All the meddling in police and public affairs to protect TSCC’s reputation, from stake president (?) down to a busybody lady at the church.
The other was how even the TSCC’s officially sanctioned beliefs still lead back to fundamentalism, e.g. how “priesthood power” leverages the way to polygamy.
I think the most disappointing aspect of the church was waiting for some sort of member or priesthood leader to "reign in" those who clearly believed in religious extremism and openly propagated their own ideas. Except that never happened in my experience.
So as a lowly deacon being grilled (abused) about how I washed my dick in the shower, whether I had wild dreams about girls or whether I was not interested in the opposite sex- called the f-got word or queer bait. The interview would move onto Scouting.
We scouts were required to maintain a goal plan/calendar where we were supposed to earn merit badges and perform acts to community service to rise in the scouting ranks. Now I realize that many of you had the experience that Boy Scouts was a joke because leaders would blindly sign off of the merit badge requirements, but I had the opposite experience.
I had a merit badge advisor who would not sign off one of the citizenship in the world because he wanted me to write to the leaders of USSR, China, Cuba, and N Korea to complain (advocate) that Mormon missionaries should be allowed to proselytize in their respective countries.
Not only was this some sort of farce assignment, but he insisted that I do ALL of the suggested activities (where the requirements gave options - choose any 2 of the six options).
So I complained to the bishop when he was all over me for my lack of progress. I came prepared and showed him the BSA requirements and explained that I had indeed earned that badge and that he the bishop should correct the brother on this matter.
And that bishop got out of his chair and walked around the desk and told me. I ought to hit you so hard on the head that you would need stitches. How dare you question the "expert" in this matter! If he advises you to do more it's because it's good for your learning.
He actually brought in the merit badge advisor and told him everything that I had complained about. I was then told that I had to apologize for tarnishing his character.
Compare that to my experience with the Girl Scouts in an ELCA Lutheran sponsored troop. We chose our own merit badges and projects to work on. Sometimes we worked on agreed-upon joint projects, such as making a quilt, and sometimes we worked together in small groups. The priest came around occasionally to say a friendly hello, and that was it. It was all very relaxed and fun.
This whole thing is bogus. If this is a recreation of 80s Mormonism where are the green Jello & wheat germ cookies refreshments? Lies, lies and more lies!
Green Jello and the related secret formulas are an integral part of 80s mormon culture and the failure to acknowledge it's relevance is to taint the entire project.