Is the Church largely failing in its 3-fold mission?

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by Adam

I'll explain:

today the Church is not helping very much because it asks so little of the members.

give me a break... Name another religion that asks its members to give 10%.. serve for free in time consuming callings... require all its male members serve 2 years when they are 19 at their own expense as a missionary... asks that is members refrain from two meals per month and pay the money they would have spent to help the poor. Ask that its people do a tedious search of its ancestors and then spend at least 2 hours performing a ceremony to for each one. Not to mention they ask that older couples also take two years and pay at their own expense to go on missions

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

give me a break... Name another religion that asks its members to give 10%.. serve for free in time consuming callings... require all its male members serve 2 years when they are 19 at their own expense as a missionary... asks that is members refrain from two meals per month and pay the money they would have spent to help the poor. Ask that its people do a tedious search of its ancestors and then spend at least 2 hours performing a ceremony to for each one. Not to mention they ask that older couples also take two years and pay at their own expense to go on missions

I agree. It's amusing to hear someone insist that enough sacrifice isn't being demanded.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

give me a break... Name another religion that asks its members to give 10%.. serve for free in time consuming callings... require all its male members serve 2 years when they are 19 at their own expense as a missionary... asks that is members refrain from two meals per month and pay the money they would have spent to help the poor. Ask that its people do a tedious search of its ancestors and then spend at least 2 hours performing a ceremony to for each one. Not to mention they ask that older couples also take two years and pay at their own expense to go on missions

Seventh Day Adventist are required to do similar things, JWs demadn a lot, certain Muslim sects are very demanding. It's very provincial to believe LDS demand more than others.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Seventh Day Adventist are required to do similar things, JWs demadn a lot, certain Muslim sects are very demanding. It's very provincial to believe LDS demand more than others.

It's folly to think the LDS church doesn't require much of its members.

Maybe that applies in Utah where membership is so plentiful and so active that you have a person with one calling and that's to call all members with last names from A to M to tell them they are to bring a salad and someone else calls N to Z to tell them they are to bring a dessert.

If you don't think LDS members are asked to do enough, you're more than welcome to move to Allentown and put your shoulder to the wheel.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

If you don't think LDS members are asked to do enough, you're more than welcome to move to Allentown and put your shoulder to the wheel.

Allentown? I'd rather move to Ogden.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Seventh Day Adventist are required to do similar things, JWs demadn a lot, certain Muslim sects are very demanding. It's very provincial to believe LDS demand more than others.

7th day adv have a paid clergy...

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Adam

Yea, I thought, after I posted it, that my suggested remedy would distract from the point that, whatever the cure, the church is failing in perfecting the saints very effectively.

I stand by my suggestion to fix the problem, but even if I'm totally wrong on the solution, the problem remains.

Frankly, I can't see how your solution would do anything but cause complete chaos. We get threads on CG about how painful it is to sit through a measly 40-minute Sunday School class; or another about how hurt feelings rippled through a congregation when their ward boundaries were redrawn. We can't even get folks to do their bloody home teaching, and you think folks are going to uproot at their own expense once a decade?

We already have this program, actually. It's called Mission President, and it's reserved generally for folks who have demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice. For the rest of us, the old Naaman the Syrian lesson should be instructive.

As to the "problem" I can imagine there are many remote corners of the church where members are not nearly so comfortable as you portray. For those of us who are lucky enough to have "easy and cheap lives" (who the heck is that, anyway? certainly not me!), we can read the old Brigham quote about getting too comfortable and kicking ourselves out of the kingdom.

The law of consecration is not revoked, by the way. It's just not institutionally implemented.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Seventh Day Adventist are required to do similar things, JWs demadn a lot, certain Muslim sects are very demanding. It's very provincial to believe LDS demand more than others.

Not really... are the JWs asked to do geneaology?

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

7th day adv have a paid clergy...

As do LDS. In fact through part of the 20th Century, bishops were paid five percent of tithing collected and stake presidents were paid ten percent. Mission presidents are paid if they need it.

[YOhio]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

Not really... are the JWs asked to do geneaology?

Or plan Ward Christmas, July 4th and Trunk or Treat parties?