Reasons you left the LDS church.

[Bronco70]

This is probably an odd spot to interject, but I wanted to throw in my .02. I'm an active LDS church member, but there are several things about the church I don't understand/approve of. Doctrinally, I'm fine with the basic set up. I have always been conflicted about the blacks-and-the-priesthood thing. I don't subscribe to the notion that God knows why and that we will understand, eventually. But it's not enough to knock me away. I would probably feel vastly different if it had never been rectified.

But my main issue with the church is the member culture. The church is littered with nosy, gossipy, judgmental fools who pick and choose which tenets of the faith they feel are truly important, and then pass sweeping judgment on any who do not meet their obtuse standards. There are good, quality people in the church, but frequently worth is quantified by the more trivial elements of the doctrine. I generally believe that the leadership of the church has the best interest of the membership at heart, but regardless of whether the doctrine is perfect or not, it is run by humans, who are flawed, and the organization as a whole will never be perfect under the current circumstances.

I know there is a understanding within the culture that you're either all-in, or all-out. I don't buy this. I do believe in God, but I have a difficult time believing that He loves us so much that He would formulate a plan that would allow us to live celestially, as long as we can go to the devil's playground and conform (after having any memory of allegiance to Him wiped) to a very rigid set of standards that are given to us, not by Him, but by the few mortals He will communicate with directly. Now, having said all that, again, I do believe in God. But I'm pretty certain we will be judged on our merits, and not on where we spent our sundays and whether or not we got our home teaching done.

I re-read that, and it sounds like I have every reason to quit the church. But I won't. I like it there. I think, for the most part, it provides a goo foundation for the kind of life one is supposed to lead. Minus the knuckleheads, I get a lot out of it.

Maybe I'm just dumb.

 

[GVC]

I'm curious Bronco, how do you handle church callings, giving talks in church, bearing your testimony, dealing with confused youth, etc.?

 

[Scat]

This is probably an odd spot to interject, but I wanted to throw in my .02. I'm an active LDS church member, but there are several things about the church I don't understand/approve of. Doctrinally, I'm fine with the basic set up. I have always been conflicted about the blacks-and-the-priesthood thing. I don't subscribe to the notion that God knows why and that we will understand, eventually. But it's not enough to knock me away. I would probably feel vastly different if it had never been rectified.

But my main issue with the church is the member culture. The church is littered with nosy, gossipy, judgmental fools who pick and choose which tenets of the faith they feel are truly important, and then pass sweeping judgment on any who do not meet their obtuse standards. There are good, quality people in the church, but frequently worth is quantified by the more trivial elements of the doctrine. I generally believe that the leadership of the church has the best interest of the membership at heart, but regardless of whether the doctrine is perfect or not, it is run by humans, who are flawed, and the organization as a whole will never be perfect under the current circumstances.

I know there is a understanding within the culture that you're either all-in, or all-out. I don't buy this. I do believe in God, but I have a difficult time believing that He loves us so much that He would formulate a plan that would allow us to live celestially, as long as we can go to the devil's playground and conform (after having any memory of allegiance to Him wiped) to a very rigid set of standards that are given to us, not by Him, but by the few mortals He will communicate with directly. Now, having said all that, again, I do believe in God. But I'm pretty certain we will be judged on our merits, and not on where we spent our sundays and whether or not we got our home teaching done.

I re-read that, and it sounds like I have every reason to quit the church. But I won't. I like it there. I think, for the most part, it provides a goo foundation for the kind of life one is supposed to lead. Minus the knuckleheads, I get a lot out of it.

Maybe I'm just dumb.

I once heard an inactive member say that despite his inactivity the Church must be true. If faith was based on the actions and behavior of most members, the Church would have failed long ago.

 

[Scat]

I'm curious Bronco, how do you handle church callings, giving talks in church, bearing your testimony, dealing with confused youth, etc.?

A good Mormon is a busy Mormon.

 

[kwb]

Ancient aliens came down and gave you a Jose Cuervo *****?

*EDIT* Seriously? The proper word for shooting a liquid up your butt is censored??

A *** shot of cuervo? Are we talking with or without a lime?

