The perils of Empathy

[deacon blues]

I don't think church leaders dare encourage members to have empathy for critics and apostates. Real empathy requires understanding and the last thing TBM leaders and members want to do is understand the reasons (BOA, Anthropology, Lying for the Lord, etc.) people are leaving the church. Those lost sheep are too risky to save.

Can critics have empathy for TBM's? Let's hope so.

[redjay]

Your only a sheep as long as you have no voice - then you are a wolf

[slavereeno]

Our SP's admonition was "spend all the time you want online researching the church, but if you spend equal time reading the BoM you will never loose your testimony" I had spent way more of my time reading the BoM than researching online and found his statement to be untrue.

[FiveFingerMnemonic]

Our SP's admonition was "spend all the time you want online researching the church, but if you spend equal time reading the BoM you will never loose your testimony" I had spent way more of my time reading the BoM than researching online and found his statement to be untrue.

Most of us have the opposite reaction when reading the BOM now that all the anacronisms and 19th century theological material is visible. That formula only works with ignorance as a companion.

[wtfluff]

Our SP's admonition was "spend all the time you want online researching the church, but if you spend equal time reading the BoM you will never loose your testimony" I had spent way more of my time reading the BoM than researching online and found his statement to be untrue.

Oh man, I wish I lived in your stake. (Maybe I do... Who knows?)

If I had that statement from a "leader" as ammunition, I'd be preaching it LOUD, far and wide.

In fact, I'd dare bet that if that sort of preaching got too much attention, that Steak Prez. would get fired pretty quickly.

[deacon blues]

Our SP's admonition was "spend all the time you want online researching the church, but if you spend equal time reading the BoM you will never loose your testimony" I had spent way more of my time reading the BoM than researching online and found his statement to be untrue.

Oh man, I wish I lived in your stake. (Maybe I do... Who knows?)

If I had that statement from a "leader" as ammunition, I'd be preaching it LOUD, far and wide.

In fact, I'd dare bet that if that sort of preaching got too much attention, that Steak Prez. would get fired pretty quickly.

Yup.

[Palerider]

Our SP's admonition was "spend all the time you want online researching the church, but if you spend equal time reading the BoM you will never loose your testimony" I had spent way more of my time reading the BoM than researching online and found his statement to be untrue.

Oh man, I wish I lived in your stake. (Maybe I do... Who knows?)

If I had that statement from a "leader" as ammunition, I'd be preaching it LOUD, far and wide.

In fact, I'd dare bet that if that sort of preaching got too much attention, that Steak Prez. would get fired pretty quickly.

Slavereeno's SP probably got that from a BKPacker conference talk. It was back in the 80s-90s??

He basically said to spend as much time studying the pro-lds stuff as you do the contra-lds stuff and you'll be o.k.
If he were alive now he might regret that statement....

[blazerb]

Our SP's admonition was "spend all the time you want online researching the church, but if you spend equal time reading the BoM you will never loose your testimony" I had spent way more of my time reading the BoM than researching online and found his statement to be untrue.

Most of us have the opposite reaction when reading the BOM now that all the anacronisms and 19th century theological material is visible. That formula only works with ignorance as a companion.

It only takes an instant for all the problematical material in the BoM to become visible. Once you see it, you can't unsee it. It's painfully obvious to me, now.

[deacon blues]

Yeah, it's like the optical illusion or 3D picture when the perspective suddenly comes into view. Once you see it, it will always come into focus again.

[Red Ryder]

Then once you repeatedly see it your mind goes straight to Joseph's head in a hat mumbling @&$!!

[BriansThoughtMirror]

I had a conversation once about empathy and tolerance for those with different beliefs once with my brother in law. This was before telling him about my changed beliefs. He suggested something to the effect that empathy is a red herring, and we need to be careful because empathizing with the wrong things (I believe homosexuals came up) could lead you to accept things you shouldn't. I then told him about my Dad's Baptist, ex-mormon parents, and how my Dad tenaciously kept offering love and acceptance even over differing beliefs and a lot of hurt feelings, and how that allowed him to repair their family relationships. I never knew about that until I was an adult. I think it made an impression. Later, after my beliefs were more known, I had another conversation with him late at night in which he really asked some deep questions about my current beliefs, and I got the impression that he was honestly trying to understand rather than correct or pass judgment. I was shocked, because I know how strongly he believes he's right. Point is this- maybe you are right. Some have empathy anyway, thank goodness!

[deacon blues]

I think empathy is like forgiveness. It blesses the giver and the receiver.

[1smartdodog]

Our SP's admonition was "spend all the time you want online researching the church, but if you spend equal time reading the BoM you will never loose your testimony" I had spent way more of my time reading the BoM than researching online and found his statement to be untrue.

I hate how leaders can just make up anything they want and it is suppose to work. Nothing but anecdotal evidence is sufficient to tell you how to live. They never ever tell you about all the times it does not work