'Warm Fuzzies'

[Luke]

Here's a term I've seen a lot, used to describe the preaching style of our day, but it's very true. The Church these days does not want to hear truth, they do not want to be called to repentance, they do not want to hear that we dramatically need to change our course and our ways. They would just rather hear 'warm fuzzies', then go back to watching TV all day and eating junk. They want to be just like the world. It's not me being snide or having a 'more holier than thou' attitude, that's literally the truth and I don't think anyone can deny it.

Brigham Young said:

"I will tell you what this people need, with regard to preaching; you need, figuratively, to have it rain pitchforks, tines downwards, from this pulpit, Sunday after Sunday. Instead of the smooth, beautiful, sweet, still, silk-velvet-lipped preaching, you should have sermons like peals of thunder, and perhaps we then can get the scales from our eyes." (Journal of Discourses 3:222)

We really do need it to rain pitchforks. How else can we get out of this mess?

[Robin Hood]

Here's a term I've seen a lot, used to describe the preaching style of our day, but it's very true. The Church these days does not want to hear truth, they do not want to be called to repentance, they do not want to hear that we dramatically need to change our course and our ways. They would just rather hear 'warm fuzzies', then go back to watching TV all day and eating junk. They want to be just like the world. It's not me being snide or having a 'more holier than thou' attitude, that's literally the truth and I don't think anyone can deny it.

Brigham Young said:

"I will tell you what this people need, with regard to preaching; you need, figuratively, to have it rain pitchforks, tines downwards, from this pulpit, Sunday after Sunday. Instead of the smooth, beautiful, sweet, still, silk-velvet-lipped preaching, you should have sermons like peals of thunder, and perhaps we then can get the scales from our eyes." (Journal of Discourses 3:222)

We really do need it to rain pitchforks. How else can we get out of this mess?

Absolutely spot on mate.

[johnBob]

Here's a term I've seen a lot, used to describe the preaching style of our day, but it's very true. The Church these days does not want to hear truth, they do not want to be called to repentance, they do not want to hear that we dramatically need to change our course and our ways. They would just rather hear 'warm fuzzies', then go back to watching TV all day and eating junk. They want to be just like the world. It's not me being snide or having a 'more holier than thou' attitude, that's literally the truth and I don't think anyone can deny it.

Brigham Young said:

"I will tell you what this people need, with regard to preaching; you need, figuratively, to have it rain pitchforks, tines downwards, from this pulpit, Sunday after Sunday. Instead of the smooth, beautiful, sweet, still, silk-velvet-lipped preaching, you should have sermons like peals of thunder, and perhaps we then can get the scales from our eyes." (Journal of Discourses 3:222)

We really do need it to rain pitchforks. How else can we get out of this mess?

Lift where you stand. Start taking a stand in your own local ward and stake and those around you. That's the only way out of this mess.
If you are relying on the top to do it for you, you are shirking your responsibility.

[Thinker]

We all need to repent and improve regularly.
Leaders have more responsibility. We do have free agency, however children (or those in that mode, subject to authority) sense their options are lessened by those over them. In that sense, many of us need to grow up.

Recently, I sat on the stand, and instead of staring at the back of heads in the ward, I saw their faces. So many looked so sad, so burdened. In church once as a lesson, the teacher had everyone write trials they were going through anonymously and put them in a box, then read them. I was shocked and moved with sadness and compassion at how many were suffering so badly.

Occasionally, a brother from the Stake comes to speak, or rather yell, at us. I cringe as he yells, as if he’s preaching to the choir, “you should be in church!!!” - he tells only those who are in church, among other shaming. He's extremely overweight, and this may sound harsh but in my mind I’m thinking, “how can you be so punitive about self-discipline?” I may be a bit prejudice because one of my kids loved a sport... until he coached, shamed and yelled at him & the others - then my child wanted nothing to do with it. As this brother yelled at everyone, I thought of how it was hurting, not helping, many in our ward who were already so burdened.

We do need to realize aspects that cause harm to us or others which “we know not what we do.” At times, we need a firm talking to. Anger does have a purpose but must be carefully applied. Someone correcting a congregation must have their own stuff together, understand various perspectives, have been through the trenches of correcting themselves, and understand the congregation - know the lives of everyone. Not many know & have done all that. Judging righteous judgment isn’t easy.

What do you think are issues most needed to be addressed? And are you suggesting members in general, leaders, a country, the world - or who?

[johnBob]

We all need to repent and improve regularly.
Leaders have more responsibility. We do have free agency, however children (or those in that mode, subject to authority) sense their options are lessened by those over them. In that sense, many of us need to grow up.

Recently, I sat on the stand, and instead of staring at the back of heads in the ward, I saw their faces. So many looked so sad, so burdened. In church once as a lesson, the teacher had everyone write trials they were going through anonymously and put them in a box, then read them. I was shocked and moved with sadness and compassion at how many were suffering so badly.

Occasionally, a brother from the Stake comes to speak, or rather yell, at us. I cringe as he yells, as if he’s preaching to the choir, “you should be in church!!!” - he tells only those who are in church, among other shaming. He's extremely overweight, and this may sound harsh but in my mind I’m thinking, “how can you be so punitive about self-discipline?” I may be a bit prejudice because one of my kids loved a sport... until he coached, shamed and yelled at him & the others - then my child wanted nothing to do with it. As this brother yelled at everyone, I thought of how it was hurting, not helping, many in our ward who were already so burdened.

