Comments on: Estrogen, Testosterone, and Spirituality http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm Thoughts and Asides by Peculiar People Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:21:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: annegb http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm/comment-page-1#comment-120560 annegb Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:19:41 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/?p=2697#comment-120560 "PS: The Greg and Mike mentioned above are not a couple." :) Never crossed my mind until you brought it up. Bill cries much more easily than I. It's not because I don't feel like it, but tears just don't begin to communicate the sorrow I've felt. I clammed up when my husband died and refused to let it out. Too painful. Bill watched UP with tears in his eyes. Although, when my DHEA was low, and I was out of whack and all skeewampus and in the dark night of the soul, something would set me off and it was weird tears. I didn't sob or anything, the tears just sort of ran out of my eyes, like a faucet I couldn't turn off. For 24 hours! And my eyes got really sore. But thinking of the spirit, I wish people would rejoice in the gospel more. Look happy, cheerful, celebrate the good news. Because a lot of people in fast meeting seem seriously depressed and sad, like somebody died. I think our kids get the wrong message. They think if they can conjure up some tears and emotion, that's a testimony. They need to see that having a testimony is a real natural high. “PS: The Greg and Mike mentioned above are not a couple.” :) Never crossed my mind until you brought it up.

Bill cries much more easily than I. It’s not because I don’t feel like it, but tears just don’t begin to communicate the sorrow I’ve felt. I clammed up when my husband died and refused to let it out. Too painful.

Bill watched UP with tears in his eyes.

Although, when my DHEA was low, and I was out of whack and all skeewampus and in the dark night of the soul, something would set me off and it was weird tears. I didn’t sob or anything, the tears just sort of ran out of my eyes, like a faucet I couldn’t turn off. For 24 hours! And my eyes got really sore.

But thinking of the spirit, I wish people would rejoice in the gospel more. Look happy, cheerful, celebrate the good news. Because a lot of people in fast meeting seem seriously depressed and sad, like somebody died. I think our kids get the wrong message. They think if they can conjure up some tears and emotion, that’s a testimony. They need to see that having a testimony is a real natural high.

]]> By: Unathi http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm/comment-page-1#comment-120542 Unathi Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:49:20 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/?p=2697#comment-120542 OKay... now that I've read the blog, I am going to add some proper commentary... yeah! I kinda figured that out a while back as well. It used to bug me that I never got teary like other girls and stuff. But I just remembered one thing a Branch President say: "We need to stop confusing excitement with the Spirit". I guess some people are so excited that they get emotional! And another friend said: "Some people cry because they feel guilty!"... Okay... I don't really like to think about who would be likely to fall in this category... I guess I'm just saying that the point you've brought up here is true; there are various reasons why people get emotional at church. Often, it has little to do with the spirit [that is not to say that He's not there...]. Recognising this will go a long way to making other members feel comfortable about not being too emotional and will lead to a more spiritual experience for all! PS: The Greg and Mike mentioned above are not a couple; they're brothers... OKay…
now that I’ve read the blog, I am going to add some proper commentary… yeah! I kinda figured that out a while back as well. It used to bug me that I never got teary like other girls and stuff. But I just remembered one thing a Branch President say: “We need to stop confusing excitement with the Spirit”. I guess some people are so excited that they get emotional! And another friend said: “Some people cry because they feel guilty!”… Okay… I don’t really like to think about who would be likely to fall in this category… I guess I’m just saying that the point you’ve brought up here is true; there are various reasons why people get emotional at church. Often, it has little to do with the spirit [that is not to say that He's not there...]. Recognising this will go a long way to making other members feel comfortable about not being too emotional and will lead to a more spiritual experience for all!

PS: The Greg and Mike mentioned above are not a couple; they’re brothers…

]]> By: Unathi http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm/comment-page-1#comment-120540 Unathi Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:38:11 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/?p=2697#comment-120540 Hey Dan... I'm sorry to spoil your blog but the title intrigued me while I was searching for a way to contact you. Since I am easily distracted I thought I'd take this opportunity to ask what I wanted to ask anyway... Are you related to Greg and Mike Ellsworth... When I saw your name up there with the permabloggers their names popped in my head. I know Mike personally. Met him in SA while he was on mission. He speaks so much about his family sometimes it feels like I know everyone. Anyway... I hope you get to reply to this; otherwise keep up the good work! you are a wonderful writer... Love your writing style... Unathi... Hey Dan…
I’m sorry to spoil your blog but the title intrigued me while I was searching for a way to contact you. Since I am easily distracted I thought I’d take this opportunity to ask what I wanted to ask anyway… Are you related to Greg and Mike Ellsworth… When I saw your name up there with the permabloggers their names popped in my head. I know Mike personally. Met him in SA while he was on mission. He speaks so much about his family sometimes it feels like I know everyone. Anyway… I hope you get to reply to this; otherwise keep up the good work! you are a wonderful writer… Love your writing style…
Unathi…

]]> By: Deaco http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm/comment-page-1#comment-115504 Deaco Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:32:18 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/?p=2697#comment-115504 I found that once I became a father I'm so much more emotional often over smaller things than I ever was. I choke up at talent and sporting competitions when I see great achievements being made - perhaps a parental hormone kicks in? I do think that a culture exists in the church where tears are automatically associated with spirituality rather than just emotions. This leads onto a deeper trend of our emotions being the source of personal revelation. I found that once I became a father I’m so much more emotional often over smaller things than I ever was. I choke up at talent and sporting competitions when I see great achievements being made – perhaps a parental hormone kicks in? I do think that a culture exists in the church where tears are automatically associated with spirituality rather than just emotions.

