I am often asked the question, “Why is it that some Mormons will avoid negative information about the LDS Church at all costs, while other Mormons will research the negative information regardless of where it may lead?”
This is the very issue dealt with in “Under the Banner of Heaven” as well as in the most famous Greek Tragedy of them all! RFM explores both in order to shed light on what motivates these two types of Mormons, and comes to some surprising conclusions!
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Very thought provoking and I love the retelling and application to modern times of Oedipus. Need a t-shirt that asks “How do you apply the ancient Greek tragedy to yourself?”
My approach to religion is to take my personal faith seriously and my church and its leadership in stride. I have worked with church leaders who were inspired and benevolent. I am grateful for the experience. They made me a better person. I have also worked with other church leaders who I wouldn’t trust with my lunch money.
In the post WWII era, the corporate church got away with its messy history by empowering the lay church and its members to have a fulfilling religious experience while insulating them from the pressures of orthodoxy. This is why the majority of 20th century members were ignorant of the extreme doctrines the church has embraced.
But then for reasons the high church officials determined they needed to take more control. Problem is, the church experience provided by the new orthodoxy is incredibly bland and boring. Members are losing interest and church officials are misreading the cause. They see the need for leadership to appease progressive attitudes. All this does is turn off members who want a non-political church and it turns off members who find the church social initiatives fake and hypocritical.
The corporate church needs to accept they cannot fix church history. It is what it is. They need to step back and soften the orthodoxy. Yes, have standards. But stop shoehorning members for wanting a greater religious experience than what you are offering. Leadership might want to read 2Nephi 28 and consider who is leading who down to hell.