I really, genuinely wonder

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

I agree with you 100% here. Sites like cougarguard give one an opportunity to see the questions/issues that interest, or even trouble them debated intelligently. The collective education and intelligence of the people assembled on a website like this one is next to impossible to duplicate in a ward setting or purely amongst one's friends.

This reminds me of the people who complain why a story about good boy Jimmy and his straight A's and eagle scout project aren't the lead story in the paper, instead of the triple murder downtown. "always focusing on the negative, why, why, why?"

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

Can I come? I've met 71' and he can vouch for my lack of hipness.

You are too volatile. One moment you are blasting someone and throwing out language unbecoming of a guy who also is concerned about the lack of spirituality on the board.

I will say though you were very pleasant to sit through the BB game with.

However, you are the kind of guy I don't know what would happen should you have a couple of beers in you. You can come to sporting events with us, but no beer outings.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Originally Posted by Tex

There is no mistake in the church's past, recent or distant, that makes it worthy of the vicious things that have been said about it's leaders.

It's hard for my exceptionally small brain to reconcile such bombast from people who simultaneously believe that same organization provides them the saving ordinances and doctrines. With apologies to Cranky In Elders Quorum, I guess I'm not to the right stage yet to comprehend such a paradox.

All I'm asking is that you realize that others approach their faith differently than you do, and that they are not "worse," because of it.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

I agree with you 100% here. Sites like cougarguard give one an opportunity to see the questions/issues that interest, or even trouble them debated intelligently. The collective education and intelligence of the people assembled on a website like this one is next to impossible to duplicate in a ward setting or purely amongst one's friends.

I don't have a problem with that. What bothers me is the excessive level of vociferousness.

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

I don't think you are being honest here. Many of the church's statements, if said by a non-Mormon Democrat, would draw your fiercest bombardment. You are willing to look past such statements by church leaders because you believe firmly in the institution, and that is your perogative. But at least be honest about it.

The irony of Cali Coug demanding honesty has to be the most unintentionally humorous posts of the day.

Originally Posted by UtahDan

Yeah. You can't get this anywhere else in life. That is why, while I do appreciate the point Tex is making as well as his point of view, I don't think it is particularly fruitful to question one another's motives/allegiances here.

I suppose that with CG's tendency to automatically assume the worst, my post could be taken that way. But I really wasn't questioning motives. I genuinely do not understand what keeps people in the church, after they say some of the things they say.

Do you need me to go search and re-quote some of the outrageous stuff that's been said? And we're not talking just once in the passion of the moment--we're talking repeatedly.

Do you honestly have no question in your mind as to why a person who is so angry/disgusted/despondent/pick-your-adjective at the church would remain a member?

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

All I'm asking is that you realize that others approach their faith differently than you do, and that they are not "worse," because of it.

I do, Cranky. But because my opinions are in the minority, I often receive the brunt of all the anger directed at others who do not.

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by Tex

I don't have a problem with that. What bothers me is the excessive level of vociferousness.



The irony of Cali Coug demanding honesty has to be the most unintentionally humorous posts of the day.



I suppose that with CG's tendency to automatically assume the worst, my post could be taken that way. But I really wasn't questioning motives. I genuinely do not understand what keeps people in the church, after they say some of the things they say.

Do you need me to go search and re-quote some of the outrageous stuff that's been said? And we're not talking just once in the passion of the moment--we're talking repeatedly.

Do you honestly have no question in your mind as to why a person who is so angry/disgusted/despondent/pick-your-adjective at the church would remain a member?

Post after post you label CG as one homogeneous group. Heck you and Indy post here. Do you and Indy automatically assume the worst?? There are believers on here, non-believers, interested parties, non-interested parties.

I would assume you might be on here because you also find Priesthood meeting boring.

I wouldn't want the open discussions we are having here to break out in church. Church is a place to form beliefs, both true and false ones. The outside world is the place to test them and come to conclusions.

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by BYU71

You are too volatile. One moment you are blasting someone and throwing out language unbecoming of a guy who also is concerned about the lack of spirituality on the board.

I will say though you were very pleasant to sit through the BB game with.

However, you are the kind of guy I don't know what would happen should you have a couple of beers in you. You can come to sporting events with us, but no beer outings.

I don't like the taste of beer anyway. Yeah I know, I know....it's an acquired taste...

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

This reminds me of the people who complain why a story about good boy Jimmy and his straight A's and eagle scout project aren't the lead story in the paper, instead of the triple murder downtown. "always focusing on the negative, why, why, why?"

Well, in today's world, there seems to be more murders than kids getting straight As.

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by Tex

I do, Cranky. But because my opinions are in the minority, I often receive the brunt of all the anger directed at others who do not.

I certainly hope you don't feel my exchanges with you have been based on anger. Frustration at times yes, but I really don't feel I have ever felt anger toward you.

I have gotten along very well with the stricter Bishops I have had. They know where I stand and I know where they stand. One Bishop wouldn't let me bless my grandson because my attendance was weak accoring to him. Prior Bishop was OK with it.

My attitude is he is the Bishop and calls the shots. It didn't get me out to church more often. I actually found out it was OK having my son bless the grandchild, his nephew and therefor my attendance is about the same or even less.

I don't think of it in any terms as he did something right or wrong. He just did what he thought was right and so did I. We smile at each other and get along fine.

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

I don't like the taste of beer anyway. Yeah I know, I know....it's an acquired taste...

I actually don't like it either. In college I would get the first 4-5 down as fast as I could so the remaining ones wouldn't taste so awful.