'Mormon Group' Plans "Mass Weekend Resignation" From Church

[Pahoran]

Tacenda, Prop 8 and polygamy are only a couple of the reasons that people give for leaving the Church. Those people never had testimonies, or had lost them long before they began to lose their belief.

Glenn

What I think Tacenda fails to realise is that people who pull these kinds of stunts do it to make a point. They will therefore argue whatever they think makes their point stronger, whether it reflects what really happened or not.

Regards,

Pahoran

[KevinG]

Pahoran, I can take it, I like plain speaking. But to get to the reason for the mass resignation, there are plenty of personal stories of people leaving because of both prop 8 and polygamy reasons.

Are they still upset over the manifesto? I thought those people left in 1903?

[ERayR]

Mass resignations are silly. To officially remove your name from the records, it's still an individual thing.

It is but a public temper tantrum. Hey look at me folks. Will you give me some attention now?

[ERayR]

Yes, you are right. I certainly do limit what I believe a loving God is capable of doing. There are things which some people have attributed to God that simply grieve my soul. When that happens, I have to reject it. I have to say, though, that sometimes it is my faulty understanding that is grieving me and not the truth. In those cases, I have to readjust my thinking.

It is good that you recognize the possibility that the fault may be in your reasoning and not God's.

I was talking about some of the comments made on this very board, and they were "putdowns". These people are being talked about (by some) as though they are silly little children, needing attention. If any of them are reading this, and some may very well be, I don't think it would exactly encourage them to give the church a second look.

If you act like silly little children then people are going to get the wrong idea and think you are.

Yes, I'm pretty sure, everyone of us, who have ever questioned the church, has at some point felt truly embarrassed about being so naive or uninformed...which makes the "public display" of resigning all the more difficult and perhaps even takes a certain amount of humility and courage.

I don't know why not knowing something should embarrass you unless you think you are supposed to know everything. Personally I have not been under that illusion. Too many people letting me know different.

Public display really isn't all that difficult if your looking for attention and certainly doesn't take or indicate humility and courage.

I don't see any attempt at "bullying" in this. Yes, there may be people willing to help, but if all the protesters see is negativity directed at them, why would they bother? Most probably will not come back....but some may...it happens all the time. Better not to help them burn bridges, with negative comments, don't you think? If I were inclined to help someone back into the church, I would just love on them and let them know how valuable they are to Heavenly Father and how very much they will be missed.

It is bullying. Give me what I want or I will publicly embarrass you. Too much ego to be embarrassed themselves. They are lighting the matches and holding the torches and you accuse the posters of burning the bridges? I don't see the logic. When you really love someone and they are making a mistake you let them know. A true friend does not enable their errors. I don't know anywhere where God says I love you so go do what you want, there are no rules and no consequences.

[ERayR]

Pahoran, I can take it, I like plain speaking. But to get to the reason for the mass resignation, there are plenty of personal stories of people leaving because of both prop 8 and polygamy reasons.

Hardly a mass resignation. 100 or so out of 4 million or so. If you wanted to see a mass resignation you should have been around for the Nauvoo period.

[Libs]

But, that's just those who showed up on one particular day. According to Elder Jensen, there is an apostasy, in progress, of which the church has not seen the likes of, since Kirtland.

[Calm]

Hardly a mass resignation. 100 or so out of 4 million or so. If you wanted to see a mass resignation you should have been around for the Nauvoo period.

John Larsen, whose wife organized the event, stated it was about 50, though they ran out of forms.

[Calm]

But, that's just those who showed up on one particular day. According to Elder Jensen, there is an apostasy, in progress, of which the church has not seen the likes of, since Kirtland.

There is some folklore being attached to Elder Jensen's comments. Hopefully this will be corrected soon.

[Libs]

I don't know why not knowing something should embarrass you unless you think you are supposed to know everything. Personally I have not been under that illusion. Too many people letting me know different.

Well, for me, personally, I really did think that I should have known more about this church I joined, 12 years ago. It was kind of embarrassing to have critics of the church know more about church history and Joseph Smith, than I did. I even thought some of the things I read were lies (coming from antis)...most were not, although, I have since realized that much of it gets very distorted, by critics, even though the information (quotes and such) are accurate. So, I'm still learning..

It is bullying. Give me what I want or I will publicly embarrass you. Too much ego to be embarrassed themselves. They are lighting the matches and holding the torches and you accuse the posters of burning the bridges? I don't see the logic. When you really love someone and they are making a mistake you let them know. A true friend does not enable their errors. I don't know anywhere where God says I love you so go do what you want, there are no rules and no consequences.

I didn't say, "I love you, now, go and do what you want" (although, I do believe in unconditional love and try to practice it). I said (and what I meant was), "Heavenly Father loves you and wants you to come home to him".

[Libs]

There is some folklore being attached to Elder Jensen's comments. Hopefully this will be corrected soon.

Really? There is an audio of the whole conversation, so not sure how it could be "folklore"...unless it was tampered with.

[Tacenda]

Really? There is an audio of the whole conversation, so not sure how it could be "folklore"...unless it was tampered with.

I have it if you need it.

[BlueDreams]

Libs,

I can appreciate your pov. I do hope one day they can come back or at least temper their views a bit. But honestly, they sound really childish (this is me being kind, my inner east coaster wants to say something along the lines of "moron"...in real life I don't have much tact some days ) Honestly, if they were my friends, I'd take their hand pat it gently, and then whack it good and hard. (I'm not joking, I've done this) I'd look them in the face and say: "look, I know you've got your issues with the church...so sign the freaking paper and call it good if that's what you want. Live up to the added intellectual growth/maturity you've said you've gotten from leaving." Honestly, reading their comments was embarrassing. And not for me because I'm active lds, but for them because I really don't think they see how it comes off as condecsending and intellectually over-simplified/rash.

