Comments on: Be Honest With Yourself: It’s Smart to Take Part

By: iguacufalls

iguacufalls — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:22:47 +0000

I haven’t seen much in the way of social graces being learned at church dances. According to my daughter, everybody just stands around and bellows over the music, while only a few actually even move to the music. The art of “asking a girl to dance,” which caused me to quake in my church shoes as a teen, has been totally lost, as the youth stand in their groups and hang out.

By: The Other Clark

The Other Clark — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:14:28 +0000

So many of the activities our ward plans (or the youth plan for themselves) lack a higher gospel purpose. They don’t feel the same obligation to go to all the weekly activities as I did (was it a family thing or generational? I don’t know.)

Whether the pick-and-choose mentality of our ward youth is somehow connected to the lack or spiritually-enriching activities, I don’t know either. But I find the corolation intriguing.

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:35:25 +0000

I think it’s interesting to have the justifications for the various activities laid out, to say that there really were gospel purposes behind the old MIA activities

And so should activities today have a gospel purpose. (Not saying they always do, but they should.)

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:57:15 +0000

I suppose that’s literally what it says, Researcher, and is a little clumsy. I think the intended message, though, is to take part in life, and to take part in church — not to be “too cool for school” but to be involved, and the listed activities are both examples and justifications for being involved.

Aside from the awkwardness of the wording that implies church dance –> exaltation, I think it’s interesting to have the justifications for the various activities laid out, to say that there really were gospel purposes behind the old MIA activities, and that they weren’t merely ways to keep people busy, or simply nice things to do, that were jettisoned because they got too cumbersome. I wonder what the gospel purpose could be claimed for most of our ward activities today, which involve only food and small talk.

By: Researcher

Researcher — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:27:36 +0000

I’m having a bit of a problem with the statement, “The degree to which we take part in these spiritual, intellectual, physical, social exercises will determine the degree to which we are eventually saved,” and probably particularly because the examples given are going to classes, scouts, choir, dramatic skits, speaking in MIA and Sunday meetings, church sports, and “socials.”

I realize that there is a community aspect to salvation — we’re not saved without our dead, we should be sealed to our families, baptism includes the agreement to bear one another’s burdens, mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and stand as witnesses of God, etc., etc., but there’s still something funny about this text.

Participating in a church dance will ensure the highest degree of salvation? Really?

By: Carol

Carol — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:19:41 +0000

And when you twitter and bear your testimony on facebook, you’re taking part in missionary work. (They forgot to mention that part.)