Political commentator predicts “mass exodus” from Mormonism
March 25, 2014 By 43 Comments
Like the building that Lehi saw in 1 Nephi 8?
Damon Linker, who is not a Latter-day Saint but who briefly taught political philosophy at Brigham Young University a number of years ago, predicts that the Catholics and the Mormons will hemorrhage large portions of their membership in the coming years, and particularly their younger membership, over issues relating to gender such as the ordination of women and same-sex “marriage”:
http://theweek.com/article/index/258520/why-churches-should-brace-for-a-mass-exodus-of-the-faithful
Sadly, I think he may be correct. I’ve known some who have already left over these matters.
I can understand why. Surely, our impulses to be kind and loving and fair, and to treat others with respect and with equal justice, are fundamentally sound. They have solid scriptural warrant, too. And these impulses sometimes seem to clash with specific practices and doctrines that are also claimed to be divine commands or to be based upon revelation.
Of course, from my point of view I see those who forsake the Gospel, the Church, and their covenants over such matters as, in the end, having chosen the ideologies of the world over God, and as a fulfillment of scriptural prophecies about the deception and apostasy, in the last days, of even “the very elect” (e.g., at Matthew 24:24). As the prophet Nephi said, in 2 Nephi 28:14, “they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.” Rather like trading one’s birthright for a bowl of lentil stew.
I feel compassion and understanding for them. But I’m still deeply saddened, and I regret their choice.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell was fond of a quotation from the eighteenth-century English clergyman William Law: ”If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God first,” Law said, “it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead.”
The responsibility rests upon those who remain faithful to try to find ways, within the constraints of obedience to what we sincerely believe to be revelation and prophetic guidance, to help those tempted to abandon their faith and to go as far as we can to meet their concerns without surrendering our own principles. It won’t be easy. But it’s imperative.
Here is the seed of this alliance that quickly will blossom. This was predicted on this blog years ago (based on the compilation of many sayings that have been gathered - and will ye still deny it??):
http://scgnews.com/russia-and-china-announce-joint-naval-drills-as-nato-declares-russia-an-enemy
I tend to agree with Mr. Linker. Our society has been subjected to so much propaganda from the lucerferian left that most consider equality to be the synonym of sameness. The was against men and women is now mostly complete. We are now only physical sensing units whose highest purpose is to engage in rampant and indiscriminate coitus - with which ever gender happens to be available the moment of arousal. For many the glory of women and the strength of men engaged in a noble cause is a quaint and archaic practice from a time that should have never existed.
ReplyDeleteYes, things were not all wonderful, even just a few years ago. Sexism is wrong, as is gender bias for certain jobs that can safely and reasonable be done by either sex. The plan to thwart our brothers and sisters who still need physical bodies and sacred ordinances from receiving these things in kind and loving homes is in full motion.
I wish the ordain now movement would read church history and see what the nature and purpose of Relief Society is intended to be. They obviously do not think about the washing and anointing, nor the fact that worthy women wear the garment of the holy priesthood without having to be specifically ordained.
Back to the article. When I teach in Sunday School or Priesthood I explain the possibility / probability of leaders in highly visible callings leaving or being excommunicated. It happened in the early days of the restoration and can happen again. A good spiritual witness and solid testimony - as well as a willingness to follow the promptings of the spirit are very important indeed.
If you have never read a book called 1883 minutes of school of the prophets you should. It details a lot of what the early bretheren had problems with back then. They mentioned how they felt the necessity of not giving the whole 3 stage endowment(symbolic of 3 kingdoms) to the members then because they didn't take it serious. They mentioned how even in josephs time he wouldn't give all of it to everyone who wanted it without first testing them to make sure they were willing to stand by God at all times. Another awesome book with insight to the beginnings of the temple endowment is Andrew F. Ehat's thesis. These two books will open your mind to see what was going on at an early stage in the church to bring about a lot of the changes in the temple ordinances. Makes it easy to see how far as a people we have strayed from the truth. Truly sad that we can't live up to being allowed to have all the truths taught to us. MORE MILK PLEASE?
ReplyDeleteTimothy 2:11-12, So is God a sexist?
ReplyDeleteI go with Brother Thomas.
ReplyDeleteThings are going to get extremely tough to be a member of the Church. That has been evidenced in the last two GC as well as prophecies by the earlier and middle prophets about the subject. President Heber C. Kimball, President Woodruff, President Taylor, President Grant, among others, have spoken of these days.
To bad your friendly ANON poster doesn't get it.
Yep. Some places will be more difficult than others. And I expect the range of difficulty will be from physical persecutions and government sanctions to just plain ole' mental difficulties - shame or embarrassment for "new" information on old topics. How many saints now would get squeamish trying to discuss the spiritual development of Joseph Smith Junior? Divining rods, treasure quests, and peep stones are not a current cultural norm for "enlightened" Western scientific rationalism. Interesting times indeed.
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