Both you Shulem and Kerry stayed with the church quite a while and defended it with passion. Holding on to the positive in the church? Personal conviction ? natural vigorous curiosity? beating back the guilt? Some of all of these? Did heavy handed guilt push you to stay longer than you would have otherwise?
All the above; it’s feelings of guilt and fear that keep us in line and force us to continue to obey the cult or stay on the so-called covenant path; otherwise you are damned! Those go hand in hand when it comes to controlling people, moreover youth.
But these days the Church is losing its grip on the youth because it’s losing its ability to control the crotch. Controlling the crotch was a necessary part of keeping Mormon youth in step with the program --fundamental to this is the law of chastity. But youth today are not having to answer to bishops like they did in the past because culture is shifting, and accountability and transparency is taking over.
More and more youth are now masturbating which means more and more youth will leave the church as they become adults. That’s how I see it.
Shulem wrote
I express appreciation for the Backyard Professor’s latest video presentation that demonstrates how the Church works hard in keeping people down through repentance. It’s a cycle of constant and perpetual repentance wherein members of the Church are having to go through endless cycles of never being good enough. Living in guilt and fear is part of the cycle of repetitive repentance! The repentance process of Mormonism is a painful and miserable process.
I am so grateful to be OUT of Mormonism and free from the shackles and chains by which it binds one down. How many bishops have abused young men by questioning and harassing them about masturbation? The Backyard Professor tells us that his bishop harassed him when he was only 11 years old. How utterly shameful to hear how Mormon bishops sexually harass boys and girls. This has been a long standing practice in Mormonism and it is shameful and evil.
BYP - I apologize if this seems self-serving on my part for making this a separate thread, but the topic is important enough, eyes ought to be able to see there is a response to this action of the church, this continual, non-ending action throughout the entire lifetime of its members.
It was trough observation of this endless cycle mentioned above, and seeing Latter-day Saints never feel fully forgiven that God taught me compassion; a heartfelt desire to alleviate the suffering of others.
Back in 2002-2004 when the missionaries were here, I saw the movie Meet Joe Black. A character in the movie asked, “ How do you know when a woman loves you?” The response was,”When she knows the worst thing about you, and it’s okay.” It’s the same with God/Jesus. It’s about forgiveness once for all, freedom from guilt and shame, and one of love and acceptance. I do not know how to help church leadership see this, except, like a song says, fight the battle on my knees.
"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” Jude 1:24
“the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 ESV
