Tuesday, January 31, 2012

How Does One Decipher The Truth?

I read this article by Ms. Sheffield and actually felt sorry for her. Sorry because she feels so betrayed by her former religion that she felt the need to write an Op-Ed piece with only bits of truth to defend where she currently stands.

Ms. Sheffield states, " the family-values facade applies only if you stay in the fold. Former Mormons know the family estrangement and bigotry that often come with questioning or leaving the church." Does this apply to ALL former Mormons or just the ones lists? I have no doubt that parents are deeply troubled when one of their children decides to let go of the iron rod and move to the large and spacious building. Just ask Lehi and Alma how they felt about their children and the choices they made. But there never stopped being loving and kind parents teaching their wayward children through the end of their earthly lives. Is this the estrangement that Ms. Sheffield speaks?


She then writes, "The church I was raised in values unquestioning obedience over critical thinking. This caused trauma and cognitive dissonance when I questioned church doctrine and official history." I don't even know what unquestioning obedience over critical thinking is since all I have ever done my whole life is ask questions about the doctrines of the church. Is following the commandments the Lord has established unquestioning obedience? 


Could Ms. Sheffield give us examples of how this is taught in the LDS church and what she deems critical thinking? I always hear self-proclaimed intellectuals use this terminology against those who don't believe as they. I wonder what makes her critical thinking better than those who don't come to her conclusion?


Ms. Sheffield continues, "I struggled after realizing that Mormonism’s claims about anthropology, history and other subjects contradict reason and science." I don't know what she is talking about since she offers no examples.


She then tells us that the LDS church has irrational claims without offering any specifics or what is wrong about what she is thinking about.


Ms. Sheffield then proclaims without evidence, "It also stifles efforts to openly question church pronouncements, labeling such behavior as satanic." Are we just supposed to accept her assertion that what she claims is true and correct? Have any citation for this assertion? Please?


She then goes on to distort what the Smithsonian actually stated. However, based on what she stated can we know by what means the Smithsonian proved the Book of Mormon isn't a factual document? We have the book don't we?

Ms. Sheffield tells us that she imploded spiritually while at BYU because of facts and details she doesn't tell us. What facts are outside official church curriculum? What's the definition of a "high-ranking" Mormon leader? Why code it in those terms instead of just indicating the calling the man held?

What are all the questions you have Ms. Sheffield? What questions do you have that you don't have an adequate answer? You do realize that the prophet doesn't have all the answers to everything, right? I believe one of the Articles of Faith speaks of continued revelation and know that more answers will come forth with a knowledge of all of it when the Lord returns to the earth.

Of course the gospel is highly centralized and there is an easy answer for that: the gospel is one truth, not a bunch of philosophies of men mingled with scripture. There is one doctrine that many people like Ms. Sheffield don't understand: Revelation comes from the top down, not the bottom up. There will never be a doctrinal change to the gospel because of a grass-roots effort. 

It's God's heaven that we will be returning to, not the one that we mere mortals conjure up in our minds to fit into earthly precepts that aren't true or correct. 

I'm sorry your parents shut you out of their home for 5 years but I also have an idea that we'd get a different story from them if they were asked to respond.

What's a dissident Mormon? One who wishes for the Lord to change His doctrine to fit in with theirs? I highly doubt that will happen. Maybe there is good reason for someone being counseled to get a divorce. Not all members of the LDS church are allowed in the temple for weddings, it's just not non-members. Homosexuality will never be condoned since it has no place in the doctrine of the gospel of Christ. This isn't just limited to the LDS church, right? Do you envision a heaven where homosexuality abounds?

The church finances are audited every single year. What do you want to know about the finances that you don't know? Can you detail what anti-women doctrine is and where it can be found? 

Having sat in church councils for many years I've never seen happen to anyone what you claim with this nugget: " Perhaps someday the church will not excommunicate, fire and demote people who want honest, church-wide dialogue about Mormon history and doctrine."

Maybe a specific list of what you want talked about from Mormon history and doctrine would be helpful. Most of intellectual lightweights don't know what deep, hidden doctrine you want to be discussed in every Sunday School, Relief Society and Priesthood class.

I don't know of any LDS member who compares Joseph Smith to Martin Luther. Every member I know considers Smith a prophet of God, just like Moses, Adam, Noah, Abraham and the many others who God called to lead His people.

You might want to remember what it was you were to receive when you were baptized. It goes a long way in helping people decipher truth from fiction. I know it works for me.