Guest Posted May 4, 2017 Report Share Posted May 4, 2017 (edited) In doing some research on church topics, google invariably also shows results of discussions by former Mormons. Since I'm sure many of them have at least some history and knowledge that was pertinent to the topic I was researching, I read what they had to say (to be verified elsewhere). Indeed I found that they had valuable information that I could use as search terms at other sites for verification. What I couldn't help but notice was that about every third comment always used their otherwise informative post as a tool to throw a jab in at the way the Church was (doctrines, policies, structure, people, culture, etc.) As I read these criticisms I couldn't help but recognize just how shallow and petty as well as inaccurate the criticisms were. Example: I had wondered what anti-Mormons thought of our temples and geneology. I mean, if it is this big evil corporation that is lulling people into a false sense of whatever for the benefit of those at the top, what would be the purpose of the temple? Why go through all that time and expense on temples and setting up a geneology library and an entire doctrinal system around families and family lines? The comments I read in this vein essentially said,"Temple attendance requires tithing faithfulness. Therefore temples are money makers." Really? I guess they don't really know how much temples cost to build and maintain. They never "make money." And who's benefitting anyway? There are plenty of other much more lucrative get-rich-quick schemes than to pay into a system with high incomes for decades only to have a job filled with endless meetings for a stipend that is much less than what most of these men made in their professional lives anyway. Are they really that desperate to mock the Church that they have to grasp at straws to justify why they left the Church? What are they even doing on forums just to discuss how good it was for them to leave the Church? (yes, that is pretty much the only purpose of those forums) Make no mistake, I'm not just talking about what is good or better about the new life. Everyone has to feel good about the life they've chosen. But the threads I've read don't focus on the good of the new life, but rather the criticisms of the old -- and they are petty criticisms to boot. I hope I never get that way if I were ever to leave the Church. yes, yes, neutral gound and can't get back to it. blah blah. I just don't get it. I suppose I should hope I never do. Edited May 4, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just_A_Guy Posted May 4, 2017 Report Share Posted May 4, 2017 Not too long my agonwe had a thread about that "I'm a thinker" humblebrag. IMHO the reason such a banal statement gets so much yardage is because we all know that so many people clearly don't think through the consequences/implications of what they say. This temples-as-moneymakers trope you speak of is a good example of that. wenglund, Sunday21, NeedleinA and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeedleinA Posted May 4, 2017 Report Share Posted May 4, 2017 44 minutes ago, Carborendum said: Are they really that desperate to mock the Church that they have to grasp at straws to justify why they left the Church? What are they even doing on forums just to discuss how good it was for them to leave the Church? (yes, that is pretty much the only purpose of those forums) I've scratched my head at this many times before too. Sunday21 and Jane_Doe 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anatess2 Posted May 4, 2017 Report Share Posted May 4, 2017 As someone who decided to leave one Church to join another, I have to say... If you have to mock your old Church to make you feel good about your new one... you probably shouldn't have left... Blackmarch, Sunday21, wenglund and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Osborn Posted May 5, 2017 Report Share Posted May 5, 2017 Whats even more frustrating though is when you have members who wont leave the church and go on and on in criticizing the church in one or more points. Blackmarch and Sunday21 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnsonJones Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 On 5/4/2017 at 8:39 PM, Rob Osborn said: Whats even more frustrating though is when you have members who wont leave the church and go on and on in criticizing the church in one or more points. Personally, I'd rather have the hope that if they keep coming to church someday they'll eventually change their lives about or come upon an epiphany. I never hope someone leaves the church, but I agree it can get tiresome if someone always harps on things they dislike about the LDS church. I always hope that somehow, someway, the Lord will touch their heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Osborn Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 43 minutes ago, JohnsonJones said: Personally, I'd rather have the hope that if they keep coming to church someday they'll eventually change their lives about or come upon an epiphany. I never hope someone leaves the church, but I agree it can get tiresome if someone always harps on things they dislike about the LDS church. I always hope that somehow, someway, the Lord will touch their heart. Yeah, it just gets frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Folk Prophet Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 (edited) On 5/4/2017 at 9:20 AM, Just_A_Guy said: Not too long my agonwe had a thread about that "I'm a thinker" humblebrag. IMHO the reason such a banal statement gets so much yardage is because we all know that so many people clearly don't think through the consequences/implications of what they say. This temples-as-moneymakers trope you speak of is a good example of that. A bit of a side, but related, note: The other day on Facebook one of my "friends" (a ward member who has gone inactive) "liked" a post that said something along the lines of, "I have decided that anyone who votes Republican must be a bad person or stupid..." I didn't read much more of it, but I think it then went off on the AHCA stuff. Anyhow....I didn't respond, but it's always difficult to hold one's tongue when another so stupidly and evilly calls other stupid and evil. (What I really wanted to say was something like, "How to win friends and influence people..."like" a post that implies all your friends are evil and stupid. Yeah...that'll work.") Of course the poster and the "friend" who liked it couldn't help their views because they are thinkers, I'm sure. (Side side note: I consider the Republican party quite evil, pretty much fully betrayers of conservative values, and only the lesser of two evils in our two-party political system.) Edited May 9, 2017 by The Folk Prophet a mustard seed and Just_A_Guy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, The Folk Prophet said: and only the lesser of two evils in our two-party political system Edited May 9, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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