Question regarding church discipline

[BlueHair]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Bluehair, will the bishop be allowed to ask your children to pick up after themselves and not leave trash on the floor?

Of course.

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by RC Vikings

Still seems over the line for me. I just wish the church would encourage these kids to go to their parents with some of these problems and that the parents were smart enough and kind enough to deal with the problems.

I totally agree. My sister was getting masturbation questions from the bishop when she was still very prepubescent. My parents were really ticked.

My mom got lots of masturbation questions when she and my dad were newlyweds, too.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by jay santos

I think SoonerCoug's being very conservative in his 1 in 100 stat. I know first hand several that have similar experience as SoonerCoug. I had probaby 7-10 men (bishops, stake prez, MTC branch prez, mission prez, etc) I interviewed in my teens age 13-19. I don't remember exactly but I'm sure at least a few of those if not most asked me about "minor" sexual sins such as masturbation. I would categorize myself as one who had a negative experience with a bishop as a teen that led to unnecessary guilt and questioning my worthiness. I have a close family member who nearly had a nervous breakdown over masturbating in the MTC.

As a parent I'm pretty serious about helping my sons avoid a similar experience.

I have to ask because it is killing me. Are you saying that he had a nervous breakdown in the MTC concerning prior mastrubating or are you saying he nearly had a nervous breakdown because he masturbated at the MTC?

Seriously, the showers at the MTC (unless the setup has changed over the past 15 years) are not conducive to that activity and there are 4 fellows in one's room, so it ain't exactly private. I just have this vision of the dude in the stall next to your loved one wailing out "who does #2 work for?" as he is finding fullfillment in the full measure of his creation.

I am not believing folks don't yank it at the MTC because they are so gosh darned spiritual, I just see a dearth of opportunity and motive.

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

I have to ask because it is killing me. Are you saying that he had a nervous breakdown in the MTC concerning prior mastrubating or are you saying he nearly had a nervous breakdown because he masturbated at the MTC?

Seriously, the showers at the MTC (unless the setup has changed over the past 15 years) are not conducive to that activity and there are 4 fellows in one's room, so it ain't exactly private. I just have this vision of the dude in the stall next to your loved one wailing out "who does #2 work for?" as he is finding fullfillment in the full measure of his creation.

I am not believing folks don't yank it at the MTC because they are so gosh darned spiritual, I just see a dearth of opportunity and motive.

It is literally impossible to masturbate in the MTC, in my humble opinion. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

I have to ask because it is killing me. Are you saying that he had a nervous breakdown in the MTC concerning prior mastrubating or are you saying he nearly had a nervous breakdown because he masturbated at the MTC?

Seriously, the showers at the MTC (unless the setup has changed over the past 15 years) are not conducive to that activity and there are 4 fellows in one's room, so it ain't exactly private. I just have this vision of the dude in the stall next to your loved one wailing out "who does #2 work for?" as he is finding fullfillment in the full measure of his creation.

I am not believing folks don't yank it at the MTC because they are so gosh darned spiritual, I just see a dearth of opportunity and motive.

You'll have to ask him about the mechanics of it. The gist of it was that he felt like he had overcame that habit prior to entering the MTC. He had a slip in the MTC and with all the heavy handed talks on confession and guilt and worthiness, he had a nervous breakdown and came home for a couple days. He was talked into going back and now seems to suffer no ill effects.

[FMCoug]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

It is literally impossible to masturbate in the MTC, in my humble opinion. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

The topics we get into on this board are truly astounding. Where else can you find "MTC" and "masturbate" in the same sentence?

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by FMCoug

The topics we get into on this board are truly astounding. Where else can you find "MTC" and "masturbate" in the same sentence?

In an MTC Branch President's handbook.

[BlueHair]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

My uncle wouldn't allow any of the kids to be baptized till they turned 18 and and could make up their own minds as adults. They attended Church every other sunday until their teenage years. They never prayed as a family, but instead had "moments of silence" for each person to pray or meditate personally as they saw fit.

None of them joined the Church as adults.

For me, it isn't so much a question about whether the Church is true or not.
It's more a question of whether the Church is good.

Do I think my cousins would have benefited if they had joined the Church? you bet. Are there drawbacks to being a member of the Church? of course. Do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks? In my opinion, the good outweighs the bad by so far that it's not even close.

So, I think the Church is the best thing around, despite it's imperfections. And for me, this is what makes the Church so true--to me.

I can be critical of the Church and see problems with it, and my parents brought me up to think critically about religion while recognizing that faith is a choice that each person makes. It's a choice whether or not one believes in something and promotes that belief. And one can honestly choose to believe in something, while still having plenty of doubts and expressing those doubts.

I think the good in church outweighs the bad too. I hope to accomplish a happy medium where the children absorb some good lifestyle habits and make some good friends. I think too much religion can lead to problems though. Maybe we can take them to church, then have a nice family activity like hiking, bowling, or a movie. If enough balance is maintained, I hope they can make a decision regarding religion that will lead them to happiness. I don't want to force them to go to church nor do I want to poison their mind against it. I might consider rotating churches every once in a while to expose them to different points of view.

[BlueHair]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Bluehair, will the bishop be allowed to ask your children to pick up after themselves and not leave trash on the floor?

I think my posts came across as more hard line than I am. They will be taught to respect teachers and bishops. In fact, they will be taught to respect everyone. I will explain to them that these people should be respected and they should behave. My discussion with the bishop will be something along the lines of how I have a lot of respect for what they do. I appreciate the time they put in etc... However, I am not comfortable with them talking to my children about sexual things. I'm sure the bishop will say that he's just doing his job. I will tell him that I understand that, but I will take full responsibility for my children in this life and the next (if there is one).

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by BlueHair

I think my posts came across as more hard line than I am. They will be taught to respect teachers and bishops. In fact, they will be taught to respect everyone. I will explain to them that these people should be respected and they should behave. My discussion with the bishop will be something along the lines of how I have a lot of respect for what they do. I appreciate the time they put in etc... However, I am not comfortable with them talking to my children about sexual things. I'm sure the bishop will say that he's just doing his job. I will tell him that I understand that, but I will take full responsibility for my children in this life and the next (if there is one).

"Do you follow the Law of Chastity?"

I don't see what the big deal is.