What should you share with the Bishop?

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moksha
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What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by moksha » Wed Mar 21, 2018 5:19 pm

What types of personal information should you share with an LDS Bishop? If they are to act as a spiritual guide, then you would naturally want to be open and honest with them. If they are merely a person appointed to run your ward's business, then you wouldn't want to share personal information with them.

From what I've I heard from others, keeping confessional-type information confidential is haphazardly observed. Seems like that information is sometimes shared in an ever-widening circle of gossip.

Too much information might lead them to the sin of judgmentalism and make them think they are supposed to function as a judge Israel meting out punishment for sins, rather than allocating that to The Big Guy or lawfully empowered courts. That can make them forget to put down their stone and forgive.

Too bad there wasn't some absolution slot machine set up in the church foyer. Put in a dollar token that would be used to feed the poor, pull the handle, and hear the salvatory electronic words: "Absolved! Absolved!"

What are your thoughts on this matter?
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha

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RubinHighlander
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by RubinHighlander » Wed Mar 21, 2018 5:34 pm

moksha wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 5:19 pm
What types of personal information should you share with an LDS Bishop?
Depends...
- how much and how often you drink the koolaid?
- do you enjoy being treated like a child?
- do you like being humiliated?
- do you believe your bishop is truly endowed with magical powers from the beyond?
- do you think there are real consequences in an afterlife if you don't disclose all the details of your natural penguin unworthiness?
“Sir,' I said to the universe, 'I exist.' 'That,' said the universe, 'creates no sense of obligation in me whatsoever.”
--Douglas Adams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzmYP3PbfXE

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Not Buying It
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by Not Buying It » Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:04 pm

Why tell your bishop anything? If you need advice, why go to someone the Church picked for you? Why not go to someone you trust of your own choosing? The Church’s pick may or may not be wise, knowledgeable, and discreet.

And never, ever, ever confess anything to a bishop under any circumstances.
"The truth is elegantly simple. The lie needs complex apologia. 4 simple words: Joe made it up. It answers everything with the perfect simplicity of Occam's Razor. Every convoluted excuse withers." - Some guy on Reddit called disposazelph

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Phil Lurkerman
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by Phil Lurkerman » Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:07 pm

Never tell a bishop anything.
I was once a cafeteria Mormon on a hunger strike. Have since found a buffet elsewhere.

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wtfluff
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by wtfluff » Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:10 pm

Phil Lurkerman wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:07 pm
Never tell a bishop anything.
I'm with Phil!

Yep. Tell the bishop absolutely nothing. That is the correct answer.
Faith does not give you the answers, it just stops you asking the questions. -Frater Ravus

IDKSAF -RubinHighlander

You can surrender without a prayer...

Anon70
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by Anon70 » Thu Mar 22, 2018 2:27 am

Phil Lurkerman wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:07 pm
Never tell a bishop anything.
This gets my vote. And I felt this way back when I was mostly TBM. My TBM relatives also discussed this today and all agreed that confessing is a terrible idea.

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No Tof
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by No Tof » Thu Mar 22, 2018 5:45 am

Ok, so I still have members of my former ward approach me and call me BP and tell me how much they loved me as their bishop. :?

That being said, I recently spoke to my own interview with my current BP in which I didn’t confide a thing and would recommend that approach to all. Set your own boundaries and stick to your comfort zone. Share your deep feelings and intimate details only with loving friends or certified professionals.

Bishops, bless their hearts are just guys thrown into an impossible position by the church. Usually there is no or poorly executed training and then you are expected to be Jesus for your ward. Amongst these “guys” are some wolves among the sheep types who prey on others. I always hoped these were the few but as I look more closely there are just too many and the cover ups by the church is indefensible.

I used to be proud to be a RM and a former BP. Now it’s a bit like sea sickness.
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing, there is a field. I'll meet you there.
Rumi

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The Beast
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by The Beast » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:09 am

wtfluff wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:10 pm
Phil Lurkerman wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:07 pm
Never tell a bishop anything.
I'm with Phil!

Yep. Tell the bishop absolutely nothing. That is the correct answer.
Yep. NOTHING. Ever.
Are you on the square? Are you on the level?

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slavereeno
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by slavereeno » Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:17 am

Nothing gets my vote as well.

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2bizE
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by 2bizE » Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:23 am

wtfluff wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:10 pm
Phil Lurkerman wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:07 pm
Never tell a bishop anything.
I'm with Phil!

Yep. Tell the bishop absolutely nothing. That is the correct answer.
No sins of any kind is the correct answer.
Swapping fishing stories is acceptable.
~2bizE

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wtfluff
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by wtfluff » Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:54 am

2bizE wrote:
Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:23 am
wtfluff wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:10 pm
Phil Lurkerman wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 8:07 pm
Never tell a bishop anything.
I'm with Phil!

Yep. Tell the bishop absolutely nothing. That is the correct answer.
No sins of any kind is the correct answer.
Swapping fishing stories is acceptable.
Yeah, that hit me just before I read your post.

