Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Being reactivated

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Being reactivated

    My wife's visiting teacher followed up 5 unanswered emails and phone calls with a 6AM text message this morning begging to come visit and bring dinner. I'm pretty sure there was a high-priority edict issued recently about reactivating us.

    I have been back to church a time or two in the last year. Both times a bunch of people made a big scene. Why do Mormons have to make such a big damn deal out of it when an inactive members shows up at church? I think they'd have an easier time reactivating people if they would just lay off and stop harassing us.

    My wife sometimes contemplates going back but felt awkward at church alone because people were constantly asking where I was (saving lives). Furthermore, there was a time when I did not have a choice and basically had no Sundays off. Now things feel even more awkward. She now says that she doesn't want to go back to church until we move to a new ward.

    I also frequently received emails from people asking where we would be going for Christmas and why we weren't making it to church on holidays (none of which were days off for me). The final straw for my wife was being called in by the Bishop (without me while I was working 30-hour shifts as a resident) and the bishop suggesting that we should have been paying 25,000 dollars (no joke) tithing instead of 2500. It was bad enough to be fielding questions from him about when we would be having children (none of his beeswax).

    The last email I received from my home teacher was a message basically telling me that I should be more like Elder Doctor Russell Nelson by combining medicine with superhuman church service. I did not respond. I will not comment publicly on this due to the sensitivity of the subject matter on this particular board, but I have very strong opinions on this specific issue. I do not believe these things are as compatible as some people like to pretend.

    Based on all the attention we are getting, I realize we must be about the most popular people in our ward, but I am contemplating sending the bishop an email asking him to get people to stop emailing and texting.

    I admit that I'm a big baby about this stuff, but I don't want all of these random Mormon people issuing commentary about my life. I guess you could say I'm a libertarian when it comes to Mormonism. I'm a private person and want to keep it that way. I don't like people telling me what to do or messing with my personal business (finances, tithing, whether I go to church or how often, etc).

    That's my spiel.
    That which may be asserted without evidence may be dismissed without evidence. -C. Hitchens

    http://twitter.com/SoonerCoug

  • #2
    Odd behavior seems to follow you.
    So Russell...what do you love about music? To begin with, everything.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by MarkGrace View Post
      Odd behavior seems to follow you.
      My old home teaching companion who is now a neurology resident (and was once a medical student here) told me that the bishop had been EXTREMELY concerned about me and that I was the subject of multiple meetings (creepy). I told him that I was glad that he thought I was so important. The neuro resident said that he tried to tell the bishop that there was nothing to worry about and that I was just fine and overworked, which is only partially true.
      That which may be asserted without evidence may be dismissed without evidence. -C. Hitchens

      http://twitter.com/SoonerCoug

      Comment


      • #4
        We went through a period where we felt the same thing. We did move a new ward and it was easier.

        In truth though, I think that some people do like to have acknowledgment when they have not been for a while, while others do not. When you get down to it, though, whether or not it is done with a light or heavy hand, the outpouring is done because of caring.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by SoonerCoug View Post
          My wife's visiting teacher followed up 5 unanswered emails and phone calls with a 6AM text message this morning begging to come visit and bring dinner. I'm pretty sure there was a high-priority edict issued recently about reactivating us.

          I have been back to church a time or two in the last year. Both times a bunch of people made a big scene. Why do Mormons have to make such a big damn deal out of it when an inactive members shows up at church? I think they'd have an easier time reactivating people if they would just lay off and stop harassing us.

          My wife sometimes contemplates going back but felt awkward at church alone because people were constantly asking where I was (saving lives). Furthermore, there was a time when I did not have a choice and basically had no Sundays off. Now things feel even more awkward. She now says that she doesn't want to go back to church until we move to a new ward.

          I also frequently received emails from people asking where we would be going for Christmas and why we weren't making it to church on holidays (none of which were days off for me). The final straw for my wife was being called in by the Bishop (without me while I was working 30-hour shifts as a resident) and the bishop suggesting that we should have been paying 25,000 dollars (no joke) tithing instead of 2500. It was bad enough to be fielding questions from him about when we would be having children (none of his beeswax).

          The last email I received from my home teacher was a message basically telling me that I should be more like Elder Doctor Russell Nelson by combining medicine with superhuman church service. I did not respond. I will not comment publicly on this due to the sensitivity of the subject matter on this particular board, but I have very strong opinions on this specific issue. I do not believe these things are as compatible as some people like to pretend.

