An epidemic of shame?

A response to the claim that the Church shames us.

Keswick, England (Taken October 1, 2022)

Thought

Shame seems to be a common theme used amongst those now estranged from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to justify their current angst and hostility toward leaders, tradition, and culture.

I am happy to concede that their have no doubt been members and leaders who have either overtly or subtly used shame as a way to control or even manipulate others. This of course is wrong, and I have yet to hear or read any leader condone or promote this way of discipleship.

But we now seem to live in a culture where stating a truth is called shaming. Obesity provides a secular example of this. To say that obesity is, in fact, not a healthy way to live, is called fat shaming.

I believe this is what we are seeing in the church. I don’t think we have an epidemic of leaders and members shaming people; we have a pandemic of self-focused, self-centered individuals who cannot tolerate even the thought that they aren’t ‘perfect’ just the way they are.

These individuals will say a bishop shamed them because they taught the law of chastity, or that a young woman’s leader shamed them because she taught them standards for modesty. To teach or state simple truths is not shaming.

Jesus Christ during his mortal ministry taught truth that was hard for many to hear, but he wasn’t shaming them, in fact he spent his lifetime inviting people to come to him. Christ is the perfect example of high expectations coupled with high love.

I suspect that the most likely reason for our shame is found in a simple comment made by Abraham Lincoln; “When I do good I feel good, when I do bad I feel bad”. We cannot sin and try to feel good about it. This is not in harmony with the law of nature. To then say we were shamed when someone teaches truth, often without any knowledge of our secret sins, is not only unfair, it is ludicrous.

Quote.

I am not trying to prove [the natural laws] validity by the argument of common consent. Its validity cannot be deduced. For those who do not perceive its rationality, even universal consent could not prove it.

- C.S. Lewis (The Abolition of Man, p.83)

Idea.

Today is Sunday. Find time to rest.

From my home in Almost Heaven, xo