Question/Introduction

[Mohave Aviator]

I wanted to introduce myself, and start off what I hope will be a fruitful relationship. My name is Chris. I am a 40yr old part time pilot. I have graduate education from Gateway Theological Seminary and thoroughly enjoy theology and history. Let me put you guys at ease and state right away, I am not anti Mormon. I have a step son who is a return missionary and current student at BYU. I believe in hospitable, truthful discussion with goal of mutual understanding/respect among people of various beliefs. In the future, I am going to be speaking under the assumption that I am correct ( on any topic). Likewise, I understand and assume the other parties feel the same way. Please understand, I am not here to argue, offend or convert anybody. I just enjoy robust theological/historical discourse and it is more rewarding if we dispense with the patronizing comments, ambiguous language or feigned agreement. I respect each of you enough to be honest and forthright with you ( at least as I see it 😉) and I trust you respect me enough to do the same.

 

Now, my question. As a Christian ( in the historic sense) I can walk into a church and ask any question I want. Matter of fact, questions are encouraged. It is my understanding ( correct me please, if I am wrong) that Mormons do not necessarily enjoy that privilege. So, this leads me to ask. If the Mormon church is true and I’m taking part in the great apostasy, why do Mormons handle the church with silk gloves? Shouldn’t we be able to handle the truth as rough as possible? If truth scatters darkness and always defeats falsehood, why discourage questions?

Respectfully,

Chris

[Tacenda]

25 minutes ago, Mohave Aviator said:

I wanted to introduce myself, and start off what I hope will be a fruitful relationship. My name is Chris. I am a 40yr old part time pilot. I have graduate education from Gateway Theological Seminary and thoroughly enjoy theology and history. Let me put you guys at ease and state right away, I am not anti Mormon. I have a step son who is a return missionary and current student at BYU. I believe in hospitable, truthful discussion with goal of mutual understanding/respect among people of various beliefs. In the future, I am going to be speaking under the assumption that I am correct ( on any topic). Likewise, I understand and assume the other parties feel the same way. Please understand, I am not here to argue, offend or convert anybody. I just enjoy robust theological/historical discourse and it is more rewarding if we dispense with the patronizing comments, ambiguous language or feigned agreement. I respect each of you enough to be honest and forthright with you ( at least as I see it 😉) and I trust you respect me enough to do the same.

 

Now, my question. As a Christian ( in the historic sense) I can walk into a church and ask any question I want. Matter of fact, questions are encouraged. It is my understanding ( correct me please, if I am wrong) that Mormons do not necessarily enjoy that privilege. So, this leads me to ask. If the Mormon church is true and I’m taking part in the great apostasy, why do Mormons handle the church with silk gloves? Shouldn’t we be able to handle the truth as rough as possible? If truth scatters darkness and always defeats falsehood, why discourage questions?

Respectfully,

Chris

I have a feeling my answer might work. There are LDS apologists/scholars that are available for questions on a website called fairlatterdaysaints.org And in the past I remember the ability for members to write in their questions and then answered back in the church magazine called the Ensign. Not sure if that is available anymore and the new church magazine name is the Liahona. Also when members attend Sunday School classes they are able to ask questions. But if it's not on the subject that the teacher is teaching it might take away from the teacher's message that day. And the link below is where you can ask questions galore. 

https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/

But nice to see you on the board! This discussion board is an excellent place for your questions too so ask away!

BTW, I'm not currently active in the church but I was a long time faithful member until I suffered a faith crisis. But haven't completely shut the door on the possibilities.

[AtlanticMike]

1 hour ago, Mohave Aviator said:

I wanted to introduce myself, and start off what I hope will be a fruitful relationship. My name is Chris. I am a 40yr old part time pilot. I have graduate education from Gateway Theological Seminary and thoroughly enjoy theology and history. Let me put you guys at ease and state right away, I am not anti Mormon. I have a step son who is a return missionary and current student at BYU. I believe in hospitable, truthful discussion with goal of mutual understanding/respect among people of various beliefs. In the future, I am going to be speaking under the assumption that I am correct ( on any topic). Likewise, I understand and assume the other parties feel the same way. Please understand, I am not here to argue, offend or convert anybody. I just enjoy robust theological/historical discourse and it is more rewarding if we dispense with the patronizing comments, ambiguous language or feigned agreement. I respect each of you enough to be honest and forthright with you ( at least as I see it 😉) and I trust you respect me enough to do the same.