          Based on all the attention we are getting, I realize we must be about the most popular people in our ward, but I am contemplating sending the bishop an email asking him to get people to stop emailing and texting.

          I admit that I'm a big baby about this stuff, but I don't want all of these random Mormon people issuing commentary about my life. I guess you could say I'm a libertarian when it comes to Mormonism. I'm a private person and want to keep it that way. I don't like people telling me what to do or messing with my personal business (finances, tithing, whether I go to church or how often, etc).

          That's my spiel.
          Your sensitivity and discretion is duly noted and appreciated.

          Mornons can be so odd sometimes.
          τὸν ἥλιον ἀνατέλλοντα πλείονες ἢ δυόμενον προσκυνοῦσιν

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by New Mexican Disaster View Post
            We went through a period where we felt the same thing. We did move a new ward and it was easier.

            In truth though, I think that some people do like to have acknowledgment when they have not been for a while, while others do not. When you get down to it, though, whether or not it is done with a light or heavy hand, the outpouring is done because of caring.
            No it isn't.
            When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him.

            --Jonathan Swift

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by New Mexican Disaster View Post
              When you get down to it, though, whether or not it is done with a light or heavy hand, the outpouring is done because of caring.
              I agree. These are not bad people. They are just misguided. I am proud to be Mormon, even if I am a nonbelieving one.
              That which may be asserted without evidence may be dismissed without evidence. -C. Hitchens

              http://twitter.com/SoonerCoug

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by New Mexican Disaster View Post
                We went through a period where we felt the same thing. We did move a new ward and it was easier.

                In truth though, I think that some people do like to have acknowledgment when they have not been for a while, while others do not. When you get down to it, though, whether or not it is done with a light or heavy hand, the outpouring is done because of caring.
                This is the tightrope Bishops walk. If they don't pay enough attention, some will get offended. If they call out the cavalry, it will come on too strong for some and push them away. Most will err on the side of giving attention and if I ever go inactive I'll try to cut them some slack.

                I will say the questioning the tithing amount and home teacher email seem over the line.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by SeattleUte View Post
                  No it isn't.
                  You are automatic. I respect that.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by SoonerCoug View Post
                    I agree. These are not bad people. They are just misguided. I am proud to be Mormon, even if I am a nonbelieving one.
                    It's a distastful kind of caring that connotes a moral judgment.
                    When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him.

                    --Jonathan Swift

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by MarkGrace View Post
                      Odd behavior seems to follow you.
                      Why don't you have more of these type stories? You really need to kick against the pricks harder.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        This is what I would like to write to my bishop:

                        Dear Bishop,

                        I am pleased to report that your underlings have performed swimmingly. A+ for effort! Unfortunately, Satan has us in his grip and there is no saving us. Thanks for playing.

                        Sincerely,
                        SoonerCoug

                        P.S. Please see my body of work on www.cougaruteforum.com and then reconsider whether you really want me there on Sundays.



                        .
                        That which may be asserted without evidence may be dismissed without evidence. -C. Hitchens

                        http://twitter.com/SoonerCoug

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          What we're talking about here is the failure to observe the normal boundaries most adults have. Mormonism, with good intentions, encourages people to ignore them.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            The ultimate subversive response would be to immediately be 100% active, ask for a challenging calling and increasing your fast offering contributions to two days' worth of food.

                            It will blow their effing minds.
                            Everything in life is an approximation.

                            http://twitter.com/CougarStats

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by SoonerCoug View Post
                              This is what I would like to write to my bishop:

                              Dear Bishop,

                              I am pleased to report that your underlings have performed swimmingly. A+ for effort! Unfortunately, Satan has us in his grip and there is no saving us. Thanks for playing.

                              Sincerely,
                              SoonerCoug

                              P.S. Please see my body of work on www.cougaruteforum.com and then reconsider whether you really want me there on Sundays.



                              .
                              Yeah, because all we need around here is another bishop.
                              If we disagree on something, it's because you're wrong.

                              "Somebody needs to kill my trial attorney." — Last words of George Harris, executed in Missouri on Sept. 13, 2000.

                              "Nothing is too good to be true, nothing is too good to last, nothing is too wonderful to happen." - Florence Scoville Shinn

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X