As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this is my reality:
The church is true.
The church is run by God and God alone. The leaders of the church are peripheral to God. If the leadership changes, it is still God's church. The leaders are mouth pieces for God and God doesn't change.
If I have a problem with the leaders, or with the doctrine of the church, I take my issues up with God.
God hears and answers my prayers.
God loves me. I am special to Him.
God honors and respects women in a way that we cannot even comprehend.
God doesn't change his opinions according to what the world thinks. God doesn't change anything to please the world. (Although he might change things in order to keep His people safe.)
If the leaders of the church changed the church to satisfy public opinion, it would not be the true church. (Although sometimes I'm sure they wish they could. It would make their lives so much easier.)
If God says women don't need the priesthood, I believe Him.
This is how I see the world view:
The world skews reality to suit their opinions and call it factual data. The world's opinions and beliefs are constantly shifting.
The world sees women as oppressed. Women need to be ordained to the priesthood in order to feel equal to men.
(According to my reality, I am already equal with men. I do not need anyone making up for past inequalities to me. Sure, we have been oppressed throughout history, but that oppression is unrelated to the church system. If I did feel oppressed or unequal, I'm sure I could find examples to prove I was right.
Once upon a time I kept wondering if my husband loved me. I kept asking the question to myself over and over, and I always found reasons to believe he didn't. But when I decided that he did love me and I stopped asking if he did, I found examples of his love everywhere. Now I just feel stupid.)
The world encourages anyone who has been oppressed to fight back with equal or greater force in which they have been kept down. The world needs to make up for that oppression by giving them special privileges. (According to my reality, this is still oppression turned inside out. In order to truly be equal we can't be seen as "that oppressed minority" or "those victims".)
The world is loud. The world is persuasive. The world screams at those who don't agree with them, calling them names.
The world sometimes convinces me... and then I get depressed.
That is why I don't believe the world. That is why I have found reality instead.
Reality is peaceful. Reality says that in the end everything will be okay. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
Reality says there is nothing to worry about. Reality says change can happen through the small and simple things of this world. There is always beauty to be found if we open our eyes to see it. The bigger picture is more beautiful than the immediate, worrisome picture. Everything is perfect. Life will show you exactly what you want to see. When your mind changes, your view changes. When your view changes, your life changes.
I don't want to lose touch with reality.
The church is true.
The church is run by God and God alone. The leaders of the church are peripheral to God. If the leadership changes, it is still God's church. The leaders are mouth pieces for God and God doesn't change.
If I have a problem with the leaders, or with the doctrine of the church, I take my issues up with God.
God hears and answers my prayers.
God loves me. I am special to Him.
God honors and respects women in a way that we cannot even comprehend.
God doesn't change his opinions according to what the world thinks. God doesn't change anything to please the world. (Although he might change things in order to keep His people safe.)
If the leaders of the church changed the church to satisfy public opinion, it would not be the true church. (Although sometimes I'm sure they wish they could. It would make their lives so much easier.)
If God says women don't need the priesthood, I believe Him.
This is how I see the world view:
The world skews reality to suit their opinions and call it factual data. The world's opinions and beliefs are constantly shifting.
The world sees women as oppressed. Women need to be ordained to the priesthood in order to feel equal to men.
(According to my reality, I am already equal with men. I do not need anyone making up for past inequalities to me. Sure, we have been oppressed throughout history, but that oppression is unrelated to the church system. If I did feel oppressed or unequal, I'm sure I could find examples to prove I was right.
Once upon a time I kept wondering if my husband loved me. I kept asking the question to myself over and over, and I always found reasons to believe he didn't. But when I decided that he did love me and I stopped asking if he did, I found examples of his love everywhere. Now I just feel stupid.)
The world encourages anyone who has been oppressed to fight back with equal or greater force in which they have been kept down. The world needs to make up for that oppression by giving them special privileges. (According to my reality, this is still oppression turned inside out. In order to truly be equal we can't be seen as "that oppressed minority" or "those victims".)
The world is loud. The world is persuasive. The world screams at those who don't agree with them, calling them names.
The world sometimes convinces me... and then I get depressed.
That is why I don't believe the world. That is why I have found reality instead.
Reality is peaceful. Reality says that in the end everything will be okay. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
Reality says there is nothing to worry about. Reality says change can happen through the small and simple things of this world. There is always beauty to be found if we open our eyes to see it. The bigger picture is more beautiful than the immediate, worrisome picture. Everything is perfect. Life will show you exactly what you want to see. When your mind changes, your view changes. When your view changes, your life changes.
I don't want to lose touch with reality.