Why does the church want active non-believers?
-
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 5422
- Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:38 pm
Why does the church want active non-believers?
One common experience when someone decides they don't believe the church is true, is they are encouraged to remain active by their spouse, Bishop, stake president, etc. but under no circumstances are they allowed to share their disbelief with others in the ward. By "encourage" I mean coerced since the cost of actually leaving the church, either through inactivity or resignation, is so high because of the threats off divorce, loss of contact with children, being cut off from family, and ostracized by the community. Many people in this situation accept these terms and become active non-believers. Often, few people within the ward actually know this member is a complete non-believer. This can go on for years before the person finally breaks because of the hypocrisy of it all. So why does the church want this person to remain active? What's the point of holding him or her hostage? They're taking up a seat, but they will not offer anything to help the ward. They won't magnify any calling they are forced into accepting. They probably won't pay tithing. And the church runs the risk that this person will start sharing their opinions with others. Some of these people even exist in the COB and are leaking documents to Mormon leaks. Maybe in the short term they think they can change the mind of the disbeliever, and also save the rest of his or her family. But in the long term they've ended up with a huge number of "wolves in sheep's clothing", and the church is responsible for putting the sheep costume on and invited them in. Why?
"We have taken up arms in defense of our liberty, our property, our wives, and our children; we are determined to preserve them, or die."
- Captain Moroni - 'Address to the Inhabitants of Canada' 1775
- Captain Moroni - 'Address to the Inhabitants of Canada' 1775
-
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 445
- Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2017 1:44 am
Re: Why does the church want active non-believers?
The only explanation I can reasonably come up with is that faith levels fluctuate.
People don't believe, then believe and get baptized, then stop believing. Perhaps the hope is that they will start believing again.
It's rare but it does happen. Take a look at Bill Reel for one example.
But I understand your question. Is it better for the Church to keep non-believers in attendance?
I am not convinced that it is.
People don't believe, then believe and get baptized, then stop believing. Perhaps the hope is that they will start believing again.
It's rare but it does happen. Take a look at Bill Reel for one example.
But I understand your question. Is it better for the Church to keep non-believers in attendance?
I am not convinced that it is.
Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity—thou must commune with God. - Joseph Smith
-
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 8261
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 1:40 am
Re: Why does the church want active non-believers?
Active non believers still pay tithes....... it's all about the Benjamins.
It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener at war.
Some of us, on the other hand, actually prefer a religion that includes some type of correlation with reality.
~Bill Hamblin
Some of us, on the other hand, actually prefer a religion that includes some type of correlation with reality.
~Bill Hamblin
-
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 1161
- Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2013 6:27 am
Re: Why does the church want active non-believers?
SteelHead wrote:Active non believers still pay tithes....... it's all about the Benjamins.
Agreed. My experience has been that once you stop paying and showing up for Tithing Settlement, they look for ways to ostracize you.
Trimble, you ignorant sack of rhinoceros puss. The only thing more obvious than your lack of education is the foul stench that surrounds you.
-
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 1432
- Joined: Sat May 07, 2016 2:38 am
Re: Why does the church want active non-believers?
Because I worked with and neighbors with so many in a small ward, they did not want me associated all. I am one of those that once I stepped out..I was not love bombed at all. This is okay with me..but they hurt my son on different levels..who is still a member.
-
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 3616
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 3:48 am
Re: Why does the church want active non-believers?
SteelHead wrote:Active non believers still pay tithes....... it's all about the Benjamins.
That has to be the main reason. Why would the leaders risk their precious lambs being exposed to the less active apostates unless there was a financial gain to be had?
"Religion is about providing human community in the guise of solving problems that don’t exist or failing to solve problems that do and seeking to reconcile these contradictions and conceal the failures in bogus explanations otherwise known as theology." - Kishkumen
-
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 1558
- Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:01 am
Re: Why does the church want active non-believers?
DarkHelmet wrote:One common experience when someone decides they don't believe the church is true, is they are encouraged to remain active by their spouse, Bishop, stake president, etc. but under no circumstances are they allowed to share their disbelief with others in the ward. By "encourage" I mean coerced since the cost of actually leaving the church, either through inactivity or resignation, is so high because of the threats off divorce, loss of contact with children, being cut off from family, and ostracized by the community. Many people in this situation accept these terms and become active non-believers. Often, few people within the ward actually know this member is a complete non-believer. This can go on for years before the person finally breaks because of the hypocrisy of it all. So why does the church want this person to remain active? What's the point of holding him or her hostage? They're taking up a seat, but they will not offer anything to help the ward. They won't magnify any calling they are forced into accepting. They probably won't pay tithing. And the church runs the risk that this person will start sharing their opinions with others. Some of these people even exist in the COB and are leaking documents to Mormon leaks. Maybe in the short term they think they can change the mind of the disbeliever, and also save the rest of his or her family. But in the long term they've ended up with a huge number of "wolves in sheep's clothing", and the church is responsible for putting the sheep costume on and invited them in. Why?
I would guess it is to keep up the façade of happy intact families. That helps impress outsiders as well as keep members under the impression that the church is true.
The person who is certain and who claims divine warrant for his certainty belongs now to the infancy of our species. Christopher Hitchens
Faith does not give you the answers, it just stops you asking the questions. Frater
Faith does not give you the answers, it just stops you asking the questions. Frater
-
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 4443
- Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2012 4:53 pm
Re: Why does the church want active non-believers?
They don't.
They are liars.
They are liars.
"Jesus gave us the gospel, but Satan invented church. It takes serious evil to formalize faith into something tedious and then pile guilt on anyone who doesn’t participate enthusiastically." - Robert Kirby
Beer makes you feel the way you ought to feel without beer. -- Henry Lawson
Beer makes you feel the way you ought to feel without beer. -- Henry Lawson
-
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 17063
- Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2010 2:52 pm
Re: Why does the church want active non-believers?
candygal wrote:Because I worked with and neighbors with so many in a small ward, they did not want me associated all. I am one of those that once I stepped out..I was not love bombed at all. This is okay with me..but they hurt my son on different levels..who is still a member.
had you been a big or small tithe payer in the two years before you stepped out, measured in terms of dollars within your ward?
-
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 1526
- Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 5:38 pm
Re: Why does the church want active non-believers?
The church relies heavily on the effects of conformity. Every time someone leaves they weaken the church's continuation of the Asch conformity experiment.
Ubi Dubium Ibi Libertas
My Blog: http://untanglingmybrain.blogspot.com/
My Blog: http://untanglingmybrain.blogspot.com/