This leads onto a deeper trend of our emotions being the source of personal revelation.

]]> By: queuno http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm/comment-page-1#comment-115445 queuno Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:20:32 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/?p=2697#comment-115445 My cousin and my uncle used to brag about their iceman tendencies (show no emotion). I thought they were boors. My cousin and my uncle used to brag about their iceman tendencies (show no emotion). I thought they were boors.

]]> By: BTD Greg http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm/comment-page-1#comment-115430 BTD Greg Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:51:44 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/?p=2697#comment-115430 PaulM: "For me the minute someone goes all weepy– male or female– that person has lost all credibility with me in spiritual matters. Emotional responses are just too easy to elicit to trust as genuine spiritual manifestations. Yes that means that a good number of GAs have lost my trust (not that they care)." Even though I have tendencies in that direction, I think if you take it too far, you end up sounding like a Vulcan. PaulM: “For me the minute someone goes all weepy– male or female– that person has lost all credibility with me in spiritual matters. Emotional responses are just too easy to elicit to trust as genuine spiritual manifestations. Yes that means that a good number of GAs have lost my trust (not that they care).”

Even though I have tendencies in that direction, I think if you take it too far, you end up sounding like a Vulcan.

]]> By: Orwell http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm/comment-page-1#comment-115402 Orwell Thu, 31 Dec 2009 22:04:16 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/?p=2697#comment-115402 Since my daughter was born I find that I get all choked up when I see kids hurt, abducted, etc., on the news or in movies. I used to be pretty indifferent (meaning that I had little spontaneous emotional response, not that I didn't care). For example, I recently watched <i>Gone With the Wind</i> again with my wife. I thought that scene where Bonnie dies was one of the saddest things I had ever seen. Clearly, my spiritual stature has increased tenfold. Bookslinger, I like the way you think. Perhaps that would cure my <a href="http://www.mormonmentality.org/2008/07/22/why-pavlovs-dog-will-miss-the-first-resurrection.htm" rel="nofollow">Sunday narcolepsy</a>. Since my daughter was born I find that I get all choked up when I see kids hurt, abducted, etc., on the news or in movies. I used to be pretty indifferent (meaning that I had little spontaneous emotional response, not that I didn’t care). For example, I recently watched Gone With the Wind again with my wife. I thought that scene where Bonnie dies was one of the saddest things I had ever seen. Clearly, my spiritual stature has increased tenfold.

Bookslinger, I like the way you think. Perhaps that would cure my Sunday narcolepsy.

]]> By: Bookslinger http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm/comment-page-1#comment-115401 Bookslinger Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:51:49 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/?p=2697#comment-115401 I use 200mg caffeine tablets, cut up into quaters. 1/4 tablet per hour keeps me awake through sunday meetings. Same amount of caffeine as a can of cola. I use 200mg caffeine tablets, cut up into quaters. 1/4 tablet per hour keeps me awake through sunday meetings. Same amount of caffeine as a can of cola.

]]> By: living in zion http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm/comment-page-1#comment-115400 living in zion Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:51:18 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/?p=2697#comment-115400 Danithew, I watched the movie clip. I have to watch the whole movie now because that scene ripped me up. I sure hope there is a happy ending. I am probably A. Hormonal B. Sleep deprived C. Still able to feel compassion for others pain. May we all remember to not judge each other by the superficial. Danithew,

I watched the movie clip. I have to watch the whole movie now because that scene ripped me up. I sure hope there is a happy ending.

I am probably A. Hormonal B. Sleep deprived C. Still able to feel compassion for others pain.

May we all remember to not judge each other by the superficial.

]]> By: danithew http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/12/26/estrogen-testosterone-and-spirituality.htm/comment-page-1#comment-115398 danithew Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:48:03 +0000 http://www.mormonmentality.org/?p=2697#comment-115398 I don't cry very often - but on the rare occasions that I feel teary, the feelings can come on very suddenly and sometimes catch me by surprise. I also wonder if seeing others cry can be a trigger - and I wonder if that can have an effect on people in a testimony meeting. Maybe seeing one person tear up makes others want to tear up as well. It also should be kept in mind that while chemicals and hormones and such can deeply effect us in ways that are beyond our control, sometimes there are also just good reasons to cry or to be emotional. Some people cry a lot in movies. I don't. But there's a scene in the movie "Not One Less" that really got to me (and still kind of does) ... it's part of the following clip (warning, some hard to read sub-titles as this is a Chinese-language film): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VBA8FwpsNw&feature=related Again, it makes me wonder how much seeing someone else cry can be a trigger. But the story told in this movie is pretty dramatic. At least in my book. I don’t cry very often – but on the rare occasions that I feel teary, the feelings can come on very suddenly and sometimes catch me by surprise.

I also wonder if seeing others cry can be a trigger – and I wonder if that can have an effect on people in a testimony meeting. Maybe seeing one person tear up makes others want to tear up as well.

It also should be kept in mind that while chemicals and hormones and such can deeply effect us in ways that are beyond our control, sometimes there are also just good reasons to cry or to be emotional.

Some people cry a lot in movies. I don’t. But there’s a scene in the movie “Not One Less” that really got to me (and still kind of does) … it’s part of the following clip (warning, some hard to read sub-titles as this is a Chinese-language film):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VBA8FwpsNw&feature=related

Again, it makes me wonder how much seeing someone else cry can be a trigger. But the story told in this movie is pretty dramatic. At least in my book.

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