You all can read this too. I know this has been discussed in the past but some comments from mormon leaders in this article is VERY concerning....and esceically should be for mormons.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/51700209-78/lds-single-ballard-lake.html.csp

From that article:
"Ballard repeated LDS President Thomas S. Monson’s recent admonitions to young single Mormon men to stop “hanging out” and start dating with an eye toward marriage."

They feel the need to TELL their flock exactly HOW to pair up to find a mate??

"We hope you’ve got the message: You have no option to bounce around,” he said, referring to a common practice dubbed ward-hopping in which young Mormons shop around for congregations they like. “We know where you are. We’ve got our radar focused on you.”"

Uh....this is NOT to words/actions of a faith that is suppose to spirtually enrich you...These are Gestapo tactics....

I know alot or mormons seem to "excuse" certain things either about church history or how the members and/or their leaders act...BUT...how can they excuse those comments from their high ranking leaders???


For a nonmo with a very open mind...those comments are just plain scary..

even if you happen to be in a ward that is dominated by elderly widows, you need to choose one of them.

This is what I love about TSCC, they do and say stupid things. OMG. Laughable. I agree, if you are a TBM lurker, you've gotta be saying "WTF is going on here."

Rod Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> even if you happen to be in a ward that is
> dominated by elderly widows, you need to choose
> one of them.
>
> This is what I love about TSCC, they do and say
> stupid things. OMG. Laughable. I agree, if you
> are a TBM lurker, you've gotta be saying "WTF is
> going on here."


That's kind of my point...In most, if not all other MAJOR religious faiths, you have the option to church-hop to find one that fits your needs. In this country...you have the righrt to CHOOSE, and that includes WHICH church/ward you go to..

The fact that the leaders said that they are watching the "ward-hoppers" is concerning to say the least....

My mother and I had this exact conversation last night while discussing my daughter who is college age. Mom is a TBM and TOTALLY disagrees with what Monson said. She told me that she would never encourage anyone that age (19-20's) to stop hanging around and get married. I was very pround of her for stating her true beliefs and not the typical "party line"!!

When in the early 60's nearly all youth activities were multi ward activities. To give support to the small wards with few youth. I think the leaders nowadays have an inflated sense of importance. They think the LDS Church has chapels on every corner, bulging with youth waiting to be married in the Temple. I don't know of any active TBM youth who married people from the same ward. Same Stake yes, but same ward not often.

That is the correct way to expand the spiritual genepool. Unless the leaders repent and allow ward hopping, Soon there will be virtually no RM to RM marriages, or even TBM to TBM marriages,

So single wards will grow and grow until they have the new 53,000 sq/ft buildings (like the one being planned in Orem) to house -- 8 Steaks and 48 singles wards . Don't solve the problem --just build bigger buildings around it. Why can't people open their eyes and identify the true problem.

JB

This generation of young people are, for the most part, far less respectful of authority figures than we were in the 60's.

They obviously do not care what their leaders say for the most part: even most of my own TBM kids come here and read, which is not a bad thing after all, they are learning some good stuff.

They will never stop ward hopping- are you kidding me? How is anyone going to keep track or stop them? As long as young men and women are looking for partner's they will not stay within the bounds of one ward, I don't care HOW big it is. I just do NOT see that happening. In the 90's my teenagers hopped all over this valley!

They are leaving in massive numbers because they obviously do not believe that Satan dwells here online and that everything they read here is anti-mormon; and more and more of them are taking the time to study and find out for themselves what is true and what is not. And 98% of what is printed on these exmo boards about the lies and deceitful practices of the church turn out to be true when researched.

I am counting on the younger "internet generation" and then their children to put a stop to all the nonsense one day.

They are more open and rebellious, as a whole, and more of them are thinking for themselves than ever before. At least that is what I observe.

That line: "We know where you are. We’ve got our radar focused on you." was very disturbing to me.

Creepy old men, hovering around, watching...

You can't escape, singles... pair up and crank out the next generation of tithe payers. Lord knows we can't keep the converts.

Wow ... this is CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPY! I don't think I've ever heard anything this explicit stated before by a Mormon leader--as far as keeping close track of their members.

