[DarkJedi]

Ann wrote:

Kumahito wrote:

Don’t get too upset when you hear stuff you don’t agree with.

As someone whose “shelf crashed” (kinda sick of that phrase) relatively late in life, I realize that I, especially, shouldn’t get that upset when I hear stuff I don’t agree with because I used to say some of the same things.

Good point. I used to “know” some of these same things. Thank you.

[DarkJedi]

Kumahito wrote:

Sheldon, you’ve done a great job compiling some good tips for success for staying LDS with unorthodox beliefs.

I’ve adopted many of your ideas, and have one of my own:

Don’t get too upset when you hear stuff you don’t agree with. As an unorthodox believer, I understand that I’m likely to hear something that I don’t agree with, or even that I think is blatantly false, on any given Sunday. Rather than sit and stew on it, and think “they don’t ‘know’ what they’re saying they ‘know’!”, I try and see if I can pick out how or why this belief brings some solace in their life. I don’t actually believe that Noah gathered two of every animal and built and Ark – but I don’t get upset when people relate this story in Church, because I think there are good lessons and morals that can be learned from the story. Likewise, even if I don’t agree or believe what someone may say, it doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t some greater truth that can be learned from it. This is, needless to say, not always easy, depending on how crazy the statement is. Like Sheldon mentioned, some things absolutely must be addressed and corrected. But when someone talks about God helping them find their car keys, I try not to fume about it and either mentally skip it, or try and see the comfort this brought to the person.

Thank you for this (and Sheldon, thank you for your insights, too). This has been and is one of my major stumbling blocks, and I do get upset sometimes when I hear people, including GAs, say they know something when indeed I know they are wrong. I can chalk some of it up to tradition and some of it to wanting to know, but some of it still bugs me. I’m working on it, though. Thanks for pointing out that I can look deeper into the statements to find the truth that might be there – or might not.

[DarkJedi]

I am new here also Sheldon. Thanks for sharing, and I do share some of your beliefs. I look forward to hearing more from you and sharing myself. I have also read your post about staying sane, which coincidently is the same terminology I have used – I use it as a reason not to go to church, but am considering a return and need those tips on how to remain sane.

[DarkJedi]

Roy wrote:

DarkJedi wrote:

Pardon me, I’m a newbie. What is RSR?

Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Bushman :thumbup:

Ah, I have heard of the book & should have figured that out. I have not read it, but I’m not all that hung up on church history. I have looked into church history in some depth (I’m from upstate NY) and have pretty much always been aware that actual church history and the history as portrayed by the church are not generally the same. Then again, all history is like that. Our founding fathers are not the saints they’re portrayed to be, either.

[DarkJedi]

Meh Mormon wrote:

Welcome DarkJedi. I am also on lds.net, in fact, I used to be a moderator. I got sick of people being so black/white about issues that I left for a while. I slowly started coming back there a few months ago, but the situation is the same. There are a few that I would love, love, love to tell off and it would so be worth getting banned for, but I don’t. I just come here and enjoy the civil discussions about various levels of belief and open conversations about the issues facing the church.

Welcome.

😆 I know exactly what you mean. I get good stuff from there, don’t get me wrong. My user name is very similar there (there’s an underscore between the words there), feel free to look at my posts. There’s a recent thread about referencing Christ in meetings that I responded to a couple times but won’t any more. How I would love to show a couple of moderators where the bear did you-know-what in the buckwheat, but I don’t want to be banned, either, because I do get something out of it. Being there has given me some insight into how I might handle those who see things from a very different point of view than I do.

[DarkJedi]

Pardon me, I’m a newbie. What is RSR?

[DarkJedi]

Thanks. I don’t have a particular place to go when I leave after Sacrament Meeting, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who will be leaving also. Likewise, I don’t mind participating in most activities as long as the demands of those activities don’t unduly interfere with time with my family. Your comments about other meetings (SS, priesthood) are duly noted, and why I believe I probably won’t attend them.

[DarkJedi]

It does sound like it was a good lesson. Before I became inactive, I was the GD teacher (and I liked it), but I came to the point where I was questioning what I could actually teach as “doctrine” (it is Gospel Doctrine class after all) and I felt I needed to be released. I told the Sunday School President that I wasn’t going to teach any more after the end of that year, and I told him this in mid-November. A couple weeks later he told me he had talked with the bishop, who told him they weren’t going to call someone else and that he’d “take care of it.” Along came the end of December and I announced to the class that I was no longer going to going to be their teacher and gave my materials back to the SS president. The bishop met with me that afternoon and seemed astonished that I would do such a thing, as if I was breaking some solemn covenant I had made and simply couldn’t do what I was doing. I did explain to him my questioning status and that I could not in good conscience continue teaching that class – or any other class at that point. Needless to say, a new teacher was called and that was my last Sunday as a teacher.

And, I too, am sometimes amazed at those that see everything as black and white, good vs. evil, Satan vs. God. I believe there certainly is good and evil and I do believe Satan does exist and does influence evil. I don’t believe he has the influence and power that many in the church believe he has – much of what I have experienced they say is the influence of Satan is nothing more than someone exercising his or her free agency in making informed choices. The world is black and white – and everything in between and most things cannot be put into a black box or a white box, including many gospel principles.

[DarkJedi]

Thanks, Hawkgrrrl for the reply. My BYU grad daughter is also a bit of a feminist, and struggles at times with her own questions. I like that you can give witty replies as you do, and I can usually come up with something witty also, but mine come a few hours late! 🙂

I agree with, it does at times amaze me how the church teaches the need for continuing revelation (and yes, evolution of thought), yet some members of the church are so rigid that any new or different thought is flatly rejected.

I have all of these years felt very alone. I am so happy I have found a place where I am understood and not alone.

[DarkJedi]

Wow, Jamie, I could have written thismyself – it just took me longer to get where you’re at. Thank you all who have contributed, I look forward to more insight.

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