The LDS church is a terrible "third place"

[drumdude]

For those unfamiliar with the increased use of this term, "In sociology, the third place refers to the social surroundings that are separate from the two usual social environments of home ("first place") and the workplace ("second place"). Examples of third places include churches, cafes, clubs, public libraries, gyms, bookstores, stoops and parks. In his book The Great Good Place (1989), Ray Oldenburg argues that third places are important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement, and establishing feelings of a sense of place."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place

"One of the criteria for the third place, according to Jeffres et al. (2009), is that it "offers stress relief from the everyday demands of both home and work. It provides the feeling of inclusiveness and belonging associated with participating in a group’s social activities, without the rigidity of policy or exclusiveness of club or organization membership"."

Does anyone in their right mind think that being a member of the LDS church in 2023 offers a feeling of stress relief from everyday demands? If anything, the church adds to the list of everyday demands placed upon members.

How about a sense of inclusiveness? John Dehlin and other progressive Mormons can testify for days about how un-inclusive and outright hostile the institution and the conservative members acted when those progressive Mormons spoke up to discuss ways the church can improve. Ways which in many cases, the church did eventually adopt. With zero credit or apology to those excommunicated for advocating those changes.

I was not a member in the church's hay-day, but I have seen plenty of members express memories of the church being a welcoming and inviting "third place." Much different from today's church where everyone can't wait to escape the last hour and get home. If the LDS church loses this role in people's lives, how do they expect to grow and thrive? Simply giving people a carrot or stick ultimatum, instead of providing a real place of community, is surely doomed to fail.

[BeNotDeceived]

If its foundations are fraudulent, does it even really matter?

[TapirDangerDan]

The Church eventually adopted the progressive ways John Dehlin and others complained about, but John Dehlin and the others still don’t feel included and would prefer to hang out at the park feeding pigeons as their third place.
Got it. I’ll make sure to get the 1989 book by Ray Oldenburg and donate to John Dehlin just as soon as I escape the last hour from Church because my fellow members didn’t give me a carrot stick but heaped upon me a calling and never smiled at me because I’m a dour mournful person who never read “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” like Dehlin who’s always beetching about something.

[drumdude]

The Church eventually adopted the progressive ways John Dehlin and others complained about, but John Dehlin and the others still don’t feel included and would prefer to hang out at the park feeding pigeons as their third place.
Got it. I’ll make sure to get the 1989 book by Ray Oldenburg and donate to John Dehlin just as soon as I escape the last hour from Church because my fellow members didn’t give me a carrot stick but heaped upon me a calling and never smiled at me because I’m a dour mournful person who never read “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” like Dehlin who’s always beetching about something.

Your ward may be different. Maybe the parking lot isn’t empty 95% of the week like the rest that I drive past.

[TapirDangerDan]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NRATRycu7 ... 93biBhd2F5

[Canadiandude2]

One day I’ll master the ability to detect sarcasm. Until then I will unfortunately continue to waste precious minutes of my life.

[Moksha]

If its foundations are fraudulent, does it even really matter?

Modern British pubs can be constructed over the remains of a Roman latrine and still be a place for a good pint 'o bitter and a game of darts.