Heard in stake conference this past weekend. It made me think of forbiddencokedrinker's joke post about training garments. Apparently, instead of the temporary one-time temple recommends the bishop used to issue for YM/YW to attend baptisms for the dead, youth will now be issued their own temple recommend (with a picture of the baptismal font on it, instead of a picture of the temple) to carry around in their wallet/purse. The speaker talked about the youth being inspired by having it on their person, to the effect that possessing a temple recommend would help them to ward off temptation--that they could think back to their experience in the House of the Lord(tm), and not do that thing they were thinking of doing.
They have had something similar, but I think the point was that they were going to have a physical object that looked just like the "real thing" that the kids could carry with them. I know the YM/YW have had the limited use things, but that was just it--they would have to re-interview every time they went for baptisms. This is meant to function much more like an adult temple recommend. I don't know/remember how long they are supposedly valid. I'll return and report when I know more.
Now when the start issuing the Superman and Wonder Woman garments they'll really be on to something. Of course there will also be the unfortunate deaths that occur when the youngsters buy into the faith promoting folk doctrine that claims the garments give you the sacred power of flight and invincibility to bullets.
The damn cult might as well get it over with & have the youth wear garments.
(Also, I've never understood why it's called a 'recommend'. Calling it that is piss poor grammar, & it should be called a 'recommendation' instead, which would still be a weird word to use.)
For adults, the real purpose of the temple is to allow for a two tiered membership system: The Really-Righteous and the Not-Quite-Good-Enough. To be part of the Really-Righteous group, you have to pay your 10%.
This system has worked well putting the squeeze on the adults, binding them to the corporation. Want to stay married? Pay your tithing so you can have a temple reccomend. Want to see your son/daughter married? Pay your tithing, and so on.
But the youth are leaving the church behind. So lacking any new ideas to stop the flow, corporate management is simply trying create a two tiered system for the youth.
Dallin, please do return & report; I have a son who's turning 15 soon, and a younger son who turns 12 this summer. I keep close tabs on youth-related matters here on the board, and I would very much like to get some more info on this one. I'm curious to know if this is something just in your area, or if it will be pushed church-wide. I've already got "the talk" planned with my ex and my son's bishop when the youngest turns 12 and they start in with all the "priesthood" stuff. If they add to the worthiness BS with these new youth recommends and more interviews I'll open a can of whoop-ass. It'll push more out the door if it goes church-wide, I know that. But many kids will stay with the program, struggling with it and the damage it could potentially cause; I don't intend my kids to be among those subjected to this manipulative crap.
I think we did CRC cards like that in seminary (consecutive reader cards)... they were intended to remind us of our commitment to the gosepl and to help us avoid temptation.
What happened to the "Stand in holy places," teaching that they did 10 years ago? Avoid being tempted by avoiding putting yourself into a position where you're likely to be tempted. (IE, don't go to the drinking party if you don't want to be tempted to drink.)
Dallin A. Chokes Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The speaker > talked about the youth being inspired by having it > on their person, to the effect that possessing a > temple recommend would help them to ward off > temptation...
Does he mean the same way having a drivers license in their wallet keeps them from driving badly?
Speaking of drivers licenses, I used to always have a great internal chuckle, in my previous life as a L.E.O., when I stopped a vehicle and the driver handed me a T.R. when a D.L. was asked for. It was a guaranteed citation.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/09/2012 02:39PM by seutnevermo.
It's not the _object_ itself, they'll argue, but the things it reminds them of that's important. CTR rings, the YW jewelery, the WWJD bracelets from a while ago...
In our ward the YM make a big deal out of modest dress and don't even want kids wearing shorts etc. It's a obvious control freak tactic - "you need to look like you wear garments even though you don't, so we can see who to "work on".
We even get people who think they need to take our kids to ward activites or invite them to FHE because they consider us "less active." Real message - you are bad parents and we need to save you kids. What a bunch of morons. If you want to drive a bigger wedge keep it up.
My 12yo daughter has one of those. Going to the temple for baptisms for the dead is the latest fad activity among her and her friends. It makes me want to throw up. And I let her go to her bishop interview before reading the posts on here. I will not allow her to be interviewed again without me present. This is nothing less than spiritual, sexual and social abuse. Bastards!!!
"The speaker talked about the youth being inspired by having it on their person, to the effect that possessing a temple recommend would help them to ward off temptation..."
Funny, I recieved a good chunk of my temptations to break the laws of chastity on the 5 hour roundtrip bus rides to the Temple when I was growing up. 2 or 3 chaperones, two Ward's worth of horny youth and a long bus make for some sweaty good times.
I'm also thinking that the reason the cult is doing this is so the kids can go do proxy baptisms for their family when their parents are doing their temple garbage for the family.
Good point. I wonder if the little pieces of paper can actually be used to allow them to join in any baptism group that happens to be there soon, or if they're still restricted to only going with their ward/branch during their scheduled times.
This is just another in a long line of terrible ideas from the so-called leaders, IMO, and will lead to even more disillusionment from members and strife and pain among families.
I suppose I should be happy that the morg has once again shot itself in the foot, and then I think of the pain, guilt and loneliness that young people will suffer in their own families because they don't 'qualify for the GOLDEN TICKET.
One thing is for sure, this is designed to lock up young people early in the grips of the morg since the attrition rate by the time they are in high school has become so high, but this means that for the preteens there will certainly be an INCREASE in the number and depth of abusive interviews.
Rather than focus on on the worth of every soul and the value of every young person, the inevitable result will be the elite class with golden tickets and the unworthy. I guarantee that this litmus test will determine who is chosen for youth leadership positions and perhaps may be used to screen for attendance at dances or other harmless events.
PARENTS, DO YOU APPORTION YOUR LOVE, CARE AND ATTENTION TO YOUR OWN CHILDREN IN THIS WAY? WHY WOULD YOU CONTINUE TO ENDORSE THAT GOD HIMSELF THINKS THAT CHILDREN SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THIS ABUSIVE, COERCIVE REGIME?