harmony wrote:wenglund wrote:harmony wrote:wenglund wrote:I think Plutarch is correct in suggesting that many here wish to evade personal responsibility and accountability--to the point of not even honestly acknowledging they are periodic adversaries, or opponents, or foes of the CoJCoLDS (connotations and synonyms for the word "
enemy").
In fact, I think much of the opposition to the Church is due to a lack of open and honest introspection and an averson to taking personal responsibility for difficulties and challeges experienced in the Church.
Thanks, -Wade Englund-
Of course you agree with Plutarch, Wade. You and he are cut from the same cloth. Willful blindness isn't a virtue, but Plutarch and you have both tried to raise it to that level.
I am never in an adversarial, opposite, or foe position to the church. I love the church, and wish only good things to happen to it. I am often impatient, resigned, or dumbfounded at the utter nonsense that comes from our leaders, though. Sometimes, I'm ashamed of them, and others I'm downright disturbed at them. But I acknowledge that the leaders are not the church, and I am able to separate the two... I can love the church without conditions. I do not afford the leaders the same regard.
So I can say with all honesty: I am no enemy of the LDS church. I love the church. I feel no such regard for church leaders though, and I fear they are leading our more trusting members down the garden path, and those who exercise the same willful blindness you and Plutarch exhibit are missing the main point of the gospel.
I think I understand what you are saying. I am aware of women who incessantly berrate and nag their husbands, gossip and backbite, whine and complain about them, blame their husbands for their woes, rarely if ever have a kind, supportive, or encouraging word to say about them, and then when pressed, will say "sure I love my husband" and "I am not an enemy of my husband", and honestly mean it.
But, as mentioned previously, that is because these "wives" lack the capacity for honest introspection and have a near inpregnable aversion to accepting personal responsibility. Were they to have been subjected to the same kind of treatment by their husbands, they would be the first to cry "abuse" and to accuse their husbands of being an adversary, oppositon, foe, and an enemy. But, for the life of them, they cannot see it in themselves.
I see you, harmony/serenity/WAZing, as being that kind of "wife" to the Church.
Thanks, -Wade Englund-
With your experience as a husband (zero, from what I can ascertain), I can quite honestly say you don't know anything about marriage, Wade. Come back when you've managed to spend 35 years with the same person. Then and only then will you be able to give me advice about marriage. I've accomplished something you can only dream about. Your credibility when speaking about marriage, or any relationship requiring years of work to maintain, is clearly zero.
Find another analogy. That one doesn't work.
Using that same banal reasoning, I can say that you have no experience as a man, and I can honestly say you know nothing about men. Come back when you have spent 50+ years as a man. Then and only then will you be able to give me advise as a man. Blah blah blah.
Were you to have considered my analogy rationally, instead of emotionally, you may have correctly noted that, contrary to what you suggest, I was in no way giving advise on marriage, but simply making an observation about what I have personally witnessed in several marriages, and accurately related that to what I have personally witness with you in relation to the Church. I do have plenty of experince as a personal witness, and thus, contrary to what you insipidly suggest, I am in an authoritative position to posit the analogy.
Now, I know you are terribly resistent to personal accountability, and thus cannot allow yourself to consider yourself in that unflattering way--even though it is the truth, but would prefer to see yourself in a more favorable light. The good news is, you can eventually become what you now only imagine yourself to be. You can stop being the kind of woman you feel ashamed enough of to deny exists, and become the very best that is you.
However, it will take undergoing the unpleasant task of accepting personal responsibility for what you have been, and what you currently are towards the Church (or also in you marriage if that applies), and then charting a proper course to your intended destination. As Dr. Phil says, you cannot fix what you do not acknowledge.
Please take that first step. We all will benefit from it--but you most of all.
Thanks, -Wade Englund-