The top ten most evil acts perpetrated by the LDS Church

[_The Dude]

Why the qualification about "things significantly associated with the church members" vs a straight-up "LDS Church"?

Easy. I'm not ready to be excommunicated for apostasy just yet. That's also why I changed "evil" to "problematic". I'm not going to criticize the brethren, prophets, etc. unless I'm ready to apostatize. Also, while I see nothing "evil" in LDS theology, it is problematic to gaining converts.

Ok, I agree with this, the LDS church is no more evil than JP Morgan or Haliburton or Enron. Sometimes it commits acts that are problematic to its quarterly targets, or downright self-destructive, but it's goals are not evil in and of themselves.

[_beastie]

I would also qualify "evil", and instead substitute "creating real and potential harm in its members and the host culture."

With that qualification, I'll add five:

1. Insisting on strict gender-defined roles

2. teaching its members that they can resolve serious life issues through prayer and revelation

3. creating a system wherein even the poorest members who struggle to feed their families have to pay ten percent of their income to enter the most sacred LDS place

4. while claiming that they don't teach prophet infallibility, actually behaving as if they do. (this is the reverse of the catholic church, oddly enough)

5. (this may be changing, I don't know) creating a culture in which professional psychiatric intervention is distrusted and instead encouraging members to get any needed "counseling" from a completely untrained person with no more qualifications than a "calling" (I know that there are church-provided trained counselors, but it is difficult to obtain access to them and their primary loyalty is to the LDS church)

[_truth dancer]

A few of mine...

1. Emphasis on fear, motivation through fear, and basic fear mongering.
2. Dishonesty.
3. Teaching a distorted, (made-up) history of our universe and life.
4. Degradation of women.
5. Pride.
6. Focus on power, prestige, privilege, and wealth.
7. Teaching dependence on LDS leaders rather than listening to one's inner truth, internal guidance, and personal inspiration.
8. Demanding conformity to rigid roles and expectations rather than supporting one's unique journey.
9. Requiring one give their gifts, talents, time, and money to the LDS church rather than giving to those in need.
10. Teaching that our actions and behaviors are solely a result of choice and accountability rather than acknowledging we are a result of our biology, environment, and experiences.
11. Emphasis on appearance.
12. Non-acceptance of individual differences, (single, gay, etc).
13. Purchasing malls, Hawaiian ocean front property, land, etc. etc.
14. Seriously judgmental.

That is enough for now! :-)

~td~

[_harmony]

1. closing off the financials so not even the members can see where the money goes. Lack of transparency = appearance of evil.

2. failure by the highest leadership to know/understand modern problems

3. failure by the highest leadership to address those modern problems to the general members.

4. intentionally driving a wedge between families via temple weddings.

5. POTF

6. BYU Honor Code

7. claiming proper authority while being unable to establish said authority

8. "One True Church", followed closely by "follow the prophet"

9. lying about a paid ministry

10. the Young Women's program

[_Hoops]

Ok, I agree with this, the LDS church is no more evil than JP Morgan or Haliburton or Enron. Sometimes it commits acts that are problematic to its quarterly targets, or downright self-destructive, but it's goals are not evil in and of themselves.

No, it's a lot, lot, lot more evil.

[_Chap]

Ok, I agree with this, the LDS church is no more evil than JP Morgan or Haliburton or Enron. Sometimes it commits acts that are problematic to its quarterly targets, or downright self-destructive, but it's goals are not evil in and of themselves.

No, it's a lot, lot, lot more evil.

Isn't this the person who wonders why what she calls 'discussion' is hard to come by on this board?

Odd.

[_hugh jass]

I am cuing up a song for our wet exmo friend abman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0WxgSXdEE

[_CaliforniaKid]

The ones that spring to mind:

1. Mountain Meadows Massacre
2. Electroshock therapy to cure homosexuals at BYU
3. Systematic slander and intimidation of dissenters, especially in Kirtland and Nauvoo
4. The priesthood ban
5. Kirtland Bank fraud
6. Deception involved in polygamy
7. Encouraging BYU students to spy and inform on teachers and each other
8. Mormon Rap

[_hugh jass]

Lamenite Generation at BYU.

[_hugh jass]

Sunday School
Primary
Elders Quorum
Relief Society
Fast and Testimoany meeting