The Path of Least Resistance
“The path of least resistance and least trouble is a mental rut already made. It requires troublesome work to undertake the alternation of old beliefs. Self-conceit often regards it as a sign of weakness to admit that a belief to which we have once committed ourselves is wrong. We get so identified with an idea that it is literally a 'pet' notion and we rise to its defense and stop our eyes and ears to anything different.”
— John Dewey
Perception and Reality
"We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are."
— The Talmud
Understanding the Needs of Those Leaving Mormonism
Show 23 398 – Christianity – Part I
June 10th 2014
“Live from the Mecca of Mormonism – Salt Lake City Utah – This is Heart of the Matter – Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity . . . Face to Face”
And I’m your host Shawn McCraney.
Every Sunday we gather here in the Heart of the Matter studio/church as believers. We meet at 10 am for what we call Meat – a verse by verse teaching of the Word (right now we are in the Gospel of John). And then we meet at 2:30 for what we call Meat to do the same (we are currently working through the Book of Hebrews). Because of our work in bringing people out of Mormonism we are wholly committed to approaching these gatherings in a manner that is consistent with serving and feeding the flock and NOT expecting or doing anything more.
Listen, I humbly suggest that because of the religious history God has exposed me to I understand what people coming out of Mormonism and into a relationship with Jesus Christ need – and what they don’t.
Necessities for Growth
What they need is to be fed, and the only thing that can nourish them is the Word of God. They also need community with others who have come out of the LDS Church so they can, yes, commiserate as they move onward and out of leaving the LDS church.
But what they DON’T need is almost (almost) as important as what they do. Included in what people coming out of Mormonism DO NOT need is:
Religion (they left one of the best religious institutions on earth, don’t try and compete by offering them another). This means they don’t need demands on their time and lives to serve the pastor's visions and dreams of building up another religious empire, nor do they need to be told that God wants them to tithe, support a building fund, or that they have to accept certain doctrines. Add in that exiting Mormon's don’t need the pastor constantly bashing on Mormonism (even though they might seem to enjoy it). This doesn’t help them grow.
Additionally, they don’t need to be inundated with church programs, women's and men's groups, weekly midweek activities, concerts, plays, and retreats – all such stuff is more playing church and though it might keep them “dialed in” to your dream, it’s the same thing Mormonism did to them. In other words, exiting LDS need less of what they came from and more of Him. Just Him. Encouragement in Him. Understanding of Him and that Pastors come from them being fed His word.
Finally, the last thing exiting LDS folk need in their lives is religious indoctrination or to be taught more traditions of Man. They need what the Bible says, not what men have said the Bible says, not what theologians claim the Bible says – just what the Bible says.
So listen, Pastors and Reverends and those out there who are anxious to get ahold of people coming out of Mormonism, it is NOT your job to try and impress them by how well you play church. You accomplish nothing by providing ex-LDS with a new social life or introducing them to coffee sipping during meetings. Feed them the word and let them rest.
In my estimation, everything else is to their spiritual detriment – even if it seems to help fill the void that their lives in Mormonism left open. Quite frankly, all that other stuff is a detriment to the lives of every believer, whether they were ever LDS or not.
Challenges Facing Latter-Day Saints
CAMPUS Graphicos please
Along these lines, when a person is an active Latter-Day Saint there are two clouds that tend to constantly hover over them. The first cloud (if they take their faith seriously) is their uncertain standing before God – their “being worthy.” Much of this is alleviated…
Navigating Faith and Authority
When the individual comes to understand what it means to walk by faith in Him and not in their own worthiness. But the second cloud—especially if you are male—is the ever-present opinions and views of “the brethren” which include everyone from the Elder’s Quorum President to the Bishop to the Stake President to the top leaders up on North Temple here in SLC—you know, the LDS prophet and apostles—they’re all collectively known as “the brethren.”