 

[Bronco70]

I'm curious Bronco, how do you handle church callings, giving talks in church, bearing your testimony, dealing with confused youth, etc.?

I have a calling, have given talks, and was in the YM program for many years. I haven't born testimony in years. I follow the lesson plans, basically, but I don't BS anyone. I don't say things I don't actually believe. I think one of the reasons I'm still in the church is that I feel like I can still contribute (and benefit) even though I don't feel inclined to follow every little detail. I stick to the stuff that I believe God considers important. A lot of the rules are completely man made, IMO.

I know that may seem inconsistent, but I think I am a better person than I would be if I ditched the church altogether. That doesn't apply to everyone, though. Some people foster their spirituality in other ways, and I'm fine with that. I feel like we should be judged primarily by how we treat each other.

 

[Deleted member 365]

I think what's key is what your spiritual health is like rather than your "church" health.

I was thinking about this the other day. I wasn't very prepared or focused at all spiritually. I was thinking about girls, homework, football, and the end of the semester. As a result, my "experience" at church was rather meh. The President of the Church could have given a talk and I literally would not have heard him since I arrived too late and sat out in the foyer. The lessons that were given were probably great, but due to my lack of focus, I didn't get messages that I could have gotten.Despite being decently "healthy" church wise (I made it to most of the 3 hrs) my spiritual health wasn't exactly... Well... Lets just say I "Fessed" it. Jackpotting around playing video games until 4am wasn't exactly great preparation for early morning church.

this is what scares me most about prayer.

Or about following inspiration.

Or religion in general.

Am I missing out on a better or more fulfilling life due to my own actions?

to those who have argued about the "LDS" church and how they didn't feel anything while attending or praying.... Or to those offended by members less cool than Colton I suggest you keep these things in mind. That many members might be like you or I, they're at church but are distracted with school, work, family, problems, etc. to really take to heart the messages given. Some might actually act not in accordance to their supposed beliefs. Fortunately, church (of any religion) isn't a place for perfect people.

So before acting/speaking for or against religion, or in this case, the LDS church, I think one should better evaluate their own level of spirituality. If you truly don't want it or care, you probably aren't going to feel anything no matter where you go or who speaks.

If you do, then I hope ya feel better or have a good time.... I'll admit there have been some times where I felt ready for a good experience at church or some activity (maybe like praying or temple attendance) and haven't really felt anything. Maybe the answer was still waiting? Maybe the experience was dependent upon something else?

I don't know. Life isn't perfect. And now I've wasted time that I could have used typing up this history report...

 

[Scat]

I was thinking about girls, homework, football, and the end of the semester.

What? Nothing about the evils of the Republican party or conservatism?? You're slipping.

Damn girls are corrupting your mind...

 

[Mission Accomplished]

I'm active and happy in the LDS church. I wasn't always a strong member of the church. My parents were both members but after going off and on in primary and having the choice to go as I hit mutual age. I really didn't choose to go. I had a lot of friends that were very active in the church. But, that had little influence on me I would always ask them if they didn't have to go would they still go? and most of them said they they wouldn't. I graduated from high school and I was working and hanging out with my girlfriend. She was from a strong LDS family and was a great example to me. I remember one day thinking to myself that I had two paths to choose between: going to college or finding out through study if I should go and serve a mission. I began reading the missionary library and I knew that I had to serve a mission and that it would change my life. I did serve a mission and I had many incredible experiences from getting chastised by my Mission President to getting hit by a car and the list goes on. I am truly grateful to my girlfriend and now wife for her influence and how it changed the course of my life.

There are many things which I struggle with in the church. One of my stuggles comes from my political stance I'm not necessarily a Democrate. But, I respect and believe in Obama. Which I'm having a hard time understanding how anyone can read the life and teachings of Jesus and feel that the Republican Party is living up to the message that he brought and taught. I don't like going to Elders Quorum and hearing them slam on the President of the United States because they are ignorant and don't fully understand the predicament that we are in. I have had conversations where I have talked about the reality of global warming and our dependence on oil. And it is inconceivable that they believe that God gave us this planet to trash and before we completely destroy it he will come in a cloud and save us.
I tend to believe that it hurts him to watch us treat the earth like our own personal $hi#$er. Also, if one more person tell me that dinosaurs were sent here for the purpose of getting us oil and act like oil is manna from God I will go crazy. Oil was just one useful resource that has been crammed down our throats for corporate gains.

