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Blair Hodges wrote this. I heard myself and others of us in it. Enjoy. http://bycommonconsent.com/2015/05/22/seasons-of-my-imprecise-ambiguous-unfinished-faith-a-prayer/ I love it. Thanks, mom3, for sharing it. For everyone here, just to point out something that I think is important about this, the author is employed by the Maxwell Institute – which isn’t exactly a liberal organization. Also, By Common Consent is the largest Mormon-themed blog in existence, based on readership.
This type of message does not represent a small fraction of our church membership, and it is not isolated to tiny, isolated communities.
This isnot my father’s or grandfather’s church, in a very real way – and it isn’t the church of my early adulthood.
I know I should visit BCC more often, I usually only get these gems by someone sharing here. As you say Mom, I do indeed see myself in this. Thanks Mom. Thanks, mom3. I like that I could pass it on to people on either side of me on the belief spectrum. Brilliant! Quote:I don’t want to employ the differences between my faith and yours as measures of worthiness or superiority. But I do recognize differences. I recognize my perspective isn’t often articulated openly by my fellow Latter-day Saints in my household of faith. But I suspect it may be more common than you might think. This is why we must be careful in sharing our faith with each other. It can be painful when my perspective is dismissed or viewed with open suspicion. There is more than one reason I carry my witness lightly.
Quote:…a time to keep silence, and a time to speak…It is possible, many others have questions, doubts, and variation in belief…but also feel there are times to keep those things silent while working through them personally. Many in our congregations may be doing that.
It is also possible the church is missing the boat on accepting this and providing members the “time” and place to speak about these things. Instead…they hope members stay silent so they don’t infect others with doubts.
But…the scripture doesn’t say that…it says there are times for silence, and times to speak. There are both seasons. When people can’t find the time in church or in families to speak…they’ll find it elsewhere (the web, or other groups). The church can do more to embrace the season of opening up about doubts and that faith is “unfinished” in us.
Just the thoughts that came to me when I read it. This does feel familiar, mom3. And it does not feel angry or rebellious. But honest.
Honest. I like it and relate. One of the things keeping me in the church is that I feel that Heavenly Father has answered my prayers in a meaningful way about 4 times in my life. That’s about 1 per decade on average – which isn’t much – but I can’t deny them. I wish it were more often and it’s taken me a long time to realize it’s not my worthiness that dictates when I get answers.
Roadrunner wrote:Honest. I like it and relate.
Me 2
Roadrunner wrote:One of the things keeping me in the church is that I feel that Heavenly Father has answered my prayers in a meaningful way about 4 times in my life. That’s about 1 per decade on average – which isn’t much – but I can’t deny them. I wish it were more often and it’s taken me a long time to realize it’s not my worthiness that dictates when I get answers.
I would have to say that I am mainly not out of the church due to ~50% one spiritual event just before and dealing with my mission and then ~50% the pain it the rear/distress it would cause with family. If I were not a member looking at what I know now, I don’t think I would be joining.LookingHard wrote:If I were not a member looking at what I know now, I don’t think I would be joining.
I might say that about a lot of things, including family and marriage. It isn’t until you get in and see the ugly realization and lose the glossy romantic hopes of something…that you become aware of how things are. And then you get to choose to stay and focus on the good, or not. I think wisdom comes from realizing there isn’t anything out there that is perfect and flawless.Roadrunner wrote:Heavenly Father has answered my prayers in a meaningful way about 4 times in my life. That’s about 1 per decade on average – which isn’t much – but I can’t deny them.
Well said. I used to have many. The article from Blaine resonated with me because it seemed to change when I thought the more faith I had in personal revelation, the stronger it would get, not the less often it would get. That rattled me. But…like you…I choose to not deny what I have had, even if I don’t expect it much anymore. I’ll take it when I can get it…and not bank on it.
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