With luv,

BD

[Libs]

I can appreciate your pov, as well, BD. I guess we all have our own "style" and ways of dealing with people. Some people do need a little harshness, at times, to wake them up..and, coming from someone you trust and KNOW loves you, it is easier to take, than from some anonymous stranger on the internet, who doesn't even know you....y/k?

[Libs]

I have it if you need it.

Thanks, Tacenda. I think I have it saved, somewhere.

[BlueDreams]

Forgive my ignorance, what's "y/k?"

And from Anonymous strangers...probably so. But honestly, if you open up your issues on the very anonymous internet, it's kinda up for grabs. You should probably expect it. Just saying, it comes with the territory. If someone doesn't want anonymous tips for one's life (either for, neutral, or against), don't publicisize it. It's pretty simple.

With luv,

BD

[Storm Rider]

I have not heard if this few dozen people got together and resigned en masse; did it happen?

[Calm]

John Larsen reports that about 50 did and they plan to post the document that lists all their names online. I think he mentions this in the thread "Dehlin's methodology", but you can always just go to his profile and pull up his recent content to find fast and eliminate reading other responses if you aren't interested in those.

[Damien the Leper]

I am able to recognize useful, well researched, peaceful and civil protest. However, this act by these people screams of narcissism. Poor form, indeed. It seems more to be an attempt to publicly humiliate the Lord's Church. I wonder who'll get the last laugh in this game.

[Spammer]

For those born into the Church, their anger is misplaced. They should be protesting against the way they were raised by parents who failed to teach them the true independence that the Gospel offers

I was born into the church, seminary grad, honorable mission, temple marriage, etc. I never received a witness or ever felt the spirit in any recognizable way. I put up with the 'blame the victim' or 'blame the parents' mentality and comments in GD and elder's quorum for many years before I couldn't take it anymore and stopped going to church in 2006. I know it flies in the face of the "one true church" paradigm and Moroni's Promise, but I really was sincere and had real intent when praying for a witness and my parents are good people. It used to be that no matter what ward I attended, in Utah or elsewhere, I would hear some ignoramus church members making these kinds of accusatory statements whenever the topic of testimony or personal revelation comes up - which was every couple of weeks, at least. Is this still the case? If so, then I'm not going back. Threads like this one make it seem like nothing has changed at all. My wife and kids go, but I'm done. Even my wife and my in-laws have played the 'blame my parents' card to my face. I don't blame then, I blame the church culture for creating such an insulting claim. That's the only way I can avoid being furious with my wife when she talks like that. She's getting it from church members who flap their gums ignorantly and presumptioously in GD and relief society. Since I was sincere and desperate for any kind of spiritual experiences, why would I want to continue to subject myself to such ignorant and arrogant comments that seek to explain away my failure to gain a testimony? Just so we're clear, accusing me of insincerity or a secret desire to sin impugns my integrity. Blaming my parents maligns their character. Mormons who talk this way, making assumptions about people they don't even know, or who talk this way spreading rumors, even if in their own mind they mean well, are despicable. They do incalculable damage to people like me. The last elder's quorum meeting I ever attended had "How to detect personal revelation" as the lesson for the day. About mid-way, I raised my hand and asked whether failure to ever feel the spirit or gain the promised witness is always the person's fault (he's insincere, lacking in faith, harboring a desire to sin or an unrepented sin, etc. etc.). One guy loudly said yes and every single head in the packed room nodded in unison. I knew then that the church has nothing to offer me and that was that. I see from this thread that things in the church haven't changed. If I lived in SLC I would have joined the mass resignation group.

[Calm]

I knew then that the church has nothing to offer me and that was that. I see from this thread that things in the church haven't changed.

It is remarkable how easy it is to find evidences for our positions once we have made up our minds on something.

[Spammer]

It is remarkable how easy it is to find evidences for our positions once we have made up our minds on something.

A typical, 'blame the struggler' statement. Did you attend my final elder's quorum meeting?

[Nemesis]

A typical, 'blame the struggler' statement. Did you attend my final elder's quorum meeting?

This is exactly why we don't allow people to post their testimonies or untestimonies, because they take any response personal.

Nemesis

[Spammer]

Blanket statements by some church members about people who lose their testimonies make it very personal to people like me. Sorry, but I needed to get my experience out there. It's not the case that everyone who leaves the church does so because they're insincere, harboring secret sin, or had bad parents. That's the motive for my post. Some people really don't have their prayers answered. Such comments are hurtful and help to drive people like me away.

[Tacenda]

A typical, 'blame the struggler' statement. Did you attend my final elder's quorum meeting?

Relief Society was unbearable last week. It was such a us vs. them mentality. Something about a comment from Elder Bednar saying something concerning the Romney candidacy. I guess members need to buck up for some heavy persecuting. Makes me feel like the early pioneers. Though you'd think that would be so over by now. Why do our beliefs bother people to the extent they do, is there a reason?

[Deborah]

Blanket statements by some church members about people who lose their testimonies make it very personal to people like me.

My question is why you would take such statements so personally if you didn't feel there was some truth in them. Honestly if someone says something that doesn't apply to me I don't pay any attention to it. To accept the ill-fitting shoe when it isn't yours seems to be a way of excusing your anger.

I don't know your circumstances but I do know human nature. I think sometimes people just say too much of what should be kept private and then they get upset when someone comments negatively to what they say. If you don't want to hear someone else's view on on something then don't ask them.