Pres Faust-If church is #1 everything will be fine....

[silverfox]

I had some time today to go through some articles I came across and bookmarked to read later.

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600115638,00.html?lds=T

Excerpts from the article:

"The distinction is important, he added, because members who place the church in their hearts will have stronger families, the greatest power against drug and alcohol abuse and other elements of societal decay.

President Faust said the church exists, in large measure, to strengthen families, but when it is not at the core, family effectiveness wanes.

"So the family is, and must always be, an important part of the church," he said. "But the Lord's Kingdom ultimately must be found in our hearts before it can be anywhere else."

The church is increasingly being asked to fill in for weakened families, President Faust revealed.

"Because of the erosion of family life and family values we frequently hear urgent pleas requesting the church as an organization to take over activities formerly considered family activities. I wonder if our maturing youth can hold everything together without family home evening, daily family prayer and daily family scripture study."

Notice how Faust gives the CHURCH credit for successful families? Wonder why he doesn't mention the depression, the suicides, divorces, etc in his talk? This stuff hits ALL members, inactive, active, TBMs, etc.

(enter sarcasm here) Oh, wait a minute, I almost forgot - because that "real-life" stuff only happens to BAD members and those who DON'T have the church as number one in their hearts. Silly me.

I also find it interesting that church leaders become upset when Mormons are not looked at as true Christians but hey, did Faust mention Christ at all? Well, let's say he is not quoted in this article to have mentioned Christ.

[silverfox]

Now I am ticked off. I bought into this shovel of crap for so long! No wonder TBM parents go whacko if they find out their kid has experimented with drugs or has sex or is gay, etc.

They take it PERSONAL. And comments like the ones made by Faust is why. Sick

[Born Free]

Excerpts from the article:

[COLOR=DarkGreen]"The distinction is important, he added, because members who place the church in their hearts will have stronger families, the greatest power against drug and alcohol abuse and other elements of societal decay.


This mindset sees D&A as causes and therefore precludes that they may the effects.

How about people seek 'consciousness altering experience' when their life lacks true meaning. How about most religious experience is so banal, and insulting to the intelligence, so lacking in an "spirit' (read life), that people feel attracted to something that appears to offer more life (whether true or not).

Personally I never had a problem with drugs, but if there was anything that might have driven me to them, it was Family Home Evening. :Puking

Daryl

[elder_nomo]

thanks for posting this, silverfox. we don't get to see this kind of article around here.

my favorite part is at the end, where he says....
"I wish it were possible for me to greet each one of you and give a grandfatherly hug to any of you that need it,"
i am laughing my butt off that he felt compelled to specify that it would be a "grandfatherly" hug. so we don't think he's some kind of perv.
yeah, well.....

[silverfox]

thanks for posting this, silverfox. we don't get to see this kind of article around here.

my favorite part is at the end, where he says....
"I wish it were possible for me to greet each one of you and give a grandfatherly hug to any of you that need it,"
i am laughing my butt off that he felt compelled to specify that it would be a "grandfatherly" hug. so we don't think he's some kind of perv.
yeah, well.....

I thought the exact same thing!

[Alicia]

I had some time today to go through some articles I came across and bookmarked to read later.

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600115638,00.html?lds=T

Excerpts from the article:

"The distinction is important, he added, because members who place the church in their hearts will have stronger families, the greatest power against drug and alcohol abuse and other elements of societal decay.

President Faust said the church exists, in large measure, to strengthen families, but when it is not at the core, family effectiveness wanes.

"So the family is, and must always be, an important part of the church," he said. "But the Lord's Kingdom ultimately must be found in our hearts before it can be anywhere else."

The church is increasingly being asked to fill in for weakened families, President Faust revealed.

"Because of the erosion of family life and family values we frequently hear urgent pleas requesting the church as an organization to take over activities formerly considered family activities. I wonder if our maturing youth can hold everything together without family home evening, daily family prayer and daily family scripture study."

Notice how Faust gives the CHURCH credit for successful families? Wonder why he doesn't mention the depression, the suicides, divorces, etc in his talk? This stuff hits ALL members, inactive, active, TBMs, etc.

(enter sarcasm here) Oh, wait a minute, I almost forgot - because that "real-life" stuff only happens to BAD members and those who DON'T have the church as number one in their hearts. Silly me.

