Respect

[Hagoth]

Is it just me, or do Mormon leaders seem to demand absolute respect for themselves and their belief system while being the least likely to extend a similar degree of respect to others?

[dogbite]

They demand respect because they have a position and title. Even though they have not acted now or the past in ways that earn the respect they claim to simply deserve.

[deacon blues]

The male leaders especially; even 19 year old- now 18 year old- missionaries seem to be affected by the adulation of members. It can be detrimental, as RM’s get their egos puffed up, and then deflated by real life relationships.

[deacon blues]

The male leaders especially; even 19 year old- now 18 year old- missionaries seem to be affected by the adulation of members. It can be detrimental, as RM’s get their egos puffed up, and then deflated by real life relationships.

[Palerider]

Most (maybe not all) male leaders are happy to be affable as long as you are looking at them with starry eyes and a bobble head gesture.
But ask too many difficult questions or disagree with what they say and you'll find out just how seriously they take themselves.

[moksha]

The true monk should walk on rice paper and leave no footprints rather than walk away with tithing money in his pocket.

[Conman52]

Yes leaders demand respect because that church title stokes their ego !!! It's all part of the plan. If you have a title you are to think of yourself as this super righteous person just because you are the bishop or stake president . They want the respect but refuse to reciprocate it to the average members !! When I was off the church roles for 2 years but still attended with my wife no one even talked to me they didn't want to catch the sickness of being an apostate !! I regret ever agreeing to be rebaptized I should have called my wife's bluff about her divorcing me if I didn't come back to the church. I think leaving the church for good is somewhere in my future.

[Cnsl1]

In their minds...

Even though everyone is entitled to personal revelation, I'm entitled to that plus revelation relevant to lead everyone within my stewardship. The more sheep in my fold, the greater the stewardship. I've been directly taught that God works through me to guide and direct you. Ergo, I'm blessed with greater gifts of the spirit necessary to do that job. Since, like many people, I've got the natural human motivation to achieve and feel good about myself, I want very much to do what I feel I am supposed to do. Lead and direct you. I must have done something good to deserve this calling, so I'll continue doing what I've been doing and mimicking the leaders above me because obviously I've been given this calling for a reason. So I will exercise my authority and follow the spirit, and since I'm expected to feel it better than you, I will tell you what you should do and always feel justified in my words and actions because I'm being led by the spirit.

I don't have to apologize because I'm being led by the spirit. I don't have to explain myself because God asks that we have faith. I have very very little check and balance on my behavior. The less checks the higher I ascend gaining priesthood power, until maybe some day I'm at the very top and I can do things I've always wanted to do. I can be unleashed.

It's all BS but that's what is in their minds.

[Conman52]

Very well said !!

[nibbler]

Claimed authority is the belief system.

I suspect it works from both ends. Leaders demand respect because an absence of respect chips away at the church's authority. Making authority itself a focal point of the religion creates a spiritual arrogance that makes the leaders demand respect.

[Cnsl1]

And it was my experience when I was in local leadership positions, whenever I or anyone had a truly good novel idea that would actually help people but was a bit outside the box, the idea never became action, as anything outside the box needed to be floated up the chain. I once sat in a meeting with stake leaders about our ward where we were asked how to help family A get through problem X so they could get to the temple, which is what family A wanted to do. I gave a very simple solution that was a bit outside the box but completely within what was allowed per the handbook. This would accomplish the goal very quickly, but the "general rule of thumb" for our stake was that people had to wait a while longer before they could get these blessings of the temple. I asked how long the handbook said they had to be worthy. It didn't give a set time. If they're worthy today, give them a recommend. Everyone chuckled but the family didn't get their recommend and as far as I'm aware, they still don't have recommends and that was over a decade ago. In fact, now they no longer attend. Even on Christmas lol.

Good thing we didn't let them go to the temple! Lol

[msnobody]

Yes leaders demand respect because that church title stokes their ego !!! It's all part of the plan. If you have a title you are to think of yourself as this super righteous person just because you are the bishop or stake president . They want the respect but refuse to reciprocate it to the average members !! When I was off the church roles for 2 years but still attended with my wife no one even talked to me they didn't want to catch the sickness of being an apostate !! I regret ever agreeing to be rebaptized I should have called my wife's bluff about her divorcing me if I didn't come back to the church. I think leaving the church for good is somewhere in my future.

I think they sometimes will give a calling to a person who may be struggling with their faith just to keep the person in, unless you’ve knowingly crossed the line into apostasy.

[Hagoth]

I think they sometimes will give a calling to a person who may be struggling with their faith just to keep the person in, unless you’ve knowingly crossed the line into apostasy.

Often either in the library or scouting (or whatever passes for it these days).

[Cnsl1]

Is it just me, or do Mormon leaders seem to demand absolute respect for themselves and their belief system while being the least likely to extend a similar degree of respect to others?

I know everyone has their own church experience. Growing up, mine was mostly pretty good overall. Always some odd things and other things that made me scratch my head, but overall mostly positive. So, I was a bit taken aback whenever I observed some of the press for respect that upper leaders, or GAs would exhibit. I'd seen it in local leaders at times, but I could brush that off as then just being stupid men. It's harder to brush off from the higher ups. That's why they're higher up! God knows they are above pettiness and unrighteous dominion and will only lead with righteousness and through following the spirit.

But no, they are just men as well. Nothing special. We're good at developing dicks in this church. Dicks find more dicks and in the end we're all f*cked.

[deacon blues]

Yup. Top down leadership will always find a way to replicate itself. Examples from William Smith, who was a recognized by all as a loose cannon apostle, but was 'chosen' by his brother Joseph, to Boyd Packer, who was admonished by Harold Lee to "face the right way." Sycophancy and despotism has been ever present.