tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4172451149432147710.post8988776602844545012..comments2023-05-10T10:41:32.689-04:00Comments on Against the Greater Light: Alma 14: Death, Death, and More DeathAlexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14724409661360473452noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4172451149432147710.post-8899792344205503402014-03-31T21:42:35.793-04:002014-03-31T21:42:35.793-04:00Thanks!Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4172451149432147710.post-40626076842882078242014-03-31T21:23:29.789-04:002014-03-31T21:23:29.789-04:00Don't feel bad for bringing in negative stuff,...Don't feel bad for bringing in negative stuff, man. It's kind of a negative blog! <br /><br />The whole point is that the church has been responsible for, directly or indirectly, some pretty messed up stuff. As bad as my experiences may have been, you've had some (way) worse ones, and others have probably had worse than yours (not to diminish your suffering in any way). The internet provides us all with lots of great mediums to share our stories, support each other, and spread the truth about the church with anyone who clicks on the right links. Negative or not, I always enjoy your comments and appreciate your participation.<br /><br />I'm glad to hear your family is making progress and I wish you all the best!Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14724409661360473452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4172451149432147710.post-11861493280469091872014-03-31T21:13:07.449-04:002014-03-31T21:13:07.449-04:00We are working on getting better and are making go...We are working on getting better and are making good progress.<br /><br />Thanks for your support. I'm sorry to bring in such negative stuff, but I really believe that piece of scripture contributes to the problem. Writing about it is very helpful. <br /><br />Keep up the excellent writing. Love your blog!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4172451149432147710.post-83958844610035282672014-03-31T18:53:23.041-04:002014-03-31T18:53:23.041-04:00Church discipline aside, how about some prison tim...Church discipline aside, how about some prison time? <br /><br />I'm pissed off just reading your story. I can't imagine how much worse it is to live it firsthand. I understand the desire to see the good in people and not want to cause more trouble, but there's a point when that stuff can't matter anymore. It needs to be resolved, the victims need to be protected, and the police need to be involved. Any bishop who can't see that is useless as a "judge in Israel" and probably useless as a human being.<br /><br />I hope you and your family have recovered and put this stuff behind you, but I'm sure that's much easier said than done.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14724409661360473452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4172451149432147710.post-461435214019941982014-03-31T18:42:22.334-04:002014-03-31T18:42:22.334-04:00You're right, they are good people, but they w...You're right, they are good people, but they want so much to believe people are inherently good that they are too willing to forgive and not hold people accountable. A man who sexually abuses a child should be excommunicated, period. There is no excuse for it, and if repentance is possible, it should take a very long time. I have found that this stuff is much more prevalent than anyone would think. I've been to support groups to help my children to get past the abuse on them by a youth ward member. The stories are horrible and often include Bishops who do little to help the victims and even less to hold the perpetrators accountable. You're right, no group should tolerate this, and that's why I want no part of the church. This is not isolated to just one ward or stake. The abuse to my kids and members of my wife's extended family is spread over at least 4 stakes with NOTHING happening to the abusers from a church standpoint. Plus, legally the only one that received any punishment at all was the boy we reported. He spent a long time in youth detention before getting out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4172451149432147710.post-50791427781739522592014-03-30T14:08:58.193-04:002014-03-30T14:08:58.193-04:00I'm really sorry to hear that. The church as ...I'm really sorry to hear that. The church as I knew it was made up of basically good people who just believed some weird stuff. I just don't understand how the behavior you described is tolerated by ANY group of people...especially those who belong to a religious institution claiming to teach morality and family values.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14724409661360473452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4172451149432147710.post-19615184660301374082014-03-30T09:25:22.715-04:002014-03-30T09:25:22.715-04:00Amen, amen, amen, and amen! (That's one "...Amen, amen, amen, and amen! (That's one "amen," by the way, for each section.) <br /><br />I heard that "witness" scripture quoted last summer, and it really pissed me off. Members use it as an excuse to "forgive" bad people when in reality, they are just secretly reveling in the knowledge that those bad people will get their punishment in the next life. Without going into too much detail, I left the church because of church leaders and member's willingness to forgive child abusers while those perpetrators were still actively abusing and raping. People who knew of the abuse and took no effective action were stake presidents, bishops, wives, adult children, mothers, relief society presidencies, primary presidencies, scout leaders, neighbors, etc. I want nothing to do with a church that won't protect its children. But hey, when the church founder was marrying teenaged girls including a 14 year old, what do you expect?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com