Where Has All the Orthopraxy Gone?

[Freedom]

I do agree that it would be good to discuss this more. I think that in many respects, the bad experiences I have had in the LC are due mostly to their practices.

The hindrance to this type of discussion is what was mentioned already, everyone has had different experiences, and different LC's emphasize different practices.

My observation from being in the LC my whole life is that there are a lot of unwritten rules and practices. If there were to be a hard copy list of practices someone in the LC had to follow, it would be easy for people on the outside to immediately see the issues with the LC.

When someone is brought to an LC meeting for the first time, no one tells them that to be a respected member, they will be encouraged to stop celebrating holidays, attend meetings most nights of the week, spend 2 weeks a year attending semi-annual trainings, and adopt other practices they may not be comfortable with. Stuff like this would normally be a red flag for people.

Now and then I have seen saints attempt to take issue with a certain rule or practice. All the sudden the official stance is that no such rule or practice exists. The elders will say it's some "concept" that person has about the LC. They then tell us how we need to drop all our "concepts".

The problem is that with regards to LC leadership, it is next to impossible to pin anyone down regarding LC practices. Because so much goes unspoken, they can take any stance they want to fit the situation and then change positions as the next situation comes up.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Freedom

The problem is that with regards to LC leadership, it is next to impossible to pin anyone down regarding LC practices. Because so much goes unspoken, they can take any stance they want to fit the situation and then change positions as the next situation comes up.

In other words double-standards exist as a LC practice for a reason. When the situation fits, apply the double-standard. One one scenario it may be considered a "local matter" (as Benson Phillips and Ray Graver pointed out to John Ingalls and the late Ken Unger in John Ingall's Speaking the Truth in Love ). In another scenario you have the book Ron Kangas and Kerry Robichaux did where it's considered an "extra-local matter". How convenient!