This bugs me

As a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, there are certain things that annoy me. I put this out there as a diatribe to inspire change. And also to inspire mutual commiseration.

1) When a speaker says, "As we all know blah blah blah. . ."

We don't "all know". I hate this. This is the surest way to make new members and first time visitors feel alienated in a church meeting. My favorite speakers are those who present gospel stories as though they're telling them for the first time, because for someone in the audience--it is the first time they've heard of the story of Jonah and the Whale or they've heard the concept of Repentance.

2) I hate it when mormons speak in abbreviations--assuming that everyone in the room understands the translations for their abbreviations. When addressing a crowd--use the full name of things. Say Family Home Evening--not FHE. Say Doctrine and Covenants. D&C is a sad operation. I know it's awfully fun to be in the know, but it drives me crazy.

Frankly, government workers do the same thing. I was at a party where a bunch of people work in intelligence were talking and they talked about the IC, the DOD, the FBI, the CIA, the GI, etc. etc. I was completely lost.

3) I hate it when people ask a guy, "Where did you go on your mission?" This places the guy in an awkward situation. What if they didn't go? It's much better to take two seconds and say, "Did you go on a mission?" (Although this might be just as bad.) I guess what makes it better is that there isn't this implied judgment of "everyone went on a mission! Where did you go?" At least if you ask "Did you go?" it erases the notion that everyone and anyone went.

4) I hate the idea that life is somehow formulaic. If I do a and b--I will get c. If the test was that easy, we'd all ace it. This life is a test, a trial. There are wonderful people who do a, b, c and d--and they still have horrible things happen to them.

Which brings me to my next point:

5) We are not all created equally. We are not all taking the same test. There is a tendency to judge everyone equally, as though everyone in the world has the same opportunities for good and evil as everyone else. This is a horrible lie. Some of us are very fortunate and others are very unfortunate. To assume that everyone has the same opportunity for success is a horrible lie and an excuse to be judgmental and uncharitable. "If they wanted to have a good life, they could work for it like I did!"

Which leads me to my next point:

6) I can believe in the attributes of self-sufficiency AND still be a Democrat. While I understand that self-government is a worthwhile goal, I recognize that the reality of this world is that not everyone is in a position to be able to govern and help themselves.

7) Being Frugal is of less importance than being Honest. Saving a dollar doesn't justify cheating your neighbor out of their wares.

8) I have heard, but never seen (I say this with joy because I'm hoping this is a very uncommon occurrence) that there are women who are unable to leave their children with their husbands. What???? Not. Cool.

9) I hate it when a Sunday School teacher brushes over a lesson, saying "We've heard this lesson a thousand times. . . " and then brings in crazy outside quotes and complicates a simple, beautiful doctrine. Sometimes I just want to sit back and feel the Spirit comfort me and remind me of the truthfulness of a doctrine I've heard "a thousand times" before. Don't demean the simple truths. They are timeless and eternal.

10) I hate it when people misrepresent themselves. For example: They say they know something when they don't. By acknowledging your lack of wisdom--you could have opened up a wonderful teaching opportunity and helped a shyer student to learn something new as well. Another example: Saying what you think someone wants to hear, instead of expressing your true opinion on a matter. Misrepresentation is dishonesty. If we are to truly love one another--then we should know one another, warts and all.

These misgivings are found in all communities. It isn't just the mormon world that does this stuff. We all have a tendency to use terms that alienate people, or to act differently in order to make people think we're something we're not.

I'm just throwing out my two cents.