If I could ask them one question . . . Come Follow Me, Lesson 42

[annotatedbom]

For Come Follow Me, Lesson 42, Oct 26 - Nov 1, 2020, Mormon 1-6

If I wanted to encourage thought and try to understand devout believers better, I might ask:
“Who does the Church feel more threatened by – Jack Mormons or exMormons?”

See the Things to consider for this lesson.

And, here’s a list of some other observations about this lesson’s reading.

Enjoy!
A-Bom

[Hagoth]

Jack Mormons still believe, and are often quick to come to the defense of the church in the presence of apostates, so they are not considered irredeemable. The church likes Jack Mormons because they often feel a lot of guilt for their actions, which means they can be controlled to some degree and, especially when they have a tragic event in their lives, can be re-recruited. There is nothing that electrifies the Fast Sunday crowd, or makes a better General Conference narrative, than the Jack Mormon who woke up and saw the light and came running back to the warm embrace of The Brethren.

But who they REALLY fear are the devoutly believing members who lose patience with non-delivering prophets and go looking elsewhere for spirituality and the voice of God in someone who does appear to speak with a prophetic voice. People like the Snufferites.

ETA: and they also fear little old ladies with tiny book shops who seem to be more mighty than an army of God's lawyers.

[Five]

Do Jack Mormons still pay tithing? I can see that being the assumption crossed, "Hey, I might be having adulterous relationships and drinking coffee like it's going out of style. But since tithing can buy you into God's special country club, then surely a few token payments will absolve me of any sins." The church itself sets up this relationship with tithing=repentance by the prominence of it in determining worthiness. So, why wouldn't a believing yet unzealous member simply associate it as a quick redemption? Especially if by paying tithing, nobody gives them a stern talking to about other sins?

The fact that exmos don't pay tithing and cannot be compelled through belief to do so, might be the reason we're enemies. The relationships and connections to still devout members also makes us dangerous. Because the church knows how powerful family connections are. How doubt can spread like a virus. We have the potential to convince our connected members to stop paying tithing. Jack Mormons, even if they don't pay tithing, do not have this influence and are not motivated to argue against paying tithing.

ETA: and they also fear little old ladies with tiny book shops who seem to be more mighty than an army of God's lawyers.

Fav.

[Hagoth]

Do Jack Mormons still pay tithing?

That's a really interesting question. You would think that if they don't follow the other "commandments" they wouldn't pay tithing either, but some of them do. For instance, I have a friend who was leading a pretty flamboyant openly gay lifestyle, cruising and picking up men in bars pretty much every weekend, drinking way too much and doing pretty much everything else that Mormons Mormons look down their noses at. BUT he payed a full tithe. And he did it for exactly the reason you mentioned. He had been taught that, regardless of anything else he does, that tithing will be the important differentiator at the Final Judgement. I think this is the classic Jack Mormon mindset. He didn't like anything about the Mormon lifestyle and wasn't interested enough in the religion to look critically into doctrine and history but deep down inside he obviously believed aspects of it. And guess what? In his 40s he came back to the church, married a woman and settled down into a nice quiet Mormon lifestyle, having never stopped making his payments.