NOM

Man alive that may be the best analogy.

That and the Matrix are two that I have of thought of or use an analogies.


But in the case of both, resistance is not futile and the real world outside the matrix is awesome, not some depression existence deep underground (like the TBMs are taught to believe.)

But when you tell a TBM that they point to all the individuality in church, and how that is the cause for all the problems with church. It's the crazy folks, or the liberal folks who won't yield to the spirit, or just imperfect people trying to get along in the perfect church (I mean gospel). Nothing is the church's fault, because it's led by God, and He can't be wrong.

Interestingly, ex-JWs often refer to the JW organization as "the Borg", largely because believers sometimes call it "the Org" (short for "the Organization"). They tend to have a lot of very similar complaints to disaffected Mormons. I've also heard certain other groups refer to the LDS church as "the Morg".

Resistance is not futile!

blazerb wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:42 am Resistance is not futile!

And on the old NOM, calling the church the Morg, was specifically prohibited as disrespectful mocking.

alas wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2017 3:29 pm

blazerb wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:42 am Resistance is not futile!

And on the old NOM, calling the church the Morg, was specifically prohibited as disrespectful mocking.

I was going to comment on how I was called on the carpet for this on NOM 1.0 and that I thought it unfortunate because I thought the comparison apt. However, as I was writing that post, I thought of the people I've talked to IRL, the past few years and I have found that they do think freely. Their prejudices and retrenched thoughts come from very real places. It's just that the church confirms what they already believe. Gracious, I'm not trying to say bad things about them, but there's no other way to say things like the white woman in the South had a frightening experience when she was in an African American neighborhood and so now she's kind of racist. Or the grandmother who's son and children are abandoned by his wife and his wife is claiming abuse when it sounds more like she's just looking for an excuse to go out and party (which she did) and so the grrandmother views anyone who calls out abuse as someone out to use others. Or the teen who believes more in competition than cooperation, because every group project he has had has had flaky team members.

So, just as they have their life experiences that have shaped their views, I have had mine. I respect their views, because I want them to respect mine. So, that's where it is. I don't think it's mind control. I think it's people being stupid.

If the long standing racial tensions hadn't existed, that woman wouldn't have been treated in a way that triggered fear.
If that woman who liked to party had recognized that about herself and never married, she wouldn't have wreaked that havoc and the grandmother would be more compassionate toward genuine abuse victims.
If those kids would pull their weight and do their homework, that teen would be more trusting.

It's life and human's beings not necessarily making the best choices. So, those human beings make assessments based on those experiences. They can't unlive their life for me, nor I for them. Now, I could criticize their thought processes, but I won't, because I wasn't in their shoes. If I was, I'd probably come to a similar conclusion. At the end of the day, it merely reinforces the need to live the teachings of Jesus.

I don't really see it that way. I think it's a little more like a garden. Depending on the season you can have a homogenous field of green stuff, a bunch of different flowers and fruits, or just dead plants. Your perspective influences which season you think the church finds itself in now, or how long that season will last.