"Sensitive" Units

[Kenngo1969]

Time for a dead-end inquiry.  My threads never spark much discussion anyway, even when I would like them to.    

Whaddayagonna do?  

I saw this at the churchofjesuschristtemples.org Website.  Apparently, the guy who runs it really got in "on the ground floor," essentially "beating the Church of Jesus Christ to the punch" (OK, bad analogy ) when it comes to level and quality of information included on a Website about Temples, and apparently, they came to an agreement that allows him to keep his site up and running.

Which is good.

Because it's a fantastic site, and clearly a labor of love for him.

He has Church statistics on his site which include this:

[When I clear out my "Uploaded Images" portion of the site, let the record show that this one was a snip of the Church of Jesus Christ statistic, with a parenthetical that has the statement "(includes sensitive units)."]

My question: What the heck is a sensitive unit?  My guesses?  A unit in an area where the church is not recognized officially?  A unit in an area in which the church isn't allowed to proselytize because of agreement with the government?

Rumors and speculation welcome!  

Third-hand accounts from low-level authorities welcome!

Thirty-third hand accounts from very distant relatives welcome!

  

Do you know what a "sensitive unit" is?  

Have you ever been in a "sensitive unit"?

"Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller ... Bueller?"

[teddyaware]

2 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Time for a dead-end inquiry.  My threads never spark much discussion anyway, even when I would like them to.    

Whaddayagonna do?  

I saw this at the churchofjesuschristtemples.org Website.  Apparently, the guy who runs it really got in "on the ground floor," essentially "beating the Church of Jesus Christ to the punch" (OK, bad analogy ) when it comes to level and quality of information included on a Website about Temples, and apparently, they came to an agreement that allows him to keep his site up and running.

Which is good.

Because it's a fantastic site, and clearly a labor of love for him.

He has Church statistics on his site which include this:

[When I clear out my "Uploaded Images" portion of the site, let the record show that this one was a snip of the Church of Jesus Christ statistic, with a parenthetical that has the statement "(includes sensitive units)."]

My question: What the heck is a sensitive unit?  My guesses?  A unit in an area where the church is not recognized officially?  A unit in an area in which the church isn't allowed to proselytize because of agreement with the government?

Rumors and speculation welcome!  

Third-hand accounts from low-level authorities welcome!

Thirty-third hand accounts from very distant relatives welcome!

  

Do you know what a "sensitive unit" is?  

Have you ever been in a "sensitive unit"?

"Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller ... Bueller?"

Did a 20 minute Google search and found nada. The one source that looked promising has since been deleted.

[Chum]

This page mentions sensitive areas frequently - but I haven't hit on a direct explanation yet.  Just lots of hints.

https://ldschurchgrowth.blogspot.com/2015/06/june-2015-monthly-newsletter.html

edit: The hints seem to indicate areas where either Christianity or the Church in particular isn't welcome by default.

Edited September 25, 2021 by Chum

[rpn]

I'm not sure that being able to find "sensitive wards" would be healthy or appropriate in any case.  In the interest of not harming others, I'd suggest deletion of this thread.

[Chum]

14 minutes ago, rpn said:

I'm not sure that being able to find "sensitive wards" would be healthy or appropriate in any case.  In the interest of not harming others, I'd suggest deletion of this thread.

Personally, I'd expect this sort of caution to follow a known risk. Are there known risks in play here? Could this be a case where you feel we should obfuscate first and reason later?

[Kenngo1969]

40 minutes ago, rpn said:

I'm not sure that being able to find "sensitive wards" would be healthy or appropriate in any case.  In the interest of not harming others, I'd suggest deletion of this thread.

I don't want to know where they are.  I'm not demanding membership lists.  I'm not demanding that people put their lives at stake to satisfy my curiosity.    

[Chum]

5 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said:

I don't want to know where they are.  I'm not demanding membership lists.  I'm not demanding that people put their lives at stake to satisfy my curiosity.    

Yep. You're just trying to get a bead on an interesting sounding facet of the church. 

It seems to me that an explainer about sensitive units and some info on what their day-to-day is like should come before any suggestions of self-censorship.

[Kenngo1969]

1 hour ago, Chum said:

This page mentions sensitive areas frequently - but I haven't hit on a direct explanation yet.  Just lots of hints.

https://ldschurchgrowth.blogspot.com/2015/06/june-2015-monthly-newsletter.html

edit: The hints seem to indicate areas where either Christianity or the Church in particular isn't welcome by default.

No cheese?  

 

[Kenngo1969]

2 hours ago, teddyaware said:

Did a 20 minute Google search and found nada. The one source that looked promising has since been deleted.

Thanks for your efforts.  Well, if Google doesn't know ...    (Sorry you used time that could have been put to better use ... )

[Chum]

1 minute ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Well, if Google doesn't know

I found it right away on duckduckgo. It was the top result.

Actually it the only relevant result. If that one wasn't there I would have struck out too.

