Had a chat with the SP this past week. I said I see a difference between the 60's and 70's and now. Back then we taught 10 tribes, Tip to Jackson County, second coming, etc Today just boring stuff. Why I asked.

He said that "yes there is a dumbing down because too many members (males) are playing too many on line games instead of doing their Priesthood duty. "So why teach these things from the past when today the people are not that interested in doing their Church duty or learning what is being taught today!!!" "It's a waste of time teaching second coming, 10 tribes,etc when they are having trouble with scripture reading or HT, etc." Members are not as motivated as in the past. So the Church teaches the basics hoping this will motivate the members to start doing their duty. (mainly Priesthood holders)

We discussed General Confernce talks and how bad they are. Well, first he indicated I need to look at myself if I am not getting anything out of the talks. I may not have the spirit with me. He then confessed that the Brethren have to be careful so as not to have stuff taken out of context or be controversial. I asked what happened to being bold. He quoted the scripture about not casting pearls before swine or something like that.So that confirms what I already knew these brethren have their speeches proof read before they give them and it can't be deep doctrine or something that could be used against the them.

So if I am bored I need to look at me first!!!!

SP seems to be a "yes" person to the top brethren. And I think they don't have a clue as to what is going on. SP says they do.

An interesting chat!!!

Wait, it's World of Warcraft's fault as opposed to the transparent stupidity of the deeper doctrines?

Of course not - it's the fault of Angry Birds. Duh.

I call BS on the SP. The "dumbing down" is getting rid of the more fringe doctrines and sticking to the more mainstream doctrines. It is because they want to appeal to the broadest possible demographic. The return to Missouri idea was faith promoting in the early days. These days they want members to stay in their own countries rather than immigrating to Utah or planning to immigrate to Missouri. Isn't it typical that the SP tries to put the blame on the spirituality of the priesthood holders and you, rather than accepting any blame for the church. The church is perfect after all, it can't be their fault.

Because guys play video games instead of member missionary work they don't deserve to hear the fulness of the gospel?

And that reminds me of the usual reply whenever somebody would ask why there isn't any new revelation-
The members aren't ready yet because of (insert fault here).

It is funny though- prophets used to give revelation, ready or not.

To warn the wicked of God's impending judgement!

JoD3:360 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Because guys play video games instead of member
> missionary work they don't deserve to hear the
> fulness of the gospel?

yah,if only they were secret handshake jacking off themselves ever closer to MORmoN godhood in some LDS temple instead.

Always the members' fault.

BTW I would think it would be the other way around. Men who are into online gaming would be far more interested in the 10 lost tribes, second coming, etc than those boring kindergarten level gospel principles or warm fuzzy stories about widows.

Yeah, maybe the men are playing video games because church is so boring now. No more wild speculation and secret knowledge.

Where in the past leaders felt safe in making wild speculations about all sorts of topics like men on the moon, life on the sun, lost tribes, treks to Missouri, City of Enoch leaving Earth caused the Gulf of Mexico and will someday return like a spaceship. Now that they are a respectable world religion they can't get away with that kind of talk. Especially in our modern scientific world.

This wasn't actual ChurchCo doctrine, was it?

That's total BS and counter intuitive.

He's winging it and has obviously not thought this through. If he gave it one second of thought, he's know that basic sales and marketing strategies begin with what the customer wants and needs: things of interest, mysteries, issues to solve, current events, their lives and how their silly gospel fits into all of this. Dumbing down the discussion so that they do their job? Easily an asinine solution.

Is the membership getting dumbed down doctrine because they are less faithful? Or are you less faithful because you're bored with the dumbed down doctrine? He needs to get his story straight, because his logic is circular.

I would have burst out laughing.
The women can't learn deeper doctrines because the men won't stop playing video games???? How does he keep a straight face? That is the biggest load of shit i've ever heard....
Sounds like it's time to hand over the reins to the women.

LOL +1

makes 'good sense' from ChurchCo POV, that is...

The dumbing down would not have been so bad if the meetings did not last for three hours. An hour of fluff is one thing, but if you're going to strip out the content, you're left with a lot of empty time on your hands.

Oh is that ever true! It's bad enough for me to have to put up with SM and the GC rehash s.hit as it is already!

How can you dumb down idiocy?

...and this gift of discernment is actually enhanced by having seen so much REAL, quality content online.

Sorry if you can't shame me into calling boring helpful, and helpful boring! I see what I see and I know what I know, Q15.

It seems that TBMs often mention "casting pearls before swine" when they talk about withholding information from non-Mormons. Doesn't it ever occur to them that this is not an especially charitable way to look at the people they are trying to convert?

Milkshakes before meat--"Never mind the meat, I'll stick with milkshakes!"

When I worked at Bryce Canyon one summer, I took the mule ride down through the canyon. The guide/wrangler explained that we didn't need to worry about the mules stepping off the side of the narrow trail because they were trained to just follow the butt of the mule in front of them.

That's the same principle behind the LDS church. Just follow the ass in front. Where you're going, why you're going there, what there might be to see or do along the way -- none of that is essential for your exaltation. Just obey. So lessons and sermons don't really need to be about anything except the latest demands of the brethren.

The church feels no obligation to be entertaining (except to potential converts). So they shouldn't be surprised when people choose entertainment to the drudgery of church work. But it's totally bogus to blame online gaming, because we all know the problem is addiction to online porn.

The problem is a culture of extreme polarization, repression, and austerity that inevitably leads to compulsive, addictive behavior in an unconscious attempt to find psychological balance.

The only difference between a mule and a member is; yes while the mule will follow another mule on a trail, the mule is smart enough not to run or go off a cliff!

You can run a horse off a cliff with you on him, but not a mule. The mule will stop, I'm told, and let you go sailing on over his shoulder, but the mule isn't going over a cliff.

Mules have great self preservation; they're smart! Also I suspect a mule knows he's on a trail!

I graduated from Institute in the 70s (five years worth). I'd wanted to catch up on my knowledge of church doctrine that every one else had who'd been raised in the church and attended seminary!!!
We were taught about JS wives, moving back to Missouri, customs of other countries, and the right order of our lives should be: God, family then the TSCC.... the doctrine has changed.

I was already in angst with the dumbing down of church manuals in the late 1980's. Church correlation had already advanced the cause of Zion's propaganda by that time and there was practically nothing left.