Question for unbelievers

[Nakoma]

I'll take a crack at that, as a non-believer. First, I am not attempting to change a church I don't believe in. I've left it. I posited the question, what would the church have to do, short of changing your belief, to at least get you interested in participating again. And I made my list.

As for seeking after and finding a church that does all that...well...I live in Utah. I was raised Mormon. My family is Mormon and most of my friends are Mormon. I'm sure you understand tribalism. Mormonism is most definitely my tribe. It is both literally and figuratively my home town. Now, I chose to move, figuratively, out of my hometown, even though I've remained in it literally. I don't detest the church enough to actually move away literally, but I disagree with it enough to move away from it figuratively.

And while you are right that there are THOUSANDS of other religious options, that's not the case in Lehi, Utah. There might be a few others but I have no tie to them. I have no interest in them. And if there is one that really really appeals to me, I have to weigh the real world cost of hauling my family out to it, when for me, the biggest advantage of church, and specifically the mormon church here in utah is how it connects me with the vast majority of my neighbors.

Now, I have other ways to connect with my neighbors and I make use of them, but I admit it would be nice to make use of the church for that purpose as well. But sitting through meetings at a place that says and does the things they say and do is brutal for me and it doesn't interest me.

The whole "If you don't like it move to communist China!" argument doesn't really take reality and logistics into consideration.

What if what you want the Church to be, before you would return, drives others away? If only the Church could be all things for all people, right?

[taekwondave]

Thought of another:

8. Pay/reimburse Bishops and Stake Presidents the way they do Mission President/GA's.

9. Teach that the scriptures are wholly figurative, not literal AND figurative. And read and discuss them from that perspective alone.

[cougjunkie]

9. Teach that the scriptures are wholly figurative, not literal AND figurative. And read and discuss them from that perspective alone.

You are a fucking idiot and more you talk the worse it gets.


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[taekwondave]

What if what you want the Church to be, before you would return, drives others away? If only the Church could be all things for all people, right?

If only. I can't speak for them though. These are just the things that, being an unbeliever, would make it seem worth my time. If I thought it was true, but flawed, I would go. But since I don't think it's true, it can only be so flawed in my eyes. Right now it's too flawed in my eyes to spend time there every Sunday. I'll go to baptisms and baby blessings sometimes though.

[taekwondave]

You are a fucking idiot and more you talk the worse it gets.


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Lol. Dude!

[Moliere]

tkd, I suggest you read this: www.cesletter.com

It's probably up your alley.


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[taekwondave]

tkd, I suggest you read this: www.cesletter.com

It's probably up your alley.


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Of course it is. It's like the keystone of my non-religion. I believe a Mormon will get nearer to the truth by reading it and its source material than any other book

[taekwondave]

9. Teach that the scriptures are wholly figurative, not literal AND figurative. And read and discuss them from that perspective alone.

10. Stop kicking people out of BYU for leaving the church.

Only 9 more to go! (well, maybe only a couple more, but 9 would be AMAZING)

[byu71]

I just wish the leaders would emphasize what President Hinkley said in conference. Basically it was, we (members) need to quit taking ourselves so seriously.

[smokymountainrain]

Damn straight

I don't think you got the joke.

[taekwondave]

I don't think you got the joke.

Probably not. Half the stuff here goes way over my head.

[cougjunkie]

Probably not. Half the stuff here goes way over my head.

Good news! Even in the Telestial Kingdom, all things will be revealed to you.

[taekwondave]

Good news! Even in the Telestial Kingdom, all things will be revealed to you.

Too bad I'm that next rung down though. All that gnashing of teeth and no dentist within a million miles.