Our LDS culture: why does it breed such extremes, or does it?

[Archaea]

It seems that perhaps LDS culture is no better nor worse than any other culture in that we breed the best and worst of humanity.

Case in point, we have many discussions of justice versus mercy here and on CB, and yet despite what I thought was supposed to be a charitable attitude, we have very uncharitable attitudes. If the next life is as unforgiving as people like exUte or Carolina Coug, I'm not certain I want to partake.

OTH, there are numerous good-hearted souls who are filled with compassion. Why would a culture which appears so redemption based develop such polar extremes?

I'm not picking on Rocky, but he appears completely unwilling to forgive people a la exUte. What in our culture breeds a complete lack of compassion?

To my small mind, that's the major difference of Christianity is an overriding sense of compassion, bounded by certain guidelines of protection, but without it, we seem almost apelike.

Disagree entirely or not?

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by Archaea

It seems that perhaps LDS culture is no better nor worse than any other culture in that we breed the best and worst of humanity.

Case in point, we have many discussions of justice versus mercy here and on CB, and yet despite what I thought was supposed to be a charitable attitude, we have very uncharitable attitudes. If the next life is as unforgiving as people like exUte or Carolina Coug, I'm not certain I want to partake.

OTH, there are numerous good-hearted souls who are filled with compassion. Why would a culture which appears so redemption based develop such polar extremes?

I'm not picking on Rocky, but he appears completely unwilling to forgive people a la exUte. What in our culture breeds a complete lack of compassion?

To my small mind, that's the major difference of Christianity is an overriding sense of compassion, bounded by certain guidelines of protection, but without it, we seem almost apelike.

Disagree entirely or not?

I agree. I think compassion and love are two of the dominant themes of Mormonism. I am sure this will set some people off here, but I wonder if some of the coldness demonstrated by many Mormons stems from their strong affiliation with the Republican party which, at the edges, is as far removed from compassion as you can get. The party views things in terms of earning your rights, despising the loafers of society, etc. While some of those views may make sense from a political perspective, they are in many ways incompatible with dominant Christian themes.

[Indy Coug]

LOL! Enough with the psychoanalysis. It's not a political or theological issue, its merely human nature.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

I agree. I think compassion and love are two of the dominant themes of Mormonism. I am sure this will set some people off here, but I wonder if some of the coldness demonstrated by many Mormons stems from their strong affiliation with the Republican party which, at the edges, is as far removed from compassion as you can get. The party views things in terms of earning your rights, despising the loafers of society, etc. While some of those views may make sense from a political perspective, they are in many ways incompatible with dominant Christian themes.

Well, you've set me off. The difference between Repubs and Dems is that Republicans will openly bash you instead of being nice then stabbing you in the back in order to get what they want, like the Dems.

I'd much rather have a guy look me in the eye and tell me I'm an idiot than someone who lies to my face.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Archaea

It seems that perhaps LDS culture is no better nor worse than any other culture in that we breed the best and worst of humanity.

Case in point, we have many discussions of justice versus mercy here and on CB, and yet despite what I thought was supposed to be a charitable attitude, we have very uncharitable attitudes. If the next life is as unforgiving as people like exUte or Carolina Coug, I'm not certain I want to partake.

OTH, there are numerous good-hearted souls who are filled with compassion. Why would a culture which appears so redemption based develop such polar extremes?

I'm not picking on Rocky, but he appears completely unwilling to forgive people a la exUte. What in our culture breeds a complete lack of compassion?

To my small mind, that's the major difference of Christianity is an overriding sense of compassion, bounded by certain guidelines of protection, but without it, we seem almost apelike.

Disagree entirely or not?

Our doctrine is polar opposite of our cultural history. Frontier west 1800's there was not a lot of grace being offered. Mormons learned quickly they had to fight dirty to protect themselves. We're farmers. Not a lot of grace in farming. You reap what you sew. If I don't work my butt off I won't have survive. And if you don't work your butt off, I'm not going to get stuck paying your way. Scarcity. This kind of culture bred the hard ass types we have today. Doctrine can redeem us.

