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I see this site as a kind of safety valve. Maybe others agree with me. It’s nice to hear the kind words. I know some people question how useful this site is, so it is nice to have some positive feedback. I have learned more about the church in the last year here and some other sites than I learned my first 50 attending church. Amazing how when you pull back the cloak of ignorance and look at something from a more rational and informed position how obvious things become. Not sure I could have made it without the help from here. I want to bear my testimony that I know StayLDS is the true! When I was praying one Sunday at church about how I could stand going to church anymore with my crisis of faith, my Danish friend told me about this group. This group has been a godsend for me and I have so appreciated it. With convert parents who really investigated the church before joining it, I was raised in an atmosphere of questioning, discussing, challenging, and wanting to know the truth. This type of spirit makes us appear as troublemakers at times in the church. I still remember asking a difficult question in GD class once and the teacher did not know the answer and became flustered and angry. I was not just trying to cause trouble, I really wanted an answer to my sincere gospel problem. The teacher looked at me and said, “Sister Night, Why did you ever join this church in the first place?” He said it in a nasty way and it shocked the whole class. Well, that ticked me off and I came back with, “Because my parents forced me to when I was 8 years old.” Thank goodness the bell rang then to dismiss the class because you could cut the tension with a knife. The first time I left the church and had a crisis of faith was over reading some of the Tanner books where they quoted from church history and journal of discourses. I spent a year talking to a man in our ward who had a masters degree in church history and was so good about trying to help me understand. But, it got around church and the bishopric that my husband and I had some serious problems with church history. They called us in one day and told us that we were apostates and considered troublemakers in the ward. That really upset me. I could not figure out where was the church that encouraged members to question and doubts were part of the process of learning the truth.
I agree with so many of the posts on this thread that I couldn’t decide who to quote, Thank you all!!!! :thumbup: I’m a bit of a StayLDS prodigal….but I am so very glad it’s here for people who need it (and there are many). I’m also very, very grateful to all of you who have helped to keep it strong, and make it stronger.
Thank you. A million thank yous.
John Dehlin
John, the prodigal is the wrong parable, fwiw. There’s this story of the man who went into a distant land and left others to take care of his property while he was gone . . . We’re just trying not to beat up and kill anyone you send to check on it.
John Dehlin, I love you for starting this group and for all you do. I have sent so many, your Utube link on “Why members leave the church”. They never write me back or want to talk about the video with me though. It is so excellent on how we want to be treated. My brother sent me an article on
Golden Plates on Display in Bulgaria ‘s National History Museum in Sofialike that was proof the Book of Mormon was true. I just thanked him nicely. What I wanted to say was ‘just because someone found a book with the same binding as this other book doesn’t make it true.” But, I am learning to keep my mouth shut more. Bridget
Mr Dehlin, I appreciate most of what you’ve done, I think it’s positive. I don’t necessarily agree with you on absolutely everything, but I believe your intentions are good…
I think the only thing is that there isn’t much for us foreigners! I wonder if one day Latin America shall develop its own similar tendency, amongst the many Spanish and Portuguese speakers (I suspect the sheer weight of numbers probably will)… but I don’t know what the future holds for LDS mavericks in Europe, Australia and Polynesia, or worse, Africa and Asia…
It definitely feels very lonely out here in this regard, and there isn’t really much for the likes of me to physically go to. (I dare say I could hop on the next plane to the US of A, and attend a conference, but that’s, erm, pretty expensive)
Quote:My brother sent me an article on
Golden Plates on Display in Bulgaria ‘s National History Museum in Sofia like that was proof the Book of Mormon was true.
I looked this up… Actually it’s pretty cool archeology, whether or not one sees it as “evidence”!
I come here sometimes just to hear some honest discussion about a religion I care so very much about. In fact, I may care to much, but hearing others share their hopes and fears helps me get through another day. Thanks, all.
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