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BeLikeChrist wrote:
have you ever thought, Katzpur, of going to a different church to see how other Christians worship ? i attend church in another denomination with my girlfriend and it really is refreshing to see people attend church in a totally different setting. at first it was difficult because i was use to the very quiet way mormons worship. this denomination i attend with my girlfriend is quite an eye-opener for me. it is nice to see people worship God in a very different way from the usual LDS perspective of worship. that said, I do miss attending LDS services and attending another denomination does make me realize how much i learned as a formerly active LDS member. the main thing i have learned since going to a different church is how important it is to focus on Christ, His teachings and His mission as the Savior.
I actually do enjoy going to other churches from time to time, and whenever I have attended Catholic masses, I am totally transfixed by their beauty. On the other hand, I think it’s mostly just because these other ways of worshipping are just new to me; consequently they hold my interest. I sometimes think I’d enjoy hearing a really good “sermon” — the kind Peter Marshall used to give. Still, when it gets right down to it, I could never really be a part of any denomination that taught of a three-in-one God I couldn’t relate to, or a God who would condemn most of humanity to an eternity in Hell. There are far too many reasons for me to stay LDS than there are to look elsewhere. Honestly, I really just wish church wasn’t boring. That’s it in a nutshell.Katzpur wrote:… Honestly, I really just wish church wasn’t boring. That’s it in a nutshell.
Yep, that is why I say that I (and many others in this church i think) are
correlated to spiritual death.katzpur- I love Peter Marshall. I didn’t read A Man Called Peter until I was an adult. I’m so glad his wife wrote it. There was a discussion in a leadership meeting I attended once that centered on the question of why members left the Church and what we could do about it. I knew how it probably would go naturally, so I piped up right at the beginning and said that most of the people who have left with whom I have talked personally mention being bored and feeling unfed at church – and that the best thing we can do, imo, is to make our services and classes and meetings at all levels and of all kinds more spiritual and more spiritually filling. Of course, there was an initial, immediate reflection of that onto the people who don’t come prepared to feel the Spirit (as if it’s their own fault for not feeling fed and feeling bored), but the conversation eventually ended up focusing on the “standard” idea that everyone needs a friend, something to do and nourishment with the good word of God. I agreed and simply pointed out that it is up to the leadership of each ward and branch to set the example of nourishing with the good word of God and insist that the membership do that, as well, to the best of their ability.
This is one issue where I agree completely with the “standard Sunday School answer”. Everyone needs a friend (someone with whom s/he can talk honestly and openly without being judged or condemned), something to do (to not feel like a nobody and to serve others) and spiritual nourishment. One is social; the next is active personal; the last is spiritual.
If all three of these things were provided to every member, there still would be issues – but they would be much fewer, far between and less serious. So, my advice to everyone here:
Quote:If you want to deal better with some of the things that cause you to struggle at church, be a real friend to someone at church, find something to do at church that is important and meaningful to you (whether that is an official calling or not) and provide nourishment of the good word of God to those who need it (including yourself, if you aren’t getting it directly at church).
Be the change you want to see in others. Be more friendly and connected with others.
Be more interesting and thought-provoking in your lessons, talks and comments.
Be more spiritually nourishing to others.
Be more loving, accepting and tolerant of others who would normally irritate you.
Shine the light of Christ and it will reflect back in the mirror of other souls.
My attitude is that the Church MUST take responsibility for making its programs good. There are the Mother Theresas of the Ward that will come and serve and do no matter how back it gets. But in my experience, that is not the norm. People are at all different levels, and for my wife and I, when I was semi-active and we moved by luck in a high-functioning Ward, we BOTH wanted to be part of it as active, TR holders. It was inspiring. And then….I got the TR, and then, I was in the Bishopric. A Church which does what it says it will do — that claims it has all this truth and then proves it through the strength of its programs, goes a long way toward keeping people active. Are individuals responsible, yes, but as a Church we put too much onus on the individual to compensate for our own mistakes and shortcomings — shortcomings that could be fixed with better structure, systems, skills, staff, and overall ways of doing things.
I specifically was trying to do what Ray suggested. As I did, I found nourishment from the good words of Buddhism, Joseph Campbell, and Eckhart Tolle, among others. I found friendship at StayLDS.com. I found I could serve youth in the ward I care about even though I hold no YM calling, and particularly found time to serve my children. I have started feeling the spirit guide my life again, and I find it helpful for me as I go through my trials. I also find stimulation in my readings of material outside church curriculum. It more fully fulfills me.
I guess I have a testimony that what Ray said is true and good for me. And I did not need church leaders to take responsibility for me in these areas. In some cases, I did it despite their warnings against such an approach.
I hope leaders keep trying to make church engaging and spiritual. But I don’t NEED them to do that for me to still find love for others, and peace within myself. I would probably just go more often if they did.
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