LDS Apostle uttered the infamous line (actually, I think he merely echoed the line from a former brethren that, “When the Brethren have spoken the thinking has been done.” This tells you how much sway this big fat slobbering monster called, “the brethren” have. “Look to the brethren, trust in the brethren, follow the Prophet . . . He knows the way.”
Coming out of this (and NOT into another church or into more religion but into a true and living relationship with God through His Son which always transcends four-wall church) is such a glorious, enlightening, liberating and encouraging experience for exiting LDS and in my opinion much of it has to do with people breaking the chains of “Am I worthy?” and “What will the brethren think.” Unfortunately, being free is not always possible in the world of organized religion.
The Influence of Learned Men
I tell you, it’s almost innate for men and women to want to constantly appeal to authoritative Men for validation. I had an interesting phone conversation the other day that, by the time I hung up made me feel ill. It was with a brother in Christ who describes himself as a faithful Christian of over forty years. In our discussion he mentioned having recently visited Oxford recently (a place he humbly said CS Lewis once taught) and with almost great reverence in his voice said something like, “the level of (Christian) discourse was so advanced” in the Oxford environment of sheer Christian academia.” I swear I felt like donning a herringbone jacket (with camel hair elbow patches, by the way) and sparking up an ivory pipe (to match the ivory tower from where he was perched). When I hung up I realized that what I was hearing was nothing more than more . . . praise of Man.
But instead of calling them “The Brethren” he was calling them, “the Theologians.” The point of my discussing doctrinal issues on this show caused him to say: “We really need to look to the theologians on most of that stuff.” And I almost lost my lunch. I felt like I was listening to my LDS Bishop telling me that we just need to “look to the Brethren.” It is terrifying to hear from the mouth of a self-described mature Christian that Christianity is currently directed and decided upon by men and women with PH.D’s. Is this what the faith is founded upon? Intellectual and/ or Academic ability?
A Reflection on Leadership in Faith
In the end, how is a Christian appealing to a theologian (to know how to think and believe) any different than a Latter-day Saint looking to the LDS brethren—as if either group of monkeys have a corner on what is of God and what is not? I mean, look at how we have let men take hold of this beautiful faith founded on weak things of the world and a savior that had nothing that man would desire and twist it so that it is now apparently governed by the supposedly strong!
Just take a gander at the religious uniforms we’ve allowed in our midst and in the name of God? Look at the archaes we’ve allowed to stack up around us! Observe the collars, robes, suits and Tommy Bahama aloha shirts that serve to distinguish each respective leader! Look at the diploma’s and degrees many of the “denoms” require to simply teach or serve in the Body! There’s some real irony here when Jesus Himself wouldn’t qualify or be accepted to teach in most of these denoms today! Think about this folks—look around you.
When we look at the actual, literal descriptions of the Christian faith housed in the heart of a believer which of the following best represents the qualifications of someone called to lead and teach in the church?
- A materially poor, formally uneducated and utterly humble woman of faith and love who knows her Bible
OR
- A refined, well-appointed, highly educated Professor of Ancient Languages?
If you answered the latter, which one of these examples were more like the Apostles Jesus chose to lead His Church? I stand simultaneously terrified and disgusted by what believers in Christ are accepting as of.
Purpose of Whiteboard Talks
Him in the Body today. May God help us. Und wiff dat let’s have a word of prayer.
PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER
All righty folks – let’s get back to the Ol White Board. Again – why are we doing these white board talks? Every now and again I have people write or call and tell me they wish I was still focusing on the Mormon/Christian debate! It’s hysterical to me because I am! But at the same time, it's sad because what they are really saying is “Stop picking on the Christian church organizations and start back your full-on attacks on the Mo’s!
Understanding True Biblical Principles
As a means to better help – further help at a deeper level people coming out of the LDS faith and into a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ this ministry believes it’s very important for them to know what is truly biblical – and what in Christianity is as man-made as the LDS temple rituals. So . . . to jog your memory this is how we have been going about it.
On the Whiteboard
ON BOARD
MORMONISM (GAL) (trash)
CHRISTIAN (GUY) (trash)
