Thesis 5: Absolved of an Opinion
Without realizing it, growing up in the Mormon church turned me into a political and social issues vegetable.
On nearly every issue, be it gay marriage, abortion, or transgenderism, the church tells you what to believe. These “beliefs” are spoonfed to Mormon children as they sing countless songs to “follow the prophet”, and then to adults over the pulpit, at every semi-annual general conference, and even in church handbooks and on its website.
To have a differing opinion is rare, since most Mormon members see the prophet and the church as infallibly correct on everything. Why even think about what you believe on these issues when someone as close to God as the prophet and apostles can simply tell you? Most Mormon members I know have never even thought to ask themselves, “what do I believe on all of these issues?”, since asking such a question would imply a lack of faith. Rather than search their soul for an answer to what they believe, members just check in on the church’s latest stance on the issues.
It was only several years ago during my search for truth that I realized that I had never really considered what it was that I actually believed about these issues. So I finally sat down and thought about gay rights, women’s rights, freedom of choices, and other issues and developed a stance on these issues that came from me, not from a manual. Not surprisingly, several of my stances differed from the ones that I’d been handed for my whole life.
All of these beliefs were things that I didn’t even think I could have a stance on until several years ago. And that is downright scary.
Most of it comes back to the worship-like respect Mormons give to the 15 elderly men who serve as the 12 apostles, the prophet, and his two councilors. Growing up, I’d brag to other youth about apostle I had shook hands with or saw speak in person. I would take note of every word they said during general conference, as if God himself were speaking. These men, usually aged 70–90, are celebrities among Mormons in every sense of the word. We watch them on TV, fantasize about having them over for dinner, and then hang onto every word that comes out of their mouth. They tell us what to believe on the issues, they put out proclamations about our beliefs, and they send out press releases clarifying the church’s position on issues, and by extension, the positions of each of its members.
Do other examples in history of people unquestioningly following the beliefs and guidelines of one small group of leaders ever turn out well? This dictatorial system of blind acceptance has led to wars, mass genocides, ignorance, and apathy towards one’s fellow man.
Individuals must be allowed to think for themselves and be encouraged to discover and live by their own beliefs. Otherwise, “following the prophet” will turn you into a vegetable with manufactured morals and cold disregard for people who fall out of the scope of the church’s agenda.
