Great question.

"Additionally, while this may seem as petty, I cannot understand why there are certain unwritten injunctions that are applied i.e. no facial hair, only one earring for women and so forth and white shirts and ties for the Aaronic Priesthood. Are the brethren so spooked by a free-thinker that they need to groom us too?"
http://www.withoutend.org/mormon-theological-ethics-obedience-authority/#comment-11990


But they did choose your underwear for you. I guess grooming you is a given after that step in controlling you.

Aren't they grooming us from birth? Just thinking about things like bishop interviews. In reality, would there be any youth who went to these interviews if they thought they had a choice? They take our choices from us.

My dad raised free thinking daughters and then wondered what happened.

So many of us did/complied with those little things, and the leaders STILL refused to compliment or give any positive affirmation. They mercilessly nitpicked at our shortcomings. They took for granted that some of us young men would: bring scriptures to class, wear their white shirt to be loaned out to pass sacrament, be available to go to the convalescent hospital after church to visit older members and answer the phone on Sunday mornings to bring a loaf of bread for SM because forgetful Timmy had forgotten again.

A couple of examples:

I remember an interview that diverged from scouting into my academics. I think I was 15 at the time.

Counselor - So how's school?

me - Ok. I'm passing all my courses. Mostly A's and B's and a C.

Counselor - Which class are you barely passing?

me- Geometry. I would have to stay after school for tutoring to raise my grade. The teacher isn't convinced that I can do better. Also, it would conflict with football practice and I'm first string defense.

Counselor - There's the problem. The Lord doesn't want you to play sports. He wants you in seminary. Let me see (pulls out seminary transcript). I knew it. You got a D- and an F. Messy, you need to do better, make better choices and stop shunning members by refusing to attend seminary. I am going to talk to your mom about dropping football and attending seminary.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/2018 03:33PM by messygoop.

That is a hard one. Football is a dangerous sport for the brain.

Elder Berry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Football is a dangerous sport
> for the brain.

Yes, it makes one a better Mormon.

Micro-concussions are kneading the poor boy's sacrament head.

As far as grades in seminary, I was in high school in 1971 to 1975. I sure never thought I'd be 61 in the future.

BUT if you attended seminary in the 1970s in Brigham City, Utah, and were there most days, you got an A. Seminary was a BREEZE.

So even if I had been inactive when my kids high high school, I thought seminary would be an escape. NOT! My son quit attending and they kept calling us about it. My ex finally asked how to get my son released from seminary and we had it done. All along, they were thinking we would be concerned he wasn't attending.

cl2notloggedin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> All along, they were thinking we would be
> concerned he wasn't attending.

Yep. And my parents were concerned when I was a called an Anti-Christ by the head of the seminary. After that they wanted me to quit out of embarrassment.

I think the youth today have a bit more leeway in expressing doubts or concerns about troubling flecks in church history. There are more blogs and websites that are asking serious questions that cause skepticism and doubt. The church, now in a state of emergency, has acknowledged it's a genuine concern rather than telling fearful BS. "Two weeks after Bob and Carol stopped attending, they were in a fatal crash. How are they going to face Heavenly Father after willingly leaving his church and covenants."


I had two church friends that were disciplined for stating publicly that they were trying to find out if the church was true.

messygoop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had two church friends that were disciplined for
> stating publicly that they were trying to find out
> if the church was true.

Was that awhile ago?

Yes, some 30 years ago when you were expected to believe just because the church was right and mighty. Plenty of members would stand up during F/T and share their I wouldn't dare think that the church was anything but the greatest thing on Earth vomit. You could get cast out of the CK if you questioned your faith.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/2018 04:51PM by messygoop.

I was 18. Sounds about right. At 16 I was called an Anti-Christ for asking too many questions in Orem High School Seminary by it's "principal."

Junior High forever. If you want to sit with the popular kids, there are rules.

No! LD$ Inc absolutely does NOT want to groom free thinking and free thinkers.


They want to groom people for compliance and submission !!!!!