Blog Therapy cont...

http://rationalfaiths.com/real-cost-world-wide-church/
my comment:
I have a question. How come the church is not helping this stake with its nutritional needs?

I thought this is one the the reasons we have bishops and stake presidents, to assess the local needs. Especially those life saving needs that are food/shelter/water.

If these are fellow saints you are raising money for, why do I feel like I am being cheated with my tithing and fast offering funds?

I would love to donate but if these are members, I feel like I am being deceived out of Salt Lake. Are they picking and choosing who to take care of? Do bishops not have access to funds and resources? Is Salt Lake aware of fellow suffering members in basic life sustenance of nutrition? Is this the church I below to?

I remember when my husband was in school, our income was $300 month, and we had 3 kids. I would get my loans and grants and pay my house payments, utilities in advance, and then the $300 was for food and gas (time-11-15 years ago). My mother-in-law took me shopping when she could and bought my kids clothes and even gave me cash regularly, and this made the difference. I remember one Christmas, without even requesting, they brought us a bishop storehouse order (obviously our tithing was minimal at that income and we were full tithe payers).

Where is the disconnect with church local leadership and Salt Lake leadership/funds? You should be sending money for the ward to help their neighbors with nutritional needs- not fellow member. Am I missing some information about how the church is suppose to operate? Does it only operate well in affluent areas? Please help me understand.

I am a nurse and I have seen suffering. There is no illness that does not have a ripple affect. Love and compassion are so important to all suffering. I have learned that those who dismiss other's suffering are only doing so because they are externally dismissing their own inward suffering - a coping mechanism of the ego.
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Then I will be giving you my next fast offering. It seems that until Salt Lake figures this out, I would rather give to the small guy, where I know my money is going.
How are you administering the money? Are you using the local leadership? Has the stake leadership notified Salt Lake of their needs? Is there a way we can encourage that avenue as well? Give them all the access to resources that they would not otherwise have access to. Is there a knowledge deficit on the part of leadership in the area of how to get help from the church? (nursing diagnosis from my nursing school days) What is their access to medical care? Saying goes...squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Thanks!!!

http://www.wheatandtares.org/6171/authority-vs-authenticity/
additional comment:
Howard, I agree that the church encourages silence and living a lie. It was my life for the last 38 years until..."came to [her]self". The church talks the talk but does not walk the walk (so to speak).

My new thoughts on a second coming is figurative. We are all authentically lamb and lion. The lion can be both harm and non-harm (i.e. self-preservation against someone who may harm, or protection a child,etc) and the lamb is both harm and non-harm (i.e. submit to harm of superiors, blind follower, teachable, compassionate to all). They key is for the second coming to happen in the now. The present moment. The lamb and the lion to lie, that exist in each of us at the same time, must down together is the creation of the "authentic" self in my opinion. The navigation of this lying down is not easy (from much experience) and is only possible by "and he came to himself" (or self-awareness/self-knowledge), as in the story of what I call the "non-prodigal son".


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http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2014/11/when-to-disobey/
my comment:
Jonathon, be open to what Steve is saying. I understand your reasoning and your faith. It is simple and beautiful. It was my faith for 38 years until my world came crashing down. I dipped 7 times in Jordan to be healed as I desperately felt that I did not know how to live or how to die. The way to healing was not by what I was taught by bishops, stake presidents, general conference, in prayer, scripture study or church meetings.
I did not have a Satan sitting on my shoulder telling me all the shaming "not good enough" thoughts that we love to put upon each other at church. It is philosophies of men mingled with scripture.
There is a more peaceful and a greater path to happiness. Study mythology by Joseph Campbell (lectures free on spotify) to see why we have lived and been taught as we do. It helps understand why we become so close minded and intolerant of others with our "one truth" narrative. We are like a childish church and many are seeking greater depth and some are just content being told what to do (that is ok as well) but be mindful that those who have trials like Naaman who seek inspiration to find healing and surprised at what they find are just as valid. (yes, I don't see that story as a "follow the prophet" story but a path to healing and revelation from God story - never the path I would have taken if I did not need healing desperately from a crippling condition made worse by the church's narrative).

In therapy the first thing I learned was "that is black/white thinking or all/nothing thinking". Cognitive distortions that prevent adult behavior. It is not so simple to just obey, follow the prophet, or only use revelation. I believe if we pray, we can receive any answer we want to get and feel good about it but to actually travel into the wilderness of doubt and suffering to find healing, the answers are not so simple. I will use a strong word and say I hate commandments. They are for children under 8. They are for the Israelite's who didn't want to grow up after being told what to do their whole life. That is not what God wants, but we do get that in our "modern day" revelation. Growing up is about inner dept and inner transformation and not outward doing and observances. The path to heaven is not a to-do list of ordinances and covenants to check off. They are only symbols that we have lost as the only way to salvation.
I also know Jonathon how it is to believe as you do. That was me. I understand but don't argue with Steve over something you know nothing about. He (I don't even know who he is) understands depth that your brain can't process as mine couldn't without someone helping me see what I didn't have "eyes to see or ears to hear". Please be open and also we all must meet others where they are - and so I accept your simple path as well. I have found I am not able to talk to most of my friends at church anymore about my beliefs because they just think I am__________(fill in the blank) apostate, gone astray, faithless, etc...if they only knew the path. I still would not trade my grown-up faith for their simple faith. It is much more beautiful to see the oneness we all share without any rules but only love.