I think the culture of my church neutralizes the members.
I've been pondering this topic for years. It's the bulk of a lot of my conversation with my closest friends.
As I sit here trying to think of how to explain it, I can't help but think, "share what you have learned."
Lately I've been extremely drawn to the parables Christ taught.
The 10 Virgins
The 5, 2 and 1 talent story
The Good Samaritan
Clean the inner vessel
The 10 lepers
Lets take the 10 virgins. The 5 wise and the 5 foolish. Guess what? There's hardly a difference between them. They all show faith (watching for the bridegroom). They all show obedience (all being where they're supposed to be). They all show preparedness (dressed accordingly). They all have what they need (lamps, even oil). They all have the same goal even (to be a part of the festivities). Yet in the end, 5 are not recognized by the bridegroom. And they were shocked.
There's another scripture. Matthew 7:22-23. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in they name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" Then 23, "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you..."
These stories have always ... I don't know ... set up camp in my heart and soul. What's the oil? What did these people do wrong?
Because my desire is to be one of the 5 wise. I want to be the servant that turns the 5 talents into 10. Ultimately, I hope to hear these words (Matthew 25:21) "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make the ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of they Lord."
If you read just a bit more, Christ actually teaches, I feel, what the oil is. He illustrates what those He will recognize as His will do:
"I was an hungred and ye gave me meat. I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in. Naked and ye clothed me. Sick and ye visited me... in prison and ye came unto me."
I don't think His teachings are limited to soup kitchens or Peace Corp trips or visiting prisons or nursing homes (by all means, do this too! Hello!!!)
There are so many levels of hunger. Spiritual. Social. Mental.
There are so many levels of thirst. A thirst for friendship. A thirst for understanding. A thirst for being validated.
There are so many types of strangers. Basically, anything that I am not! LOL!! How do I respond to people who have different ideals than my own? Do I still make them feel welcomed in my life?
Naked. If you're naked, you feel vulnerable. Exposed. If I'm interacting with someone how feels vulnerable, I sure hope I have empowered them. I really do.
Sick.
In prison.
This is what we're supposed to do. To everyone. Not just those we visit teach. Not just those we see as "hey! I bet I can reactivate that family and be the humble braggy smiler at their baptism!"
How do we treat our kid when they say, "hey Mom, I don't want to serve a mission."
Or when we find out that a family member identifies as bisexual.
Or find yourself filing for divorce?
This is why I say, the culture of this church can actually neutralize it's members. I don't want to make a list of what the culture is. That'd be a long ass list. What that list does, however, is it makes those who concentrate on those boxes to check distracted from what's around them. From what really we SHOULD be doing. It gives clearer meaning to the phrase "all is well in Zion"!
Instead, I want to focus on what the GOSPEL is.
Wow, as I type this, I can't help but think, "the Gospel wants us to empower others. To uplift and strengthen others. Our friends. Our spouse. Our children. Our SELVES."
I'm getting really tired. There's so much more I want to write. I'll keep writing. It sure does help me figure this whole culture vs Gospel phenomenon thing out.
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Page 155 in the Book of Mormon
Page 155 but the exact reference page 155 verse 6.
Anyone who knows me ... who REALLY knows me, knows that I'm really committed to religion and very committed to my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
But I hate the culture. I hate everything about the culture. To me it's one of shame and very toxic. So as a member of this church and as a mother, my focus lately has been to weed through the shit and identify and teach the pure gospel of my religion.
I was reading today in Mosiah. Chapter 4. Verse 6.
"...if you have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body - (7) I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation..."
Here was my IMMEDIATE thought. WHY AREN'T WE TEACHING MORE OF THIS IN CHURCH?!?!
And then the very next thought was, "THIS IS WHY WE ARE BECOMING MORE HOME CENTERED IN TEACHING OUR CHILDREN!!"
I can bet most LDS kids can rattle off how they should dress, what they can and can't do on Sundays, how long boys hair should be, that coffee and smoking is bad ... but have there been any deep, to the soul, discussions on the goodness of God? What "matchless power" means and how we can call on it to help us? Have the youth been made aware, if just for a tiny bit, of God's wisdom in THEIR own lives? What does long-suffering even mean for ME on a personal level?
I find it humbling that the "atonement ... was prepared from the FOUNDATION of the world" which would play such a soul saving role when Eve ate from the tree of knowledge while in the garden of Eden. The atonement wasn't going to come into play UNTIL AFTER she ate the fruit ... meaning, Eve fulfilled her mission perfectly when she at. What can we learn from Eve and her understanding of things, her faith, her boldness, her risk taking ... she went and did what she was told NOT TO DO and in so doing, unlocked a mystery of heaven ... the ATONEMENT! What can we learn from this? Why isn't this discussed in Sunday School?
"Put his trust in the Lord..." what does that even mean? What does that feel like? It's such a scary thing really... I can put my trust in the Lord maybe ... 30% worth. I battle with this because of fear ... what tools can I give my kids, other kids, to help them with this?
