397: What Happens When Only One Kind of Latter-day Saint is Allowed to Exist in the Church

Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part III of III]

In this episode Valerie welcomes back friend and researcher Jeff Strong for the third installment of their series exploring Jeff's research learning about the actual experiences of thousands of Latter-day Saints.  The theme that came through?  Massive amounts of TENSION.  

Today they go deeper into six distinct kinds of Latter-day Saints and highlight that one type, "the protector" is disproportionately rewarded while other types are often silenced and squeezed to the margins and sometimes out of the church altogether.  

They unpack how an ignorance of the true diversity of 21st Century LDS membership is causing crippling harm to families and the church itself and emphasize the power that could come if we all understood and supported one another as a truly open and welcoming 'body of Christ'.  

Timestamps:

01:04 – Understanding Cultural Differences

01:57 – Stages of Faith and Identity Segments

03:38 – Framework for Understanding Differences

08:00 – Setting Up the Segment Discussion

09:36 – Overview of the Six Segments

14:30 – Personal Examples of Segment Fluidity

16:19 – Avoiders and Their Journey

18:30 – The Spectrum of Development

21:15 – Disaffiliation and Its Complexities

22:50 – The Public Narrative vs. Reality

24:43 – Conformity and Control in Religious Communities

26:33 – Fear vs. Love Orientation

28:13 – Focus on Protectors

33:40 – The Need for Balance and Integration

35:02 – Balancing Different Attributes in Church Culture

39:30 – The Dangers of Fear-Driven Leadership

41:40 – The Role of Fear and Love in Leadership

44:00 – The Impact of Historical Persecution

50:00 – Everyday Conflicts and Growth Opportunities

53:14 – Final Thoughts on Growth and Development