 

Now, my question. As a Christian ( in the historic sense) I can walk into a church and ask any question I want. Matter of fact, questions are encouraged. It is my understanding ( correct me please, if I am wrong) that Mormons do not necessarily enjoy that privilege. So, this leads me to ask. If the Mormon church is true and I’m taking part in the great apostasy, why do Mormons handle the church with silk gloves? Shouldn’t we be able to handle the truth as rough as possible? If truth scatters darkness and always defeats falsehood, why discourage questions?

Respectfully,

Chris

Would you mind giving your definition of what a Christian is?  Are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, christians in your opinion?

Welcome to the board!

Edited May 13, 2021 by AtlanticMike

[rpn]

1 hour ago, Mohave Aviator said:

I can walk into a church and ask any question I want. Matter of fact, questions are encouraged. It is my understanding ( correct me please, if I am wrong) that Mormons do not necessarily enjoy that privilege.

I think members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ (the name we call ourselves) do enjoy the privilege of asking any question they choose.   Each of us gets testimonies of gospel principles line upon line.   We are encourage to study scriptures daily, to seek to learn everything about the earth and all areas of subjects.  And the church itself spends a lot in effort and money in disseminating manuals and information, and videos and scriptures around the world so that all members can be fully informed of their faith and have tools to learn all the God has to give them.   The Church further has a publishing arm that provides books and music and video to give people access to current research and the testimonies and experiences of others who love God.   We even have a manual (that goes to a college age class that is sometimes taught) about all the world religions.   And local congregations have teaching materials to teach about financial independence, emergency preparedness, family relationships, and other common issues.

[strappinglad]

One can ask any question , but if one begins to preach to others contrary to revealed doctrine , one may find oneself in conflict with authorities. 😉

[teddyaware]

4 hours ago, Mohave Aviator said:

I wanted to introduce myself, and start off what I hope will be a fruitful relationship. My name is Chris. I am a 40yr old part time pilot. I have graduate education from Gateway Theological Seminary and thoroughly enjoy theology and history. Let me put you guys at ease and state right away, I am not anti Mormon. I have a step son who is a return missionary and current student at BYU. I believe in hospitable, truthful discussion with goal of mutual understanding/respect among people of various beliefs. In the future, I am going to be speaking under the assumption that I am correct ( on any topic). Likewise, I understand and assume the other parties feel the same way. Please understand, I am not here to argue, offend or convert anybody. I just enjoy robust theological/historical discourse and it is more rewarding if we dispense with the patronizing comments, ambiguous language or feigned agreement. I respect each of you enough to be honest and forthright with you ( at least as I see it 😉) and I trust you respect me enough to do the same.

 

Now, my question. As a Christian ( in the historic sense) I can walk into a church and ask any question I want. Matter of fact, questions are encouraged. It is my understanding ( correct me please, if I am wrong) that Mormons do not necessarily enjoy that privilege. So, this leads me to ask. If the Mormon church is true and I’m taking part in the great apostasy, why do Mormons handle the church with silk gloves? Shouldn’t we be able to handle the truth as rough as possible? If truth scatters darkness and always defeats falsehood, why discourage questions?

Respectfully,

Chris

Please provide some specific examples of the kind of discouragement of asking hard questions that you say goes on in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? 

[Calm]

9 hours ago, Mohave Aviator said:

Now, my question. As a Christian ( in the historic sense) I can walk into a church and ask any question I want. Matter of fact, questions are encouraged. It is my understanding ( correct me please, if I am wrong) that Mormons do not necessarily enjoy that privilege.

Questions asked sincerely and without a gotcha intent will likely answered to the best of their ability. Depending on who you ask the quality will vary quite a bit.  Investigators coming in and asking questions because they are interested in learning are embraced.  If someone comes in to challenge members’ beliefs and not to learn, they may be asked to leave.   I don’t remember if there is an official rule against it, but it is reasonable for a faith not to be fond of someone else coming to deconvert their members. 

Debating faith beliefs and issues...not too many members interested in that, especially on Sunday.  We are encouraged not to confront or argue just for the sake of arguing and many would see such as disruptive to a Sabbath spirit.  But online, pretty easy to find...like this board.

The setup on Sunday for casual discussions isn’t great,  not many places comfortable to have a chat; people are on their way to meetings or may be teaching a class. Afterwards, family may be waiting. 
 

There may be an investigator class if there is warning you or other investigators are coming.  Never been in one, so I don’t know typical structure. The manual is pretty basic. 
 

