have you had a major challenge to your faith in mormonism ? ~
have you become dismayed by the chasm between the version of mormon history and doctrine you were taught all your life and what you have learned in your personal studies ? ~
in spite of your high level of devotion to the church, in your heart, are you uncomfortable saying, "i know the church is true" ? ~
do you feel that you have social / political opinions that are in conflict with the mormon church’s leadership ? ~
has the mormon religion begun to feel spiritually empty for you or maybe even spiritually damaging and destructive ? ~
High social and emotional pressure creates trauma. Gifts and small positive reinforcements get a higher effect. So what makes people stay in every cult are the small positive and reinforcing things that break the trauma. You will regress and be happy for every little thing.
I'd say lots of People are dealing with trauma, suffering, stress, health problems, regret, shame, loneliness, so mormonism pretends to be the answer, it fills some hidden need, and once these poor souls are in the routine then the responsibilities come the expectations, and the GAs are never to tired of laying on the guilt and the threats of hell, and not to mention temples and all the negative manipulation they inadvertently create, so people get in this mess and it cycles on
Extreme optimism? So sure it is all going to turn around and all the stress, pressure, and sacrifice will be worth it when they get the big reward? Isn't that really part of their "gospel"?
It's not good news right now--but it will be some day !
Done & Done Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Extreme optimism? So sure it is all going to turn > around and all the stress, pressure, and sacrifice > will be worth it when they get the big reward? > Isn't that really part of their "gospel"? > > It's not good news right now--but it will be some > day !
like someone knows better for what your future is to become, yeah I see that one!
You have got to add one very important thing though.
Cold-Dodger are you listening? The human brain is sometimes simple in predictable function in certain areas. When you are grateful, really truly thankful and honestly receiving heartfelt gratefulness. No other occupation of any other emotions is possible. Thats where the term, "Find Your Grateful Heart" is rooted.
You rested easy after a difficult and strenuous day because the thinking had been done. You were in the one true LDS church and there were no worries.
The human condition renders the same challenge all over again, though. I can tell you where my grateful heart is found but that doesn't matter. Where is your safest place to now maybe root your grateful heart?
Interesting. The grateful heart as both positive and a negative. One makes sense of life's challenges and the other makes you a victim of them. Nothing seems to be a sure deal.
I like the way you put all that. Like seeing it as a tool. Used for good, or, evil when something like Mormonism victimizes you with the concept.
I have previously only seen the idea of "the grateful heart" coming from a religious perspective in a self-help book kind of twist as the great secret to life and it turned me off as I hate one size fits all answers. Found it "grating". :)
I may have to try finding my "safest place" using a grateful heart and see if that soothes the 3AM regrets that have a direct line straight to the cerebellum.