"The Unwritten Order of Things"
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 1:20 pm
I've been contemplating this one a lot recently, as I was remembering how much I was confused by and/or disiked this talk by Boyd K Packer when I heard it some years ago. For those who've never heard or read it, here it is:
http://emp.byui.edu/huffr/The%20Unwritt ... Packer.htm
It covers a lot about how the institutional church is run, and basically it tells members how, why and when to show deference and/or obedience to priesthood leaders. I remember being struck by how many useless cultural rules (many of which make zero sense out here in the mormon periphery of the great white north) there are in the church. Not only that, but how many "unwritten order of things" are there? What happens if we don't understand them all and do a faux pas? Will they count as sins of omission in the Kimball scheme of repentence? I just remember being rather taken aback by all of this.
I'll give you a humourous example of this, when I started really figuring out that the church is about rules and following the right rules, not the "commandments." When Sister M went to the temple for the first time, she was instructed by one of the ladies there that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES was her garments allowed to touch the ground. (I was reminded of this when I went to have a shower today, that her G's were off in a neat pile near the sink.) In the 20+ years we've been married, not once have they touched the ground, as that's her obedient mindset. She even tried for years to move mine off the ground, until I told her to leave my underwear where they are, thanks so much! (I either don't remember this counsel, or I wasn't informed of this "unwritten order of things," so I don't feel as much pull to be obedient.) What I don't understand about all of this is simply this: it's disrespectful for the garments to touch the ground, yet when I do some heavy labour or exercise, they slip into a place that definitely does not show the garments much respect. So letting them fall on the floor is a sin, but having them in the crack of my butt does not? Are you kidding me?
Once I figured out most of the "commandments" of the church of this "unwritten order" variety are the vagaries and whims of a bunch of old white guys, it's been a lot easier to blow them off. A thought for the day.
http://emp.byui.edu/huffr/The%20Unwritt ... Packer.htm
It covers a lot about how the institutional church is run, and basically it tells members how, why and when to show deference and/or obedience to priesthood leaders. I remember being struck by how many useless cultural rules (many of which make zero sense out here in the mormon periphery of the great white north) there are in the church. Not only that, but how many "unwritten order of things" are there? What happens if we don't understand them all and do a faux pas? Will they count as sins of omission in the Kimball scheme of repentence? I just remember being rather taken aback by all of this.
I'll give you a humourous example of this, when I started really figuring out that the church is about rules and following the right rules, not the "commandments." When Sister M went to the temple for the first time, she was instructed by one of the ladies there that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES was her garments allowed to touch the ground. (I was reminded of this when I went to have a shower today, that her G's were off in a neat pile near the sink.) In the 20+ years we've been married, not once have they touched the ground, as that's her obedient mindset. She even tried for years to move mine off the ground, until I told her to leave my underwear where they are, thanks so much! (I either don't remember this counsel, or I wasn't informed of this "unwritten order of things," so I don't feel as much pull to be obedient.) What I don't understand about all of this is simply this: it's disrespectful for the garments to touch the ground, yet when I do some heavy labour or exercise, they slip into a place that definitely does not show the garments much respect. So letting them fall on the floor is a sin, but having them in the crack of my butt does not? Are you kidding me?
Once I figured out most of the "commandments" of the church of this "unwritten order" variety are the vagaries and whims of a bunch of old white guys, it's been a lot easier to blow them off. A thought for the day.
