Further Light and Knowledge

My eleven year old brother just came back from a primary activity. He came in my room to tell me that they (the kids) in his age group were told to set a goal to read the BOM before they are twelve in preparation for ordination.

He wanted to tell me that he had already read the first two chapters - he loves to read. I really had to bite my toungue to not say anything about fiction. He loves to read and is two years above his target level.

Anyway, as a young boy he does not talk about church, he has never asked me or my resigned sister why we don't go to church or anything. So do you have any suggestions on how to handle him?

Maybe just remind him that reading the BoM is in no way a requirement to be ordained a deacon. In fact, I can't think of how it would even be relevant.

This conjures up a lot of bad memories for me. There were so many challenges and goals that were supposed to "prepare" me for something, especially a mission. I had perfect attendence in Seminary and read all the standard works because I was told it would make me a better missionary. Of course, I quickly discovered that the only thing that really would have helped me succeed as a missionary was experience in sales. Same with the temple--they claim it will help you be a better husband and father, but that's just an empty promise to get you to go and reaffirm your allegiance to the church.

If he really wants to read it, I wouldn't discourage him, but if he's just doing it because he thinks he needs to, I would disabuse him of that notion and recommend something else that he might like. I'm sure there's tons of more interesting stuff out there that's two years above his reading level.

My son is 10. Unless your brother is some sort of freak, I cannot imagine him trudging thru Isaiah^H^H^H^H^H 2 Nephi.

Toss a copy of Harry Potter in front of him.

Adding to what Sophicles said, I must agree. The ordination to Deacon is so arbitrary that it makes the whole thing cheap and pointless. It would be laughable, except that it seems like an insult to other religions where Deacon or Priest signifies something besides one's age.

Oh. And another thing.

The other day on RfM someone had a thread about why we baptize kids at 8 years old. Don't try to tell me that they know enough to believe in one religion over another. My daughter is 3 months from her eighth birthday and she still believes in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

My oldest is 2 months away and likewise believes in SC and the TF. Great point. Yet another reason children should not be baptized. (Of course, my son will be baptized in November because I like being married.)

By the way, how did you get your 10-year-old not to spill the beans about Santa? As soon as my oldest finds out, his younger brother and sister will definitely hear about it. Otherwise I would have told him the truth a long time ago.

As soon as they give you a clue that they know, make sure that they also know that Santa's continued visits to THEM is contingent on keeping their traps shut.

Also, let them go Santa shopping for the young ones. Makes them part of the club.

Just an observation and a couple of lame suggestions.

Observation: the first two chapters of 1 Nephi are fairly fast moving. Easy to read and almost interesting. It is downhill from there. By the Isaiah chapters of 2 Nephi he may be less enthusiastic.

Suggestion 1. Warn him against studying too much. Plenty of people "study themselves out of the church." Sow the seed.

Suggestion 2. Print off a copy of Vernal Holley's "Book of Mormon Authorship" from
http://www.solomonspalding.com/docs2/vernP3.htm

If he likes to read and he likes the Book of Mormon he should like this. It's short, it's a believing book, and it introduces him to church history that is NOT in the manuals Nothing anti, but he needs practice in reading beyond the correlated version. And most important, it shows how many Book of Mormon place names correspond with Great Lakes place names. Inoculate him against FARMS, and when he is older you can introduce him to Occam's razor.

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P.S.
I agree with everything ever posted by Hellmut, Philo and Susan D.
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LOL
Y'know, the other day on Feminist Mormon Housewives I read that small unofficial scripture study groups are banned ("banned" may not be the right word, but they're certainly not encouraged) in Mo-ism because too many groups in the past scripture studied themselves right into apostasy. Anyone know if that's true?


Scottishboy, I don't know. What you "should" do depends a lot on your family situation, your personalities, etc. Personally, I don't say anything against the church unless someone asks me or I really, really can't help it. That's how I balance things for my situation and my family. Of course, I'm not around my family all that much, so it's not a big deal.

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"To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first, and, whatever you hit, call it the target."
~Ashleigh Brilliant

Yeah, I believe they are "discouraged." I think a lot of fundy-type polygamous groups sprang up out of "study groups" in the late 80s early 90s. Just rumors I heard, but I think the not having scripture study groups in members' homes was a policy statement at one time. Somebody else could probably find chapter and verse on that, but I think they made that statement sometime after the September Six thing in 93.