Comments on: The Utility of Religious Devotion http://blog.risinggeneration.org/1012/a-bizarre-meandering-post-enjoy Mormon Teens & Young Adults Helping Peers Address Challenges to Their Faith. Sat, 10 Jul 2010 13:57:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Kristy http://blog.risinggeneration.org/1012/a-bizarre-meandering-post-enjoy/comment-page-1#comment-879 Kristy Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:19:20 +0000 http://blog.risinggeneration.org/?p=1012#comment-879 Hmmm... there are a few things I think I can relate to here. I approach things very intellectually. In my opinion, being a member of the Church, from a purely intellectual and common-sense approach, makes sense. It's a great way to raise your children, it gives one a sense of community, it provides religion (which helps man, in his basic worldliness, to learn to look outside of himself, and also to have something to turn to in times of need) and the rules that some think are stifling are really just telling us not to do certain things that are not in themselves socially meaningful anyways. (And in my opinion, if it isn't beneficial, and can actually lead to harm, why do it?!) So why not follow rules that are going to keep you safer, healthier, and less prone to embarrassing facebook tags? And if it's not true, well, doing all that we do isn't going to hurt our chances of getting into Heaven, so we might as well do all we can, just in case--sort of like studying the whole book instead of just the chapters we think might be on the test. I think that looking at it from that way is a very good starting point for some people. At the same time, those things will only get you so far. If you don't start feeling it in your heart, for yourself, eventually you're going to lose interest. I don't think that you get that personal testimony from blind faith either. God gives us witnesses of His power, His love, and the truth, and He does it a lot. It's the little things: maybe every time something is weighing on your mind, someone talks about it in a lesson at church on Sunday; maybe you're having a rough lonely day and for some reason someone calls to talk and you have a great conversation. Things that aren't readily noticeable, until you look back and think "wow, that happened at exactly the right moment for me." But even with a personal testimony of some things, that doesn't negate Doubt! And why should there be anything wrong with that? When we doubt, we question, and when we question (without preconceived attitudes), we learn. We might even learn that the Church (as an organization) is not perfect! (gasp!) But of course not, because we are all just people, and not a single one of us is infallible. I like your point of view, because I think that the youth of today are being led to be more cynical and jaded than ever before. Reading your posts can be comforting to those who don't want the "God solves everything for you if you just get baptized, then your life will be candy and flowers forever" approach! I just hope that underneath all that sarcasm and cynicism, there is also peace and hope. :) Hmmm… there are a few things I think I can relate to here. I approach things very intellectually. In my opinion, being a member of the Church, from a purely intellectual and common-sense approach, makes sense. It’s a great way to raise your children, it gives one a sense of community, it provides religion (which helps man, in his basic worldliness, to learn to look outside of himself, and also to have something to turn to in times of need) and the rules that some think are stifling are really just telling us not to do certain things that are not in themselves socially meaningful anyways. (And in my opinion, if it isn’t beneficial, and can actually lead to harm, why do it?!) So why not follow rules that are going to keep you safer, healthier, and less prone to embarrassing facebook tags? And if it’s not true, well, doing all that we do isn’t going to hurt our chances of getting into Heaven, so we might as well do all we can, just in case–sort of like studying the whole book instead of just the chapters we think might be on the test.

I think that looking at it from that way is a very good starting point for some people. At the same time, those things will only get you so far. If you don’t start feeling it in your heart, for yourself, eventually you’re going to lose interest. I don’t think that you get that personal testimony from blind faith either. God gives us witnesses of His power, His love, and the truth, and He does it a lot. It’s the little things: maybe every time something is weighing on your mind, someone talks about it in a lesson at church on Sunday; maybe you’re having a rough lonely day and for some reason someone calls to talk and you have a great conversation. Things that aren’t readily noticeable, until you look back and think “wow, that happened at exactly the right moment for me.” But even with a personal testimony of some things, that doesn’t negate Doubt! And why should there be anything wrong with that? When we doubt, we question, and when we question (without preconceived attitudes), we learn. We might even learn that the Church (as an organization) is not perfect! (gasp!) But of course not, because we are all just people, and not a single one of us is infallible.

I like your point of view, because I think that the youth of today are being led to be more cynical and jaded than ever before. Reading your posts can be comforting to those who don’t want the “God solves everything for you if you just get baptized, then your life will be candy and flowers forever” approach! I just hope that underneath all that sarcasm and cynicism, there is also peace and hope. :)

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