Thanks for posting this!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2011 02:56AM by Fetal Deity.

Fetal Deity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow ... this is
> CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPY! I don't
> think I've ever heard anything this explicit
> stated before by a Mormon leader--as far as
> keeping close track of their members.
>
> Thanks for posting this!

Mnay much more knowlegdeable people have posted statistics re: church growth/lack of growth etc...

If you take that specific comment attributed to Ballrd re: knowing who the ward hoppers are and apply it to an individual person, what would this practice be called??

Anyone......anyone.....anyone????





It's called STALKING

My TBM parents wouldn't even blink an eye at this. They'd be like "so?"

Blind obedience does not question EVER!

My mom brought this talk up the other day when she called me. She seems to think the naughty young adults are to blame - that they are being selfish and not settling down as the Lord commanded and now the Lord has spoken through his servant and the young adults better repent immediately and get to the temple.

I'm paraphrasing but that is exactly her sentiment.

Seems to me if it's about tithing, they're going to get you when you come around for your TR. No tithing, no TR, regardless of what ward you attend.

I agree, I don't see what difference it makes what ward you attend. All other churches that I'm aware of don't care where you attend and most members attend the church that's geographically closest to them.

If I were TBM and assigned to an afternoon meeting ward, I'd be bummed and would look around for a morning meeting ward.

Every ward has "jobs" to fill...........how can you do a
calling if you're hopping around?

K

Jobs to fill- NOT so many in a YSA ward, NO primary, NO high priests group. There are always the few faithful who will follow this council and fill the jobs. RS requires 3 in the presidency and 4 teachers, can't think of much more. Probably about the same in EQ.

Tithing- these kids may go ahead and pay tithing in their assigned wards, but who will know if they are there or on vacation, or visiting family, or ward hopping??

Many young people slack off on the tithing until it comes time for temple marriage, then pick it up, or make up some back tithing if needed.

They will NEVER stop ward hopping, and many of them will likely feel very bugged at being told to stop and just rebel and do it more. I know my totally TBM kids would have NEVER listened to this advice, well actually one of them would have.

I'm still in shock that all members can't chose their own Church/Ward in the first place!

I find the comments from Elder Ballard interesting to say the least. I am a YSA who will soon to be kicked out of my YSA ward due to the age restricton (18-30). In my case, my assigned ward is quite small with only 70 or so people attending. If I read between the lines, I am to find a marriage partner from such a small population pool. Forget the fact that many of them would be too young for me to marry in the first place.

As far as ward hopping, I will continue to do that at least twice a month. If I am to get married, then I need to find the right age bracket that works for me. A few people I have spoken to about ward hopping say they will continue to do the same thing. (Last time I looked most LDS buildings said "Vistors Welcome").

Now, If I am on Elder Ballard's radar screen for ward hopping, so be it. Perhaps, I could even meet with you him to give my take for what is actually happening at the ground floor.

I am not sure how they can identify me in the first place unless they start asking for ID for every Church service one attends. :) It may have to come that if there serious about putting people on the radar screen :)

My biggest contention is the Church is not treating the root-cause for why so many YSAs go in-active, are not getting married, or those who are getting married why they are getting divorced in high numbers. If you do not treat the root-cause for the failure in the system, then you are simply re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic in false hopes the ship will not sink. In Quality Engineering, it a common saying that 80% of failures are systematic based. If that applies to religon, then 80% of failures (i.e., in-activity, divorce, lack of marriage, high depression rates, etc.) can be attributed to failure in the system (the Church). Ergo, the Church needs to really figure out the root-cause. Of course, such an undertaking, is never an easy thing for any Organization to do because you really have to address the facts and realities as they really are.

I have found greater mental wellness in learning to take charge in my life. I will not relinquish my right of agency to no one. After all, Agency is a gift from God so only God himself can take back that gift. If YSAs need to do some ward hopping to find a suitable marriage companion, then more power to those YSAs.

It just occurred to me that what they most likely really want to keep track of is tithing, and that is keeps on coming in.

I really thank God EVERYDAY that I left Utard as soon as I could after being at YBU for my last two years of college. Loved the education, HATED the fucked up mindset!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2011 07:42PM by imalive.