Kitakazoo shares the pains of being shunned by her own TBM daughter. What I want to know is what is her daughter hiding under her saggy, baggy underwear?
Kit also gives her insight to the Polygamy Community.
Eight hour lunch tries to capture the beauty of Rome, but being alone makes him home sick for his daughter.
Darqueheart declares that a real man irons his own shirts.
Sister Mary Lisa tells about the day God got a 1000 USD bonus. I think her husband is more deserving of the real man award.
Arizona Expositor’s wife wishes he would give their daughter a priesthood blessing.
Equality transcribes The book of Gladius
Sinister porpoise reaches a long term goal (though she keeps that goal a secret) and just can’t find the time to pay the Tax Man from all the money she’s making.
Matt of Notamormon gives his analogy of the age old question “Are Mormon’s Christian?”
Fiddley divulges some of his favorite secret combinations….and here too.
Finally, the man that birthed the Carnival of the Veil, Gunner. He makes the shocking statement that “Nonmembers” are good people too? Not just good, better?! Impossible ;)
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8 comments:
Great summary of posts, Trixie! Thanks for hosting the Veil this week. Be well.
-Sideon
Interesting. I read several of the posts. Again it confirms my belief that you can leave the church but you can't leave it alone. The tattoo lady...why would you want to take issue with the church? The other guy...comments like "bet upon my long expired temple recommend". Issues with the temple garments etc. There is such a spirit of "enmity". My friend attended a convention of a group of people (he was part of the hired music). In reference to the Capitol building in SLC with a covering around the top for renovation...he told me they made a joke of it...asking if it was like a giant garment or something. It's all so scoffing and disrespectful. When ya feel deceived or wronged or hurt or offended...it's like this subtle fury comes out. Everything is wrong than. Nobody treats ya right. Comments like "happy valley" or "Molly Mormon" is said with such despise.
I've been listening to the conference talks. I hear a pleading to live better. The counsel is solid, uplifting, encouraging staying the course of living well.
Even criticism of tithing. The world sees that as foolish. While other churches struggle to raise funds for facilities we continue to prosper in that area. Does it not make sense that if this life were a "test" that we would be tried in the financial arena as well? I don't pay for a preachers gold rings or fancy cars. I've never seen a bishop motivated to have the members pay tithing based upon anything but personal testimony of the blessings that come. But that deep subtle conviction can only come personally. Not out there in the world where people scoff about faith promoting testimonies or stories.
Jesus Christ walked the earth. And you are right... there is a force out there in the universe where through your own personnel faith and righteousness you can bless others. But it comes through being in tune with the spiritual. I promise you that even if the "church" is wrong or false...that the criticism, scoffing, defaming, bad mouthing is far from that spirit of love and concern that fosters wisdom and enlightenment. In the apostate frame of mind everything appears "weird"..."strange"..."foolish"...and "wrong". You can find what ya want to find in it. You can find disgruntled, disillusioned return missionaries, seminary students, endowed...former members who turned their back on the church. That will not change. It happened in Christ’s ministry and it happens today.
I challenge you ms.C to be respectful of others faith...cautious of criticizing to sooth your own decision "lest you be found to fight against God". You made the list of issues and topics of doubt (polygamy,blacks having the priesthood etc). Don't let it blind you of the other list of "good fruits". Remember you loved your Brothers and Sisters in the church once. I also promise you that the teachings of the church...it's saving ordiances,doctrines,and programs have not been the cause of your depression. I don't offer any other explanation for it...except that it is not always easy to be a member and enduring to the end becomes more meaningful to me as the years roll on.
Thanks for hosting this weeks carnival.
It was my pleasure to host the Carnival. Sorry we didn't get an entry from you this time, Sideon.
Good work Trixie!
Looks like you even managed to attract the indignant preachiness of a TBM. You know you've done good when this happens.
Why a random few waste their time trying to shame the deconverted into silence I never quite understand. It must be as irrational a response as blind faith demands.
tomhhhh, did it ever occur to you that folks care deeply about their experiences and love to share?
Perhaps it is you who is kicking against the pricks...
WATT MaHoun
"Random FEW"...not so hard to understand. I was touched by Trixie story. It broke my heart because I related to her in so many ways.
Shaming the Shaming. I did not mean to sound shaming. Just a reaction for Trixie alone. Just some honest heart felt insights,feelings,and thoughts. The deconverted are left alone soon enough.
Your point about "kicking against the pricks". Accepted! Received! There is nothing more futile then reasoning with the offended,hurt,and discontented. "In the apostate frame of mind everything appears "weird"..."strange"..."foolish"...and "wrong".
I am sure that your sharing serves it's purpose. I wish you well.
Trixie, I'm kind of new to the Veil (a wonderful gathering!). May I ask where and when it will be next, and where we should send possible submissions?
Thanks!
tomhhh, I read your words knowing they were my own not much more than a year ago. My journey since then has led me away not just from the lds church but christianity as a whole.
First, a response to your tithing comment. People are "blessed" from tithing because it prompts them to look at their finances, scale back, and budget. That's the blessing. That's natural logic. People would be equally blessed setting up a budget and putting that money in a 401k.
When you say, "I've never seen a bishop motivated to have the members pay tithing based upon anything but personal testimony of the blessings that come." I have to say ignorance is bliss. Just as with missionary goals, there are ward and stake tithing goals. A bishop truly can know that blessings come from tithing (read: budgeting) but when that message becomes a frequent mantra, it's not out of concern for members to be blessed but pressure to hit a numeric goal, either in total $ or % of members paying. I know men who've been in the meetings. That's the truth. Don't get me wrong. Tithing is a great thing. One of the best things the lds church does is humanitarian aid around the world. Let's just be honest about the motivation of the bishop. He may care about you but he is also being pressured. The higher the tithing numbers, the better he looks and who doesn't like praise?
Second, People aren't leaving a church. They are leaving a culture centered around a church. It's pretty unreasonable to expect people who walk away to walk away from everything.
When everything in your life from what you wore to what you consume to how you planned your day, working in calling obligations, pray, scripture study, activities, when you did your shopping, etc is all due to this culture, you're going to still have a foot in.
For me, that foot is in sometimes reading about the struggles of others in transition. It is also in still participating in some things simply to be with my friends or because they were good habits. I don't have a beef with the church. I don't feel deceived. I simply see all churches now as a coping method - another discipline for getting through life and explaining why we're here and where we are going.
I never looked back when I left the church of my youth but that wasn't a culture. It was at most, a couple hours a week and didn't require much of my time or have expectations. This is not at all the case with the lds. So expect people to have a foot in their old world, commiserating with fellow travellers who are transitioning. fwiw, most of us have some pretty good memories of our time being lds, too. But much like the evening news, we're not talking so much about the good things. That's just the way it goes. How often does anyone take the time in life to share the good? It happens far less than kvetching about the bad. That's life.
Personally, I won't disrespect certain things, though I empathize with the pain of those who do. I will not pretend the church is perfect either. There's already enough people doing that.
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