My sister had another funny story. Her hometeacher, a member of the bishopric, recently visited her with his teenage son. He asked her if she was attending church in a different ward because she hadn't been to church in a while. She told him she hadn't been to church in at least a couple of years. He asked how this made her feel and she said that she couldn't be happier and that her life was going really well. He responded that she was being blessed for all of the good things that she'd done earlier in her life, apparently despite her current disobedience. My sister responded and told him that she was offended that he was judging her as being unrighteous and unworthy of blessings. He then proceeded to ask her if she was praying and reading the scriptures and she basically told him that that was personal and none of his business. But, having been there, I'm sure he took this as a no. This probably confirmed to him the dangers of not rigorously following the commandments. If even a righteous returned missionary can lose their testimony through lack of obedience, then how important for every member to faithfully feed and strengthen their testimony.
My sister and I now realize what is really going on. If you don't constantly reinforce the brain-washing it eventually wears off. If you stop going to church and feel better and happier then you realize that going to church is a burden and not a blessing. If you aren't submersed in Mormon culture and experiences then you quickly see through the facade and see TSCC for what it is.
Anyway, I think it is funny that a faithful member can't accept that a person is happy without the church and has to chalk it up to former activity. The church can't lose. If you're active and unhappy then you need to repent or you are being tried. If you're active and happy then you are being blessed. If you're inactive and happy then it's a sign of God's mercy that he continues to bless you for your former activity. If you're inactive and unhappy then it's because God has withdrawn his Spirit and protection and you are being delivered to the buffetings of Satan in order to humble you and bring you back into activity.
Isn't it wonderful! To a Mormon it's all logical and internally consistent and no matter what happens it reinforces their faith and belief. It's a circular system of reasoning that can't be contradicted.
4 comments:
I had to laugh at this bishop. Isn't it nice when you find out your are at the top of their "Inactives to Visit" list? I like how she told him what she did.
How invasive of one's privacy can that be? The poor kid who came too...must have been interesting for him.
Your insight is right on as usual. There is no winning a discussion with a TBM on history or anyother issue with the church, but it is fun to see how their brains search for answers as your happiness becomes apparent to them.
Ok, my last discussion with the bishop regarding my questions with the church ended with "you need to go to the temple". I guess I needed some further brain washing!! He never contacted us again! What a surprise
What good would going to the temple do? They don't teach anything not readily available outside the temple except for the secret handshakes and passwords and you can easily get those by going on the web. I was sooooo disappointed by the temple; a clear case of the emperor's new clothes.
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