As I recently worked with my children on their homework, we watched a video on Frogs and Butterflies. These animals go through a metamorphosis in order to become their adult selves. As we discussed this, my son Asher described the process from his perspective through Pokemon. The tadpole is the Frogs first form. It had to gain experience and eat in order to evolve into a Frog.
As we chatted, the parallel to my life and learning about the church became instantly clear. Learning is much life gaining experience. Eventually you evolve and become a different person. Think back to the Russian Nobleman thought experiment. As we understand the world and make informed decisions are we not different people.
Thought Stopping Techniques
This idea of learning in order to level up instantly related to thought stopping techniques. Religions and other organizations use these techniques to keep the membership in the dark. Perhaps some of them are given in an effort to stop conjecture when a prophet or leader has not given any more information on a subject, but regardless of the motive, it is not a healthy way to interact with knowledge and learning.
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1 Corinthians 3:2
“When the Prophet speaks the debate is over.”
Apostle N. Eldon Tanner, Ensign, Aug. 1979, pp. 2-3
Thought stopping is damaging to mental health and boundaries. It prevents people from learning and growing and often the members don’t give it a second more of their thoughts. The only bad question is the unasked one.
The Catcher in the Rye
A classic American novel might give us a bit of insight on this and how the church relates to it. In the catcher in the Rye, the principal character Holden sees the problems with society and relates all of them to the transition to adulthood. In the story he goes around pointing out all of the problems with the world as he sees it. In the end he says this.
Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around – nobody big, I mean – except me. And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be.
J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
In effect, he wants to keep all the children in a permanent state of innocence. While not a bad motive in itself, it ignores the fact that everyone in the world goes through tragedy and hardship. His naive attempt to keep children innocent would prevent them from properly integrating with society.
Among other things, you’ll find that you’re not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You’re by no means alone on that score, you’ll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You’ll learn from them—if you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It’s a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn’t education. It’s history. It’s poetry.
J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
Catcher in the Rye as the Mormon Church
The Mormon Church’s response to its history and the many societal problem’s it has faced in its short 200 years have been handled terribly. They are no different from Holden trying to stop children from growing up. The church is unable to see past itself and trust its members as critical thinking adults.
You may disagree and say, the church does this in a milk before meat fashion. Missionaries do not teach the uncomfortable truth because it would deter conversion. Let’s follow that logic. If the church doesn’t teach it at conversion, when does the church teach any sort of accurate depiction of itself? They stay on this idea of milk before meat, but they never actually end up giving anyone any meat.
The only problem is that the cliff in the story does not lead to death but adulthood. Holden sees what he perceives as problems in society and he wants to protect children from them. In the same way the church tries to protect its members from what it perceives as harmful. Uncomfortable history and harmful doctrines and policies.
In the process it keeps the membership in an unquestioning daze. They discourage thought. How many of us have heard the concept, God would teach us more, but then we would be held accountable for more light and knowledge. Are you sure we want more truth and risk more damnation?
As a teenager I loved how deep that sounded, but as an adult, all I see it as is a thought stopping technique. Encouraging members to ignore anything not published by them, FARMS or BYU is in that same vein. The moment you discredit anyone because they are not Mormon is harmful and unhelpful. It creates an Us vs Them mentality and that is problematic. We are all members of the same human race.
Burn it Down?
Going back to the original analogy, the church does not want its members to LVL UP and learn and grow. They want the membership to stay in a stagnate position without ever considering another philosophy for a problem that they haven’t resolved yet.
Should we burn it down? No. I don’t think that’s a healthy response either, but I think the organization needs to transform in order to be a healthy and uplifting church. The church hasn’t solved its stance on LGBTQ+ members. It hasn’t figured out what to do with Female members. Until it does, perhaps they should look to other organizations to see what works and does not work, instead of holding firm to ideals that harm its members.
This does not mean that if you learn you have to leave the church. I respect anyone who studies and learns and makes the choice for themselves.
scarltondyer.com 
Leave a comment