Do Mormons Worship The Family?, by J. Riess (This Is Applicable to Christians As Well)
What this Mormon author says about Mormon views on family can also apply to Christians. Christians most definitely make an idol out of Family.
(Link): Do Mormons Worship The Family?, by J. Riess
Excerpts:
- …. But Mormons need to stop acting as if family is the only way to God. Being a parent isn’t the only way to learn the lessons that I’ve learned and value in my own development as a person. Family relationships are not the only important kinds of relationships.
- Many people have families that aren’t part of the church, or they don’t have families of their own.
- None of these people should be made to feel that Mormonism is not for them, that they are less a part of God’s family, or that the lessons in church on Sunday don’t speak to them.
- As a people, we need to be mindful of what we say to single people, divorced people, and those in difficult family situations. Talking about eternal families to those who have been touched by sexual abuse is problematic at best.
- The “Families are Forever” theme in Primary can sound to some like a punishment rather than a blessing and to others like a mockery they have no control over. Do we want people to marry at any cost, no matter what the circumstances? Surely not.
- And when less than “perfect,” nuclear families exist, we need to work harder at inclusion. …
- …Our idea of the “family” needs to be more inclusive. When we talk about defending the family, we need to defend families of all kinds.
- We need to be less condescending to women and men who have not married or who do not have children. We can be more open to learning from them and their life lessons. We can call them to a wider variety of positions.
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Related Posts:
(Link): If the Family Is Central, Christ Isn’t
(Link): Mormon author says “we just can’t shame women” for not following the wife-and-mother script
(Link): Another Christian Pro-Nuclear Family Marriage Idolator Married Father Caught By Ashley Madison Hack
(Link): Is The Church Failing Childless Women? by Diane Paddison