happy Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Do you all feel the Church is truly mainstreaming? Will it become increasingly more standard protestant, ejecting the doctrines that made it is interesting and unique? Is the FARMS/Maxwell Institute a sign the Church wants to become a generic Christian faith? I would find it sad if the critics are finally convincing the Church it needs to ditch all of its unique doctrines in order to become more acceptable and increase its membership.
Popular Post Calm Posted August 3, 2012 Popular Post Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) No. (I think it is streamlining, not mainstreaming.) No. (I think many members are attempting to learn to speak in a more common language to increase understanding between faiths, but not to adopt each others' doctrines.) No. (It was about academic priorities and politics, imo.) Edited August 3, 2012 by calmoriah 6
happy Posted August 3, 2012 Author Posted August 3, 2012 No. No. No.So how does a rather unintelligent individual like myself who can't keep up with the barrage of information on the recent events interpret what is going on? I don't really know how to interpret it all.
CV75 Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Do you all feel the Church is truly mainstreaming?Not me; I think it is becoming more well known and less of a mystery / surprise to people. I actually think as global media expand, there is very little of a mainstream left! 1
CV75 Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 So how does a rather unintelligent individual like myself who can't keep up with the barrage of information on the recent events interpret what is going on? I don't really know how to interpret it all.Recognize your limitations and focus on and stick to what you can do the most good with--that's what I do!
Calm Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) I did clarify my answers a bit.If you don't have the time to put into learning the details, I certainly wouldn't make the mistake of just taking someone's word for it. Better to just ignore a event as irrelevant (which it is in reality to yourself if you don't feel it important enough to study in detail...and there is nothing wrong with that, people have to make choices on what is and isn't important, they don't have enough time to spend on everything) than to risk a faulty judgment, imo. If you have the time to study, then you need to read up on what has been happening over the last 100 years before making decisions about the direction of the Church as the Church being the type of institution it is tends to be slow in changing of culture and long term in its planning.If you are looking for where the Church is heading, then look to the leadership of the Church and what they are doing and saying and what is happening in your local ward, not to the various discussions of relatively small interest groups with their personal pet hobbies, both pro and critical to the Church; some may be able to provide useful insights but unless you are studying yourself, you won't be able to make judgments about which insights are actually useful and which ones aren't. Edited August 3, 2012 by calmoriah
Alan Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 I have been a member of the church for nearly 38 years following my conversion at age 14. During that time there has certainly been a "dumbing down", with some doctrines just not talked about anymore.Does this concern me? Yes it does.I am worried that the RLDS church we see today will be the LDS church of 50 years from now.
happy Posted August 3, 2012 Author Posted August 3, 2012 I did clarify my answers a bit.If you don't have the time to put into learning the details, I certainly wouldn't make the mistake of just taking someone's word for it. Better to just ignore a event as irrelevant (which it is in reality to yourself if you don't feel it important enough to study in detail...and there is nothing wrong with that, people have to make choices on what is and isn't important, they don't have enough time to spend on everything) than to risk a faulty judgment, imo. If you have the time to study, then you need to read up on what has been happening over the last 100 years before making decisions about the direction of the Church as the Church being the type of institution it is tends to be slow in changing of culture and long term in its planning.If you are looking for where the Church is heading, then look to the leadership of the Church and what they are doing and saying and what is happening in your local ward, not to the various discussions of relatively small interest groups with their personal pet hobbies, both pro and critical to the Church; some may be able to provide useful insights but unless you are studying yourself, you won't be able to make judgments about which insights are actually useful and which ones aren't.Problem is, I still would like to know why the captain is not steering away from the iceberg, even though I can't keep up with the sailing jargon or know what exactly is going on in the bridge.All I know is the captain and a group of crewmembers are arguing about the iceberg, but no one seems to know exactly what the plan is. Holing up in my stateroom is a hard thing for me to do.
Tacenda Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) I have been a member of the church for nearly 38 years following my conversion at age 14. During that time there has certainly been a "dumbing down", with some doctrines just not talked about anymore.Does this concern me? Yes it does.I am worried that the RLDS church we see today will be the LDS church of 50 years from now.I don't think the church can go the route of RLDS. It would be inconceivable, LDS have temples throughout the world. If they go the route of mainstream christianity or even just the route of RLDS, what is going to happen to the temples? Everything rises and falls on our works done in the temple. Edited August 3, 2012 by Tacenda 1
wenglund Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) So how does a rather unintelligent individual like myself who can't keep up with the barrage of information on the recent events interpret what is going on? I don't really know how to interpret it all.It's okay that you don't know how to interpret it all. It isn't your responsibility to do so. Leave it to Christ and his chosen leaders to bear that responsibility since they have the mantle of authority and revelation to do so. Feel free to unburden yourself about such things and content yourself instead with bettering yourself and doing what you can to make life better for yourself and others around you--i.e. live the gospel to the best of your ability. In short, keep doing what you have been doing. No worries, it will be all right.Thanks, -Wade Englund- Edited August 3, 2012 by wenglund 2
ksfisher Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 ejecting the doctrines that made it is interesting and unique?Out of curiosity, what doctrines is the church ejecting? 1
Calm Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Problem is, I still would like to know why the captain is not steering away from the iceberg, even though I can't keep up with the sailing jargon or know what exactly is going on in the bridge.You will need to be more specific as I don't know what you are referring to.
