[kristmace]

A wonderful, positive perspective. This talk did the opposite for me, but you’ve made me rethink!

Sent from my Windows Phone 8X by HTC using Tapatalk

[kristmace]

The third way is definitely the hardest. Its so comforting to have friends to make the journey with.

Sent from my Windows Phone 8X by HTC using Tapatalk

[kristmace]

Thanks for that perspective Ray. Its easy to forget that in our complex faith journeys, the simple answers still help some.

On a side note, my brother has recently arrived in the Berlin mission. Its always a small world in the church.

Sent from my Windows Phone 8X by HTC using Tapatalk

[kristmace]

I think it’s a mirror of the OTT right wing patriotism that is so pervasive in the US. It just looks silly over here.

Sent from my Windows Phone 8X by HTC using Tapatalk

[kristmace]

Nice one brt-exmo. A really interesting assignment.

[kristmace]

This was really insightful. I wish this was in the manual instead of the flipping milk story!!

[kristmace]

DBMormon wrote:

Kris where is your blog

Link is in the OP.

http://liberalbritishmormon.wordpress.com/

There are 3 entries to my blog.

1. Arguments in favour of same-sex marriage. This was going to be a private FB message to someone in my ward who I was having a lovely intellectual discussion with. I thought my long reply was quite coherent so should be shared.

2. Is it OK to disagree? I wrote this after successfully being interview for a Temple Recommend in April. Bishop and I had engaged in a long discussion about sustaining leaders, and I had thought a lot about how I concluded that I sustained them despite disagreeing on certain policies and also recognising mistakes made in the past.

3. Dealing with faith struggles and heterodoxy. This was the entry from a couple of weeks ago where I consider if there is a comfortable place in the church for people like us who hold opinions different from the mainstream.

I’m not intentionally a blogger, and I certainly don’t intend to update this blog regularly. I had no agenda when I started, and I don’t want it to be a personal moaning space as I re-evaluate my faith. I do think it can be a good outlet for some positive thoughts on how I’ve dealt with and worked through issues. My last entry was really well received by my Mum.

[kristmace]

Thanks again for the continued insights.

I agree that a ‘turn the other cheek’ approach is best here. I’m keeping my head down at church, which is probably a wise move, especially when I don’t particularly want to be there at the moment. What has happened can’t be changed and dragging it up again and again won’t help.

I guess there are serious drawbacks to having a public religious melt down, and I imagine most people are as fed up with it as I am! I did prelude the blog when I posted it to FB by something along the lines of “you know what you’re getting now, read if you’re interested…”

Ray, would you mind expanding on the ‘inflammatory words’. That wasn’t my intention, but my DW has said before that sometimes I don’t word things in the best way that portrays my meaning.

[kristmace]

Thanks again for the support and advice.

Given that my ‘coming out’ (as a doubter, not a homosexual!) has been very public, I feel that my response should be very public. In writing this blog I wanted people to understand things from my perspective without sounding bitter. It’s really hard for people like me/us in the church and hopefully I made it clear that I’m doing my best in regards to the church and that the tattling hasn’t helped. Maybe it’ll open some peoples eyes to realise that there’s lots of us, and we need to be accepted or the church could become a very quiet and lonely place!

[kristmace]

Thanks for the comments.

The demographics of that survey fascinate me. I think the main concern from leaders will be that the educated, high income, returned missionaries are traditionally the future leaders. These are the stalwart members who are leaving, not the sidelined financially unstable people on the periphery.

The Marlin K. Jensen quote has done the rounds a few times. There’s some more information about it here: http://mormon-chronicles.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/discussion-of-mormon-apostasy-spreads.html

I’m really glad your wife watched that video Rich. I think it should be essential viewing for all members. I’ve posted it on FB at least twice, so it’s nice to hear that it has had an effect on at least one person!

[kristmace]

DBMormon wrote:

I would love to correspond. I have some private thoughts that may be beneficial

Email sent.

Thanks DB.

[kristmace]

Thanks for the replies and support, especially DBMormon. It’s nice to think that others feel the same when my situation is explained, and that I’m not just going crazy.

I’ve laid everything out here, but I’ll think about emailing DB to see if there is anything else I can add, or anything he can suggest.

[kristmace]

I don’t mind you asking at all!

My last TR interview was 4 months ago and at the time I was a full tithe payer (even by standard definitions, although I was paying Net!). It was since then that I made the decision to support some other charities. The amount that leaves my bank each month has remained the same, and the church is still the biggest recipient of my donations by quite some distance. I really felt like this was the right thing to do. I was carefully considering how to approach tithing settlement, but with that being many months away, I had plenty of time to mull things over. I know that tithing is a personal declaration and I was reaching the point where I felt I could declare myself a full tithe payer, even though by orthodox definition I wasn’t – I was comfortable with my own definition and interpretation. I know a lot of members would take issue with this, and a lot of people on here may disagree.

I feel like my opportunity to personally declare myself a full tithe payer, or alternatively to have a discussion with the Bishop about where my money is going has been taken away. The tattler has taken some comments I made about this out of context, and action has been taken. I’ve simply been challenged to ‘pay a full tithe again’. Whether that means I adjust my donations upwards again, or affirm my comfort with my current position is up to me I guess.

[kristmace]

That’s exactly the case Roy. I’m an open person, I don’t use a pseudonym online, and my crime is being open about my beliefs and practices with others in support forums such as this. If I had kept my ID hidden or kept my opinion to myself then there wouldn’t be a problem. I don’t feel I can do that though, as I’m not ashamed of my positions and I’m perfectly willing to enter dialogue with anyone on any topic. Such openness has been a one way street though and virtually no one is willing to discuss, just to take punitive action.

[kristmace]

rich wrote:

Roadshows were stopped many years ago in the church??

Can we get that memo recirculated? Our stake has one this year and I have a feeling I will be required to participate…

They’re definitely still a big event in some stakes here in the UK, but there is big variation.

[Author]

Posts