Mormon Mentality - Thoughts and Asides by Peculiar People

By Living in Zion

Jul. 7th, 2012 at 8:57 pm

This article for Time : http://ideas.time.com/2012/06/29/why-were-still-catholics/?iid=op-article-mostpop1 by Tim Padgett caught my eye.

He is a good Catholic who has decided to stay with his faith, even as he publicly criticizes his church hierarchy and fundamental beliefs. He has had his share of well known people telling him to just go join another church that already practices the changes he wants to see in the Catholic church. It reminds me of the mantra I have myself been guilty of when someone tires me with complaints about the LDS faith. More than once I have thought, ” If you are so unhappy being Mormon, go find something else to be.” Not exactly helpful or Christ-like, but a typical response to religious structures are in no hurry to change.

Of course, Mormons don’t have the same level of ongoing sexual abuse by church leadership as the Catholics, so you can choose which of our unique ‘issues” you want to insert into that part of his essay. In fact, if you switch out the Catholic problems and put in Mormons, the article could have been written for one of hundred Mormon blogs. Which is a point Tim makes at the end of his piece. Our struggles with imperfect human leadership, ongoing cultural evolution and how that changes our expectations of what a religious life means are all universal stumbling blocks.
That realization is a comfort to me. It is so nice to know I am not alone in my questioning. It is strengthening to my testimony of the LDS faith to know that my doubts and insecurities are no different than what my friends of other faiths are also experiencing.

I am not weak and my desires for church growth and change are not radical. They are just part of the task of being human. I like that. It feels right. And I love that I can thank a good Catholic for helping me remember that truth.

1. annegb

Sun, Jul 8, 2012 @ 9:52am

Thank you, this is exactly what I’ve been trying to say. I wonder if the brethren would take exception to this because we’re expected to think/know without questioning that our church is perfectly true. Thus above criticism.

All the great world religions are complicated and messy. I think what’s happening with us is a natural evolution among any group of thinking religious people. Many Mormons practice Stepford religion out of fear and the conviction that that is the correct way to worship and honor God. What they don’t realize is that they’re actually worshipping and honoring an institution.

I’m in favor of organized religion. I believe that activity in any organized Christian religion (barring nutsos) will improve our lives. Because what do they all require? Personal integrity, scripture study, Christlike treatment of our fellow man, love of family, and regular Sunday worship. Who wouldn’t grow from practicing that?

In our zeal to announce ourselves as the “true” church and a Nazi-ish insistence that our members embrace this—or else—we have done our members a disservice. And, I think, restrained the individual’s natural ability to experience joy through a relationship with our Heavenly Father. He must be beside himself at times.

Again, knocked it out of the park. Right on.

2. Stephen M (Ethesis)

Sun, Jul 8, 2012 @ 5:16pm

Stepford religion — I like that phrase.

3. Bookslinger

Mon, Jul 9, 2012 @ 7:04pm

Long ago, in an evangelical setting, I learned the word “churchianity”.