Comments on: Everything that is wrong with LDS Gospel Teaching, Part One: Everybody hates Sunday School

By: Goldarn

Goldarn — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:24:47 +0000

I looked at the church statistics as reported at conference, and I can’t find the people Elder Nelson is talking about when he “notes that millions have come into the church in the past few years who do not have much of a clue about what it means to be LDS.”

The vast majority of “new members” in the church are children who were born in the covenant, raised in Primary, Young Men’s, Young Women’s, and Seminary. If they don’t much of a clue about what the church teaches, I don’t think a new lesson manual will help them.

I’m not sure how he could’ve missed that.

By: marrakech

marrakech — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:00:06 +0000

Church classes are boring because they are by the book and bland, and any coments that are the least bit provocative and controversial are avoided. Whenever I have a question or comment that I am sincerely excited to have discussed, I just sit in class and keep my mouth shut beacuse I am afraid I would be too controversial. If we could talk or discuss or downright argue in our Church classes as openly and passionately as folks do here at BCC, then Church would really be stimulating and inspirational. I find questions, that I want to ask but am afraid to ask in Church, are rasied and answered here on BCC. I have learned more from this site than from my Church classes, because here people speak of their faith freely and openly and without fear! My best Church teachers I met over the years right here: Ronan, John Dehlin and MikeinWeHo. Thanks you three…you are my Gospel Doctrine and Sunday School heroes!

By: Jared K.

Jared K. — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:44:31 +0000

I’m hoping that Jami(#10) is just joking. Otherwise I might have to smack him/her with the grocery list. I’ve been trying to figure out for the longest time why I have little desire to attend class and I think you hit the nail on the head. I was a bit bummed, however, when you mentioned that your Hugh Nibley quote was just “hyperbole.”

By: Clark

Clark — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:55:16 +0000

The more you demand (to a point) the more successful the class will be. I think some are skittish about demanding too much – which given investigators already overwhelmed by so much data might not be too far off the mark. Which is why it would be useful to have multiple GD classes.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:39:38 +0000

This and part 2 are exactly right. Nothing is expected of us in Sunday school except to show up. We have Methodist friends who do “Bible Study” This meets during the week, and for months they will study every word in one book of the New Testament for example. They are expected to read, prepare and come ready to contribute. Now that is Gospel learning.

By: BradL

BradL — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:51:04 +0000

I think that using a manual is a huge obstacle toward having meaningful lessons. It can be a good tool if used properly, but if the teacher follows the lesson manual question by question and scripture by scripture it communicates a couple of things to the people listening to the lesson, that the teacher isn’t prepared or doesn’t have any personal feelings on the matter. I myself have struggled a great deal with teaching from a manual (especially the Joseph Smith manual) because I felt that I was trying to convey an idea that wasn’t my own. It was much easier to break away from it and not have it be a discussion on Joseph Smith, but on principles of the gospel instead. Otherwise, it seems like a nice collection of stories with no point other than to praise the prophet that it was about.

By: Bro. Jones

Bro. Jones — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:44:36 +0000

#122 and #123 It is extremely problematic. The times I have gone inactive in my life were not because of doctrinal issues, personal sin, or being offended, or whatever reason we usually hear in talks about inactivity. I was going through either trying or just very busy times in my life, and when Sundays became utterly boring chores with no fellowship, edification, or nourishment, I found that my well-being benefited much more from staying home.

That’s one reason I’m so interested in this thread: we in the Bloggernacle often complain about the three-hour block, but I tell you, if we consistently had three quality meetings (including Sunday School) church-wide, far fewer of us would complain.

By: philomytha

philomytha — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:20:47 +0000

Your comment that “I don’t expect the Church to provide my spiritual nourishment, so I’m not disappointed by Sunday School and PH – at least not very often” is pragmatic but very problematic.

I agree, Antonio. I thought spiritual nourishment was the main purpose of church. It’s supposed to feed and sustain our souls the way good food sustains our bodies. That’s why we need to go every week instead of sporadically or not at all. There are plenty of other avenues to social interaction or opportunities to serve others (and maybe better ones).

By: Antonio Parr

Antonio Parr — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:59:32 +0000

Ray:

While you may have the personal faith and/or inner strength to sustain a spiritual life, there are many who are not that strong, and who come to Church looking to be fed with the Bread of Life and Living Water. Sadly, when the Sunday block is marred by formulaic, plastic meanderings, then those who are most vulnerable return to their homes without enough nourishment to sustain them. (Ditto new investigators who visit hoping to find meetings that are tantamount to a spiritual feast, only to find a superficiality that seem to resemble end-of-the-day fast food.)

By: Aaron E

Aaron E — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:57:18 +0000

If you haven’t read this from 1910 (see link below and go to p. 124) about speaking in LDS church and lack of preparation etc. you should. I’ve read from this book as the “training” in leadership meetings. Slightly different from the lesson context but still applicable. It’s just been a hundred years since this was written and I think change is slow in coming.

http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/dialogue&CISOPTR=1260&REC=1