Apologetics Of The "Swedish Rescue"

[BCSpace]

Making the rounds in the anti/ex mormon world are the "Swedish Rescue Papers", a set of advice and instructions to the Church in Sweden on how to help members encountering "new" and troubling information about the Church. Seems to be spearheaded by Marlin K. Jensen. Among the references and helps given are the following:

CHD recommend the following websites, which CHD itself uses. These websites are not only focused on the history of the church.

The first LDS FAQ http://ldsfaq.byu.edu/

The second Encyclopedia of Mormonism Online http://eom.byu.edu/

The third FAIR http://en.fairmormon.org/Main_Page

The fourth Neal A. Maxwell Institute http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/

The fifth More Good Foundation http://www.moregoodfoundation.org/

Further recommends CHD following books to start studying the Church's early history:

http://www.mormonthi...dish-rescue.htm

CHD = Church History Department

So I thought you might be interested in seeing that FAIR and MI are represented here. I also notice one of my favorites, Bickmore's Restoring the Ancient Church, is one of the recommended books.

mormonthink contains much antiMormon material and conclusions and this is a translation from the Swedish of ostensibly LDS materials so buyer beware. This particular page is rather benign wth the antiMormon conclusions at the bottom.

[Calm]

I hope the recommendation makes clear that the Church is not presenting these websites as official spokesites for the Church, the final word on anything or that all material on it has been somehow been vetted and approved by the Brethren (when I worked at a church bookstore, a young woman came and asked as if she already knew the answer "is everything in here 'approved'", I quickly set her straight. She seemed somewhat disappointed, hopefully not because it meant she would have to use her own brain....but really Harry Potter somehow has become doctrinally pure because one can find it in a church bookstore? Would one really have to ask given a few seconds of thought?)

Edited July 21, 2012 by calmoriah

[volgadon]

I know some of the background. What the church is trying to do is present a range of responses members can use to provide a logical responses when their faith is challenged by some former members who have been very active in challenging the faith. I don't really want to go into great deal, as this was all shared by a good friend.

[volgadon]

but really Harry Potter somehow has become doctrinally pure just by being in a church bookstore? Would one really have to ask given a few seconds of thought?

When one mission president's wife banned all music but that with IRI on it- everything else not being uplifting- my companion and I had the idea of playing the Motab album of show tunes, very, very loudly where she could hear it. The plan was never put into action.

[cwald]

I think this was excellent. I appreciate the church taking this step to help active church members and leaders understand those who doubt, and to give prophetic council and recommendations to the members. I really liked this advice the brethren admonished...and I think if the members and leadership will obey, it will go a long way to help those who struggle find a way to stay LDS.

3.3 To respond to members who have doubts

A member who doubt will in a more difficult emotional situation and are in need of the most understanding and loving dialogue you can imagine.

- Show empathy, understanding, acceptance, but keep quiet fast to their own values.

- View definitely not superiority, do not try to convince.

- View humility! (The way one describes reality, is the way it looks it!).

- Show genuine friendship.

- Remember: "If I were this person, how would I like to be treated? ".

- Be open to signals - it takes time to adapt an approach.

- Avoid saying, "now I understand exactly how you feel."

- Avoid a call situation where either needs to defend themselves.

- Respect the free will.

- Express the wish that the person you are speaking with to be happy.

- Make decisions that your friendship does not depend on a person returning to the church or not -

and mean it.

- Listen to understand and to be led by the Holy Ghost.

....

"... All around us we see the Church members who have been injured. Some people get upset over events in the history of the Church or its leaders and suffering throughout life without being able to look beyond others' mistakes ...

.

The third 4 The art of listening

The best way to support people in spiritual crisis is to listen. And to really listen.

Listening also means asking until you understand, "What do you mean?". "Have I understood you correctly that you think like this ...?".

[Kerry A. Shirts]

I know some of the background. What the church is trying to do is present a range of responses members can use to provide a logical responses when their faith is challenged by some former members who have been very active in challenging the faith. I don't really want to go into great deal, as this was all shared by a good friend.

This is rather odd. The church wants people to have logical answers, but when I present that angle, I get jumped on for not having "faith." I promote logical, scientific, seriously rigorous examination instead of "faith" and I get slapped. Where are all the angry replies to this? Why doesn't the church just tell em all to simply have "faith" and all things will work for their good like so many Mormons tell me to online? (sarcasm mode off)

Edited July 21, 2012 by Kerry A. Shirts

[tyler90az]

Making the rounds in the anti/ex mormon world are the "Swedish Rescue Papers", a set of advice and instructions to the Church in Sweden on how to help members encountering "new" and troubling information about the Church. Seems to be spearheaded by Marlin K. Jensen. Among the references and helps given are the following:

CHD = Church History Department

So I thought you might be interested in seeing that FAIR and MI are represented here. I also notice one of my favorites, Bickmore's Restoring the Ancient Church, is one of the recommended books.

mormonthink contains much antiMormon material and conclusions and this is a translation from the Swedish of ostensibly LDS materials so buyer beware. This particular page is rather benign wth the antiMormon conclusions at the bottom.

