Quote stolen from FB, but reminded me of Nightingale's Mormon experience, and I think more than a few RMs can also identify in a different way.


EVANGELISM
How many of you thought you were signing up for love and you got something else instead?
How many of you heard, "Come join us at the table!" only to discover that you were the meal?
Happened to me.
Happened to you?
I question evangelism. Yes. In most if not all of its forms.
We really must renegotiate the idea.
Because now to assume your beliefs are superior to another's and that you can rescue people from their own culture is wrong and damaging.
Colonialism falls under this.

Yes. As an RM it rings bells. Bells with a very hollow clang to them. I remember the pressure from the MP about numbers. Numbers. Elders, the Lord needs numbers!



" . . . to assume your beliefs are superior to another's and that you can rescue people . . ." not only from their culture, but from their own beliefs, their lack of beliefs, from having no baptism or the wrong baptism, from masks, from vaccines, from kindness.

I'm glad you included colonialism in your post as what you illustrate (for me) is the impossibility of separation of church and state. I don't care what our constitution stipulates, religion and government are intertwined inextricably and the insidious quality that religion brings to the table is, indeed, the beliefs that they are superior and ONLY their ways must be followed, by God! And other people's ways are not only inferior but anti-God.

And if a politician wants to gain office, they must factor in pleasing those constituents. Some call it being flexible. It is in a way. As in bending over and . . .

Of course in Utah you don't have to do much bending to maintain a theocracy.

I find it ironic that Mormons often have Olympic class hissy fits when a family member leaves LDS Inc, but not only don’t they give a second thought about what family disruption they might be contributing to when they twist someone’s arm to join Mormonism, they are actually quite pleased with themselves at getting someone to switch and join the JS Follies.