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Roy wrote:
Let me say that checklists were at one point very stable, grounding, and certain to me. It says in the Lectures on Faith that on thing needed in order to generate faith sufficient to take hold on salvation was a knowledge that my life was lived in accordance to Gods will… I had a much more moderate approach – Checklists! I could know that I would be saved, even exalted, in an eternal family by checking off the boxes. I can understand a person living their whole life under such a paradigm and being successful.However, my new religious framework is much more adjustable. My beliefs are much more like art than an engineered science. I have graduated from the “paint by numbers” program and can experiment with new color combinations, etc. to express the yearning within my soul. It is less structured and more freeform. It is less connect the dots and more exploration.
I agree that checklists can be useful, but not for everyone every time.
I am beginning to think that we should use checklists as a template for working with God to design our own “checklist” based on our individual circumstances. However, while I have been circling around to that idea for some time (since I started on this forum), I have not had the courage to make the personal checklist yet.
Beefster wrote:
Religion, though… Not so much.
That may be true for you and me, but it’s not universally true. If we stop talking about the LDS Church for a moment and just talk religion, there are plenty of actions that people do that are check-listy. Muslims pray at specific pre-determined times throughout the day, for example. Ash Wednesday and Lent fall into this category. Pilgrimages, feasts, ritual-based recognition of a birth, (religious) marriages, (religious) funerals…Getting back to the LDS faith, many faithful and good people follow checklist-style activities. IMO, they believe they are building something in a professional sense. They are disciples who follow a discipline strictly. One thing that I think is nice about the LDS environment is that in many ways, adherents prioritize what is important to them and then follow it with gusto. If food storage is your thing and you are a disciple of it, then you can feel that your actions are glorifying God and magnifying obedience to him; and with the side benefit of protecting your loved ones from disasters. If, rather than food storage, you really focus on family history, then you can find your niche to become fulfilled. Some devote themselves to temple attendance, others to the Boy Scouts. In a certain way, it’s like a miniature version of Religious Orders within the Catholic Faith; find what you love most and devote yourself to it…
Checklists are not my style, but if others are happy with checklists and that style works for them, then more power to ’em.
Great thoughts On Own – You have a beautiful grasp of life. I can feel the good you choose to use as you navigate forward. I’m inspired by it. Checklists are a life positive. Business guru’s, life coaches and others subscribe to the checklist formula. The difference is they ask the individual to define their personal checklist.
Checklists are also a good place to return when a life has unraveled – for whatever reason.
Even Gospel Checklists are good.
Quote:In a certain way, it’s like a miniature version of Religious Orders within the Catholic Faith; find what you love most and devote yourself to it..
I was formerly an LDS checklist adherent. I stand unashamed about it. At that time in my development it gave me purpose, focus, comfort. Today I am a beatitude checklist follower. That’s a different set of rules. I will likely move on to something else before my life ends. But I need reference points. Otherwise I fall.
Where the checklist problem, especially in religion, comes in is our mandate to checklist someone else. Which ironically is contradictory to the Beatitude Checklist of “Judge not” and “Cease to Find Fault” But we are human and dang it we love to club each other over the head with our checklist. It stinks.
mom3 wrote:
Where the checklist problem, especially in religion, comes in is our mandate to checklist someone else. Which ironically is contradictory to the Beatitude Checklist of “Judge not” and “Cease to Find Fault” But we are human and dang it we love to club each other over the head with our checklist. It stinks.
Very well said, mom3, and I think that is the heart of the matter. One piece of advice I have often given to people is not to worry about checking anyone else’s box.Quote:On Own – One piece of advice I have often given to people is not to worry about checking anyone else’s box.
Stealing, keeping, and sharing.
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