NOM

Mormonism has many products. Some bad. We discuss the bad on this board a lot. I have been watching Dancing With The Stars and I am fascinated with Lindsay Arnold and Witney Carson. Lindsay in particular looks like and acts like a very nice person. To a lesser degree so does Witney. Without knowing Lindsay in person, I feel attracted to her for that reason.
When I see her it is hard to not think about the fact that she is definitely not toeing the LDS line. She is all kinds of immodest, dancing all sexy with men that are not her husband, she is removed from family pursuing a career, putting off having babies, and presumably not supporting her husband by being home when he comes home and cooking him dinner every night.
I have been thinking about Mormonism's lifestyle products lately in the sense that I sometimes like what comes out of it if it is interpreted right and if people are able to ignore the prophets warnings. I wonder if she has more than one piercing?
Heres my thing. I must confess that I like what Mormonism turns out in some cases. I like myself. I am a product of Mormonism. My greatest desire is for people to look at me and my family and say "boy, they really look like nice people."

The problem:
Sometimes they look like nice people, and they aren't. Sometimes they aren't nice due to specific Mormon teachings.
Sometimes in order to project this "nice Mormon" look we feel like we need the right car, the right home, the right clothes, and the right ward.

But if one is able to somehow strike a miraculous balance between what Jesus teaches, some of what the Mormons teach, and what you need to make yourself happy in this life, you can really have a great life. Where is that pot of gold for me? I don't know.

I recognize that Mormons have no monopoly on how to live a good clean, wholesome life. But it does a decent job of it if you can sift through the dross. And when are you ever going to find somewhere that you don't sift through the dross?

I don't know what my point is here tonight. I am tired of being mad/annoyed. I see people like Lindsay making it work for them even though they clearly aren't living how I was taught to live. That honestly makes me happy. I am thinking tonight about how to make peace with my tribe and my raisin', and tune out what I don't like. Its hard. That's what she said...

A lot of Mormons seem to be excelling in the dance and entertainment fields these days. I think part of that is the parental pressure to raise perfect kids and thus elevate ones stature in the culture. So the quest for excellence does produce some good talent, at an ironic cost that the children usually abandon the tribal norms once that success is obtained. One exception seems to be David Archuleta, if that kid ever leaves, you know the apocolypse is nigh.

Emower wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:06 pm But if one is able to somehow strike a miraculous balance between what Jesus teaches, some of what the Mormons teach, and what you need to make yourself happy in this life, you can really have a great life. Where is that pot of gold for me? I don't know.

I recognize that Mormons have no monopoly on how to live a good clean, wholesome life. But it does a decent job of it if you can sift through the dross. And when are you ever going to find somewhere that you don't sift through the dross?

This is part of the larger existential question, "How shall we live?" Mormonism does, in fact, offer a solution of "how to live" that works for many people and seems to produce functional families and communities. It also causes great pain in some cases such as when your goals and desires don't fit with the temple recommend interview or with the Proclamation on the Family.

The institutional church grudgingly acknowledges that other belief systems might offer reasonable ways to live. Mormons will publicly admit that a lot of Catholics, Evangelicals, and conservative Christians do raise moral families. But at their core, the belief of the "One True Church" constantly arises. LDS doctrine is rather condescending to other belief systems because the overriding paradigm is that no matter how good a person might be, they would absolutely be better and happier if they were Mormon. The blessings might not come until the next life, but being a temple rec holding Mormon is always the right answer.

So now we are sitting in this public forum wondering just how to actually live happily without the framework of being a Mormon. It's an unexpected stage of a faith transition when can't definitively determine right from wrong and certainly don't know how or why you should be happy. Even more distressing is that an apostate might shed the most onerous requirements and restrictions of Mormonism and still find themselves feeling depressed. Faithful friends and family will blame the apostate for "losing the spirit". Skipping tithing and sleeping late on Sunday morning won't make you happy long term. Losing garments eventually becomes the new normal. Mormonism does not give many tools for living happily outside of it's own belief system.

Instead, all of us have to find a new basis for moral thinking and a new reason for living. They also have to figure out what kind of people are needed to have a stable society. The correct answer probably sounds like doing what makes you happy and not hurting anyone. It's probably a combination of good, clean living while trying not to shoulder too much guilt from people who believe differently. It sounds a bit like generic Christianity and might somewhat fit in with liberal Mormonism.

It's probably also going to be this paradox of allowing people with diametrically opposed beliefs but who still have to get along with each other. The mere fact of looking for a solution will bring more happiness than being in a position of claiming that you actually found it.

Corsair wrote: ↑Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:14 pm Mormonism does not give many tools for living happily outside of it's own belief system.

I just spent a while trying to come up with a list. It was a small and unimpressive list. Mormonism does some select things that help outside of itself, but they are pretty targeted (e.g. Public speaking skillz).

The mere fact of looking for a solution will bring more happiness than being in a position of claiming that you actually found it.

That's a good thought. That is worth some thought.

I think you're feeling torn and recognizing your position standing between the mental paradox of Mormonism and the normalcy of "the world". Your eyes are open, you're two feet out of your cage, you're looking around unsure what to expect. You still like the comfort of your mormon cage as well as DWTS's sexy hip gyrating female sexuality bundled in sequins.

Essentially your out, just not very far!

Red Ryder wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2017 8:47 am You still like the comfort of your mormon cage as well as DWTS's sexy hip gyrating female sexuality bundled in sequins.

Bingo. Maybe it is more like an aquarium submerged in a larger tank. There is a thorough mixing of fluids, but the familiar parts of the tank are all still there. I can swim out and in as I please. Then again, that may be like my comment of sitting on a barbed wire fence naked. Its silly, painful, dangerous, and something is going to get hurt. I dont know.

I really like that picture though.