- Michelle on The Glasses of Twenty Five Years: ““The culture seems to actively push people to ignoring others, and to a very tribal perspective. And that is leading to real harm.” Hm. I may be missing what you are trying to say here. My thought is that we can’t force someone to know and taste of God’s love…and I think tasting of that love (Enos-like) is THE thing that can help people move past tribalism…which is just a defense mechanism. If someone is using a defense mechanism, they are in pain or ignorance. I’ve been behind the glass wall of knowing intellectually about God’s love and the Atonement of Jesus Christ and all of that, and not having a clue how to actually access His grace. I lived in pain and fear of God and all of that even though I was so active, etc. God brought things and people and struggles that invited me into a deeper search for Him. I found Him with people seeking recovery from addiction. I still attend 12-step meetings because that’s where I see the veil coming off of people’s eyes about the nature of God. I don’t think we can blame an inanimate thing like “the culture.” It’s just made up of people. And if we’ve had the blessing of tasting of God’s love, it’s incumbent on us to extend that love and witness of it…but also to be so patient because God’s timing is perfect in people’s lives. When the student is ready, the Teacher appears…and finding His love can’t be forced (“no power or influence”). If you ever want to be in a “culture” where His love can be found, hang out in 12-step rooms. Sit with people who were brought to the brink and see how God shows up even in the darkest of dark places. The story that helped me most when God felt so far away and I felt so confused by that was Mark Miner. He shares his story in lots of different places. He taught me so much about God. People need to hang around people like Mark to start to get how incredible God’s love and grace are.” Sep 18, 00:38
- on Do Any Latter-day Saint Wards Own Handbells?: “Yeah, it is a dilemma. In this specific example, I love handbell music and feel like there isn’t enough of it in the world, so my personal feelings are to encourage it wherever it can happen and to share it as broadly as possible. But I recognize that’s not always going to be the right answer!” Sep 17, 22:40
- on Baptisms for the Dead Among the Early Christians: What Does the Literature Say?: “Interesting and all non LDS sources.” Sep 17, 22:20
- on Do Any Latter-day Saint Wards Own Handbells?: “LHL: “Honestly, the quality and impact of LDS Sunday School and Priesthood, has declined so badly – and has become so meaningless” Uh, I think I’ve been making suggestions about this in my posts over the past year….” Sep 17, 21:57
- on Do Any Latter-day Saint Wards Own Handbells?: “I’m fascinated by the philosophical problem you’ve hinted at here. How do you do something different and wonderful (like having handbells in Church), when you are trying to avoid privileging some people over others. Even when the handbells are purchased by individuals, it still ends up with wealthier wards getting something that less-well-off wards can only dream of. But I like handbells and would LOVE to see them in Church! I don’t know how to solve that dilemma!” Sep 17, 21:56
- on Others in our Meetings (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About Yesterday), 9/13: “Jonathan, I like your ideas about Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Maybe to throw another viewpoint in your thinking, I was reminded by a podcast a few days ago that Ecclesiastes plays a prominent role in “Fahrenheit 451”. In the end of the book, Montag chooses to memorize and ‘become’ Ecclesiastes, apparently because part of Bradbury’s message is about the quality of what we consume—it shouldn’t all be “vanity” (as Ecclesiastes puts it). [This is why Bradbury always insisted that Fahrenheit 451 wasn’t about censorship.] To me this ties an important point about what we consume today to the scriptures. Coffinberry: great thoughts — I’m glad that at least somewhere it isn’t the men who get to stay seated. But I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a bias throughout the church. I like that you’re thinking about how all this works in Primary — too often Primary is an afterthought for everyone but those who work in Primary. I think those in primary are actually blessed, because working with children leads you to think about the gospel and the lessons from a very different perspective. RLD: Wow, yes, exactly. Not only does approaching the scriptures with others in mind benefit them, but I bet it benefits you as well. Do you think you would have had that insight about Proverbs without approaching it the way you did? I need to work on that approach myself! As for the dud lessons, was there a way to get something out of them anyway?” Sep 17, 21:48
- on Do Any Latter-day Saint Wards Own Handbells?: “(The post in question is here: https://www.wayfaremagazine.org/p/the-broken-church-bell )” Sep 17, 14:00
- on Do Any Latter-day Saint Wards Own Handbells?: “LHL, English handbells are a different type of bell than those ones. They’re bronze and used for musical performance instead of signaling. I did see a humorous post somewhere recently, though, where the author was poking at the Sunday School change you reference through the lens of a man who was called as the ward bell ringer (as a “we can’t think of any callings where we would trust you but still need to give you a calling” position), who went over the top on ringing those signal bells to “magnify his calling”. I thought of joking that he could have fulfilled his calling by learning English handbell ringing and performing solo special music numbers in sacrament on them.” Sep 17, 13:56
- on Do Any Latter-day Saint Wards Own Handbells?: “Honestly, the quality and impact of LDS Sunday School and Priesthood, has declined so badly – and has become so meaningless – that having an electric buzzer, a microphone, an intercom or a beautiful hand held (Sterling Silver) bell to call people to class (or to entertain), is of absolute no consequence; regardless of who owns it.” Sep 17, 12:11
- on Do Any Latter-day Saint Wards Own Handbells?: “R. Mark Melville, it is kind of funny to see that happen. Kent Gibb and John Mansfield, yeah. It’s difficult to seal off the use of private equipment at the ward/brand level, especially since it’s usually just someone trying to make sure people have a good experience. But that’s actually pretty cool that they bought drums for people to use.” Sep 17, 11:44
