NOM

One of the speakers in Sacrament Meeting yesterday was talking about doubt and redefining our relationship with the church ( ). This is a lady I had never really met, but I had noticed that her husband only shows up about half of the time (the times that I'm there, anyway), so I assumed she might be talking about him until I heard the unexpected words, "Elder Poleman said..." after which she proceeded to quote from the ORIGINAL, un-redacted Ronald Poleman talk. Better yet, she inserted a few statements about how people who leave the church were supposedly happier before leaving and suggested that they had been happy because they were fully engaged in something that they thought was true at the time, before they came to the realization that it wasn't quite as advertised (my wording - hers was more subtle).

Afterwards I thanked her for giving such a refreshing talk and said, "That was Poleman's original talk, right?" She said, "Yes, I had to go to Sunstone to find it."

I think this is a family that I need to try to get to know better.

Yes. Yes, you do. That's totally awesome.

That is too cool! It's a dream of mine to quote the original Poleman talk in SM.

And yay for new possible NOM friends in your ward!

That is so awesome.

My last speaking engagement at church was years ago. Wish the old NOM archive was around so I could remember it better since I posted it there. I preceded an area authority 70, but gave a very NOM speech about reverence, I believe, but conspicuously referenced a lot of non-mormons as good examples of showing what was my definition of reverence, while leaving out all church authority.

But quoting the original Poelman is perfect. It's like wearing a t-shirt with a giant tapir on the front during your talk for those who know the reference. Subtle enough for everyone else to not draw huge questions.

There's no way they'd let me speak now, even though my butt is still in the pew every week. Sometimes, rarely, do I wish for the chance to give a talk like that.

Hagoth goes to a relatively enlightened ward. Hope it spreads to other wards.