This thread truly frightens me

[cougarobgon]

Originally Posted by SoCalCoug

I think you've got a healthy attitude on the issue. Many of the CB posters on the thread I linked, on the other hand, I believe do not.

You've been fortunate if you've experienced such a diversity in thought in your church life. My experience is not so diverse. Most of the members in my ward are very conservative politically, and those who are not tend to stay quiet.

From what I've experienced in the church, diversity is not rewarded. Conformity of thought is rewarded.

Why should conservatism, diversity, and conformity be mutually exclusive? How else are we going to "establish Zion"? To reach that goal, if that is what you believe, there has to be some give and take without giving up core beliefs and/or agency. In the spectrum between being a hardliner and a liberal, I am closer to the hardliner side and typically fall in line (willingly, there has been no brainwashing) with the rank and file of the Church...there are some things that I take issues with, but recognizing that to some, those principles, programs, direction, counsel, etc...have value, I suck it up, and again, willingly, play my part. No one has ever forced me to do so. For example, I don't like scouts and specifically hate camping, I don't like those silly camp fire songs, I never made it to eagle rank...yet, I recognize that if a YM will embrace the principles scouting attempts to instill in them, they will be grow up to be fine men and make positive contributions to society. I have no problems with the principles, it is the program by which those principles are taught to the YM that I don't like...yet, I try to be the best 11 year old scout leader that I can be and those 11 y/o in my patrol will never know that I hate scouting. I make it fun and encourage them to embrace the principles and advance in rank. Am I hypocrite, I don't think so, even though I don't like program, that is the program the Church has chosen to strengthen the AP at this time and I will do my part to advance it in the Primary and YM programs.

You may want to point out that I chose a not so controversial subject, scouting, to explain my position...yet, I believe my attitude in approaching things will get me through many, if not most of the controversial subjects discussed in this forum as well as others that may arise in the future.