Sandy Petersen Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Becoming "mainstream" would torpedo any success we have, plus betray everything the Church has stood for in its history. Today in America "mainstream" protestants are about 10% of the population, with most of the rest being evangelical protestants or catholics. Mainstream protestantism has basically been destroyed as a force throughout the world and is margtinalized and ineffective.
KevinG Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Problem is, I still would like to know why the captain is not steering away from the iceberg, even though I can't keep up with the sailing jargon or know what exactly is going on in the bridge.All I know is the captain and a group of crewmembers are arguing about the iceberg, but no one seems to know exactly what the plan is. Holing up in my stateroom is a hard thing for me to do. Because the captain can see the channel while deckhands fret over ice cubes. 1
KevinG Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 I was with a group of BYU students back in the 90s who had the opportunity to ask questions of Elder Packer. One asked what the Church was going to emphasize over the next 20 years. Elder Packer responded "the same thing we have been emphasizing for the last 100 years. Family."
happy Posted August 3, 2012 Author Posted August 3, 2012 Because the captain can see the channel while deckhands fret over ice cubes.Tell that to Edward Smith...
KevinG Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Tell that to Edward Smith... I'm thinking of Thomas S. Monson. If you believe the Church is analogous to the Titanic that is a whole nuther kettle of fish.
cwald Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 I believe the church will become much more "mainstream," and will continue to evolve over time, like it has ALWAYS done. I suspect the LDS church, and all churches for that matter, will continue to become much more universal oriented and humanistic...I think it is god's plan for it to do so...to converge the "kingdom of god" from all paths, and make the planet a much better place to live. The Mormon's can't do it on there own...we need good people in all religions throughout the world building the kingdom. That is just my opinion. 1
Popular Post rodheadlee Posted August 3, 2012 Popular Post Posted August 3, 2012 I think the Church will follow whatever Jesus Christ tells us to follow through his Prophet and Apostles. 5
Buzzard Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 I think the church has and will continue to be better at PR and presenting the best face of the church to the world, but we are distinctive, and those things will continue to seperate us. While eternal families will be what the church emphasizes, what you will read the most about in the papers will be that we actually have a backbone on moral issues-in other words, sex. I think that going forward, our unwillingness to go with the wordly flow on this will be what makes us a peculiar people. 1
swfarnsworth Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Out of curiosity, what doctrines is the church ejecting?I'm sure some (especially those outside the Church) would contend that the details surrounding exaltation are receiving less and less emphasis, but they appear alive and well to me.As for the Church becoming mainstream, I read an essay on the key to the Church's success from a sociological perspective (which I will try to find if anyone is interested). It said that an important factor was retaining a medium degree of tension with the rest of society, not so much as to require a convert to adopt an entirely new way of life and be alienated from the rest of the world, but enough so that one feels like they are actually part of a group with distinction. The fact that we take our standards so seriously accomplishes this. 2
ksfisher Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 I'm sure some (especially those outside the Church) would contend that the details surrounding exaltation are receiving less and less emphasis, but they appear alive and well to me.The teaching of the doctrine of exaltation seems to be alive and well in the temple. As you say, details of this doctrine may not receive the same emphasis outside of the temple. This may be because some of those details (such as every priesthood holder getting his own planet with X number of perpetually pregnant wives) may not be all that doctrinal.
mnn727 Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 The teaching of the doctrine of exaltation seems to be alive and well in the temple. As you say, details of this doctrine may not receive the same emphasis outside of the temple. This may be because some of those details (such as every priesthood holder getting his own planet with X number of perpetually pregnant wives) may not be all that doctrinal. Or at all doctrinal
happy Posted August 3, 2012 Author Posted August 3, 2012 The teaching of the doctrine of exaltation seems to be alive and well in the temple. As you say, details of this doctrine may not receive the same emphasis outside of the temple. This may be because some of those details (such as every priesthood holder getting his own planet with X number of perpetually pregnant wives) may not be all that doctrinal.This is what does bother me a bit. Very structure doctrine seems to be downplayed and eventually called "not really doctrine". That would be what mainstreaming is.
Tacenda Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 This is what does bother me a bit. Very structure doctrine seems to be downplayed and eventually called "not really doctrine". That would be what mainstreaming is.I see in that way the church is mainstreaming but only on the surface.
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