I had seminary in the 1990's and at the end of each lesson we would always be "challenged" by the teacher to do something like read the scriptures, or pray about the first vision, or "challenge" us not to go to the authorities when sexually assaulted by priesthood leaders.
Does anyone know around when this "challenging" started because it was all over the missionary discussions too?
And for you youngins, are you still being "challenged" today?
What....to NOT go to the authorities when assaulted by priesthood leaders. What?? Are you serious? I am angry over that if that was indeed taught to you. A___holes!!! What....their precious "church" would get a bad name?????
My mother served a mission in the sixties and they "challenged" people to do things like be baptized or read and pray about the book of mormon.
When I served a mission, we didn't use the term challenge. We would get people to make commitments using "will you do x?"
However when I was in seminary we had old school teachers who still used "challenge" but I think it was a habit from their former training.
I know it was official policy for missionaries to use "challenge" in the sixties, but I don't know if it was implemented earlier in the fifties. You would have to ask some much, much, much older people on the board like SusieQ, Cheryl, or Richard Packham. ;) sorry guys.
It was called "I Challenge You . . . I Promise You" by Paul H. Dunn. Maybe it became a Mormon fad to use the "c" word because of him. Or maybe he was just riding the popularity wave of that word.
I honestly don't remember a single challenge or promise I read in the book. Someone gave it to me as a teenager in the early 80's, I think.
But the basic premise was "If you do THIS, you'll get THAT blessing". And trust me, Paul H. Dunn was someone you could rely on to tell you the real deal. ;-)
Nowadays, I would be pissed if someone "challenged" me to do ANYTHING. It's like the person assumes themselves to be in an advisory role to you. Which makes it extremely offensive, unless you are going to them for advice in the first place.
I have to tell you, if I hadn't seen your name on your post, I would have been ready to flame. I thought there was a troll on the board for a split second.
There have been too many "challenges" since we've left the church. To read the B of M just ONE more time in the right spirit, yada yada yada.
Where do people get the idea that they can assign reading or tell us what we should be feeling?
To Mormons, issuing a "challenge" is socially acceptable way (in Mormon circles only) to cast yourself as one who knows how to live your life better, and to boss other people around.
A friend of mine took the discussions around the time I came home from my mission and he thought the challenging stuff was beyond ridiculous. So he would "challenge" me to do things like write a new song or to a race around the world.
Seminary from 94-97. "Challenge" is one of those words that Mormonism has ruined for me. I was challenged almost every day in seminary, but even though i was a complete Molly, I never applied the challenge.