Various Options for those struggling with Faith

[_moksha]

Below is a quote from educator and philosopher Bill Killpatrick that I thought might make for an interesting discussion:

What should we do if we wake up one morning and realize we don't really believe what we used to?

One option is to do just "stay the course." There are lots of people who do this. Discovering incongruities is a burden, threatening to take us to unpredictable places - so they simply go back to sleep. Some may even become zealots in the hope that the louder they proclaim their loyalty, the better it will stick. This is the Ted Haggard school of religious observance, filled with people who tell you to bear your testimony until you mean it.

Another option is to split. Once that bubble has burst you simply cut your losses and move on. This is an easier position if you don't have anyone who will be hurt by your decision to pull the ripcord. It helps if you have little invested in the Church. A lot of people go inactive within the first year for precisely this reason. When Mormonism stops looking like the missionary discussions, they grab their warranty and demand a refund.

A third option is to focus on the problem. That's what I've tried to do. That's the reason for all of these pregnant epistles. I've been trying to work through these issues and figure out what to make of the gap between the testimony I once had and the convictions I've come to have.

A fourth option is to conclude that the Church is true and get on with your life.

A fifth option is to conclude that the Church is not true and make a break - clean or otherwise. If the Church's teachings are at variance with what you really believe, it's only a matter of time before the dissonance becomes too loud to ignore. It may be necessary to separate oneself from a corporatist social institution that takes it upon itself to decide what truth is and to brand the membership with its iconic brand name and logo.

A sixth option is to transcend. This is perhaps the most mystical of the options, one that seems to "stay the course" while confronting the doctrinal and practical issues of "the gap." It essentially says that gap discoveries are inevitable, that there is no "true Church" out there to find, that the real benefits of Church activity are the same regardless of what you believe, and to take the position that Mormon mythology is no truer or falser than anything else. It's a tradition. It's show biz with Bibles and Books of Mormon. Mormons give ear to the lie that God came down to Palmyra and hovered just out of reach of the boy prophet, but it's no bigger a lie than the ones about Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Jesus, Paul or Muhammad.

The sixth option says that good and bad doctrine are about as meaningful as squabbles between Star Wars geeks and Trekkies. What's true is the stuff behind the lie. Every great story - whether it's in Mormonism or Christianity or Judaism or Islam or Hinduism or Buddhism or Protestantism or Secularism - is a narrative explanation of truth. Truth is invisible. You can't see it. All you can do is sense it in the links and connections between the multitudinous parts of our existence. But through great stories, we hear the voice of God, we see the dignity of man, we learn the lessons of life.

[_Sam Harris]

I have to say, that I feel Moksha to be a very strong individual. I'll add more of my thoughts later (morning appointment), but I have been helped over the years by his POV. Too bad the TBMs can't appreciate him for who he is, if more were allowed to listen to him, and less people tried to silence him, I think many in the church could come to a place of healing much faster.

[_Rollo Tomasi]

Below is a quote from educator and philosopher Bill Killpatrick that I thought might make for an interesting discussion:

... A third option is to focus on the problem. That's what I've tried to do. That's the reason for all of these pregnant epistles. I've been trying to work through these issues and figure out what to make of the gap between the testimony I once had and the convictions I've come to have.
...

A sixth option is to transcend. This is perhaps the most mystical of the options, one that seems to "stay the course" while confronting the doctrinal and practical issues of "the gap." It essentially says that gap discoveries are inevitable, that there is no "true Church" out there to find, that the real benefits of Church activity are the same regardless of what you believe, and to take the position that Mormon mythology is no truer or falser than anything else. It's a tradition. It's show biz with Bibles and Books of Mormon. Mormons give ear to the lie that God came down to Palmyra and hovered just out of reach of the boy prophet, but it's no bigger a lie than the ones about Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Jesus, Paul or Muhammad.

The sixth option says that good and bad doctrine are about as meaningful as squabbles between Star Wars geeks and Trekkies. What's true is the stuff behind the lie. Every great story - whether it's in Mormonism or Christianity or Judaism or Islam or Hinduism or Buddhism or Protestantism or Secularism - is a narrative explanation of truth. Truth is invisible. You can't see it. All you can do is sense it in the links and connections between the multitudinous parts of our existence. But through great stories, we hear the voice of God, we see the dignity of man, we learn the lessons of life.