I also find it interesting that church leaders become upset when Mormons are not looked at as true Christians but hey, did Faust mention Christ at all? Well, let's say he is not quoted in this article to have mentioned Christ.


Here is the problem. If you have the church in your heart and you want to serve God in the LDS church then you accept callings that take you away from your family.

About three months after our second son was born I was called into the primary presidency while my husband was already in the young men presidency. We had multiple meetings every week and juggling kids and callings during church was hell. We weren’t the only one’s in this situation. There were many families just like ours. So it isn’t the “church” that is making up for so called weakened families it is the members that choose to do what they are told.

And what a guilt trip on parents whose kids go "wayword".

[free thinker]

It's funny how every church member just goes along with the idea that society is in decay. I don't buy it. I think every generation that lives feels like society will buckle if "things keep going on like this". And yet, children are born, businesses are built, families continue etc. Joseph Smith said it would happen before the end of the 19th century.

I think things are better than they have ever been before. I cited some examples in another thread like this, but I will give one here that I think is over-arching.

Racism!! I simply think that we are becoming globally more aware of how alike we are, and less stratified by our differences! I do not have any empirical data to back this up. But I do believe that the internet has,and will continue to change things dramatically. It is one source of dissemenating information that is almost impossible to stop. This, I think, has, and will, shrink the world even further, and allow us to get to know each other better. Thereby possibly creating more of an enviroment of trust etc. I do not think society is in decay!!

Free Thinker

[silverfox]

Here is the problem. If you have the church in your heart and you want to serve God in the LDS church then you accept callings that take you away from your family.

About three months after our second son was born I was called into the primary presidency while my husband was already in the young men presidency. We had multiple meetings every week and juggling kids and callings during church was hell. We weren’t the only one’s in this situation. There were many families just like ours. So it isn’t the “church” that is making up for so called weakened families it is the members that choose to do what they are told.

And what a guilt trip on parents whose kids go "wayword".

I agree completely. For those who are not Mormon, (hey outsideriq, that's you) who are trying to get an idea of how we are influenced in Mo teachings, this talk by Faust is a great example of many of their guilt tactics.

This gem from his mouth bugged me:

"The church is increasingly being asked to fill in for weakened families, President Faust revealed.
"Because of the erosion of family life and family values we frequently hear urgent pleas requesting the church as an organization to take over activities formerly considered family activities. I wonder if our maturing youth can hold everything together without family home evening, daily family prayer and daily family scripture study.""

What the hell is he talking about? Or should I say what is he WHINING about? The church pulls parents away from their families for various reasons. It's okay to leave kids home alone while one goes to priesthood meetings and "home enrichment" :Puking night??? I've never heard any leader complain or whine that kids are left unattended alone while parents fulfill their church responsibilities. It's always, "God will watch out for them". yeah, right. I've noticed that many other religions take pride in serving their youth. They are happy to create and have programs for youth....ALL youth in the community, not just THEIR youth members. They do it out of love and concern. In our community there are all kinds of programs by other religions and anyone is invited. You will never see that with the LDS church.

In spite of doing everything "right" three of my kids experimented with drugs. It was such a confusing time for me. I felt like the worst mother in the world. And our bishop's counsel helped solidify that feeling.

But what I learned from those experiences was priceless. Funny, there were MANY kids in our ward who were experimenting with drugs. Their TBM parents were unaware. They had no idea! The difference between their kids and mine was that my kids felt they could talk to me about it. So I was aware of all the details, who was doing it, when, etc, etc. The "party" house belonged to a counselor in the bishopric. Kids would go there during school lunch or would sluff and go there. When I voiced my concerns to this counselor he completely refused to investigate, etc. No way were his kids involved with drugs.....let alone using their home. He was in complete denial.

What I learned was that every family has their trials....it's just that some of us are more aware of them than others...we CHOOSE to be.

So maybe what Faust is saying is, "Do everything right, keep church number one in your heart, church, church, church. Church will make you numb to the realities of the world."