I have learned a lot about many of the other Christian denominations and the LDS church while it might not have every single truth. It is heads and shoulders stronger in doctrine than any of the other break off churches of the Catholic church. It just seems as in the times of the BOM that we are in a pride cycle because of our prosperity. I think we should be more apt to love and give than to judge and persecute.

Also, I find it hard to say I know that anything is true because I real don't know. But, I strongly feel and believe them to be true because my soul and my heart can feel and relate to their messages.

 

[One Brow]

Not what I meant. Plenty of non-Mormons out there better than me. I mean doing your own thing with regards to believing what you want.

I don't believe what I want. I'm actually fond of a version of God as described by Jehovah's Witnesses. I accept what I see as real, regardless of what I want.

 

[Surely]

For the record, I go to church every Sunday, have a calling, served a mission (though my mission president wanted to dis-fellowship me when I returned home), am married in the Temple, the whole 9 yards. But when I talk to people I try to go out of my way so as to not come across as arrogant or "wholier than thou". All I see are people trying to do the best in this life with the deck of cards they have been given. To me that is what is important. My best friend growing up came out after his mission and currently lives with his partner in San Diego. My reaction to all that is that I am not the one to judge him. I still love him like a brother and am sure that he is doing the best he can and someday, someone who knows the situation much better then I do will sort it all out.

 

[bigb]

This is probably an odd spot to interject, but I wanted to throw in my .02. I'm an active LDS church member, but there are several things about the church I don't understand/approve of. Doctrinally, I'm fine with the basic set up. I have always been conflicted about the blacks-and-the-priesthood thing. I don't subscribe to the notion that God knows why and that we will understand, eventually. But it's not enough to knock me away. I would probably feel vastly different if it had never been rectified.

But my main issue with the church is the member culture. The church is littered with nosy, gossipy, judgmental fools who pick and choose which tenets of the faith they feel are truly important, and then pass sweeping judgment on any who do not meet their obtuse standards. There are good, quality people in the church, but frequently worth is quantified by the more trivial elements of the doctrine. I generally believe that the leadership of the church has the best interest of the membership at heart, but regardless of whether the doctrine is perfect or not, it is run by humans, who are flawed, and the organization as a whole will never be perfect under the current circumstances.

I know there is a understanding within the culture that you're either all-in, or all-out. I don't buy this. I do believe in God, but I have a difficult time believing that He loves us so much that He would formulate a plan that would allow us to live celestially, as long as we can go to the devil's playground and conform (after having any memory of allegiance to Him wiped) to a very rigid set of standards that are given to us, not by Him, but by the few mortals He will communicate with directly. Now, having said all that, again, I do believe in God. But I'm pretty certain we will be judged on our merits, and not on where we spent our sundays and whether or not we got our home teaching done.

I re-read that, and it sounds like I have every reason to quit the church. But I won't. I like it there. I think, for the most part, it provides a goo foundation for the kind of life one is supposed to lead. Minus the knuckleheads, I get a lot out of it.

Maybe I'm just dumb.

Sounds like you and me have similar thoughts/attitude about it all.
I once had a bishop who repeatedly said something like "I don't think God will ask us if we obeyed the Word of Wisdom. I think he'll ask us if we did our home teaching every month." I remember thinking "you're absolutely retarded".
Like Bronco, fundamentally I think the Church is true. But the people who are in charge can be absolutely bat-**** crazy and retarded at times. And the people who are going and like to think they're God's gift to humanity are even worse. My current ward sucks donkey balls. It is filled with some of the most un-Christ like people ever seen in a church. They can be very vengeful, self-absorbed, and judgmental douchebags. My ward is so full of cliques it makes me want to vomit.
But I still find myself going most weeks. One (probably the biggest) reason I go is because my ward does have a spanish speaking Sunday school class. That gives me an excellent opportunity to practice the language.