- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
Beefster wrote:
I would be a little more okay with getting little to nothing in return if I was not promised as much as I am. The issue is that so many people in the church promise blessings which they have no foresight or knowledge to be able to promise. There is a lot of “If you do X, you will get Y” which is wrong often enough that it’s a flimsy basis for living a principle or believing in something.
You and I seem to think alike on formulas:
http://forum.staylds.com/viewtopic.php?t=8049#p112314 Heck, you even used capital letters for the preconditions and postconditions…
Beefster wrote:
The issue is that so many people in the church promise blessings which they have no foresight or knowledge to be able to promise.
As a missionary we were taught to do this. We called it the commitment pattern.
I think the “promise a blessing” part of the commitment pattern is criminally overused. It surely sets up a lot of people for disappointment. If not that, it’s just another brainwashing tool that sucks us into cognitive biases that should not be the basis of a lifestyle. It’s fine to base one’s belief on something that is inherently unprovable, but it needs to be done with recognition of that uncertainty. I think it has worked its way into our belief system because we so desperately want it to be true. A world of uncertainty can be frightening.
I personally find myself wanting the church to be false more often than I want it to be true due to all the distress it has caused me (mostly culturally). The problem is I still deeply believe Joseph Smith saw God and I would feel internally dishonest if I were to let that go. I’ve hung my entire church commitment on that tidbit of belief pretty much since my first FC. Since then, a few deep beliefs have formed solidly in addition to it- such as my deeply-rooted belief that God is real and He loves me- but none are beliefs that would keep me in the church. OTOH, I can’t see myself ever attending any other church with any regularity; I’d probably prefer to abandon organized religion altogether. nibbler wrote:
I think it has worked its way into our belief system because we so desperately want it to be true.A world of uncertainty can be frightening.
I agree
:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: One of the random musing themes I come back to in my thinking spare time is how much of my spiritual perspective is because I want it to be true, and how much is true because that is the way my brain works and processes it.
Beefster wrote:
I personally find myself wanting the church to be false more often than I want it to be true due to all the distress it has caused me (mostly culturally). The problem is I still deeply believe Joseph Smith saw God and I would feel internally dishonest if I were to let that go. I’ve hung my entire church commitment on that tidbit of belief pretty much since my first FC. Since then, a few deep beliefs have formed solidly in addition to it- such as my deeply-rooted belief that God is real and He loves me- but none are beliefs that would keep me in the church. OTOH, I can’t see myself ever attending any other church with any regularity; I’d probably prefer to abandon organized religion altogether.
At this point, I am not sure that I believe the church to be “false” – I just feel that it is not as “true” to me as it used to be. I can see how some aspects of life would be easier if I was able to switch churches or social groups – and I may do so at some point. There are too many unique teachings/cultural associations at this point that make leaving the church not an option for me right now. I don’t know where I would go if I were to switch churches.
Beefster wrote:
I personally find myself wanting the church to be falsemore often than I want it to be true due to all the distress it has caused me (mostly culturally). The problem is I still deeply believe Joseph Smith saw God and I would feel internally dishonest if I were to let that go. I’ve hung my entire church commitment on that tidbit of belief pretty much since my first FC. Since then, a few deep beliefs have formed solidly in addition to it- such as my deeply-rooted belief that God is real and He loves me- but none are beliefs that would keep me in the church. OTOH, I can’t see myself ever attending any other church with any regularity; I’d probably prefer to abandon organized religion altogether.
Same feelings here, although I didn’t have a testimony of JS, just that I should join the church years ago. And there are times when I find myself smiling when I hear stuff come out on the Internet that weakens the church’s claims. I quickly fight that off, but I guess the hardship the church experience has caused me encourages acceptance of findings that make it less than what it claims. Almost like it is the church’s just reward…but I try not to go down that path.
I don’t think I could attend a different church right now. If divorced and my children independent, I might be able to, but it would be for social reasons. I don’t think anyone has a corner on doctrine, sadly. I understand the LDS culture and have learned to live happily within it, so I think I would likely stay.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.