Just the Basics

                I think the best place to start is with the simplicity. Take for example, the constant push from the church leaders to have the members only read certain things. If you have questions regarding the church, you should look at LDS approved websites and writings. Read your scriptures daily and pray daily. This will keep the religion constantly in your mind.

                This is really smart on behalf of the church. If one is constantly thinking only of the ideas put forth by a group, one is mentally going to be building a circle around those ideas. It would be very difficult for a construct other than that of the group thinking to penetrate this barrier. If you maintain this barrier daily, you increase the chances that nothing different can get in. This works positively for a religious group to maintain its members. However, I cannot think of one other area or aspect in which this is a good thing.

                For example, let’s switch the word ‘religion’ with the word ‘surgeon’. If you were needing to have heart surgery, which doctor would you rather have operating on you? A doctor that was taught there is only one way to do heart surgery, and was taught that by the school he attended. Or, a doctor that is open to learning new methods and updating his practice with new technology.

                We can substitute religion for just about any concept or practice, and find that it is not practical to only surround yourself with a basic concept, and refuse to allow yourself to evolve. Maybe that is the problem…religion doesn’t want to introduce evolution in any way in to the practice.

                Mormonism has evolved. The reason it has evolved is because of technology. The church has, and is, fighting furiously to maintain their wall. They are constantly reminding their followers to only view and read and listen to certain approved mediums. The problem for the church is the technology is beating their firewall. People are getting the information from several sources now. Five years ago, it was easy to live the Mormon life in Utah, and never hear the true history of Joseph Smith. Today, it is finding its way in to the bubble. More and more believers are hearing things, and reading things, that they never knew existed. I didn’t.

                The problem that the church is facing here in America, with the believers that were raised in the church, is the difference between what they were taught and what they are now hearing. The myths and rhetoric that the church has given us our entire lives, is now being contradicted differently. Sure, the church is used to attacks on its beliefs. That is a staple for the believers. I would argue that the attacks are food for the soul of the believers: It gives them energy and it makes their faith even stronger, due to the fact that the teaching states that you are doing it right if everyone is against you.

                The difference in the attacks now, is they are coming from the inside. The history is not what they say it was. Period. No one can argue that truthfully anymore. The only thing the church has going for it at this time is to fight to keep the leak at a slow pace. Luckily for them, it takes a long time for believers to think that the truth might not be what they thought it was.

                That should buy them enough time to clean up their things and escape in the night, unnoticed.