I do not understand why anybody would be opposed to this.

Excellent I tell you Excellent!

Can somebody give me a link to the full Swedish Papers?

Edited July 21, 2012 by tyler90az

[tyler90az]

This is rather odd. The church wants people to have logical answers, but when I present that angle, I get jumped on for not having "faith." I promote logical, scientific, seriously rigorous examination instead of "faith" and I get slapped. Where are all the angry replies to this? Why doesn't the church just tell em all to simply have "faith" and all things will work for their good like so many Mormons tell me to online? (sarcasm mode off)

I have never experienced that online...Would you be willing to show proof?

That may occur in person but not online.

Edited July 21, 2012 by tyler90az

[tyler90az]

I just finished reading the Swedish Rescue and thought it was great. That was a very faith promoting read! Hugh B. Brown and Marlin K. Jensen hit it out of the park.

Personally, I have often wished I had a great faith. Like an Apostle said, paraphrasing, "imagine the faith I would have if I was not educated." Not that I am that educated yet but I am highly skeptical. Truth be told, I envy those who have that great faith, oh how great life would be.

At least now the church appears to working with those that have a faith crisis. They finally realize that those that have a faith crisis come back stronger then before. It is just a matter of regaining them.

The one thing I wish that would have been in the writing is to give out callings. I do not know if my situation is an isolated incident or not. A big issue with me is that I have not received a calling again or been asked to speak in church.

I was working with the Deacons prior to my falling away and never spoke ill about the church to them. I would never in my life do that. Matter of fact, upon my return a deacon came up to me and asked where I was. I said, "I have not been in the right place like you have been." Looking at it from Bishops perspective I guess I can understand. He may be scared I will lead the youth away from the church.

That does not negate the fact that I have not received any calling. I even told him that I would be willing to help clean the building. Just give me a damn calling is it that hard. It really makes me feel like I am not accepted back into the community. This makes me bitter and reluctant to commit myself fully through tithing and personal faith.

It is getting late I am starting to ramble.

[volgadon]

This is rather odd. The church wants people to have logical answers, but when I present that angle, I get jumped on for not having "faith." I promote logical, scientific, seriously rigorous examination instead of "faith" and I get slapped. Where are all the angry replies to this? Why doesn't the church just tell em all to simply have "faith" and all things will work for their good like so many Mormons tell me to online? (sarcasm mode off)

Really? Have I ever told you never to look into something seriously, but only to have blind faith? Is it because I think the book you've recommended isn't all that hot?

[bcuzbcuz]

Since I am Swedish I would appreciate seeing this information in Swedish and not just the Google translation of the same. Anyone have the actual site or how to find it?

[Tacenda]

Wow tyler90az, I'm going through something similar as you. I had to turn down a calling to teach primary because of my crisis but offered to help anywhere to do service. The bishop never responded via email, that's how I communicated, too scared to do it in person. He did speak briefly, at a church basketball game and mentioned he was sorry for not getting back to my email. I'd have loved a response. Sometimes I feel like I have a big letter on my forhead "A" for apostate. I also know I have a wild imagination. But I worried I may have been discussed in Ward Council meetings, I'd been to plenty to know the extent they discuss members and their needs. But so excited to see Marlin K. Jensen helping the "lost & confused" come back.

[Bernard Gui]

This is rather odd. The church wants people to have logical answers, but when I present that angle, I get jumped on for not having "faith." I promote logical, scientific, seriously rigorous examination instead of "faith" and I get slapped. Where are all the angry replies to this? Why doesn't the church just tell em all to simply have "faith" and all things will work for their good like so many Mormons tell me to online? (sarcasm mode off)

A prophet is not without honor.....save on his own website.

Bernard

[ERayR]

I just finished reading the Swedish Rescue and thought it was great. That was a very faith promoting read! Hugh B. Brown and Marlin K. Jensen hit it out of the park.

Personally, I have often wished I had a great faith. Like an Apostle said, paraphrasing, "imagine the faith I would have if I was not educated." Not that I am that educated yet but I am highly skeptical. Truth be told, I envy those who have that great faith, oh how great life would be.

At least now the church appears to working with those that have a faith crisis. They finally realize that those that have a faith crisis come back stronger then before. It is just a matter of regaining them.

