For this post, I decided to ask myself a rather difficult question. So, why do I, as a convert, remain LDS despite my struggles with certain aspects of Mormonism? As it turns out, I have some good reasons, and the positive far outweighs the negative.
Here are my reasons…please don’t consider this list exhaustive or as a detailed apologetic of any sort; it’s not meant to be.
- My testimony of the Book of Mormon– When it comes to this issue, my testimony is solid. I believe the Book of Mormon is the Word of God alongside the Bible. Yes, I believe it is true. When I say “true,” I believe these accounts really did happen; redaction discrepancies aside.
- My testimony of Joseph Smith– Yes, I do believe he was a prophet of God and restored the Church. I’ve been the Sacred Grove and felt the Spirit very strongly. That said, I did not feel that same Spirit visiting Salt Lake City. I guess that makes me a “Joseph Smith Mormon,” and not a “Brigham Young Mormon.”
- Genealogy– I love doing genealogy, and now I have an excuse.
- Belief in Heavenly Mother– It was not an option growing up Baptist. At all. She’s the real deal, folks!
- No Premillennial Dispensationalism in Mormonism!– Why do I always feel like a rebellious teenager when I say I no longer believe in this crap? Evangelicals call it “the Rapture.” It’s bad theology on all accounts. And very frightening! (If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check out the Left Behind series, but please don’t take it too seriously. I also wrote a Rational Faiths post on this topic a while back if you’re interested in checking that out)…On a side note, I prefer the Mormon expression “translation” instead; it’s much more comforting since it implies if you’re walking with God, you’re good to go! And since I’m totally cool with Enoch, I figure “translation” is a much loftier goal to work towards than being “raptured,” even if the two concepts are eerily similar.
- I love the film Saturday’s Warrior! Can’t wait to see the new version. And yes, I believe very strongly in the Preexistence. (and Todd is like, totally cute!….oops, did I just admit that?) I wish they had showed us this film in Christian school instead of those horrible “what happens after the Rapture” films they forced us to watch.
- Belief in the Spirit World- Growing up, I was taught that you either went to heaven or hell when you died. Now it’s okay to believe in “purgatory.” I’ve had some experiences with the Spirit World, so I know it’s real. However, it is important to keep in mind that the Church actually discourages us from seeking out these experiences because you never know what kind of spirits are out there – good or bad. I agree this is sound advice. Seances and Ouija Boards are not cool…..Seer stones? Well maybe there are exceptions.
- I’m a huge fan of Margaret Barker, author of Temple Theology– …. But wait, she’s not even Mormon!
Here are my issues with Mormonism….
- Patriarchy, Patriarchy, and more Patriarchy…..need I say more?
- Because I don’t like #1, I can’t seem to get a Temple Recommend, irregardless of my sincere desire to make sacred covenants.
Yes, you could say I lost my mind six years ago when I joined the Church, but I have good reasons. Just consider this my testimony, even if I don’t yet have a testimony of Visiting Teaching.
Michelle Wiener
Dr. Michelle Wiener holds a Master of Arts in Theology from Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky and a Master of Ecumenical Studies from the University of Geneva in Switzerland where she studied for a year with the World Council of Churches. A convert from the Bible Belt, she loves genealogy and serves as Temple & Family History Consultant. A devotee of Heavenly Mother, she also runs the Finding Heavenly Mother Project. Michelle just completed her PhD in comparative theology through Euclid University.