"Diligent in keeping the commandments ... continue in the faith ..." basically until death.
This verse just hit me like a ton of bricks today. I'm shocked that this verse isn't what the youth are asked to memorize instead of the Young Women's theme. And the reason I'm shocked is because of what follows:
"...this is the man who receiveth salvation..."
And THIS IS WHY we have been commanded by a living prophet of God, to INSTEAD OF LEANING ON THE CHURCH to teach our kids, that WE TEACH OUR OWN KIDS.
In my own personal life, the "culture" of the church has been rammed down my throat ... and now, I'm choking on it. I'm having a literal "spiritual vomiting" if you will to remove the culture from my throat. And in so doing, I've been learning so much more of what being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is about. I'm making room for the "bread and water" that Christ offers. I desire so much to strengthen my trust in the Lord. To be able to recognize the Lords commandments so I can keep them...to continue in the the faith ...
Faith in what? Faith of what?
The rest of this chapter teaches this. It's a great chapter. I'm so glad I read it. I had to put my thoughts down so I hopped onto the computer to write.
If I can tap into God's matchless power, ... wow... this truly is something my children need to be made aware of! This is such a great chapter.
And this just further strengthens my knowledge and beliefs that there truly is a living, breathing, talking to God prophet on this Earth again to prepare our families and ourselves for the up and coming days. I love that we're being counseled to not rely on teachers, activities, the church building and its classrooms, to teach our children. I think so much has been missed or glossed over in the past. Maybe we didn't need it so badly like we do now.
This chapter ... my kids will learn about starting tonight!!
Anyone who knows me ... who REALLY knows me, knows that I'm really committed to religion and very committed to my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
But I hate the culture. I hate everything about the culture. To me it's one of shame and very toxic. So as a member of this church and as a mother, my focus lately has been to weed through the shit and identify and teach the pure gospel of my religion.
I was reading today in Mosiah. Chapter 4. Verse 6.
"...if you have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body - (7) I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation..."
Here was my IMMEDIATE thought. WHY AREN'T WE TEACHING MORE OF THIS IN CHURCH?!?!
And then the very next thought was, "THIS IS WHY WE ARE BECOMING MORE HOME CENTERED IN TEACHING OUR CHILDREN!!"
I can bet most LDS kids can rattle off how they should dress, what they can and can't do on Sundays, how long boys hair should be, that coffee and smoking is bad ... but have there been any deep, to the soul, discussions on the goodness of God? What "matchless power" means and how we can call on it to help us? Have the youth been made aware, if just for a tiny bit, of God's wisdom in THEIR own lives? What does long-suffering even mean for ME on a personal level?
I find it humbling that the "atonement ... was prepared from the FOUNDATION of the world" which would play such a soul saving role when Eve ate from the tree of knowledge while in the garden of Eden. The atonement wasn't going to come into play UNTIL AFTER she ate the fruit ... meaning, Eve fulfilled her mission perfectly when she at. What can we learn from Eve and her understanding of things, her faith, her boldness, her risk taking ... she went and did what she was told NOT TO DO and in so doing, unlocked a mystery of heaven ... the ATONEMENT! What can we learn from this? Why isn't this discussed in Sunday School?
"Put his trust in the Lord..." what does that even mean? What does that feel like? It's such a scary thing really... I can put my trust in the Lord maybe ... 30% worth. I battle with this because of fear ... what tools can I give my kids, other kids, to help them with this?
"Diligent in keeping the commandments ... continue in the faith ..." basically until death.
This verse just hit me like a ton of bricks today. I'm shocked that this verse isn't what the youth are asked to memorize instead of the Young Women's theme. And the reason I'm shocked is because of what follows:
"...this is the man who receiveth salvation..."
And THIS IS WHY we have been commanded by a living prophet of God, to INSTEAD OF LEANING ON THE CHURCH to teach our kids, that WE TEACH OUR OWN KIDS.
In my own personal life, the "culture" of the church has been rammed down my throat ... and now, I'm choking on it. I'm having a literal "spiritual vomiting" if you will to remove the culture from my throat. And in so doing, I've been learning so much more of what being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is about. I'm making room for the "bread and water" that Christ offers. I desire so much to strengthen my trust in the Lord. To be able to recognize the Lords commandments so I can keep them...to continue in the the faith ...
Faith in what? Faith of what?
The rest of this chapter teaches this. It's a great chapter. I'm so glad I read it. I had to put my thoughts down so I hopped onto the computer to write.
If I can tap into God's matchless power, ... wow... this truly is something my children need to be made aware of! This is such a great chapter.
And this just further strengthens my knowledge and beliefs that there truly is a living, breathing, talking to God prophet on this Earth again to prepare our families and ourselves for the up and coming days. I love that we're being counseled to not rely on teachers, activities, the church building and its classrooms, to teach our children. I think so much has been missed or glossed over in the past. Maybe we didn't need it so badly like we do now.
This chapter ... my kids will learn about starting tonight!!
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