We do need to realize aspects that cause harm to us or others which “we know not what we do.” At times, we need a firm talking to. Anger does have a purpose but must be carefully applied. Someone correcting a congregation must have their own stuff together, understand various perspectives, have been through the trenches of correcting themselves, and understand the congregation - know the lives of everyone. Not many know & have done all that. Judging righteous judgment isn’t easy.

What do you think are issues most needed to be addressed? And are you suggesting members in general, leaders, a country, the world - or who?

That's a good comment and a lot of truth there.

I think one of the most damaging things we have done with people in the Church (most especially with women, but it applies to most members now) is to prop them up on pedestals without anything to hold them up. Women have been for many, many years been told "you are awesome, you are great, you are fantastic, etc.". But yet when they look at their lives they see nothing but a mess. House is a mess, kids are a mess, they are divorced, have problems with spouse, or work, etc. So there is a disconnect. They are told they are awesome but then they sure don't feel like it b/c they recognize their life is a hot mess.

That's the source of "fluffy" talks-we try to talk ourselves into being awesome instead of doing it. But ultimately it's not about being awesome, or great, or wonderful. Those messages focus on the wrong thing-they focus on self. They focus on internally being awesome independently instead of recognizing that it is only through Christ that we can even hope to measure up. And there are specific things we can do which will help us feel better about ourselves. That primary thing is giving our Will to Christ. Instead of doing what we want (be it work, school, etc.) but to learn how to live a life that God wants us to live. That type of life can only be found by studying the scriptures. And the scriptures apply to all men and women.

What we really need is to bring back sermons-I mean actual sermons not talks. Take for example the "you should be in church!!!"-that's true, but you have to go so much deeper to understand WHY you should be in church. And any good sermon is going to require a good 10 minutes (at least!) of a setup and at least another 10 minutes of talk. A sermon less than 20-30 min. isn't going to do anything. Our current format of a 10-15 min. talk is just way too short-it's not enough time for a really good deep talk-it just becomes fluff. You can't give a warm and fuzzy fluff talk for 30 mins. it just doesn't work at some point you actually have to say something that is meaningful.

And it can happen, good people who know what they are talking about can build awesome sermons. I've listened to some religious folks talk about a singular topic for a good hour and it's AWESOME!!!

I'd love to hear Nelson give some good sermons, yet we only hear at most 20 min. I think I've only once in my life had a speaker in Church give an actual sermon, it was on my mission and I can still remember who it was, when it was and it was powerful-the speaker talked for at least 30-40 min.

[Juliet]

I'm fine with raining down pitchforks, if it tears down what needs to be torn down and allows goodness to grow in its place. It seems we have it all wrong. When something is dangerous and needs to be destroyed, we build it up. And when something is good, it needs to be nurtured and developed. Now days, anyone tries to do good and they get slammed back down.

Kids cannot even play outside. And we wonder why we don't function so well as grown ups? Would you expect a caged animal to handle living in the outside world? And yet, a caged animal has more time and freedom then our own school aged children.

These days you bring up a problem, and people feel like you are blaming them. Once we can get past that it isn't their fault, the rest of the discussion is spent on whose fault it is! Who to sue, who to blame, who to shame, who to charge, who to take into custody, and who to impeach. And still, no time is spent on actually fixing the problem!

We have to love each other unconditionally. That provides an environment of zero shame. Then, no one will have a problem actually fixing the problem. But right now, we are such a shame ridden society the last thing we can stand is for someone to tell us to do something that might turn out a benefit for us if we actually do it. That is my definition of good leadership. A good leader tells those he is leading what to do for their benefit. A bad leader tells those he is leading what to do for his benefit.

If we treated a septic tank backup the way we treat society's ills, we would all be dead from toxic fume poisoning. Every one sit round. Cover it up with a blanket. Spray perfume over it. If someone sees under the blanket, kick them under and cover them up too. Then, once it's too late and everyone starts getting filth on them, call the insurance company, who won't pay, since it's not their fault, so the cleaners won't come clean it up, and everyone is trying to figure out whose fault it is. Once a culprit is found, shove them in the filth also. Problem isn't solved, but at least we acknowledged there was a problem and it isn't us who should have to fix it!

Meanwhile, I am getting some scrubs on and a mask and I am going to start cleaning it up. Because I really don't care whose fault it is at this point. I care that I have children who will be living in this house and this sceptic back up has to be cleaned up. I am willing to forgive anyone involved. Now, will anyone please help me clean up this mess!

Ok, that was all rhetorical. And yes I am aware I am playing the role of functional marytor.

[diligently seeking]

Too many downtrodden religious folk turn to porn or anti depressants to cope with forms of godliness but deny the power thereof pitch fork speeches over the pulpit. (See statistics for Utah)

We need to stop trifling with God’s word from the pulpit and in our personal lives so Christ can heal us. God’s word is king Benjamin’s sermon. The Book of Mormon is king Benjamin’s sermon writ LARGE.

No mas to diversion / pitch forks. More plain “believing” truth over the pulpit and in our personal study which unlocks actual power and godliness / king Benjamin chp 4 and 5 results...

[Mindfields]

God’s word is king Benjamin’s sermon

Despite such beautiful words in a sermon of truth what do we get today? The leaders have made following the Prophet, paying your tithing even if you can't feed your children, going to church, going to the temple, doing your genealogy, and staying in the boat the gospel of Christ. The members get to quote the brethren's conference talks ad nauseam. The contradictions between King Benjamin's speech and what we hear from leaders week in and week out are glaring.

Read King Benjamin's sermon and then consider the $124 Billion dollars the church is "saving for the second coming".