_____

If you mean Mormons are restricted from asking questions themselves, this board should be evidence that it is not a difficulty generally speaking. If one is civil and respectful of others, chances go are discussions can be fruitful. Discussing questions in church may run into problems because people are focusing on getting to meetings and classes, teaching prep, or something else.  They may want to focus on the assigned topic. But outside of structured time, asking questions with the intent of finding answers as opposed to persuading others to change their beliefs is easy. A member can also schedule a meeting with the Bishop or get a suggestion from him of a helpful member who is educated in the area the person is curious about.

 

There are some subjects that may cause discomfort, maybe because of changing views over the years or because it is a controversial subject.  Politics are not appropriate to be is discussed, though it happens. The Church is not officially or unofficially backing any political party and only a few positional issues that have a moral impact or an impact on on the Church.  
 

It may be harder to find people willing to talk on less pleasant or familiar subjects, but plenty exist and some will do research for you if you are looking for help.

Now being critical and asking questions in aggressive, confrontational ways...that could yet you in trouble if you are disrupting meetings. 
 

It is not perfect, speaking generally here.  There may be individual wards or families that have taboo subjects (as opposed to just admitting we don’t know) and others that have study groups associated with their ward.

[sheilauk]

I have been an investigator of and been a teacher in several christian churches. I've also attended lessons.   I have been a moravian, United reform and methodist member before joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and have looked into others.  The asking and answering of questions depends entirely on the individuals involved and the setting.  I have had priests unwilling to engage in any way, Sunday school lessons that were nothing but one persons lecture and lessons that stuck strictly to the text in every church.  I have had intense discussions with others, attended meetings that went into difficult issues with out qualms in the LDS church as well as others. As a teacher,  the greatest freedom I've had in what I taught has been as LDS.  As a teacher, I have certain topics to cover in the lesson and I have to be aware of the needs of every member of the class.   I've had students ask difficult questions,  sometimes, if it's on topic I've answered and we've had a wonderful discussion,  other times I've asked the questioner to speak to me afterwards so as not to derail the lesson.   I've had teachers who were happy to respond and teachers who weren't.   I've never had a member of the bishopric or stake presidency who didn't answer questions where they were able,  we must remember that these men are not theologians!   As Calm said,  Sunday school isn't usually the place for in depth questions and most members aren't interested in deep theology,  in the LDS or any other church.   I have not seen the asking of questions encouraged in other churches nor the asking of questions discouraged as a matter of policy in the LDS church or any other.  I have found asking questions is encouraged in the LDS church more than any other I've been in, no other church held classes for adults that adults were expected to attend!  And only the Methodists held investigator/new member classes.   So, wheres your evidence of the proposition in the OP?  Yes, some people don't like questions being asked,  maybe it's more prevalent in the USA? But where's the evidence that other Christians are better at it?  In my experience,  thats not the case.   And yes, I'm aware of the limitations of my experience as evidence.

[InCognitus]

On 5/12/2021 at 5:17 PM, Mohave Aviator said:

Now, my question. As a Christian ( in the historic sense) I can walk into a church and ask any question I want. Matter of fact, questions are encouraged. It is my understanding ( correct me please, if I am wrong) that Mormons do not necessarily enjoy that privilege. So, this leads me to ask. If the Mormon church is true and I’m taking part in the great apostasy, why do Mormons handle the church with silk gloves? Shouldn’t we be able to handle the truth as rough as possible? If truth scatters darkness and always defeats falsehood, why discourage questions?

Welcome to the board. 

As several posters have already said, questions are encouraged in our classrooms and teaching situations.  

Here are some examples from the Church's teacher training manual, Teaching in the Savior’s Way:

Quote

Lead Inspired Discussions

When the Savior taught, He did more than just share information. He gave His disciples opportunities to ask questions and share their testimonies. His pattern for teaching and learning invites us to “teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom” so that “all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege” (D&C 88:77, 122).

And for difficult questions:

Quote

Respond to Difficult Questions with Faith

A good teacher encourages learners to ask questions, but sometimes a question may arise that is difficult to answer. The Lord has commanded, “Treasure up in your minds continually the words of life,” and “declare whatsoever thing ye declare … in the spirit of meekness.” His promise is that when you do these things, you will receive “in the very moment, what ye shall say” (D&C 84:85; 100:6–7).

. . . . . . .

Prepare in Advance

As you prepare to teach, pray for help to identify questions that might arise in the minds of class members. Search the scriptures and other Church resources, and consider how you might respond. Remember that the best preparation comes from seeking the Lord’s help.

