Posted by:
exminion
(
)
Date: October 25, 2019 12:28PM
I have often wondered the same things.
In my experience, and in my TBM family members' experience, "pointed conversations in Gospel Doctrine classes" have not occurred in many years, if ever. And, no, essentially Gospel Doctrine classes are not still held. It seems that the Mormon cult has been avoiding any teaching of Mormon scriptures, church history or gospel principles. When I left 10 years ago, the transition in our SLC ward had already been made.
"I don't know that we teach that...." was the motto when I left. The "Gospel Doctrines" class had been changed to "Gospel Essentials", and it was only for dummies, meaning, new converts, "less-actives" and other marginalized people.
The only thing the Mormons taught when I left, was old conference talks, and old writings from old polygamous prophets. Our formerly semi-interesting RS lessons became just the same repetition of "Honoring the Priesthood" and "The Blessings of The Temple." The theme of the Primary was "Follow the Prophet." Christ and Love were never mentioned. This was not a religion I could relate to, at all.
Now, scripture study is passed off onto the members, for them to do at home, as a family, during that extra free hour on Sundays. There isn't even a Home Teacher's lesson anymore.
It will be interesting to see where all this leads.
In our geographical area, Salt Lake City, the best and the brightest Mormons seem to still be held hostage by their fanatic spouses, and their old-school elderly parents who still hold some purse strings, and hysterical parent peers who buy into the Mormon threat that their children will FAIL without the cult bullying them into obedience. Career-wise, it is usually wise in SLC to behave like a good Mormon. My sons do well, because one owns his own business with a non-Mormon partner, and their clients are non-Mormons from all over the US and Canada; and the other works for a National corporation, headquartered in NYC.
I foresee the religious Mormon church disappearing altogether, as it slowly is, now. Soon, no one will remember the various "Joseph Smith stories" or polygamy or Mormon racism. In order to kill the lies and hoaxes, the Mormons will have to kill their entire church, which is built upon those lies and hoaxes.
The Mormons won't care, because their biggest focus has always been on MONEY, not souls. Their business will thrive, and in the end, there will not be such thing as "Mormons", just as Rusty wants, but there will also be no such thing as tcoJColds. It will be just "LDS, Inc." which is the phrase the US media coined for this mess, thirty years ago.
The Corporation will thrive, and those old geezers will have their wealth. Once the Mormons leaders realize that tithing is no longer a major source of income, they won't care what kind of splinter-religions form--just as long as the new religions don't use the Mormon brand-names, or cause the Corporation any liability or bad publicity.
It will be interesting to see how the corporation re-brands itself. "The World Bank and Trust of God Almighty", or something like that.