I see myself as a combination of his third and sixth options (the ones I quoted above).

[_Yoda]

This is very insightful, Moksha! Thanks for posting it.

I suppose that I waffle between 3, 4, and 6.

There are certain aspects of the Church which I don't agree with and try to "think out loud" about on boards such as this one, in making some sense out of things. (option 3)

However, I am still active, hold a calling, and for all intents and purposes, am acting as a good "Mormon Mom". (option 4)

I do however, think that there is also good in other religions. I don't think that Mormons "corner the market" on being able to communicate with God, and with living a moral life. I think that any religion or belief which helps someone live a moral life and feel at peace is a good thing. Whether you are practicing the Mormon religion, the Catholic religion, the Jewish religion, etc., I think that the values being practiced are the most important part of the equation. (my convoluted version of option 6)

[_MormonMendacity]

I have come to appreciate #6 much more over the years. This approach seems to be a way to find peace without causing a lot of turmoil in the cultures we belong to.

I took #2. My concern with #6 is that it supports the status quo and, I tell myself, that it enables on-going problems for individuals like me who could not let go of the concepts of perfection. I think those things caused me to suffer and I think I see that suffering in a lot of members -- my dear children in particular.

But #6 does appeal to me. I am an impatient and slow learner; I don't think I would have gotten to #6 in this lifetime.

[_Gazelam]

This should be entitled "Various options for those with authority issues"

As opposed to being obedient to inspirational and exalting commandments, lets embrace the nothingness.

[_moksha]

This should be entitled "Various options for those with authority issues"

As opposed to being obedient to inspirational and exalting commandments, lets embrace the nothingness.

I suppose if one were to always do what they were told, then no such disturbing thoughts of questioning what you had been told would ever arise. Most likely you could make it through life blissfully, unless you somehow got caught up in a war crimes tribunal or something.

[_The Dude]

I have to say, that I feel Moksha to be a very strong individual. I'll add more of my thoughts later (morning appointment), but I have been helped over the years by his POV. Too bad the TBMs can't appreciate him for who he is, if more were allowed to listen to him, and less people tried to silence him, I think many in the church could come to a place of healing much faster.

I agree with that. It took me a while to "get" Moksha. I remember he started a thread on FAIR about how you don't have to believe the Book of Mormon is historical to fully believe in Mormonism, and that really got him on their bad side over there. But I'm glad he did it because that's when I finally understood where he was coming from.

Below is a quote from educator and philosopher Bill Killpatrick that I thought might make for an interesting discussion:

A fifth option is to conclude that the Church is not true and make a break - clean or otherwise. If the Church's teachings are at variance with what you really believe, it's only a matter of time before the dissonance becomes too loud to ignore. It may be necessary to separate oneself from a corporatist social institution that takes it upon itself to decide what truth is and to brand the membership with its iconic brand name and logo.

A sixth option is to transcend. This is perhaps the most mystical of the options, one that seems to "stay the course" while confronting the doctrinal and practical issues of "the gap." It essentially says that gap discoveries are inevitable, that there is no "true Church" out there to find, that the real benefits of Church activity are the same regardless of what you believe, and to take the position that Mormon mythology is no truer or falser than anything else. It's a tradition. It's show biz with Bibles and Books of Mormon. Mormons give ear to the lie that God came down to Palmyra and hovered just out of reach of the boy prophet, but it's no bigger a lie than the ones about Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Jesus, Paul or Muhammad.

The sixth option says that good and bad doctrine are about as meaningful as squabbles between Star Wars geeks and Trekkies. What's true is the stuff behind the lie. Every great story - whether it's in Mormonism or Christianity or Judaism or Islam or Hinduism or Buddhism or Protestantism or Secularism - is a narrative explanation of truth. Truth is invisible. You can't see it. All you can do is sense it in the links and connections between the multitudinous parts of our existence. But through great stories, we hear the voice of God, we see the dignity of man, we learn the lessons of life.

Ten years ago I chose #5. The Church's teachings were at variance with what I believed, and so I made a break in order to harmonize my beliefs with the life I presented to others, especially my family. While I actually believed #6, I didn't feel like I could transcend without first making a break and starting over with a clean slate. The true believers around me understood #5 (apostasy!!!) -- I'm not so sure #6 would have been the right message to them.