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Archie Moses said:
Sometimes I wonder if people are called to positions so God can really test peoples faith and other things he wants us to have. The LDS church teaches that it should support its leaders and sometimes, it can be very hard. Not saying that there are a ton of leaders that are the extreme like Buttars, but I'm sure there are a lot of people that are learning patience, charity, and long suffering (lol) because they have such terrible leaders. On my mission, an AP was called, and I absolutely couldn't stand him. This AP was seriously crazy. I'm not kidding you. I did a split with him one time before he became AP and we talked to some random guy on the street in the rain for two hours. I didn't say a word, and this missionary talked the whole time. At the end, he tried to force the gentleman we were talking with to take a BoM. The man politely declined. This missionary began to cry, and did the worst acting job I've ever seen to manipulate the man. He began sob like a baby and then out of no where, he started to beat his head with the BoM the man didn't take to try and make him feel bad that he didn't accept. Granted, this missionary worked very hard, and knew the scriptures crazy good, but I always felt weird around him and I seriously felt the complete opposite of what I think the spirit feels like. Anyways, after he became AP he taught us at a zone conference and told us that we needed to repent for how we've read the scriptures our whole life, but not to worry because he would teach us how to read them right during his lesson. I was a Zone Leader at the time, and I had to convince about 4 Elders that were extremely pissed not to riot. I told them that he was in that position to test our faith. To this day I think I learned a lot from that experience and rather have it shake my faith, it made me think about things a little clearer. Anyways, I'm just rambling... Ok, bye.
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+1 rep. Completely valid perspective.
 
Addendum to Archie's post:

While church callings (especially bishops) are supposed to divinely inspired, I suspect that they sometimes are not. But not by God's choice. Those who are choosing others for positions within the church are supposed to pray about it and seek inspiration. Not all do. Sometimes choices are made politically, or even randomly. Hopefully this isn't always the case. But it happens. When my wife and I were first married, we lived in a ward with a mean, vindictive, heinous bishop. He drove people out of the ward. I wondered how God could pick this guy to lead a congregation. But it didn't shake my faith, it just made me avoid him. God only helps in the decision process when He's asked to.

That's my 2c.
 
I don't think everyone is called of god. I think if there was some god figure calling a select of his minions and telling them secrets... that would be about as far as the chain of command would go. The right guy would get the head position and than from there delegate power... i.e. I have been called of god and I use my judgement to ordain you.... I have been called by a guy who was called of god and use my judgement to ordain you. Sure there's going to be some f-ups along the line, because not everyone peers into the bedroom before they make a decision.

Even if those men were called of god to be bishops and stuff, you don't see as many outright injustices against humanities like in other denominations (diddling kids and stuff, flying planes into buildings)... you often see just power hungry pricks who have allowed their vision of transcendence to stretch into real life.
 
Bronco70 said:
Addendum to Archie's post:

While church callings (especially bishops) are supposed to divinely inspired, I suspect that they sometimes are not. But not by God's choice. Those who are choosing others for positions within the church are supposed to pray about it and seek inspiration. Not all do. Sometimes choices are made politically, or even randomly. Hopefully this isn't always the case. But it happens. When my wife and I were first married, we lived in a ward with a mean, vindictive, heinous bishop. He drove people out of the ward. I wondered how God could pick this guy to lead a congregation. But it didn't shake my faith, it just made me avoid him. God only helps in the decision process when He's asked to.

That's my 2c.
Click to expand...


This is pretty much exactly how I feel
 
Archie Moses said:
Sometimes I wonder if people are called to positions so God can really test peoples faith and other things he wants us to have. The LDS church teaches that it should support its leaders and sometimes, it can be very hard. Not saying that there are a ton of leaders that are the extreme like Buttars, but I'm sure there are a lot of people that are learning patience, charity, and long suffering (lol) because they have such terrible leaders. On my mission, an AP was called, and I absolutely couldn't stand him. This AP was seriously crazy. I'm not kidding you. I did a split with him one time before he became AP and we talked to some random guy on the street in the rain for two hours. I didn't say a word, and this missionary talked the whole time. At the end, he tried to force the gentleman we were talking with to take a BoM. The man politely declined. This missionary began to cry, and did the worst acting job I've ever seen to manipulate the man. He began sob like a baby and then out of no where, he started to beat his head with the BoM the man didn't take to try and make him feel bad that he didn't accept. Granted, this missionary worked very hard, and knew the scriptures crazy good, but I always felt weird around him and I seriously felt the complete opposite of what I think the spirit feels like. Anyways, after he became AP he taught us at a zone conference and told us that we needed to repent for how we've read the scriptures our whole life, but not to worry because he would teach us how to read them right during his lesson. I was a Zone Leader at the time, and I had to convince about 4 Elders that were extremely pissed not to riot. I told them that he was in that position to test our faith. To this day I think I learned a lot from that experience and rather have it shake my faith, it made me think about things a little clearer. Anyways, I'm just rambling... Ok, bye.
Click to expand...
You know, or a better explanation is that I have better things to do than micro-manage all the measly political movements of your church.
 
Bronco70 said:
Addendum to Archie's post:

While church callings (especially bishops) are supposed to divinely inspired, I suspect that they sometimes are not. But not by God's choice. Those who are choosing others for positions within the church are supposed to pray about it and seek inspiration. Not all do. Sometimes choices are made politically, or even randomly. Hopefully this isn't always the case. But it happens. When my wife and I were first married, we lived in a ward with a mean, vindictive, heinous bishop. He drove people out of the ward. I wondered how God could pick this guy to lead a congregation. But it didn't shake my faith, it just made me avoid him. God only helps in the decision process when He's asked to.

That's my 2c.
Click to expand...

I have been in this position before and completely agree with you. I also feel it's very possible (and probably happens all the time) for a human mind to misinterpret God's divine guidance.
 
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