Are there still liberal Mormons?

[Marcus]

Lol. This is quintessential you, mentalgymnast. Stick to explaining your own experiences, but fair warning, as Doc pointed out, your lies will come back to catch you.

Do you not recall when you posted here about your period of apostasy?

Perhaps he repented SO hard that God wiped his memory of it?

[huckelberry]

Liberal or conservative, I think it’s difficult be an intellectual and a Mormon. No, I don’t consider myself an intellectual. But I don’t think that those who enjoy any kind of ‘life of the mind’ fare well in mormondom.

Hi Morley, I would not qualify as an intellectual but I do enjoy some life of the mind. I think all my life I had an urge to discover and perhaps understand a wider variety of things than Mormonism.Growing up there was a year or two I kept on the straight and narrow. I was guilty of meandering at times I remember.

[huckelberry]

Marcus, thankyou for the replay with information about how your family did Mormonism. I have a bit of curiousity about the variety of experiences. I suspect Gadiantons might be more common but there is a grim logic behind your experience. I do not think the logic means a necessary logic but one that some people follow.

I am glad you feel much better about your own children and current situation.

[MG 2.0]

Lol. This is quintessential you, mentalgymnast. Stick to explaining your own experiences, but fair warning, as Doc pointed out, your lies will come back to catch you.

Do you not recall when you posted here about your period of apostasy?

No I don’t.

CFR

Regards,
MG

*bump

[Everybody Wang Chung]

MG,

I'm having a hard time believing you don't remember your 10 year faith crisis.

During the years I went through my faith crisis back in the nineties and into the new millennium I kept going to church.

It made a difference.

If I had gone inactive I would have separated myself from the influence of the Spirit and thus the continued motivation to seek truth and understanding.

Regards,
MG

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=156081&hilit=inactive

[Marcus]

Marcus, thankyou for the replay with information about how your family did Mormonism. I have a bit of curiousity about the variety of experiences. I suspect Gadiantons might be more common but there is a grim logic behind your experience.

Yes, I agree my experience may have been more uncommon in general. It's interesting how strongly that seems influenced by geography and community.

I do not think the logic means a necessary logic but one that some people follow.

EXCELLENT point. The argument that 'we've always done it that way' is strong but frequently increasingly irrational as new and better information is collected.

I am glad you feel much better about your own children and current situation.

Thank you! I absolutely do.

[MG 2.0]

MG,

I'm having a hard time believing you don't remember your 10 year faith crisis.

During the years I went through my faith crisis back in the nineties and into the new millennium I kept going to church.

It made a difference.

If I had gone inactive I would have separated myself from the influence of the Spirit and thus the continued motivation to seek truth and understanding.

Regards,
MG

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=156081&hilit=inactive

Are you guys daft? ARE YOU DAFT??

Going through a faith crisis and struggling with belief is not apostasy.

Apostasy refers to the act of abandoning one's faith or religious beliefs. It often implies a deliberate and conscious rejection of the principles and practices of a particular religion.

Sheesh.

There are times when I get a bit concerned as to the childish innuendo and false accusations that go on around here. Those that are observing 'from the outside' must get a chuckle or two in regards to the blatant misrepresentation. I've caught Marcus at least two times just recently twisting my words around and then intentionally (I think?) misspeaking. Another word for that, of course, is lying.

Then folks actually have the gall to lift up and support the person that is actually making somewhat of a fool of themself.

C'mon guys. What you're doing is readily transparent. I've noticed that this is what happens when your backs are against the wall.

I've never been in a state of apostasy. I didn't separate myself from the church. I did not reject the teachings and ordinances of the church. I continued in my callings. I continued to pray. And as I said, this may have made all the difference.

When you consciously pull yourself away from church activity I believe it is more likely that you are going to lose the Spirit.

Regards,
MG

[huckelberry]

We’ve seen how lackluster the more progressive forms of Mormonism quickly become.

Community of Christ?

I have long wondered whether God’s cruelty is important to Christianity, making progressive versions lacking in a key characteristic.

This post is from a different thread but I think it fits here. Or at least I would like to respond to it here.

This is a trenchant comment which I find hard to simply dismiss or to reply to. I have spent much of the last 30 years holding Christian views that would be somewhat progressive. I thought such understandings were gaining strength. I have felt brutally disappointed by the realization illuminated by politics in the past ten years that it is the other extreme which has been growing in strength.

Perhaps it is simple , Kishkumen is right.

I thought to post first that I think that there is an authority claim contest between Community of Christ and the Salt Lake group both holding to a restoration with the Book of Mormon. It is a contest SL has been more convincing with and holds inertial advantage in. I thought perhaps growing more progressive was an alternate strategy to make up for the authority question disadvantage.

Progressive Christianity can mean different things and some of those can be pretty vague. Vague purpose and vague belief does fit vague and limited reason to be there. I think progressive can have definite purpose and beliefs, perhaps not even terribly complicated ones. But perhaps people prefer those purposes which fit culture wars and finding other people to criticize or condemn.

A possibility I see so will suggest is that perhaps people prefer to understand and picture God with a clear vein of cruelty. Such a god is more human like and not such a problem for human desires.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Are you guys daft? ARE YOU DAFT??

Going through a faith crisis and struggling with belief is not apostasy.

Apostasy refers to the act of abandoning one's faith or religious beliefs. It often implies a deliberate and conscious rejection of the principles and practices of a particular religion.

Sheesh.

Calm down Baba Looey.

You were definitely in a state of apostasy during those 10 years. Not believing in the church's claims and being addicted to Snapple Peach Tea definitely qualifies as apostasy. You're just lucky you weren't in my Ward or I would have excommunicated your white heinie.

[MG 2.0]

Are you guys daft? ARE YOU DAFT??

Going through a faith crisis and struggling with belief is not apostasy.

Apostasy refers to the act of abandoning one's faith or religious beliefs. It often implies a deliberate and conscious rejection of the principles and practices of a particular religion.

Sheesh.

Calm down Baba Looey.

You were definitely in a state of apostasy during those 10 years. Not believing in the church's claims and being addicted to Snapple Peach Tea definitely qualifies as apostasy. You're just lucky you weren't in my Ward or I would have excommunicated your white heinie.

Well, you're not my judge in Israel. During that time I was up front with my Bishop and expressed my concerns to the Stake President. I was worthy of and continued to receive a temple recommend and attended the temple

Truly, I am glad that you were not my Bishop during the years that I struggled with my testimony.

Many people if left alone end up coming back to a place where they have a testimony and faith in the restoration. Thank God for leaders who recognize that.

You on the other hand...

Regards,
MG