NOM

I admit I go to church off and on. Mostly for my Nomish wife who likes her friends there. But even I like to maintain contact with those who I have known for so many years. So why is the church that I spent most of my life in seem to be dying a slow death. It can't be all bad. Sure lots of it is, but it gave me some good things over the years.

My observation is the church is a social engine like most religions. The leaders want to make claims that it is the doctrine that drives the church. Hence all the doubling down on dumb stuff. But the church of my youth is long gone. No more youth trips just for fun. No roadshows, dances, sunday school parties, scouting. Its all gone for the youth. It seems to be all behavior control now. Even the adults have so little. Where is the pot luck dinner after church once a month to socialize. Our ward use to have a couple of grand events for the adults couple times a year. It all got nixed to save money for the COB. Now its a ward dinner now and then. Programmed to save money and keep the fun to a minimum.

The success of the church was never about the doctrine completely. There is not enough there to feed a starving saint. It was always about belonging to a group that you could count on. Some people that you like being with. Some place that brought some sunshine to an otherwise dreay life for some.

In an authoritarian structure it is always more rules, less fun and enjoyment to accomplish a perceived goal. My point is the church is facing a problem with people leaving. Sure it is about the internet, real church history and all, but I believe for many that is all it takes to get them out of a boring church bogged down by its tedious rules and procedures.

So to the church spies who are reading this my appeal is to make church as enjoyable as possible. Cut the reins some from the COB to local wards. Let them have some of that hoard of gold you are sitting on and enjoy life. Let them do some good, set up a local food bank or something if they desire. Let people attend the ward in their city they enjoy the most. Reign in all the rules on the WofW and other non productive agenda items. Give the members some freedom to be creative outside of the confines of the doctrine.

All this may not grow the church, but I believe a more dynamic approach that builds on peoples desire to to belong to the tribe will stem the hemorrhaging. At least we may have more fun on the decline. As it is, I have come to believe the church is going to die much faster than I originally thought 9 years ago when I woke up to the reality of that the church is. A church more focused on making this life the best it can be doctrine be dammed may survive.

1smartdodog wrote: ↑Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:50 am At least we may have more fun on the decline.

You think these men want you to have fun?

We don't do "fun".....

The problem is the top-down corporate-think that believes activities and goals which are better off left to grow organically can instead be regulated and enforced into a corporate mold. A bunch of friends getting together to help a less fortunate member of the congregation because they WANT to, are now a bunch of random people doing something selected by managers because they HAVE to.

Blech.

Come here how Pale, cRusty knows how to live it up!




But this is a great point Intelligent Dog. I remember when I was in the middle of finding out the truth about LDS-Inc. during one of the fights to get one of my teen children ready go "go to church" and they stated: "It's just so boring dad!" And I actually paused for a moment, and admitted to myself that they were absolutely correct. Couldn't an all-powerful, loving "parent in heaven" make it so their "church" wasn't mind-numbingly boring?

It's the same old statement we use constantly: Correlation ruined the "fun" in mormonism. Personally, I barely caught the tail-end of the "fun" era of mormonism. I never had the opportunity to participate in a "road show," but my older siblings did. Mormonism back then was basically a huge part of my social group, if not my entire social group, and I looked forward to the mormon activities because of that. That sort of thing has been going downhill for me for at least 20 years, and probably longer, though I didn't want to admit it to myself.

Now it's been correlated to the point that the leadership do nothing but talk about / quote each other, and the congregations are now mandated to study conference talks above all else. It's literally become "The Church of The Church." Or "The Church of a bunch of Boring Old Bigots."

Maybe we need to print up some bumper-stickers: "Make Mormonism Fun Again!" (Honestly, I don't think it's possible. I'd rather let the Good Ship Zion sink, and find other social groups that aren't fake.)

wtfluff wrote: ↑Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:12 pm Come here how Pale, cRusty knows how to live it up!

Oh, this is precious. Was this taken soon after he took the sacrament?

You know in the old days, Brigham and the rest of the boys were using wine for their sacrament meetings in the SLC temple while the rest of the church were using water. I guess word got out and somebody called them on it and they had to quit.

Well said. The church has turned into the Department of Motor Vehicles. Nothing but rules. Cant wait to get out, and never really want to go there unless I have to.