All posts by Michelle Wiener
Our ‘church’ is a preparatory program. All the quorums, auxiliaries, Sunday school lessons, sacrament meetings, service projects, missionary programs, social activities, etc. – are designed to bring people into membership, develop them spiritually and in the faith, and get them to the temple. The true ‘religion’ of Jesus Christ is learned, developed and practiced in the temple. It is the upshot objective (or should be) of every latter-day saint to transform himself / herself from a ‘church goer’ into a ‘temple dweller’. The Holy Ghost – the great revelator, testifier, purveyor of all truth, intelligence and enlightenment, is always present in the temple. I guarantee you that if you will submit yourself to the Lord in such a manner as you know you are ready to enter the House of the Lord, obtain a recommend to go there, do your work for yourself, learn the ways of Fathers house, go frequently enough to drink liberally of revelation, truth, inspiration and enlightenment in the unique environment of the temple, commune with your ancestry there, and absorb as much as you can of all Father has in his holy house, you will look back on your thoughts about ‘patriarchy’ and other such ideas much differently than you do now ( if you do at all). Seek out and interview brothers and sisters who you know frequent the temple and especially those who work in the temple as ordinance workers. They really know the ‘religion’. See if you can see and feel the difference in them from those members that haven’t arrived at that stage of their lives. Being in the ‘church’ and not progressing to the temple is like going to elementary school and never going on to finish K-12 and then higher education. It’s that much of a difference. It’s like the difference between reading all about how to swim and then getting into the water and learning what it feels like to actually do it. As an academic, you don’t want to shut yourself off from what amounts to about 95% of what there is to learn about, experience and know in the gospel do you? I’m excited for you. I used to be intellectually feisty about the gospel. Now, after many decades and a lot of time spent in Fathers house, I am just a lowly, humble servant who has found peace, happiness and joy in my life in the kingdom of God on earth. You will get there too.
I don’t pretend to have any answers, but just keep in mind that the temple really may not help with concerns about patriarchy. I find this aspect of the temple to be rather challenging. I would also say the temple doesn’t hold all of the answers. After attending for years, I find myself really struggling to feel ant solid type of comfort in anything but the sense of kindness and community there. I can say I’ve felt closer to God in other places and capacities than I have there.
I pray you find a place of worship where you can feel God’s presence and where you can grow in Him, no matter the place you find it as long it is God you are worshiping. Go where you feel His Spirit is leading you.You need to feel connected to God to grow in Him,and as I’ve heard my Pastor and others say “Just like every other living thing in life:if you’re not growing you’re dying(spiritually)”. God wants to know you and He wants you to know Him. You don’t need a place of worship to do that all you need to do is spend time in His Word,pray and quiet time letting Him speak to you. But you eventually need to find a place of worship you are comfortable at and where you feel His Presence because He commanded us to go to fellowship with other believers so we can help keep each other accountable,find Godly influences not worldly influence,learn from one another and just spend time worshiping Him in fellowship of other believes “For where two or more are gathered in My Name I an there with them”.
I completely agree with your statement. I only wish to elaborate that the temple, is different from an ordinary place where the spirit is. a temple in these days, as well as in old, are holy places set aside by God to make covenants with him. Covenants which you don’t want to make if you cannot pass the temple interview haha.
It happened depending on the surroundings but you have to remember the temple is not a place to look for answers it’s a place to pray and to find deeper meaning to a resolution need it and not just simple queries that you can pray at home
The belief that males need to have a role of superiority over women instead of equal to comes from the preChristian Romans belief of male superiority and further carried and perpetuated by the Roman Catholic church that came about after the fall of the Roman Empire. This belief continues to influence the hearts & minds of people today believing that a woman president would do an inferior job than all the past male ones.
The world is in a state of turmoil at the moment and it MAY take generations more for us to become more unified as a country and world OR splinter further apart. Ambitious people often seek to control others throughout history, same “race” or not, so “they” can be lifted up to a higher social status or caste.
If we rationalize that God created nature and that nature & natural laws of physics and such typically seems to run in accordance in a rational way, it seems to only make sense that God is rational. So, in conclusion and after being “inactive” for 14 years, you simply need to ask yourself in analyzing the ethics or morals of any decision past or present, “What Would rational God Do?”
its not a case of gender its a case of things as they have been and will be, God does not do things just because he is god, God made man at his image and woman did not come out of our heads to governate us nor she came out of our feet to be stepped on, but came from our ribs near our heart to be a companion, not a burden the only ones who think that a man can do a better job than a woman and vice versa is the adversary always making us think that god made a mistake in speaking to adam frist and then eve
It seems you really know and love religion and Joseph Smith. May I recommend a book? “An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins” by Grant Palmer. He worked for the church education system for 34 years as Director of Institute and it’s a fascinating book about Joseph Smith and how he related to the different religions around him.
I agree with earlier comments that the temple will not make you feel better about patriarchy.