Search found 1002 matches

by Jeffret
Fri Mar 17, 2023 9:23 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: PRRI 2022 Census of American Religion
Replies: 9
Views: 995

Re: PRRI 2022 Census of American Religion

Younger generations seem to be abandoning church in ever increasing amounts. But then, the churches seem to also be abandoning the younger generation in significant ways. One of the assistant scoutmasters in my troop, in his upper twenties, was talking with me a couple of months ago about how many c...
by Jeffret
Fri Mar 17, 2023 9:01 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: PRRI 2022 Census of American Religion
Replies: 9
Views: 995

PRRI 2022 Census of American Religion

The PRRI has released their 2022 update to their Census of American Religion and it has a few interesting tidbits relevant to Mormonism. Mostly, though, it just shows that Mormonism is pretty irrelevant to most of the country. The PRRI graphs show that the percentage of Mormons in the country has go...
by Jeffret
Sun Mar 05, 2023 3:49 pm
Forum: Support
Topic: Youth activities
Replies: 13
Views: 1379

Youth activities

I'm curious about what the youth activities are like in the Church these days. My family is all out and even the youngest is past that age, but we have extended family that are very involved. When I was a teen and as a participating adult I was very involved in youth activities. I continue to partic...
by Jeffret
Tue Sep 20, 2022 12:52 pm
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Demythologizing Mormonism
Replies: 12
Views: 1406

Re: Demythologizing Mormonism

Right. They are relying less on divine authority and more on their own authority, simply by virtue of having been ordained to their offices. One of the big perspective changes I noticed after my testimony deconstruction was being more aware of what authority they state when they speak. When the Q15...
by Jeffret
Tue Sep 20, 2022 12:34 pm
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Demythologizing Mormonism
Replies: 12
Views: 1406

Re: Demythologizing Mormonism

Hagoth wrote:
Tue Sep 20, 2022 11:50 am
Does anyone know if the miraculous transformation of Brigham Young to the image of Joseph Smith is in the Saints novelization?
That's probably a significant question.

Much of LDS doctrine during the 70's and early 80's came from Saturday's Warrior.
by Jeffret
Tue Sep 20, 2022 10:32 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Demythologizing Mormonism
Replies: 12
Views: 1406

Re: Demythologizing Mormonism

RFM's latest podcast is a fascinating discussion about how the church is beginning to downplay miraculous events in church history. This isn't beginning. This has been going on for a long time. Indeed, we can say this has been going on since at least after Brigham's death. And definitely since I st...
by Jeffret
Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:24 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Joseph Smith and the curse of the flaming sword
Replies: 18
Views: 2395

Re: Joseph Smith and the curse of the flaming sword

In "Good Omens" (book by Pratchett and Gaimain, and later Amazon Video series) we learn the history of the angel with the flaming sword from the Garden of Eden, Aziraphale. In their retelling of it, the story is a little bit different from what actually shows up in the Bible.
by Jeffret
Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:21 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Oaks vows BYU will not be part of "the World"
Replies: 24
Views: 2510

Re: Oaks vows BYU will not be part of "the World"

This is a disappointment to see Oaks doing this sort of thing. Church needs to set up a damage control for this sort of thing. I can't say Oaks talk is really a disappointment. This is exactly what I expect from him, exactly what we've seen over and over. It does highlight just how disappointing th...
by Jeffret
Wed Sep 14, 2022 9:23 am
Forum: Doctrinal Discussion
Topic: Oaks vows BYU will not be part of "the World"
Replies: 24
Views: 2510

Re: Oaks vows BYU will not be part of "the World"

It's hard to tell just what Oaks is rambling on about. He doesn't want BYU / the Church to change because of "the world". But, the world is a very non-homogeneous place. And the Church and BYU have a very long history of changing to accommodate the world. Do you remember when women couldn't wear pan...
by Jeffret
Thu Sep 08, 2022 10:21 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Help declining a sacrament meeting talk
Replies: 26
Views: 2839

Re: Help declining a sacrament meeting talk

An explanation may bring more attention to you than you want at the moment. Jeffret's line is all that is needed. Don't explain yourself to people who (incorrectly) claim to have god telling them what you need to do. Don't explain yourself to people that think they have the need, power, and authori...
by Jeffret
Thu Sep 08, 2022 9:55 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Help declining a sacrament meeting talk
Replies: 26
Views: 2839

Re: Help declining a sacrament meeting talk

I would keep it simple and short.