[strappinglad]

Actually, it refers to units where all the male members have embraced their feminine side and purged their toxic masculine traits. 😉

[Kenngo1969]

13 minutes ago, strappinglad said:

Actually, it refers to units where all the male members have embraced their feminine side and purged their toxic masculine traits. 😉

  

 I know I'm never going to get an answer to my question, yet, strangely, this thread is turning out to be worthwhile, anyway!  

[Tacenda]

Why don't you ask the person that shared? 

[Calm]

7 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Why don't you ask the person that shared? 

Good idea. Here is a link for contacting the webmaster of the site:

https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/contact/

[rpn]

5 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

I don't want to know where they are.  I'm not demanding membership lists.  I'm not demanding that people put their lives at stake to satisfy my curiosity

 

But you don't have to know where they are or demanding membership lists to put lives at risk.   All you have to do is for this to surface in some perusal of social media by someone who's job it is to keep an authoritarian/malevolent  eye on religious people in their country.  Then they can use what everyone is saying here to identify whomever they want.

[rpn]

5 hours ago, Chum said:

Personally, I'd expect this sort of caution to follow a known risk. Are there known risks in play here? Could this be a case where you feel we should obfuscate first and reason later?

Personally if I lived in a congregation where my safety was at risk when people knew my faith, or that might try to hurt my faith, I'd be praying that those who are not so burdened had enough compassion not to discuss my situation online.

[Chum]

4 minutes ago, rpn said:

Personally if I lived in a congregation where my safety was at risk when people knew my faith, or that might try to hurt my faith, I'd be praying that those who are not so burdened had enough compassion not to discuss my situation online.

I'd prefer the support of my Church family over isolation, due to folks being too timid to even consider my life.

[Kenngo1969]

52 minutes ago, rpn said:

 

But you don't have to know where they are or demanding membership lists to put lives at risk.   All you have to do is for this to surface in some perusal of social media by someone who's job it is to keep an authoritarian/malevolent  eye on religious people in their country.  Then they can use what everyone is saying here to identify whomever they want.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not go into countries in which, previously, it lacked a presence, through the back door, even if being transparent requires it to do business with authoritarian regimes.  The Church of Jesus Christ will not commence operations in countries in which the safety of its members cannot, reasonably, be assured, and it will cease operations where they have begun if such operations put the safety of its members in question.  By no means do I wish to force anyone who feels that his or her life or welfare would be put at risk by volunteering the information to participate on this thread.  I would discourage the participation of anyone in that position.

And by all means, you are welcome to think me a callous, unfeeling, malevolent, ignorant cad (and worse).  You wouldn't be the first (especially among people who don't know me at all and are unlikely ever to meet me) to think that.

Edited September 26, 2021 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

58 minutes ago, rpn said:

Personally if I lived in a congregation where my safety was at risk when people knew my faith, or that might try to hurt my faith, I'd be praying that those who are not so burdened had enough compassion not to discuss my situation online.

I know!  How dare I be so cruel, cold, mean, callous, unfeeling,  and heartless!  The nerve!  Really!  I'm reasonably certain that to whatever extent actual formally organized units exist under the circumstances you describe (color me doubtful; I'm just funny that way) that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would not publicize even the fact that they exist.  It would be a "You don't ask, and we won't tell" situation.

But you go right on ahead thinking that I'm putting untold lives in jeopardy.  For reasons that I'm sure I would never be able to even begin to fathom, it appears to be what's putting wind in your sails and floating your boat this evening.  

[Kenngo1969]

16 hours ago, Tacenda said:

Why don't you ask the person that shared? 

 

16 hours ago, Calm said:

Good idea. Here is a link for contacting the webmaster of the site:

https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/contact/

Done.  Thanks.

[JustAnAustralian]

In the CDOL (church directory of leadership) search (need to have leadership related callings to access it), there is a dropdown that lets you use "sensitivity" as a search option when looking for positions, organisations, and departments. I've never been able to have one appear, and it isn't explained on the search page so I have no idea what they actually mean.

[Tacenda]

On 9/26/2021 at 8:54 AM, Kenngo1969 said:

 

Done.  Thanks.

Are you able to share what you found out?

[Kenngo1969]

Haven't heard back yet, unless the reply is stuck in a filter.  I'll let you know.

[Kenngo1969]

On 9/26/2021 at 8:33 PM, JustAnAustralian said:

In the CDOL (church directory of leadership) search (need to have leadership related callings to access it), there is a dropdown that lets you use "sensitivity" as a search option when looking for positions, organisations, and departments. I've never been able to have one appear, and it isn't explained on the search page so I have no idea what they actually mean.

Huh.  Interesting.  (I hate it when people have only enough information to pique my curiosity, but they don't have more than that! )

[JustAnAustralian]

22 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Huh.  Interesting.  (I hate it when people have only enough information to pique my curiosity, but they don't have more than that! )

As an aside there is also a "Private" search filter. Only thing it seems to filter you to is the various area coordinating councils though.