The one thing I wish that would have been in the writing is to give out callings. I do not know if my situation is an isolated incident or not. A big issue with me is that I have not received a calling again or been asked to speak in church.

I was working with the Deacons prior to my falling away and never spoke ill about the church to them. I would never in my life do that. Matter of fact, upon my return a deacon came up to me and asked where I was. I said, "I have not been in the right place like you have been." Looking at it from Bishops perspective I guess I can understand. He may be scared I will lead the youth away from the church.

That does not negate the fact that I have not received any calling. I even told him that I would be willing to help clean the building. Just give me a damn calling is it that hard. It really makes me feel like I am not accepted back into the community. This makes me bitter and reluctant to commit myself fully through tithing and personal faith.

It is getting late I am starting to ramble.

I have a respectable education and I don't find it an impediment to faith.

[thesometimesaint]

Tacenda:

Some times our service is just to be a good example.

[Paul Pry Jr]

Anyone interested in the original Swedish documents can email me at paul.pryjr@gmail.com

[Paul Pry Jr]

May I clarify that the original documents in Swedish contains the letter from Elder Jensen in English.

[tyler90az]

Wow tyler90az, I'm going through something similar as you. I had to turn down a calling to teach primary because of my crisis but offered to help anywhere to do service. The bishop never responded via email, that's how I communicated, too scared to do it in person. He did speak briefly, at a church basketball game and mentioned he was sorry for not getting back to my email. I'd have loved a response. Sometimes I feel like I have a big letter on my forhead "A" for apostate. I also know I have a wild imagination. But I worried I may have been discussed in Ward Council meetings, I'd been to plenty to know the extent they discuss members and their needs. But so excited to see Marlin K. Jensen helping the "lost & confused" come back.

I can not say anything bad about my Bishop. In the past I may not have agreed with all his disciplinary decisions. Nonetheless, he was just doing what was best and I have a great respect for him. The first time I attended church married was really when I became active. That happened to be the day he was called and sustained to the ward, even the building was just built. There is no doubt in my mind God put him in place to teach me and he has done just that.

Sorry to go off on personal stuff a lot. Just I want to make sure people know my Bishop does a good job. Contrary to what my posts sometimes appear to indicate about him. He makes mistakes just like anybody else would.

That is interesting to know somebody else is going through a similar situation as me though.

Edited July 21, 2012 by tyler90az

[CASteinman]

This is rather odd. The church wants people to have logical answers, but when I present that angle, I get jumped on for not having "faith." I promote logical, scientific, seriously rigorous examination instead of "faith" and I get slapped. Where are all the angry replies to this? Why doesn't the church just tell em all to simply have "faith" and all things will work for their good like so many Mormons tell me to online? (sarcasm mode off)

You do not say the same things, hence the reactions you get are not the same reactions.

[Sine Saw Square]

I too would be curious to read the original Swedish text. Some quick googling in both Svenska and English returns nothing.

Served my mission there and have a lot of sympathy and understanding for Swedish members who may be struggling.

[mapman]

It was fun to read scriptures translated into Swedish translated back to English.

I was going to quote some parts that I liked, but decided that that would be too much. Looks to me like this will be a great resource. Elder Jensen is such an awesome guy!

[DBMormon]

That does not negate the fact that I have not received any calling. I even told him that I would be willing to help clean the building. Just give me a damn calling is it that hard. It really makes me feel like I am not accepted back into the community. This makes me bitter and reluctant to commit myself fully through tithing and personal faith.

In my ward you would have three callings!!!! lol

[tyler90az]

In my ward you would have three callings!!!! lol

Then I would be complaining about having too many jk...

Edited July 21, 2012 by tyler90az

[DBMormon]

We are likely to begin to see waves of these responses. Elder Jensen has indicated the church has been working on a response and hopefully we can stem the tide of lost faith among Latter-Day Saints.

[Tacenda]

I can not say anything bad about my Bishop. In the past I may not have agreed with all his disciplinary decisions. Nonetheless, he was just doing what was best and I have a great respect for him. The first time I attended church married was really when I became active. That happened to be the day he was called and sustained to the ward, even the building was just built. There is no doubt in my mind God put him in place to teach me and he has done just that.

Sorry to go off on personal stuff a lot. Just I want to make sure people know my Bishop does a good job. Contrary to what my posts sometimes appear to indicate about him. He makes mistakes just like anybody else would.

That is interesting to know somebody else is going through a similar situation as me though.

I never saw any negativity towards your bishop just frustration. I too think my bishop is only doing what he thinks best I think and admire him and anyone who has stewardship over a ward family. I don't think anyone, unless you've been one, will know the service given is beyond what most can comprehend. I think I may have even asked the bishop for some space now that I think about it. So pretty cool. Edited July 21, 2012 by Tacenda