"I'm not able to accept that invitation now or in the near future."

Yeah, they may come back in future, but it's easy to repeat that phrase when they do. And you get marked as one of those who won't give it their all so they tend not to ask again.
by Jeffret
Mon Aug 29, 2022 2:54 pm
Forum: Support
Topic: Advice on parenting college-age student and drinking
Replies: 8
Views: 1064

Re: Advice on parenting college-age student and drinking

If they're adults they'll make their own choices. They have to and they should. You've really got to start from that foundation. (Even when they're younger than they'll still make their own choices, but that's not the discussion here, I don't think.) As parents of adults, we really cannot dictate to...
by Jeffret
Fri Aug 26, 2022 1:46 pm
Forum: Support
Topic: Resignation Poll
Replies: 29
Views: 3599

Re: Resignation Poll

Fifi de la Vergne wrote:
Fri Aug 26, 2022 9:58 am
It is done. Thank you for giving me the information and push I needed to finally go through with it.
Exciting!
by Jeffret
Fri Aug 26, 2022 8:43 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Resignation Poll
Replies: 29
Views: 3599

Re: Resignation Poll

Jeffret, how did you submit your resignation then -- did you just send a letter to church headquarters, or use Quit Mormon, or something else? I thought for Quit Mormon you need a membership number, which is why I've felt stalled. I'd like to do it as quickly and painlessly as possible. I used Quit...
by Jeffret
Thu Aug 25, 2022 9:08 pm
Forum: Support
Topic: Resignation Poll
Replies: 29
Views: 3599

Re: Resignation Poll

The only obstacle now is logistical -- I don't know what ward I'm in or my membership number, so I've got to track those down and start the paperwork. I didn't need that info when I resigned. I stopped attending before the church had whatever member login system they've created, so I never had a ne...
by Jeffret
Thu Aug 25, 2022 1:45 pm
Forum: Support
Topic: Resignation Poll
Replies: 29
Views: 3599

Re: Resignation Poll

For many years I figured it didn't really matter and it wasn't worth the bother. I thought that if they ever got around to kicking me out I might think differently about that, but I'm so insignificant there's no way it was ever going to happen. Then, a few years back my wife said she planned on subm...
by Jeffret
Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:15 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Source Says There Is Disarray Among the Q15
Replies: 29
Views: 4088

Re: Source Says There Is Disarray Among the Q15

John Dehlin is sharing on social media that one of his insider sources says there is "major discord among 12 right now on current issues" and "tithing receipts are way down". I don't have any confidence in the rumor, but I consider both of these to be likely true. I suspect tithing receipts are not...
by Jeffret
Fri Jun 17, 2022 9:19 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Stealthbishop: The Off-Broadway Play
Replies: 16
Views: 2387

Re: Stealthbishop: The Off-Broadway Play

You know what they say - book is always better than movie/play (very stressful to actors who never get it quite right). Not really true as an absolute, of course. Opinions differ, but I know of movies that are better than the book. "The Birds": The Hitchcock movie is more engaging than the original...
by Jeffret
Fri Jun 17, 2022 8:59 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Stealthbishop: The Off-Broadway Play
Replies: 16
Views: 2387

Re: Stealthbishop: The Off-Broadway Play

Fun!

Just remember the character is a character, possibly an amalgamation of different people or ideas, with probably of a lot of artistic license thrown in.
by Jeffret
Wed Jun 15, 2022 10:30 am
Forum: Support
Topic: Holy Fetch! (Update…)
Replies: 40
Views: 6945

Re: Holy Fetch!

Thanks Jeffret! I’ll be honest and admit the uncertainty does feel a bit unsettling here because in many LDS marriages the church has always been the anchor. Pull up the anchor and suddenly we both have to start doing the work to keep the marriage alive and healthy. I’ve seen too many couples go th...