Mormons and the Word of Wisdom

[Stoked]

I see my relationship with God as less administratively important, I guess.

Most individuals would agree with you but the Church as an organization has to look at it from the opposite angle. Since the gospel is the same no matter what ward you are in the vast majority just go to the ward that serves where they live.

Another interesting note is that the Bishop (and other ward called positions) are inspired to receive revelation for those in their ward. If you are going to a ward that is not your own you may miss out on a lesson or spiritual inspiration given to a ward leader that was meant for you.

[PKM]

As I have said, I respect that. I can do so and still believe an alternative view.
I believe if I need revelation, God is powerful enough to be sure I receive it, even if I happen to be in a different building this Sunday.

I am not arguing one way over the other. I'm simply sharing my beliefs alongside my Mormon bros sharing the same.
Bless y'all!

[colton]

I guess it's probably just much easier to manage a congregation when everyone is in the same general area. For example, I'm probably a lot less likely to do my home teaching if getting to my families is less convenient.

And I imagine it's a little like a school teacher who makes desk assignments, rather than letting kids sit wherever they want. More control, etc.

It would be nice to be able to pick where you want to attend, but I could see it being a major headache, from an administrative standpoint.

And it's not just administrative. I think it also has to do with the calling of bishop, and how the church views the stewardship of a bishop. The bishop is the administrative leader of a ward, but he's also very much the spiritual leader. With geographic boundaries, the bishop has a very clear idea of exactly who the "sheep" are that are in his fold--who he needs to assign home teachers to, etc. If people got to choose their wards, the bishop would have very little knowledge of who the inactive members are over which he had stewardship.

(That being said, I did attend a ward in California for close to a year, where we lived just over the boundary into the next ward. I guess we and/or the bishop got permission although I don't remember officially doing so, because we were treated just like regular members, with callings and so forth. So exceptions can be made.)

[Stoked]

As I have said, I respect that. I can do so and still believe an alternative view.
I believe if I need revelation, God is powerful enough to be sure I receive it, even if I happen to be in a different building this Sunday.

I am not arguing one way over the other. I'm simply sharing my beliefs alongside my Mormon bros sharing the same.
Bless y'all!

Yes He is. I am sure he does. I am just pointing out that there is a mechanism already in place for that very thing as well.

In my opinion a Mormon who goes to another ward regularly has nothing to worry about.

[BigWilly087]

Yes He is. I am sure he does. I am just pointing out that there is a mechanism already in place for that very thing as well.

In my opinion a Mormon who goes to another ward regularly has nothing to worry about.

I think part of it is to avoid the clique problem talked about earlier in the thread. If you let people go to any ward that they want, then you will have "cool" wards and "old people" wards, etc. Having it based strictly based on geography forces people to mingle with those that they might not otherwise

[Stoked]

I think part of it is to avoid the clique problem talked about earlier in the thread. If you let people go to any ward that they want, then you will have "cool" wards and "old people" wards, etc. Having it based strictly based on geography forces people to mingle with those that they might not otherwise

Very true.

[colton]

I think part of it is to avoid the clique problem talked about earlier in the thread. If you let people go to any ward that they want, then you will have "cool" wards and "old people" wards, etc. Having it based strictly based on geography forces people to mingle with those that they might not otherwise

Good point. Less true in Utah, where the geographical boundaries are much smaller, but still a significant factor. In fact, even in Utah wards are often deliberately "gerrymandered" so that they include multiple socio-economic strata in the same ward.

[Scat]

Good point. Less true in Utah, where the geographical boundaries are much smaller, but still a significant factor. In fact, even in Utah wards are often deliberately "gerrymandered" so that they include multiple socio-economic strata in the same ward.

There are singles wards, Polynesian wards, Vietnamese wards, Hispanic wards, etc. Wards that meet the needs of specific groups are not at all unusual.

[CONAN]

Having wards solves a lot of problems for the Church and for the individual. We don't need to be commanded in all things but there are some things where we shouldn't be left to our own devices.

[CONAN]

And there are cliques wherever you go. But it does suck that they are at Church. I'm sure they are helpful to some folks. But I also think some people see cliques where there aren't any. I think some people just seem to look for reasons to be offended.

[babe]

I'm late for this thread. . . . like I'd be late for meeting at any ward if I ever wanted to go. . . .

I have a BIL who does go, and when he was active in "my" ward he'd swing by to collect some fast offering. Said we were about the only ones in our Hispanic neighborhood who'd "offer" anything. . . . well, except for the little old lady next door, who is absolutely the best neighbor I've ever had. It's like living next door to grandma for my kids.

But sadly, when my BIL came to the ranch to help me put a roof on the house there, the first thing he did was declare I was forbidden to preach the Word of Wisdom to him, as he stoked up on a gallon of coffee for him and my nephew. I said I wouldn't preach the Word of Wisdom, but I might give a lecture on science. . . . and proceeded to explain about how phosphodiesterase inhibitors like caffeine and chocolate force our bodies to respond toi inactivation of one of the most universal and important biofeedback/regulation systems in all biology. One so important that it has multiple control mechanisms. . . . and that when you jack yourself up on coffee as a habit you create what is called a "state" in biochemistry language where there is a whole syndrome of altered levels of regulatory biochemicals that is set out of the normal balanced levels. And as for alcohol and tobacco. . . . not even debatable about the "wisdom", but maybe still a step backward to insert these kinds of codes into a religion, where the basic ideas are on an entirely different level of abstraction about the human soul and it's value. . . . sort of like throwing scientists out of class because they pick their nose or something. . . .

and on other subjects showing up in here, I'd just like to say cliques are just human nature, and they are what I call a sociological labor-saving device that makes relationships just simpler. It's like knowing who mom and dad are, so far as "kids" needing to mind their manners and know what they can or should do. We all have "important" people whose feelings are disproportionately important in our behavior or decisions. . . . yeah, it's good to try to treat all people the same, but we will never do that because it just makes life too damn hard. Same thing applies in regard to "racism" so far as I'm concerned. We all need to have some comfort zone where we fit in. It's only a good idea so far as administration of government laws and in companies bigger than a mom and pop shop. It is insanely stupid to make government so pervasively powerful it becomes the major point of reference for every decision in our personal lives, though. . . . like our "progressive" friends believe it should be. Families need to reclaim their role in life. . . . and I even think we need to trim back the "Church" in it's tendency to want to be the only show "on the block" in our lives.

local wards keep the LDS church uniform and prevent popular bishops from starting new churches based on their cultic personal charm or special doctrinal themes, and such. We can differ on the pros and cons, but it is essential to keep the schizmatic Mormons from crumbling into a thousand sects.