[YOhio]

Good question Archaea. I think a lot of it has to do with human nature, as Indy pointed out. I think there is a little of the Prodigal son's unforgiving brother in a lot of us, especially on particular points of doctrine.

In my life I've had difficulty expressing compassion for a couple of reasons. First, if I'm being prideful. It's easy to lack compassion when you forget the source of your blessings. Second, if I've been taken advantage of in the past. For example, when I was in high school I lived in DC for a little while. While there I got in a fight with a homeless guy in an attempted mugging. It was a pretty frightening experience and I've had a difficult time finding compassion for homeless people, particularly panhandlers.

There are positive examples we can look to. I was very impressed with the attitude demonstrated by the Salt Lake man whose wife was recently killed by a drunk driver.

As Christopher Williams was being extricated from his overturned car onto a backboard to be taken to the hospital, he looked over at his vehicle and the car that had just crashed into him, killing his pregnant wife and two of his children.
It was at that moment Williams said he had a decision to make. That decision, he said, was to "unconditionally forgive" the person who had just caused the accident. By forgiving, Williams said the healing process could continue without being "hampered by another step."

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660195064,00.html

[BlueHair]

Originally Posted by YOhio

Good question Archaea. I think a lot of it has to do with human nature, as Indy pointed out. I think there is a little of the Prodigal son's unforgiving brother in a lot of us, especially on particular points of doctrine.

In my life I've had difficulty expressing compassion for a couple of reasons. First, if I'm being prideful. It's easy to lack compassion when you forget the source of your blessings. Second, if I've been taken advantage of in the past. For example, when I was in high school I lived in DC for a little while. While there I got in a fight with a homeless guy in an attempted mugging. It was a pretty frightening experience and I've had a difficult time finding compassion for homeless people, particularly panhandlers.

There are positive examples we can look to. I was very impressed with the attitude demonstrated by the Salt Lake man whose wife was recently killed by a drunk driver.

As Christopher Williams was being extricated from his overturned car onto a backboard to be taken to the hospital, he looked over at his vehicle and the car that had just crashed into him, killing his pregnant wife and two of his children.
It was at that moment Williams said he had a decision to make. That decision, he said, was to "unconditionally forgive" the person who had just caused the accident. By forgiving, Williams said the healing process could continue without being "hampered by another step."

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660195064,00.html

He's a better man than I am. I'd beat the driver to death with empty liquor bottles. It amazes me how many dumb asses continue to drink and drive.

[Detroitdad]

The culture of Mormonism is deeply effected by its surroundings, in my opinion. The fact that the majority of members have roots in the interior West, with it's libertarian attitudes accounts for some of this. The good side of this attitude is acceptance of people at face value and a laissez faire attitude with regard to some personal conduct, and an emphasis on personal responsibility. However, each of these cultural phenomena IMHO has a permutation that can be destructive and each of the general cultural traits has a limitation on how far the culture is willing to embrace them.

Obviously, the laissez faire attitude's breaking point are the archaic liquor laws. I think the ugly twist on personal responsibility is the hateful, unforgiving rhetoric that people like exUte and the like show. There is certainly a personality component to this, but I think that people like this find support culturally in this through an overrepresentation of others within the culture who interpret it in the same way.

[Sleeping in EQ]

I don't buy completely into the Iron Rod Saint-Liahona Saint dichotomy, but there is some truth to it. I've noticed that the source of more than a few conflicts amongst Church members is a fundamental difference in approach:

1. The Church has the answers.

vs

2. The Church aids the discovery of the questions.

[Archaea]

If a person ever had a conflict that needed resolution, exUte is a case in point of why one should never take it to the high council but leave it with the friendly bishop.

High Councils are the same as execution councils, and parole boards.