My expectations are different with my younger kids now that I am Post Mo. I EXPECT they will experiment with drugs, sex, anything. Hell, they are KIDS and kids are curious. And now that I expect it, my teen who is 17 is the BEST KID EVER. And Mo'ism played very little part in that. She hasn't experimented with drugs, drinking or sex. She is a beautiful sweet girl. She has made very sound choices on her own. We are very open about everything. We don't use the church or God to inflict guilt or shame. (which IMO, only fuels a wayward kid)

Okay I am rambling..........I will stop on that thought.

[free thinker]

I agree completely. For those who are not Mormon, (hey outsideriq, that's you) who are trying to get an idea of how we are influenced in Mo teachings, this talk by Faust is a great example of many of their guilt tactics.

This gem from his mouth bugged me:

"The church is increasingly being asked to fill in for weakened families, President Faust revealed.
"Because of the erosion of family life and family values we frequently hear urgent pleas requesting the church as an organization to take over activities formerly considered family activities. I wonder if our maturing youth can hold everything together without family home evening, daily family prayer and daily family scripture study.""

What the hell is he talking about? Or should I say what is he WHINING about? The church pulls parents away from their families for various reasons. It's okay to leave kids home alone while one goes to priesthood meetings and "home enrichment" :Puking night??? I've never heard any leader complain or whine that kids are left unattended alone while parents fulfill their church responsibilities. It's always, "God will watch out for them". yeah, right. I've noticed that many other religions take pride in serving their youth. They are happy to create and have programs for youth....ALL youth in the community, not just THEIR youth members. They do it out of love and concern. In our community there are all kinds of programs by other religions and anyone is invited. You will never see that with the LDS church.

In spite of doing everything "right" three of my kids experimented with drugs. It was such a confusing time for me. I felt like the worst mother in the world. And our bishop's counsel helped solidify that feeling.

But what I learned from those experiences was priceless. Funny, there were MANY kids in our ward who were experimenting with drugs. Their TBM parents were unaware. They had no idea! The difference between their kids and mine was that my kids felt they could talk to me about it. So I was aware of all the details, who was doing it, when, etc, etc. The "party" house belonged to a counselor in the bishopric. Kids would go there during school lunch or would sluff and go there. When I voiced my concerns to this counselor he completely refused to investigate, etc. No way were his kids involved with drugs.....let alone using their home. He was in complete denial.

What I learned was that every family has their trials....it's just that some of us are more aware of them than others...we CHOOSE to be.

So maybe what Faust is saying is, "Do everything right, keep church number one in your heart, church, church, church. Church will make you numb to the realities of the world."

My expectations are different with my younger kids now that I am Post Mo. I EXPECT they will experiment with drugs, sex, anything. Hell, they are KIDS and kids are curious. And now that I expect it, my teen who is 17 is the BEST KID EVER. And Mo'ism played very little part in that. She hasn't experimented with drugs, drinking or sex. She is a beautiful sweet girl. She has made very sound choices on her own. We are very open about everything. We don't use the church or God to inflict guilt or shame. (which IMO, only fuels a wayward kid)

Okay I am rambling..........I will stop on that thought.

Silverfox I don't have any children so it is hard for me to relate to these type things. I think you are right though about keeping things open as far as comminucation is concerned. It just seems that as soon as you bring in the church, fear, guilt factor , you make the problem worse.

I have watched as my close friend raises two beautiful and bright teenage girls, and her openness with them seems to help a lot. They feel like they can talk to her about anything. This seems to defuse the situation to a great degree. She would never even think about using guilt and shame on them as a coersive tool.

Her oldest daughter is sixteen and they have very frank conversations about sex. Guess what? This young lady has chosen to abstain for now. On her own!!

Free Thinker

[Alicia]

My expectations are different with my younger kids now that I am Post Mo. I EXPECT they will experiment with drugs, sex, anything. Hell, they are KIDS and kids are curious. And now that I expect it, my teen who is 17 is the BEST KID EVER. And Mo'ism played very little part in that. She hasn't experimented with drugs, drinking or sex. She is a beautiful sweet girl. She has made very sound choices on her own. We are very open about everything. We don't use the church or God to inflict guilt or shame. (which IMO, only fuels a wayward kid)



I really like what you said here.

Before leaving the church fear consumed me. Motherhood was especially scary. I was at a loss of how I was going to keep my children out of trouble. Now I am not so worried. I trust my own reasoning abilities and I plan to teach my children how to make sound choices. They may not do what I would like but like you said kids are curious.