The church has an “information silo” on it’s members.
An echo chamber.
It filters external information that’s outside of the church,
away from the members who are inside it.
Why?
To keep members feeding into the propaganda the CHURCH wants them to eat.
Believing what the CHURCH wants them to believe.
Keeping church members under the thumb of the religion.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/echo%20chamber
Information is important.
KNOWLEDGE is important.
Education is one of the most valuable gifts a person can gift themself.
To have knowledge is to be well-rounded, open-minded, and a constant learner about the world around them.
The more one knows, the less one knows. And therefore, we keep learning.
But we can’t keep learning if we close ourselves off to researching, studying, and fact-finding.
It’s a lifelong thing, being a learner and open to new information and discoveries.
Humans are STILL discovering new things in the ocean, new medical breakthroughs, etc.
Imagine the lack of progression society would face if we did not open ourselves up to research, knowledge, experimentation, and study?
We wouldn’t know 98% of what we know today about science, nature, or life in general if we closed ourselves off to discovery and research.
So why then,
Does the Mormon church oppose research?
The church has an “echo chamber” on the knowledge it’s members have.
The church has both actively and subtly discouraged the use of the internet or external sources to research answers regarding the church and church doctrines that it teaches.
Instead, they request that members focus only on church-authorized sources.
Why?
To keep it’s members believing what the church wants them to believe.
Knowledge is ever-changing and ever-growing.
Research and evidence takes years and decades to discover and study.
And as new information comes to light, the church has the audacity to state that newly revealed information “lose their worth quickly when new theories or trends emerge.”
Well yeah;
Isn’t that the point of research and discovery? How we have new advanced medicines and knowledge about our solar system?
The irony of this however,
Is that if a prophet were to reveal new revelation or information to the church,
The church would call it “miraculous” and “a gift from God.”
The hypocrisy.
Anyone who has ever attended college or done a research paper knows that basing your complete knowledge and opinions off of ONE source
Is NOT well-rounded or researched.
In fact,
Your professor will definitely give you a very low grade for pulling information from only one source;
And will possibly even fail you.
Otherwise, what’s the point of the research you did if you’re only “open-minded” to one source of information?
See where we’re going with this?
My mother came on this blog and read quite a few of my blog posts.
I found something she told me very fascinating;
“Do you have the link to X church article?”
I sent her the link.
And then she told me, “Thank you – I had a hard time finding them because they are archived.”
Pause.
Wait what?
The church ARCHIVED the article I pulled from them on gospel library?
On the app that all of it’s members use to rely on information?
The church is censoring itself?
Archiving it’s own articles to make it more difficult for members to find??
The church is hiding information they don’t want it’s members to know about?? Making certain information not as accessible to it’s members?
Now, why would they do that?
The church has always encouraged its members to use “prayer,” “scripture,” “attending church” and “living the gospel” to promote their “faith” and belief systems.
What the church hasn’t promoted?
Research.
It’s funny;
With the rise of technology, it seems that the church has found it more and more difficult to censor it’s members from what they don’t want their members to know about them and the church’s history.
The banning of blacks from the priesthood
The massacres and enslavement of native Americans and their children
Joseph marrying wives behind Emma’s back
The actual ages of the wives Joseph and Brigham young married.
The internet has discovered and exposed many of these knowledges regarding the church and its history.
So what does the church do?
It creates it’s OWN re-telling of how things happened…
To control the narrative that it’s members are seeing, reading, and studying.
To get ahead of things and control the knowledge.
To defend themselves
And try to keep from losing it’s members.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/plural-marriage?lang=eng
The church wants it’s members to base their conclusions on topics to be based on “the Holy Ghost.”
Why?
Because things that members read that go against what the church teaches will make active members feel uncomfortable.
And if they feel uncomfortable,
They relate that feeling to “the Holy Ghost is telling me this is false information.”
The members turn away from external research based on feeling uncomfortable with new knowledge and information;
And instead revert back to what they are comfortable with;
What they grew up with;
Which is the church.
And what the church teaches;
“Stay where you’re safe.”
“Stay where you’re comfortable.”
“Stay on the path.”
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/49nelson?lang=eng
There’s a hurtful rhetoric the church spins on those who DO engage in research and as a result from what they find, decide to leave the church behind.
A person who completely delves into research, studying, and fact-finding is NOT a “lazy learner.”
And if you’re okay with the church calling people who have left it these things;
You need to do some deep self-reflection.
We certainly were not “lazy learners” when we were doing research to desperately prove that the things we had heard about the church were false.
But alas;
We discovered the things we had heard weren’t false at all.
And it broke our hearts to find the knowledge the church did not want us seeking;
They didn’t want us to know the truth of some of their malicious history and past.
They wanted us sheltered, eating the propaganda they wanted to feed us.
We went against the grain; rebelled against the restriction on knowledge and research that the church desired
And as a result, the church called us “lazy learners” and “lax disciples.”
No wonder active church members are terrified to venture in a search for knowledge outside of church sources;
They don’t want to be called “lazy learners and lax disciples” who “always struggle to muster even a participle of faith.”
Who would want to be called that??
What a cruel thing to call those members who are merely searching for truth;
Who gave everything to the church for years of their lives;
Who wanted desperately to believe the church was not lying to them.
What a cruel, single-minded and manipulative thing to say.
And what picture does that paint in the minds of members regarding those who do leave the church?
“Trust the spirit! Does that new knowledge make you uncomfortable because that’s not what you were taught growing up?”
“See! We told you! That knowledge is false because it made you uncomfortable! The CHURCH is right!”
“You should only trust GOD for your information!”
