I don't get a lot of comments on here but I see that traffic is picking up. I am glad you are here. I hope my rants don't discourage you from returning. And on to the questions for this post.
I honor the Sabbath. At least I believe the Lord and I are straight with each other. I use Sunday as a day of rest, Gospel Study, family time, PPIs with kids, time with my wife, time to cook with my family. I watch the occasional football game on Sunday. In November, I will be training new Scout leaders at IOLS for our District. I serve on the training committee. They all know I am LDS and asked me "So are you leaving on Saturday night late like all the other LDS Scouters?" So should I go home on Saturday or should I stay and see all of the training through?
6 comments:
Fishgutts, I understand where you're coming from. One of the (few) benefits of living behind the Zion Curtain is that most institutions recognize and respect our LDS proclivities. Even Wood Badge sessions are planned around our going to church on Sundays, probably for practical reasons, as no one would be there that day.
For me, the answer lies in the question, to whom am I more responsible? That's a question that only you can answer. That answer will determine what you do. For my part, I'd have to say that I'm more responsible for upholding my covenants, and so I would answer them that yes, I will be attending church with my family on Sunday. I think of the example and precedent I'd be setting for my kid and my Scouts if I opted out of Church, because to paraphrase, Scouting is made for boys, not boys for Scouting. And in such a case, leading them by example would be far more effective than any patrol meeting instruction.
And if "all the other LDS Scouters" go home for Sundays, it looks like you're already in good company.
I agree. I just wonder if there is a fundamental issue with taking Sunday's training session that will take almost all day and cramming it into literally 90 minutes on Saturday night. All the LDS leaders are wanting to go home instead of paying attention or asking good questions (good heavens a question lead to a conversation taking us past the 90 minutes). Plus the session we "cram" is the hiking portion of IOLS which most new leaders need help with. Then there is a 85 minute drive home at 10 PM through the backwoods of Texas.
I am not teaching at IOLS to get out of Church. I am trying to put my Mormon-self out there for Mormons to see so they 1. know they are not alone 2. know they can serve somewhere else where they were not "called by God" 3. know I am actually vested in my/their programs and 4. to be a resource for them in the future. I guess with them being gone by late Saturday night, I am no longer a resource for them. I just wonder what the difference is between me teaching at IOLS on Sunday and me going to Wood Badge on Sunday. (I went to a Fri, Sat, Sun Wood Badge because I wanted to meet resources outside of the Church. The Church BSA resources haven't been that great either.)
I am getting the impression that our District leadership is tired of dealing with the LDS BSA. I think that me staying might go a decent way to mending fences and showing them that Mormons ain't the jerks we make ourselves out to be. But that could also me justifying myself straight to hell. See some of my concerns here --> http://varsityteamvenue.blogspot.com/2011/05/ldsbsa-relations.html
I can see the merits of both positions. Seems to me that you're looking at it from a volunteer and not a volun-told perspective - I find that quite commendable and rare.
With that in mind, I'll revise my previous statement and say go for it and build some bridges. Encourage those who just gotta go home to stay anyway. No one is making this into a habit or an excuse for ditching Sunday School; they're probably not going to have this opportunity again, and if they made the effort to go in the first place, they ought to see it through. You'll be branded a heretic by a few narrow-minded, blinders-on types though (but in my experience, there are more of those on this side of the Rockies than there).
For those who just won't get the training, they can always look it up on your blog ☺
For the record, I'm proud to be able to call my oldest daughter a Texan.
It is sad that I feel alone in building these bridges. Maybe I am myopic in seeing myself as the only one. I think you blog name hits the nail on the head for Mormons (though I can see you don't fit in that mold). Our religion needs a burning bush or an angel with a sword in hand to know we are supposed to do something. They quickly overlook the fact that we don't (nor should we) be commanded in all things. I finally have an Assistant Coach who seems to actually want his training and will stay in the ward long enough to use it. I have burned through 5 assistants in 3 years. Ugh.
And for the record, I am already branded a heretic. Divorced with blended family pushes me to the outside though these types of families are becoming more common in our Church unfortunately. BUT the people who love me, love me and accept me and my special family for who they are.
I am not from Texas but I got here as quick as I could!!
I still haven't made my choice yet on this.
For what it's worth, I think your reasoning is sound. Here's what the Green Book says: "Where possible, leaders should attend training offered on days other than Sunday" (2011 edition, p1). To me that means if the training is only offered when it's offered, suck it up and giterdun. We tell that to the boys all the time.
I guess that's less a revision and more of a retraction.
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