Why I am here at your site.

cwald · #1 (**permalink**) 11-11-2011, 09:29 PM

Hello all.

For the last month or so, I have been lurking here mostly, and posting occasionally. Perhaps now is the time to introduce myself.

I came to this site to see what active, everyday, orthodox LDS members were like. I am thinking about returning to some level of activity in the church, and just want to know if there is any point to doing so. (Please no need to respond to this comment though, as i have already addressed this in a separate thread.)

Now, I am still a member even though I don't attend church. I was a blue-shirted, bearded, beer-drinking EQP

for about five years ---- mostly out of default because there was no one else to do the job.

.

I remained an active mormon for years and served the people in my branch, and give a lot of credit to John Dehlin and his website StayLDS and the philosophy of finding a "Middle-Way" of involvement. I also post at NOM. I use my same avatar and call name for all of these sites and am not trying to troll your site in anyway.

I have never been an "orthodox" LDS member, and I left the morcor almost 20 years ago, and moved to VERY remote part of Oregon and attended a small branch that is/was much different type of mormonism than what I find outside of my area. We do things a little different here.

I quit the church because my family in Idaho, and so many of the members made me feel so uncomfortable and "unwelcome" with all the conservative politics, authoritarianism - like the 14 fundamentals of the prophet, and focus on what I would call Pharisaical commandments. That is just my opinion.

That being said, I still love the mormon people. I think they are "true" for the most part. I still love my mormon family. I also love mormonism - the search for truth and enlightenment. I just don't like the church, the organization.

From watching the "I Am Mormon Ads," I want to believe that the church I grew up in has evolved and has become much more progressive and tolerant of dissent and differing opinion, lifestyle, and perspective - perhaps I, the real cwald, is welcome in the Mormon church after all, and i want to be fair and give my tribe the benefit of the doubt that things are different now than when I lived in SW Idaho in the 80's.

Since I live in remote Oregon, about two hours from the closest ward, and with the exception of my own family which i think is quite insane, I really have no idea of what "the church" is really like, and if they just want conformity, or if they really want diversity and people like me.

I came here to find out.

I hope this intro does not violate the board rules. It's just my sincere honest reason for lurking here.

This is why I am here.

Out

pam · #2 (**permalink**) 11-11-2011, 09:46 PM

If I might ask a question. There have been numerous people who state they post on a NOM website that have joined the site lately. Are you all coming from the same site? It just seems a little too coincidental.

cwald · #3 (**permalink**) 11-11-2011, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pam

If I might ask a question. There have been numerous people who state they post on a NOM website that have joined the site lately. Are you all coming from the same site? It just seems a little too coincidental.

I don't know of any other NOMs over here besides The Beast, which is who told me about this site. If there are other NOMs, I would assume it is coincidental. I know of no grand conspiracy coming from the New Order Mormon website, if that is what you are asking. I can assure you I am VERY interested in "understanding" what active mormons, especially those from the morcor, believe and think, and how they interact with others who differ on faith and opinion. That is why I am here.

Eowyn · #4 (**permalink**) 11-11-2011, 09:54 PM

(What is NOM?)

People aren't "true", and never will be. Only Christ, who is perfect, is perfectly true. It is in His Gospel that we find what will make us "thirst no more". If we're looking at the people around us to see if they're living well enough to prove Him, we will always be disappointed. But if we look to Him and His words and believe on His Gospel, and do our best to prove our own faithfulness, and then try to see others as He does, then we have a pretty good shot at finding peace. Good luck in your quest, whatever it may be.

cwald · #5 (**permalink**) 11-11-2011, 09:59 PM

And, I have been walking on eggshells over here, btw. I have "behaved" myself I think, and been treated pretty rudely for the most part

If I am not welcome, you can say so. I will leave and just let it be.

LittleWyvern · #6 (**permalink**) 11-11-2011, 09:59 PM

Ah, a fellow Oregonian! And I thought driving 1 hour to stake conference (and 3 1/2 hours to the nearest temple) was remote!

Well, welcome, officially!

cwald · #7 (**permalink**) 11-11-2011, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eowyn

(What is NOM?)

People aren't "true", and never will be.

I'm true.

cwald · #8 (**permalink**) 11-11-2011, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleWyvern

Ah, a fellow Oregonian! And I thought driving 1 hour to stake conference (and 3 1/2 hours to the nearest temple) was remote!

Well, welcome, officially!

Thank you. You must live in Eastern Oregon to be that far from the temple. I'm actually a member of the Bend Stake. Are we close? You can PM me if you want.

LittleWyvern · #9 (**permalink**) 11-11-2011, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwald

Thank you. You must live in Eastern Oregon to be that far from the temple. I'm actually a member of the Bend Stake. Are we close? You can PM me if you want.

No, Coos Bay Stake, halfway between Portland and Medford. Bit of bad luck, maybe

Eowyn · #10 (**permalink**) 11-11-2011, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwald

I'm true.

I guess that depends on how you're using the word, and what your expectations are. Because I'm thinking of it in context of "The Church is true", which speaks of the Gospel and doctrine of the church, not the membership, which is made of imperfect people who will make mistakes. How do you mean "true"?