- RLD on Church in Contrast: Participation and Meaning in Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About) Yesterday, 7/5?: “Our Sunday School class spent a lot of time on Solomon’s prayer dedicating the temple. It struck me that he saw it as a tool to help Israel repent and reconcile with God. Too often we treat attending the temple as a reward for overcoming sin rather than a source of strength that will help us do so. On this week’s apparent theme, in testimony meeting a missionary read a poem about a man who finds himself on a hole, tries to build a ladder with the available materials but it’s not long enough, and then someone drops a rope to him (apparently a short rope, because he has to be on his ladder to reach it). As an analogy for the atonement that strikes me as all wrong: nothing we can do helps in the slightest way to save us from sin and death. As for changing, in my experience Christ’s help is more like “If you’ll just tie this rope around you, I’ll pull you up.” But the poem was obviously meaningful to the elder who read it. I did like the ending, where the man expresses his gratitude to his helper–and then is given a rope of his own and pointed to the thousands of holes around him. @DeAnn Spencer. I’d start with the supreme importance of agency, and that we must freely choose Christ in order to be true Christians, not choose him because of government influence or coercion. I’d point out the 11th Article of Faith, and maybe quote Joseph Smith’s statements that non-Christians were welcome in Nauvoo to make it clear how broadly he meant it to apply. Add Alma 30:7 about how it would be strictly contrary to the commandments of God for the law to put men on unequal grounds because of their beliefs (and a non-Christian in a Christian nation is definitely on unequal grounds). Maybe touch on how mixing government with religion makes religion a path to power, and Jesus’ sharpest criticism was reserved for those who use religion as a path to power. (I’d say it already applies to some of our politicians today). But I think the most relevant statement came from President Oaks in his October 2020 talk Love Your Enemies: “The United States was founded by immigrants of different nationalities and different ethnicities. Its unifying purpose was not to establish a particular religion or to perpetuate any of the diverse cultures or tribal loyalties of the old countries. Our founding generation sought to be unified by a new constitution and laws.” It’s frustrating that a member can advocate for the US to be a Christian nation without realizing they’re going against the prophet. It would be clearer if President Oaks came out and said Trumpism is wrong, Christian Nationalism is wrong, post-liberalism is wrong, etc. But it would also cause a lot of people to stop listening. Leadership’s current strategy of instead advocating for their opposites: loving your enemies, peacemaking, religious freedom, pluralism, etc. makes sense to me.” Jul 8, 14:56
- on A Museum Review: The Museum of Utah: “A highlight for me as I toured the museum was bumping into you!” Jul 8, 07:53
- on A Museum Review: The Museum of Utah: “my family and i visited last week when i was off for the 4th holiday weekend. it was overwhelming in the best sense; we definitely walked out thinking “we’re gonna have to come back, there’s just too much to see and process in one visit”. highly highly recommend if you are in the slc or surrounding areas. worth a drive.” Jul 7, 16:42
- on Church in Contrast: Participation and Meaning in Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About) Yesterday, 7/5?: “I often use our ward fb page to comment on some of our s/school, or priesthood lessons on aspects of the lessons from which I have learnt, or to make further comment. I find our ward fb page to be an excellent medium to engage in gospel topic discussions.” Jul 7, 15:30
- on A Museum Review: The Museum of Utah: “If that’s an offer to fund it, Jonathan, I’m game!” Jul 7, 11:34
- on A Museum Review: The Museum of Utah: “This is a great category for new posts. Chad, we now need you to systematically visit museums and historical sites throughout the U.S. and/or internationally.” Jul 7, 11:09
- on Church in Contrast: Participation and Meaning in Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About) Yesterday, 7/5?: “Last Lemming – I would love to hear how your ward’s out-of-the-closet Lesbian framed her rebuttal in Gospel (not political) terms. That would be so hard to do!” Jul 7, 08:48
- on Church in Contrast: Participation and Meaning in Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About) Yesterday, 7/5?: “Last Lemming: That sounds really interesting. Perhaps the issue is to what degree do opposing statements like that create anger and disharmony. While some discomfort is probably good (it often leads to examining what you think and why), if it goes too far, it can actually make people retreat into their pre-conceived ideas and not consider what others think. Unfortunately, I think we (the membership of the church in general) shy away so much from differences like what you saw that we don’t have experience dealing with them, which makes such situations harder. Jonathan: I agree!! One of the most important thoughts I find myself thinking when I’m in meetings is simply “It’s not necessarily about me!”” Jul 7, 07:17
- on “Offer Your Whole Souls” (Gold from the Plates: Greatest Hits Sermons from the Book of Mormon): “Thanks, Seth and Jack! I’ll submit another chapter to T&S soon.” Jul 6, 23:48
- on Church in Contrast: Participation and Meaning in Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About) Yesterday, 7/5?: “Similar to Kent’s experience, I thought one of the testimonies offered was unwarranted, confusing, and more than questionable in terms of doctrine. But it was also exactly what one person in the meeting needed to hear and really helped them enjoy the rest of the meetings and have a positive experience at church. So I pretty much just let people say what they will when moved on by the spirit while I stay out of the way.” Jul 6, 20:04
