I have been lurking on these forums for quite some time. For the past year, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that my time is better spent else where.

1)Music is not taken seriously - I finally got tired of the same thing happening week after week in priesthood meeting. We had the afternoon 1:00 to 4:00pm Block. After sacrament meeting, we would have the general sunday school in the cultural hall on the hard chairs. It used to be in the relief society room. After Sunday School, The chapel sat empty, but the bishop would insist on having priesthood in the cultural hall again on the hard chairs. No piano available. I used to play prelude music and play the opening hymn. For the past year, the bishop would spontaniously call one of the deacons to choose a hymn and we would sing only one verse acapela. It was pathetic. The deacons didn't even know how to conduct music. I watched people's faces cringe as this kept happening week after week. I once stood up after the opening hymn and asked, "Should we take our callings, our lessons, our family activities as we just sang that hymn?" I went for a few more times after that, but finally quit attending priesthood in October 2010 for good.

2)Aaronic Priesthood theme brainwasing chant - Another thing that really annoyed me was the chanting of the Aaronic Priesthood theme. Where in the handbook or stake instruction does it say to do that? It is almost like brainwashing. I also got tired of that activity.

3)Janitorial Callings - Every week after priesthood opening exercises, the Elder's Quorum president would ask if you had a special experience this week, then harp on you to do your home teacher, and pass around the list for Janitorial assignments. My question is if the church takes in $200,000 per year from a ward (3 wards meet in the stake center). Why can't the church afford to pay a part-time custodian? I personally refuse to clean the church other than clean up after activies.

4)The lesson Manuals- The church has canned boring lesson manuals and when I see people falling asleep week after week, I too decided my time was better spent elsewhere.

I hide out in the family history library during Priesthood. We have nice computers with Internet access. I often come to RfM or PoMo for meat (as verses milk). Other ward members hide out with me, mostly from Relief Society class. We close the doors though.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/2011 06:44PM by george.

My husband used to take his iPod to church and read RFM during sacrament meeting. Wireless Internet is awesome...

I've always acted with reverence while at church, but I have decided that it is better to not distract people while at church. I leave my iPod and cell phone at home while at church, but then again, I don't attend lately because I feel like I'm wasting my time there.

I don't know if I would have a RfM meeting at church, but it doesn't sound like a bad idea.

Another thing I remember as a 12 year old. We used to go to a classroom and waited for the high priest from the earlier block to dismiss. About 7 old men would walk out and we would have to air out the classroom because it reaked of body odor.

Living outside Utah, most of the meeting was spent trashing on Utah morgs for their constant hypocrisy (ironic, I know). Living inside Utah, most of the meeting was spent talking about why our attendance was so low because no one did their home teaching. Threats of banishment to outer darkness were a regular occurrence.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2011 12:34AM by dressclothes.

I completely agree on the home teaching. When I used to go home teaching, I would visit my families as a friend. But to give them a preachy lesson, or parrot the article out of the ensign. I refused to do that nor would I allow my home teacher to do that in my home. As a fellowshipping or social visit, I was ok with that.