I recently had an experience where I was talking with someone about my reasons for leaving the church. The first thing that was asked about was if someone had offended me or something like that. I told him no, I wouldn’t let something petty like that get in the way of my eternal salvation, and proceeded to explain a few of my (legitimate) reasons. After I listed a few things and how I felt about them, he told me that I must not have been a very strong member to let those things bother me, and that I expected too much of the leaders of the church (read: held them to too high of a standard). But then he didn’t want to go any further into the conversation. Since I didn’t really get to respond to him, I’ll do so on this blog just to get my thoughts off my chest, even if it’s never read by him.This is the response to the “expected too much” jab. The other half was a previous post.
I am told that I became disillusioned when I learned that prophets were not perfect. I never expected perfection. On the contrary, believing that prophets were weak and mortal but called to a great work anyway was inspiring. It’s not their private behavior that is troubling (that’s what repentance was supposedly for). It’s their prophetic work, official statements, policies, published writing, and public teachings that are the problem. It's the fact that they don't really do what they say they're supposed to do. It's really summed up in a General Conference meme I saw last year made by a faithful member. It showed a wide shot of the Conference Center and the caption read, "Come see a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator." But the kicker was what someone else added to it. At the bottom was another caption that read, "literally do none of those things."
Maybe it's because I was taught from birth how cool it was that we had an actual prophet - someone who talks with Jesus and God regularly passing on the info we need. I mean, we read about cool prophets and apostles in the scriptures, like Moses, Elijah, Peter, Paul, Nephi, and Alma. And then we're told in countless lessons that in SLC, less than a 6 hour drive away from where I was raised, was today's equivalent. Other talks had stories of non-members observing that if we didn't know what the prophet had to say this month, then we must not really consider him a prophet worth following (the underlying message was: "Renew your Ensign subscription"). But I don't expect perfect prophet. But here what I do expect:
I am told that I became disillusioned when I learned that prophets were not perfect. I never expected perfection. On the contrary, believing that prophets were weak and mortal but called to a great work anyway was inspiring. It’s not their private behavior that is troubling (that’s what repentance was supposedly for). It’s their prophetic work, official statements, policies, published writing, and public teachings that are the problem. It's the fact that they don't really do what they say they're supposed to do. It's really summed up in a General Conference meme I saw last year made by a faithful member. It showed a wide shot of the Conference Center and the caption read, "Come see a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator." But the kicker was what someone else added to it. At the bottom was another caption that read, "literally do none of those things."
Maybe it's because I was taught from birth how cool it was that we had an actual prophet - someone who talks with Jesus and God regularly passing on the info we need. I mean, we read about cool prophets and apostles in the scriptures, like Moses, Elijah, Peter, Paul, Nephi, and Alma. And then we're told in countless lessons that in SLC, less than a 6 hour drive away from where I was raised, was today's equivalent. Other talks had stories of non-members observing that if we didn't know what the prophet had to say this month, then we must not really consider him a prophet worth following (the underlying message was: "Renew your Ensign subscription"). But I don't expect perfect prophet. But here what I do expect:
- I do expect prophets to avoid a century of making racist statements, official policies, and doctrine.
- I do expect prophets to not marry young girls or other men’s wives.
- I do expect prophets to not lie about polygamy.
- I do expect a prophet to be ahead of his time (not behind it) in racial, gender, sexual issues. Either get ahead of the issues or stick to your position because aligning with social norms a decade or two late, just looks very…non-prophetic.
- I do expect a prophet to not go on national television and say that we don’t teach things that are at the very heart of our doctrine.
- I do expect a prophet to know when they are being conned (Kinderhook Plates, the Mark Hofmann forgeries, etc) since we teach how BoM prophets are able to confound opponents and know their thoughts like Ammon did.
- I do expect a prophet to give a full accounting of the billions and billions in revenues and expenditures to his followers
I do expect a prophet to perform miracles. Why were the two Christian doctors with ebola flown straight to Atlanta and not Salt Lake?I know, I know, I'm being unreasonable here. That would be to close to expecting a perfect prophet. Retracted.
- I do expect a prophet to prophesy.
- I do expect a prophet to not lie when asked a direct question, and then hem and haw about it when he realizes that he has been caught.
- I expect a prophet to discern between speaking as a man and speaking for God. If he can't tell, what good is he? It's like a compass that works 50% of the time. You're not blessed for following it.
- I do expect a prophet to see and talk with God and Jesus and not change who was or wasn't there each time the story is told.
- If I sustain a prophet, seer and revelator, I expect more than just day-to-day administration of a corporation.
- If I sustain an individual as President or representative of an organization, I expect them to speak for that organization - NOT hide behind a PR Newsroom.
In short, I expect a prophet to be like the ones in the scriptures, if they really are prophets. Of course, what I think now is that the deeds of past prophets are probably more akin to the feats of Hercules in the recent movie starring Dwayne Johnson - basically exaggerated oral tales.
But now we are told to, "Give Brother Joseph" a break (something I'm sure they intend to for us to extend to any one of the 'brothern' that make up the top 15, past and present). Like I said, I'm fine with people not being perfect. But if it's okay in God's eyes for a prophet to screw something up now and again and accidentally have incorrect doctrine/policies, why did he abandon the Catholic church if he's fine with all of these things? Why did they need a restoration? If, despite a clear line back to the early Christian church, proper authority through laying on of hands needed to be restored, why not just have Peter, James, and John give it to the Pope and instantly have a billion people in his true church? I don't feel the need to answer these questions myself as an agnostic, but I doubt any Mormon apologist has a good answer for this.
And I am always dumbfounded by the defense True Believing Mormons make of apostles that they are just "products of their time," or they, "grew up in a different culture," while the "prophets" are constantly telling us to not be influenced by the trends of our day. But it's somehow ok that they are apparently steeped in the trends of THEIR day. I thought the whole reason why we needed a prophet was to rise above popular sentiment and show us truth. How come none of them realized that American racism was a bad thing? How about a teaching or two about the advancement of women (not the advice to wear lipstick)?
To use a sports analogy, it gets tiring putting on a front to the world about how the Chicago Cubs are the perpetually the greatest perennial undefeated World Series team when reality says something far different. Sometimes you gotta call a spade a spade and realize that these are just businessmen running a corporation, not inspired leaders of a church who talk with Jesus. It's funny how obvious it is once you let yourself see it and think about it without all the brainwashing that comes with it, kinda like "the Cheerleader Effect" from How I Met Your Mother (apologies on the helium voices in the clip - it's not mine). Once the illusion is broken, you can't get it back. Kinda like believing in Santa.
Lastly, the church often uses the phrase, "By their fruits ye shall know them," usually referring to knowing if someone is of Christ or of the Devil by seeing what kind of acts they do. I believe that applies in this situation, as well. From what I can see, their fruits are similar to those I would expect of a corporate head, and not the fruits of a prophet (i.e., prophecies, translations, etc.).
Lastly, the church often uses the phrase, "By their fruits ye shall know them," usually referring to knowing if someone is of Christ or of the Devil by seeing what kind of acts they do. I believe that applies in this situation, as well. From what I can see, their fruits are similar to those I would expect of a corporate head, and not the fruits of a prophet (i.e., prophecies, translations, etc.).
No comments:
Post a Comment