"Share' with the bishop about your favorite (useless) sports team, the weather, etc.
Faith does not give you the answers, it just stops you asking the questions. -Frater Ravus

IDKSAF -RubinHighlander

You can surrender without a prayer...

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LostMormon
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by LostMormon » Thu Mar 22, 2018 12:20 pm

I have always felt, it's none of my neighbors business.

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SincereInquirer
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by SincereInquirer » Thu Mar 22, 2018 2:02 pm

In terms of "confession", "sins or misdeeds", or "things to repent from", absolutely nothing.

I am going to tell each one of my children that they don't have to tell the bishop anything about these things either, and that it is none of his business. If they feel the need, they should confess to God and not to any man and call it good.

The next step is going to be to send our bishop an email stating that I don't want them interviewed alone anymore so I can police this. The BS shaming stops now.

I feel strong about this right now, but I wonder what the result with TBM DW will be. Wish me luck.
"I don't need the Mormon church to be true, I just need it to not be verifiably false." - something I read somewhere...(help me give proper citation credit if you know where this came from)

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StarbucksMom
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by StarbucksMom » Thu Mar 22, 2018 2:25 pm

The essays.

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SeeNoEvil
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by SeeNoEvil » Thu Mar 22, 2018 3:54 pm

SHARE NOTHING!

ZADOK'S RULE #3 - Never Confess. Anyone that wants to hear your confession is only going to use it against you. Never Confess!!!
"Every event that has taken place in this universe has led you to this moment.
... The real question is, what will you do with this moment?" - Unknown

"Never arrive @ a point where you know everything - Korihor57

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wtfluff
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by wtfluff » Thu Mar 22, 2018 4:35 pm

StarbucksMom wrote:
Thu Mar 22, 2018 2:25 pm
The essays.
This is very good too!

Sports (lame), weather, essays: All very shareable items. (Not necessarily in that order.)
Faith does not give you the answers, it just stops you asking the questions. -Frater Ravus

IDKSAF -RubinHighlander

You can surrender without a prayer...

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achilles
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by achilles » Thu Mar 22, 2018 4:58 pm

"Cardinal! Poke her with the soft cushions!"

"Confess, woman, confess!"

http://attackontitan.wikia.com/wiki/File:Confess.gif
pillows.gif
pillows.gif (41.78 KiB) Viewed 13777 times
“For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”

― Carl Sagan

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moksha
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by moksha » Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:23 am

SeeNoEvil wrote:
Thu Mar 22, 2018 3:54 pm
SHARE NOTHING!
ZADOK'S RULE #3 - Never Confess. Anyone that wants to hear your confession is only going to use it against you. Never Confess!!!
I understand that for Catholics, the sacrament of confession can be a powerful tool for alleviating feelings of guilt, shame, and inadequacy. Of course, Catholic priests have taken a sacred oath not to reveal what is confessed to them, nor do they seek to punish penitants for what they have confessed although they might ask them to say some Hail Marys and perhaps root for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame against USC Trojans.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha

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SincereInquirer
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by SincereInquirer » Fri Mar 23, 2018 8:53 am

moksha wrote:
Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:23 am
SeeNoEvil wrote:
Thu Mar 22, 2018 3:54 pm
SHARE NOTHING!
ZADOK'S RULE #3 - Never Confess. Anyone that wants to hear your confession is only going to use it against you. Never Confess!!!
I understand that for Catholics, the sacrament of confession can be a powerful tool for alleviating feelings of guilt, shame, and inadequacy. Of course, Catholic priests have taken a sacred oath not to reveal what is confessed to them, nor do they seek to punish penitants for what they have confessed although they might ask them to say some Hail Marys and perhaps root for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame against USC Trojans.
Exactly. Saying some Hail Marys is completely different than confessing and getting a public shaming in return...no taking the sacrament, no participating in the sacrament (for young men), no praying at church, etc. Something for all to see that you aren't "worthy". Not a great way to alleviate feelings of shame.

It's all a bunch of BS. They only have what power you give them.
"I don't need the Mormon church to be true, I just need it to not be verifiably false." - something I read somewhere...(help me give proper citation credit if you know where this came from)

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Corsair
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Re: What should you share with the Bishop?

Post by Corsair » Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:06 am

SeeNoEvil wrote:
Thu Mar 22, 2018 3:54 pm
SHARE NOTHING!

ZADOK'S RULE #3 - Never Confess. Anyone that wants to hear your confession is only going to use it against you. Never Confess!!!
Confession is supposed to be good for the soul. It can be good for the soul when reconciling and repenting when you have offended or harmed another person. But this is not how confession in the LDS church usually works. The reconciliation often comes under the harsh scrutiny of public shame as you are not allowed to participate in an ordinance. This commonly has the effect of broadcasting a false advertisement of the infraction you confessed to a priesthood leader. In short, everyone assumes it's porn.

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