Important Survey: Why did you lose faith in LDS Church?

[Brian Johnston]

John Dehlin is conducting a survey in anticipation of a high-level meeting with LDS Church leadership. Please take some time, if you can and it’s appropriate for you, to participate so that we can get as large a sample as possible.

http://www.psychmeasures.org/index.php?sid=58166

Quote:

Mormon Friends: Please help. I can’t discuss specifics, but a meeting is being held in less than 2 weeks with a high level leader in the LDS church. We are gathering data to present to this leader. Can you please help me share this survey with anyone who once believed, but no longer believes the LDS church is true? Thanks in advance.

Intended Audience: This survey is for people who once believed that the LDS church is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (D&C 1:30), but who no longer believe that it is.

[GBSmith]

Who is this “John Dehlin” and who made him a king and a ruler over us? Oh, I forgot. He did.

[SilentDawning]

I see John Dehlin as providing another conduit of information for our GA’s, and I welcome his survey — and it doesn’t surprise me if he is doing so at some personal cost. I don’t see him as King and Ruler over anyone, simple a voice for members who have information the Church leaders NEED to make positive decisions.

[Brian Johnston]

I don’t know much about cabbages and kings, but this is a real opportunity to communicate with top leadership about the real issues we have all faced. There are always tons of conversations wondering if the leaders even pay attention or know what we are talking about. Well here ya go: they are listening.

The survey is fairly open and detailed about the troubling things we discuss, including a couple of text boxes with a free-form opportunity to say something you want to say.

The information is gathered anonymously BTW, no registration info stored.

[observant]

I did pass that along to a family member. I don’t really feel I should fill it out because I’m not really a non-believer like I think they want. I’m just cynical!

[Brian Johnston]

observant wrote:

I don’t really feel I should fill it out because I’m not really a non-believer like I think they want. I’m just cynical!

I’m not really a complete non-believer either, but I filled out the survey. I just didn’t mark all topics as being highly relevant to my new views. I don’t have major problems with a lot of things others do.

Here is the statement from the survey home page:

Quote:

Intended Audience: This survey is for people who once believed that the LDS church is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (D&C 1:30), but who no longer believe that it is.

So if you have any level of doubt in any element of that statement, I would say you are in the desired sampling pool.

[SilentDawning]

I did the survey, as I think the Church has truth elements, but I don’t believe in its truthiness as strongly as I used to — and I’m much more open and less judgmental about other Churches now. It wouldn’t surprise me if after this life is over, a lot of Mormons, a lot of Pentecostals, and a lot of Judaistic believers have to all modify their views significantly.

And, I no longer believe the Church is the be-all-end-all of truth to the point I’m willing to cut off my right elbow for it any longer, so that represents a lessening of belief in its truthfulness….so, I think I qualify.

[Heber13]

Thanks, Brian. I participated. I hope my voice is heard. I don’t know what difference it will make, but it doesn’t hurt to share my feelings. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of it.

[SamBee]

Why do they always have to ask your financial earnings? I get really offended these days about constantly having to disclose my salary/wages on these surveys. It’s nobody’s business.

Can I also raise another taboo? I don’t think conferences are very member or investigator friendly.

[DevilsAdvocate]

I appreciate what John Dehlin is trying to do here. How else will top Church leaders ever know how big some of these problems have become if the main thing they typically see is active members that apparently agree with the Church exactly the way it is now? They need to realize that some members have perfectly understandable reasons to doubt and criticize the Church that are not going away.

[Heber13]

Quote:

They need to realize that some members have perfectly understandable reasons to doubt and criticize the Church that are not going away.

Exactly, DA. :thumbup:

If they can grasp that idea, and help bishops accept this…people will feel more comfortable in the pews, I think.

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