all losers there.

I have recently come to recognize this same thing and I think it is part of being members of the same tribe. I have some significant disagreements with some things believed and taught at church. I also am in significant agreement with much of it. Sort of along the lines of focusing on what I do believe doctrinally, I can focus on what we all believe (or at least the vast majority of us profess to believe) and leave it at that. It’s how I survive at church.

Perhaps I should be clearer about what I’m alluding to here. I do think Pres. Uchtdorf sums it up, and it was what I was thinking about when I wrote the above:

Quote:

In spite of our human imperfections, I am confident that you will find among the members of this Church many of the finest souls this world has to offer. The Church of Jesus Christ seems to attract the kind and the caring, the honest and the industrious.

If you expect to find perfect people here, you will be disappointed. But if you seek the pure doctrine of Christ, the word of God “which healeth the wounded soul,” and the sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost, then here you will find them. In this age of waning faith—in this age when so many feel distanced from heaven’s embrace—here you will find a people who yearn to know and draw closer to their Savior by serving God and fellowmen, just like you. Come, join with us!

I don’t think the church is perfect but the people are not, and I tire of hearing that. But I do think the pure doctrine of Christ (see 3 Nephi 11:32-39 and https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-doctrine-of-christ?lang=eng” class=”bbcode_url”>https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-doctrine-of-christ?lang=eng) does exist at church (unfortunately with a good amount of impure doctrine that one needs to filter out). I believe it is possible to be influenced by the Spirit at church, and I do think there are many good people seeking truth and seeking to do what’s right and who seek Christ at church. I can recognize that even the truest believer and teacher of impure doctrine still holds the core principles in his or her heart, even though they may not understand it or don’t do a good job at living it. Church isn’t all about me or them, and the sooner we recognize that the better.

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