- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
There are some teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that aren’t stressed like the way the used to be. I don’t mean that they aren’t taught anymore. I just mean that they aren’t stressed as frequently. For example, R-rated movies or any ratings of movies aren’t mentioned in the new Strength of Youth pamphlet at all. The only thing that is mentioned when it comes to watching anything is don’t participate in, view, or read anything that is violent, pornographic, or immoral in any way. Only view, read, or participate in those things that are uplifting. Another example, mothers aren’t as taught as much to be stay at home mothers. There are tons more. What are the teachings that you have noticed that aren’t taught as often as they used to be? Why are they being emphasized less now? i think the movie issue is that PG-13 movies and even some PG movies are now innapropriate. there is no outward label that can be given as safe Those are both good examples. I think the R rated movies thing is for a couple of reasons: the church is more international and has different rating systems, and acknowledgment that you shouldn’t let a movie ratings board with their own standards and motives decide what is appropriate for you.
OTOH there is much more of a focus now on youth wearing more modest clothing. As a youth I wore tank tops and shorts above the knee all the time and no one batted an eye. Both of which are frowned upon today.
You don’t hear that parents should prefer to have their kids buried then see them subject to sexual abuse or promiscuity. That blacks were fence-sitters and therefore were denied the priesthood. That’s another. I agree that they aren’t pushing everyone to have a million kids anymore either to “provide bodies for people in the Spirit world”. But they continue to really push tithing, all the reasons we should put serving in the church really high on the priority list, missionary work, and a lot of other things that help the growth and success of the church. I keep hearing the the scriptural threat that if you don’t pay tithing you’ll be burned at the second coming.
I’m hearing fewer slurs against homosexuals online but perhaps that is a result of my own new charity toward others — and my new belief they are not sinning but have genetic dispositions that are different than heterosexuals.
I’ve noticed that, at least in my province, that youth and young adults can play Dungeons and Dragons without reprimand from local leaders. Growing up that was a worse transgression than drinking a Coke 🙄 which was far worse than gossiping, lying, adultery and so on. I always figured it was because drinking cola and playing role-playing games was public and all of those other sins were done in private (secret).Depends on how far back you mean when you say “past”. Just so we don’t end up dragging the post down by rehashing “teachings” from the early days, I personally would define “the past” as “during your teenage and adult years”. Fwiw, the R-rated movie thing was taught first in a talk to the youth – and, for that audience, I can’t argue with it as a correct principle. It only was extrapolated to all church members later – a classic example of taking details and bastardizing the principle – of turning the hedge into the law. I don’t watch R-rated movies uncritically, since there’s lots of unnecessary crap in lots of them – but I don’t reject them all based simply on the rating, since there are some really good, profound, important ones, as well.
Obviously, the most drastic change was OD2 in 1978 and all of the “teachings” changes that have followed.
In my lifetime, the most recent public statement at lds.org saying, essentially, that caffeine is not the center / heart of the Word of Wisdom (that caffeinated sodas are not prohibited by the Church) actually is a big one – my comment on another thread notwithstanding. (not that the prohibition of all caffeine ever was an “official” teaching, but it absolutely was a dominant cultural view in my youth – including members who refused to buy bread in the store because it contained caffeine)
The change to the “hierarchy” of wards and branches (making Ward Council more prominent than PEC) is the biggest “organizational” teaching change, imo.
The easy use of the word “grace” by the top leadership is a change, although most members probably don’t realize how much of a change.
The new acknowledgment that not every “worthy” young man can or should serve a mission is a massive departure from the past, as is the entire missionary approach laid out in “Preach My Gospel”.
Bishop Reel, that’s a real good point. There is stuff in some programs that are PG, PG-13, and G-rated movies are considered offensive to the Spirit. Even 80s shows that still love like Three’s Company, The Ropers, and Three’s A Crowd contain some sexual themes, although it’s pretty tame compared to what we have now. I don’t admit to be perfect with watching movies and TV shows. I know I’m desensitized to a lot of it, which I think we all are in some way or another. It’s part of our nature. Ray, you also made a good point. I do own some R-rated movies like G, PG, and PG-13, but there are some R-rated films I won’t watch because they’re just too offensive. I love Family Guy even with its crude and sexual humor, but the sexual humor is too much in Two And Half Men. Even Charlie Sheen is supposed to staring in a new show called Anger Management. I don’t think I could stand to watch that. The sexual humor looks even worse in that one. Ilovechrist77 wrote:There are some teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that aren’t stressed like the way the used to be. I don’t mean that they aren’t taught anymore. I just mean that they aren’t stressed as frequently. For example,
R-rated movies or any ratings of movies aren’t mentioned in the new Strength of Youth pamphlet at all.The only thing that is mentioned when it comes to watching anything is don’t participate in, view, or read anything that is violent, pornographic, or immoral in any way. Only view, read, or participate in those things that are uplifting. Another example, mothers aren’t as taught as much to be stay at home mothers.There are tons more. What are the teachings that you have noticed that aren’t taught as often as they used to be? Why are they being emphasized less now? The questionable and strict expectations of not watching R-rated movies, not drinking caffeinated soft-drinks, and women being stay-at-home moms and having as many children as possible are all alive and well here in Utah but it is the kind of thing mostly seen in individual families and you won’t necessarily hear it in recent official Church publications, lessons, or conference talks. There was the recent conference talk by Neil L. Andersen where he was trying to revive the idea of having as many children as possible but I doubt it will have much lasting impact overall. I think this shows that if most active members ignore ideas like this then there’s a higher chance that Church leaders will eventually stop harping on it quite as much but when members take these ideas seriously it gives them continued life and influence.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.