Questions to ponder. As I think about my next teaching opportunity, what difficult questions might learners have? What can I do to prepare?

Scriptural example. How does the promise in 2 Nephi 32:3 relate to me as a teacher?

Refer to Official Church Resources

The best sources for answers to difficult gospel questions are the scriptures, the words of living prophets, and other official Church publications. For example, the Church has published Gospel Topics essays to help answer questions about Church history and controversial issues (see lds.org/topics). Become familiar with official Church resources, and encourage those who have questions to study them as well.

Questions to ponder. What questions have my class members asked in the past? What Church resources can help them?

From the section on Teach by the Spirit:

Quote

Be Flexible

Often the best teaching moments are unexpected—for example, when someone shares an experience or asks a question that leads to a meaningful discussion. Allow time for such moments. Listen for promptings—both as you plan and as you teach—and be willing to change your plans if necessary to follow the promptings you receive. If you are spiritually prepared, the Lord can give you “in the very moment, what ye shall say” (D&C 100:6). Remember that it is more important to follow the impressions of the Spirit than to cover a certain amount of material.

From the section, Invite Diligent Learning

Quote

Teach Learners to Find Answers in the Scriptures

A person who knows how to draw meaning out of the scriptures and turns to them daily will be able to access divine guidance to overcome any challenge. Such a person will not be dependent upon a teacher for spiritual strength. As you teach, ask questions that require learners to find answers in the scriptures. Even better, help them learn how to ask their own questions. Help them see that even though the scriptures were written many years ago, they contain the Lord’s answers to questions and problems we all face.

The bottom line?   Our teaching materials invite and encourage our members to ask questions, and the goal is to equip our membership with the ability to find answers to their own questions in the scriptures and through other resources.  Some of the best lessons I remember from Sunday School and Priesthood Quorum meetings have come from people asking good and sincere questions.

[Jane_Doe]

On 5/12/2021 at 6:17 PM, Mohave Aviator said:

I wanted to introduce myself, and start off what I hope will be a fruitful relationship. My name is Chris. I am a 40yr old part time pilot. I have graduate education from Gateway Theological Seminary and thoroughly enjoy theology and history. Let me put you guys at ease and state right away, I am not anti Mormon. I have a step son who is a return missionary and current student at BYU. I believe in hospitable, truthful discussion with goal of mutual understanding/respect among people of various beliefs. In the future, I am going to be speaking under the assumption that I am correct ( on any topic). Likewise, I understand and assume the other parties feel the same way. Please understand, I am not here to argue, offend or convert anybody. I just enjoy robust theological/historical discourse and it is more rewarding if we dispense with the patronizing comments, ambiguous language or feigned agreement. I respect each of you enough to be honest and forthright with you ( at least as I see it 😉) and I trust you respect me enough to do the same.

Hi!

My "name" is Jane.  I'm a LDS Christian, and a theology nerd.  I love coming to better understand what different people believe, because it better helps me understand and love them.  Additionally, it gives me new perspectives on beliefs myself, and helps consider things -- whether that's "that's an awesome way of stating things!" or "....no, here's a list of reasons why I passionately disagree with you."

On 5/12/2021 at 6:17 PM, Mohave Aviator said:

Now, my question. As a Christian ( in the historic sense) I can walk into a church and ask any question I want. Matter of fact, questions are encouraged. It is my understanding ( correct me please, if I am wrong) that Mormons do not necessarily enjoy that privilege.  So, this leads me to ask. If the Mormon church is true and I’m taking part in the great apostasy, why do Mormons handle the church with silk gloves? Shouldn’t we be able to handle the truth as rough as possible? If truth scatters darkness and always defeats falsehood, why discourage questions?

As a person who literally walks into different churches and asks what and why people believe as they do, I actually find that LDS Christians are the MOST encouraging of questions.  Asking questions is foundational to faith development, and developing your epistemological methods is also encouraged.  

Other Christian churches... can be a mixed bag.  I've been to some that are great, some that tell me "just shut up and believe this because I told you to".    And frequent "I don't know what I believe, let me go get the pastor.".  It's uncommon for me to visit a mainstream Christian church and have a person who's able to discuss epistemological methods with me ("I believe the Bible because the Bible says it is true" isn't a epistemological method in my mind).   If it's a "hard" question (like "how are three persons one God"), I almost always get the answers along the lines of "stop asking questions and just believe it else you're burn in Hell".