User:Hawstom/LDS Reform

A Call to the Latter-day Saints for Reform

Audience
The common active ward leader: the high council, the relief society and quorum presidency, and their children.

Tone
Standard LDS curriculum tone? Scriptural? Modern favorite GA style?

Organization
Sections? Order? Length? Headings?

Intent
Purchase newspaper ads. Distribute flyers on doors and windows at meetinghouses?

Item
Abolish all honorific titles. Do away with calling people "Elder", "Bishop", "President", etc. Call every member "Sister" or "Brother", and use first names, as in "Brother Joseph".

Agree/Signature
Strongly Agree Major problem with LDS Church. Tom Haws (talk) 17:19, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

Item
Model and encourage simplicity of dress in church meetings and assignments. Initiate a move away from suit coats, ties, and dresses toward the clean and simple dress of the simple good people of the earth. Welcome and encourage T-shirts, khaki shorts, and sandals.

Agree/Signature
Agree Tom Haws (talk) 17:19, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

Item
Model optional facial hair for men and clean faces for women in leadership positions.

Agree/Signature
Agree Tom Haws (talk) 17:19, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

Item
Disavow the Prosperity Gospel. Disavow the value of riches in the kingdom of God. Exalt in word and deed the widow's penny over the magnate's philantropy.

Agree/Signature
Agree Tom Haws (talk) 17:19, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

Item
Abandon all pretensions and ideals about having no paid clergy. Establish an open and honored tradition of voluntary poverty and supported service.

Agree/Signature
Agree Important to call for consistency. Tom Haws (talk) 17:19, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

Item
Humble the church. Disavow the moral superiority of the LDS tradition. Study humbly the Utah Reformation and the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Become seekers of holiness instead of the guardians of holiness.

Agree/Signature
Agree Tom Haws (talk) 17:19, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

Item
Disavow all exaltation of prophets, especially The Prophet. Stop using The Prophet as a mythic example of marital love, temperance, and other virtues. In teaching examples, use either unknown common people or despised peoples.

Agree/Signature
Weakly Agree Not sure its a good call. Tom Haws (talk) 17:19, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

Item
Stop building temples. Hold sacred ordinances in homes and meeting houses.

Agree/Signature
Weakly Agree Not a bad idea, but not a realistic call. Tom Haws (talk) 17:19, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

Renounce war and proclaim peace
Disavow militarism and all pretensions to patriotism. Espouse publicly a peace testimony and become a peace church.

Disagree
Incorporate non-violence studies into curriculum. Celebrate pacifist interpretations of the Abinadi, Alma 1, Church of God, Zarahemla, Alma 2, Anti Nephi-Lehies, Helaman, Stripling Warriors epic tragedy.

Disagree
Remove or rework violent, militant, and proud hymns from the hymnal. Examples include "Up, Awake, Ye Defenders of Zion!", "Hope of Israel" ("Every stroke disarms a foeman").

Enthrone the morality of the Golden Rule
Initiate open evaluation of the moral weaknesses of the Book of Mormon as suggested by Book of Mormon prophets. Insert into curriculum guides open-ended questions about the strengths, weaknesses, and ramifications of scriptural examples and statements like Nephi's beheading of Laban, Mormon's exaltation of Captain Moroni, and Jacob's commendation of wealth-seeking.

Disagree
Invite prominent spiritual teachers of other faiths and spiritual traditions to address the church in its regular public meetings and conferences.

Disagree
Make church buildings available as restroom and water stops for the community.

Disagree
Find a way for all weddings to be attended by all family members.

Exalt truth over tradition
Abolish all teaching of dry fasting. Teach short (hours), medium (days), and long (weeks) fasting with water and rest (stopping) for healing and change.

Back burner
Distribute the massive farmland acquisitions back to steward/farmers.

Promote physical, mental and social health principles over fear, obedience and control principles.