“Only trust your intuition; the one we as the church have carefully curated in you from childhood so that you believe and follow the church!”
“Oh, you found a source that opposes the church? Well; what did the CHURCH say about it?”
It’s a never-ending funnel that always brings the church’s members back to…
Well…
The church.
Do we not see what the church is doing?
How they manipulate it’s members into believing certain medias?
Into only trusting church-based sources?
Sure, some sources might not be true.
As it is with EVERYTHING in the world.
But it’s not a bad thing to encounter new media, research other sources regarding it, and come to a new conclusion time and time again.
That’s how knowledge works.
And you can’t go around running away from every uncomfortable feeling you have just because you hear something the church didn’t tell you about, or things that ignite emotion.
If you remain an emotionless, numb, blind-faith follower,
You’ll never learn anything at all!
But that’s what the church wants, doesn’t it?
To stay on the side of the church?
The church wants you to stick with church things.
Tells you that “church things” are the only reliable source out there.
Um, okay…
Because a “reliable source”
is most definitely a mythical “spiritual being”that guides you through life and studies; aka the “Holy Ghost.”
Have we lost sight of what an actual reliable source is nowadays?
We can assure you,
A reliable source is NOT based on pure feelings.
The church also attempts to micro manage who it’s members follow on social media.
Did a loved one leave the church and share something the church opposes?
Unfollow them.
Why?
Because it’s GOD who you should be following.
Talk about media censoring, much?
“Don’t talk to the people who have left the church. Don’t trust them and their experiences that they went through.”
“Stay focused on the church.”
Their opinions don’t matter.
Nothing else matters.
Just stay with the CHURCH.
In what world do we trust a church’s hurtful doctrine and rhetoric,
Over the known pain and hurt of a loved one?
Do we really think our loved ones are purposefully manipulative and harmful to us and our faith?
That your loved ones who left the church are a threat to you and your faith?
When you refuse to hear the stories of those who have left;
You choose this alleged Christian-type God of whom no one is 100% sure exists
Over your loved one;
Of whom there is no question definitely exists.
Why are we so opposed to hearing them out?
filtering out what we don’t like to hear?
Why are we engaging in this echo chamber at the cost of our loved ones?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/14godoy?lang=eng
No one wants to be considered a “weak link.”
And so they stay in their bubble,
And refuse to venture out.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/49nelson?lang=eng
Knowledge, change, and growth is uncomfortable.
Our minds are wired certain ways in the very early years of our lives.
It can be rattling to encounter something that shakes up the way we think, the way we have been wired.
A lot of people shun what is new because of it – it’s uncomfortable.
But there is a reason that growth is called “growing pains.”
Sometimes it is painful to grow.
But that doesn’t mean that the pain is bad.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/49nelson?lang=eng
The church straight-up tells its members to “choose to believe.”
Something we find super intriguing.
When we left the church, and our view of the church shattered;
We did NOT feel like it was a choice.
In fact, we fought against it for a LONG time; we held onto our faith and our belief in the church for YEARS.
We desperately sought to try and keep our faith STRONG; not diminish it.
And yet,
It shattered anyways.
And we’re sure there are active members walking around the church right now who’s views have also been completely shattered,
That keep numbly attending church, paying tithing, and attending activities because they are trying to “choose to believe.”
Trying to “choose the church” over the evidence that they are well-aware oppose the church,
But they carry on, still clinging to that hope that the church had given them for so long
Because they’re scared of death.
Scared of not having answers for everything.
Scared of the threats of being cut off from their family if they break their covenants.
But we say
Be brave. Take a risk.
Because high risks,
Usually have a high reward,
If you are able to break through it.
–
If you’re saying,
“The church ENCOURAGES us to study and research, they don’t prevent it! That’s how Joseph Smith founded the church in the first place!”
Then tell me;
• Why does the church tell you to study, but then say that your best resource is prayer, the scriptures, and God?
It’s a way for the church to act like it’s members are free to research,
While at the same time shielding members from research they don’t want members to do.
“I’m a member of the church and I have done external research and I’m still a part of the church! See? I’m proof you can research and find that the church is correct!
Then tell me.
• What’s your background in the church like? Have you spent more years INSIDE the church than out? Has your mind been conditioned to the things of the church from a young age?
Are you believing certain things in the church because you’re choosing to believe in the church? Despite the evidence around you?
Are you staying in the church because you’re terrified of death? Because you like that the church has “answers” that console your fears as to what happens after death?
Maybe some internal perspective here would be good.
And if you know about all of the rhetoric about the church,
At least be HONEST with yourself about why you’re still choosing to remain in the church;
Maybe you like having “answers” about the purpose of life and want to hope they’re true?
Maybe you enjoy the community and like having a village?
Maybe you love the fact that you have access to the pretty temples on every street corner?
Cool. Whatever. But at least be HONEST to yourself about it.
You deserve that much to yourself.
“They say to trust God because God can see all things and know all things! Humans are imperfect and messy; that’s why the only valid source we can trust is God!”
Then tell me,
• The existence of a God is a topic that has been debated for thousands of years. And no one can agree on any proof or evidence of a godly existence.
So basically, you’re choosing to blindly trust this hopefully-real godly being that’s telling you how you can and can’t live life,
Over the facts and evidence in front of you?
I mean…alright. To each their own, I suppose.
People will believe what they WANT to believe I guess; even if they don’t actually believe it.
But regardless,
It’s not a secret that the church cautions it’s members about external research.
–
Imagine shaming someone for leaving the church –
Because they don’t believe in information censorship and think that everyone should have free and open access to knowledge, education, and research so they can come to conclusions about things themselves based on factual evidence.
