Posted by:
thedrive
(
)
Date: February 27, 2011 12:55PM
My daughter attended a birthday party of an LDS friend last night at her friend's home. Both boys and girls were invited- all of high school age. Most were LDS with only a handful being non-members which made for some interesting observations for the non-LDS kids. BTW, the parents are ultra-TBM and are a model family for the LDS community.
The parents left the kids alone for the most part which allowed the kids an unfiltered environment in which to converse openly about a variety of topics. Of course the church was the main topic and from the sounds of things the leaders have lost touch with their youth. My daughter observed and related some of her thoughts. Again, these topics were talked about throughout the evening. For instance:
1. They are not concerned with their Bishops' interviews. They have figured out a way to lie about things such as chastity or living gospel-centered lives. They tell their bishops what he wants to hear and he is none the wiser.
2. They don't like what the church has done to the GLBT community. A lot of them have gay friends at school and don't understand how a biological condition that someone was born with makes them any less of a person than someone who is born with Autism or blind. One girl specifically asked how god could single out gay people while accepting someone who was mentaly retarded because they were both born that way and can't change how they are.
3. The time requirements, especially for early morning seminary, are taking a toll on the youth. Many of them are involved with athletics, student leadership, AP classes, and other clubs and causes and the church makes it a drag to be involved. Seminary and mutual take priorities over school and the kids are having to choose between getting extra help before school or going to seminary. One of the kids told my daughter that she is lucky and that he is never going to make his kids to go seminary if they don't want to. Their parents make church activites a priority and the kids resent it.
4. Morality and sexual promiscuity are happening on a daily basis. Petting, necking, and oral sex are common between members and non-members alike. They are more afraid of the STD consequences than the "eternal" consequences. The 'stay chaste and don't be a licked cupcake' lessons don't mean anything anymore. In fact, they were calling each other "licked" throughout the night. I didn't ask what that meant but I can only imagine.
5. Constant joking, "That's what she said", ending every sentence with "in the shower" or "in bed" is common. There is a very heavy sexual undertone in every conversation and they choose words that can have double meanings.
6. The parents made them have the blessing on the birthday cake and ice cream. One of the girls joked about the sugar and preservative-laden food strengthening and nourishing their bodies and doing the good they need.
My daughter came home and after she and I discussed what she had heard and observed she made the remark that it seemed that the kids were going through the motions for their parents and Bishops and that they have learned to play the game and give the adults the answers they want. It's not the church that she remembers being a member of for part of her life.
Finally, she said that the kids act one way at school and another way when they are around each other. At school they all are known as the "Mormon kids" and they act goody-goody and holier-than-thou. But when they are away from the "every member a missionary" charade and with each other they are completely different people.