I am a little in shock. My brother has handled my apostasy pretty well. When I told him I was done he told me that he knew about the issues out there that basically prove the church to be untrue, but he chooses to go along with the game cause his wife has told him she will leave him if he isn't an active priesthood holder. He said, "I know the church is probably made up, but I don't want to lose my family. My brother is very intelligent and a good thinker.

Anyway, now that he is the Bishop, I know lots of doubters will come to him with their 'issues'. I wonder how he is going to handle that.

Hopefully hold true to the path he is on, and be honest and truthful (isn't this is some scout motto).

* Provide resources to those who question
* Listen and empower women to think for themselves.

When confronted... you get what you pay for... or was that pray for... I've helped a lot of people.

ChurchCo does LOTS of harm to families!

the Bps family will suffer, if only loss of time, energy-focus to ChurchCo, Inc.

I predict... he will leave shortly after he has a Major hiccup with church policies or practice IF he makes it thru his 'calling'.

OTOH, there are some opportunities to be a help/comfort in ppls lives... just ask TSMs widow friends!

I think my current bishop is a nonbeliever. He totally leaves me alone. He gets it. It wouldn't surprise me if after he is released he starts fading away.

It is nice to know there are bishops like that out there.

I think a bishop I had in high school was too smart to really believe it. He's a SUPER intelligent guy. Of course he couldn't ever tell anyone, but I had my suspicions.

My view, is that today, your brother's perspective is probably quite prevalent. There have always been members that "go along to get along" and always will. They set their heritage/culture/social and familial emotional attachments at the top of their priority list.

I have seen the same kind of thing in other religious groups. Men and women "go along to get along" as it's expedient.

How will this new bishop handle "doubters" ? Probably how he has been taught to handle everything: pray and read the scriptures.
There really isn't much else a bishop has authority to do.
He's basically a middle management manager of a ward that reports to the stake president.
Probably a lot of his work/emphasis will directly be controlled by his stake president and his management of the stake.

From my experience, I have observed that there are many people (usually men), that can accept being involved in a religion and not be a totally immersed believer. I have seen it many, many times. It's just not an issue with them. They may believe some parts of the religious beliefs, but they could just as easily not bother with any of it.
The family/heritage/social pressure keeps them involved, but nothing turns them into a total believer.

I think these are the people that understand the value of the religious God Myth, may have some belief in an after life, of a deity, or savior, have some interest in participating but are also able to take a step back and not compartmentalize all of the doctrine/teachings/dogma.

I know two men who say the same thing. They 'go along to get along' and when I ask them about it they provide a narrative that is almost identical. Basically, that they don't really believe (literally) and that this is fine. Why risk marriage, kids etc. Mormonism is corporate, stable and who cares anyway...just go every week and believe what you want to....

I am perplexed...

This could be a rough journey once the sex appeal of celebrity wears off and the hard slog of the job sets in. Could be he is rationalizing how really draining it is to be a bishop and this may actually accelerate the cog\dis process for him.

about 2 years ago I was speaking to a friend on his front lawn about his reasons for leaving the church. Much to my amazement his neighbor walked over and introduced himself as the first councilor in my friends ward. I felt like I was on the outside of an inside joke when my friend said Bro.xxx here doesn't believe a single thing about the tscc either.
I said are you kidding me ? .. he replied nope-nada- nothing but I'll be damned if I am going to let them steal my family
away from me.My jaw was on the ground !

Rather than just regurgitating the party line like a supervisor, he has a chance at real ministry. Grant Palmers book "The Incomparable Jesus" would be a good resource.

I don't think my brother-in-law believes either. My TBM sister would leave him in a minute if he spoke up. The said part is that if this is true, makes me sad that he would allow his sons to go on missions when they could put their energy elsewhere.

Just think, he will be testifying how the church is such a blessing in living an authentic, sincere life...

I wonder if Bishop Jackwagon believes - he practically freaked when I outlined my doubts the way someone freaks when they have an open wound and you jab something in it. That was almost 2 years ago and a number of people have gone inactive in our ward since then - they must have unloaded some faith-crippling info on him the way I did. I know he was inactive himself over a decade ago and he told me once he only cared that we were inactive because he was bishop ... otherwise he wouldn't have a problem with it because almost all his family in non-LDS or inactive. His wife really has him whipped - everyone in the ward comments on it - so I wonder if he has serious doubts if not outright disbelief that he's forced to conceal because his wife has threatened him. I know from doing some research on his background that the idea of his family breaking up terrifies him. He puts almost no effort into reactivation and absolutely ignores most of the inactives in his ward. I wonder if deep down (or not so deep down) he envies us and wants to make our exit smooth. Just a theory because he's pretty much an ill-tempered bully anyway. But it would humanize him a lot to realize where his bad manners spring from - from living a lie and being blackmailed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2011 05:40PM by CA girl.

Well, he's in good company. The entire heirarchy of LDS Corp are liars - the bigger the liar, the higher you get.

Imagine the corrosive effects of trying to live that kind of lie.

Ha, they of course thought that his calling was "inspired." Just like my old Bish was "inspired" to keep me as Primary Pres. when I told him I was questioning things, which helped me just want to get out of there quicker!

Does he have the family ties/pedigree to eventually make apostle? Let us know if/when he does. That'd be classic.

All the Mormons I'm still acquainted with don't believe the church is 100% true, but choose or have to remain because of family pressures. Sad.

It sounds like your brother may be following the advice that would have been given from "Dr Laura" back in the day. It will be a rough few years for him, but maybe he can do some good for those that do not fully believe. He may be able to relate on their level...easing their pain and/or guilt. Do you think he accepted the calling from the pressure of his wife and mormon leaders, or do you think he believes he can change his tune about the mormon church?

...months before resigning, I was doubting big time. The hardest thing for me was having to get up on FAT Sunday to conduct and then bear a testimony. OMG. I was such a hipocrit. I knew it wasn't true, yet, I bore a testiphony anyway, and frankly it began to made me sick. My last testimony dribbled on in vague and ambiguous statement, like, "It's so good to be here today to see all of you. I appreciate you faithfulness in doing what you believe in. I to believe in a plan of happiness (yeah my own plan for me)...TMS is the president of TSCC (not that he is a true profit or anything)...etc.

Personally, I don't see how your bro is going to be able to do it for five+ years.