NOM

Having a relationship with God and/or Jesus can be a tricky thing. It is full of feelings- whether they be certain or uncertain, metaphors with multiple meanings and the texts themselves have different interpretations.
Having a relationship with a Church is relatively more concrete. You go and participate, people affirm each others beliefs, etc. Repeated rituals develop meaning that unites participants. It's worked for the Catholics for Centuries. Especially when a Church conflates itself with God.
No wonder Pres. Nelson wants to conflate the Church with Jesus Christ by emphasizing the name.

I think the new testament uses the church as Christ's body language sufficient to construct a doctrinal equivalence argument.

Just how literal does one want to get.

I do agree that many churches including mormonism install themselves between or as equivalent to divinity. And that is not desirable from a self actualizing/fulfillment/autonomy perspective. Those perspectives tend to diminish authority and intervention from external sources too which is not in the interest of churches like mormonism.

Without an authority to tell you what Christ means to you and how you relate to Christ, there isn't going to be a unity of faith or a purpose for a church structure.

I think Western culture is drifting that way in fits and starts even if we seem to be in a retrograde action right now.

Just listen to conference talks. When they talk about obeying God or following the teaching of Jesus they are often substituting those names when they really mean "church."

Bruce McConkie even said members should NOT try to have a direct personal relationship with Jesus. That's just for important people like him. The members have a relationship with church leaders and they take it to Jesus so you don't have to.

Hagoth wrote: ↑Sat Jan 18, 2025 3:22 pm Bruce McConkie even said members should NOT try to have a direct personal relationship with Jesus. That's just for important people like him. The members have a relationship with church leaders and they take it to Jesus so you don't have to.

For those with the eyes to see, it helps them realize the extent of this religious scam.