Okay, I understand that they are part of an extended brainwashing process.

But on a more basic level, doesn't the bearing of one's testiclemony seem more like the individual is trying to convince, or re-convince, him or herself of the things that are tumbling randomly from his or her mouth?

I mean, shouldn't nearly everyone present at a FTM already believe this stuff, too? So why repeat it? For yourself, that's why. That's why the higher-ups are always encouraging you to get up there. It's a *self* brainwashing technique.

Then when you leave they say "what about all those times you bore your testimony."

When you get harangued to do it, how can it even really be considered voluntary?

if you say your testimony wasn't true then they will say "if we can't believe your testimony why should we believe the reasons your giving for leaving."

I was called on that a couple times.

My reply was simply- I never taught anything in class, over the pulpit or as your HomeTeacher that I did not believe at the time.

And, like someone on this board once said:
Now my testimony has grown to accept and include information which I can verify.

So, if you find out the church has lied to you, why shouldn't your testimony change, or fade entirely?

Agreed. And my testimony of the church in general is new and sustainable and hard won, and I can now bear that testimony with real conviction because I have documentation to support it.

No longer must I stand and say what is expected and be believed only by believers, nor do I have to try to teach something to nonmenbers that has to be taken by my word alone.

My testimony of Joseph with his face in a hat is much stronger than the images that I was raised with because I have read the words of those who were there.

My testimony of the treasure Guardian/Bloody Spaniard turned angel is much stronger that the whimsical belief I held previously because I have read numerous identicle accounts.

My testimony of the reasons for polygamy is based on study and not just accepting the testimony of men who want my money.

I believe it was our board nemesis, Boyd KKK Packer who said those immortal words, and I'm paraphrasing here, "The gaining of a testimony depends on the bearing of it"' or some such drivel.

because it causes us considerable cognitive dissonance to not believe something we publicly profess.

There is all kinds of pressure to bear your testimony. You may be a little wobbly, but your intentions are good, so you muster the courage to get up there even though you're not sure what you're going to say. In the heat of the moment your mouth forms the words and out they come. You've just painted yourself into a corner. You really believe what you just said, because to do otherwise would make you a hypocrite.

Isn't it marvelous?

About 10 years ago in my old ward leadership really started cracking down on what was appropriate for a testimony. They wanted everyone to pretty much say the same thing...I know the church is true,I know js was a prophet,I know whosie is a prophet...blahblahblah. We had this lecture ALL the time. Especially in primary. But the kids pretty much had the rote testimony down.

I was EQP when the same think came down in our ward. At the time I thought it was pretty stupid. On the one hand they say "bear testimony as the spirit dictates". The from the other side of their mouth: "Stick to the script, Stick to the script".

What a cult.

Stunted

Hey Stunted-no not in American Fork. It would be good old Cali. I live in a very conservative area and mmy old ward was very anal about stupid things like what to say in your testimony.But like you said,they want you to bare an honest testimony,one from the heart,but damn you if you get off course. We were always told what to do and how to do it and to feel lousy if you didn't do it. Every day I see more and more cult qualities in the morg.

If you state your commitment to other people, then it strengthens it.

Once you've told a whole congregation that you KNOW it's true, then by golly, you'd better believe it and live it or you'll be a public liar. Saying it actually helps convince the testimony bearer that they have one. (Just like telling a lie over and over again). There's also the element that people will accuse you of denying the Holy Ghost if you ever go back on your testimony.

As someone who used to sit in the pews and wonder why I never felt like I could truthfully bear testimony, I can attest to the fact that hearing OTHER people's testimonies convinced me that something was wrong with ME. I must not be trying hard enough, or be as good as THEY were because I DIDN'T know the church was true.

It was a mind job for me as WELL as for them.

I like the way they spin leaving the church, as "losing your testimony". "Oh poor bro jon1 has lost his testimony." as if it's behind the couch, with my keys, and all I have to do is reach back there, and brush off the dust bunnies, and poof, I'm TBM again.
Stupid church.

Jon1, do not fret, you have not lost your testimony.
You still have your testimony about the Church, its just that now you believe it to be false!

If you look hard enough you will also find you have a testimony about beer, tv comedy, vegetables that have grown into rude shapes and chocolate.

Life is good

I've never given a testimony, and even the end of my talk isn't a testimony. I never liked them at all, but was assigned to give a talk on them, so I did.

I don't do paragraphs in talks, I add them were ever I wanted a a pause, so they aren't real paragraphs.


I was given the opportunity to speak on testimonies and as I thought about what to speak on I wondered why many other churches don’t have the equivalent of a testimony meeting? I decided to do some research on the subject from a cultural anthropology point of view.

What I found was that the language and formality of a testimony meeting is a vital processes which cements individuals and the congregation to the church and its teachings. One way that it is done is by using metaphor to portray one’s internal commitment to the church and the community. It also becomes part of a ritual practice.

Some religions have rituals that are a central part of their worship service, it may involve priestly robes and crosses, maybe candles and incense.

But for us words fill the place of more concrete symbols such as robes and incense. As a result, the words we use, the way we put them together, and the tone of voice that is used communicate what would otherwise be communicated by more concrete rituals.

By doing this we enter a sacred space where language no longer sounds or operates as it does in everyday life. Our structuring of language helps create our ritual. Other than the sacrament, our rituals occur at the part of the meeting when we speak. When we stand up and share talks, and when we bear testimony we are performing a religious ritual.

These rituals can be some of the most stimulating and anchoring moments of our lives. Most of us have had the experience of bearing testimony, and feeling suddenly moved, touched by the spirit, feeling that something significant was going on.
At these moments, our life experience becomes anchored to the flow of sacred events. Our faith is renewed. We leave the meeting refreshed and excited. That is important, that is what ritual is supposed to do.

Sacred stories are narrative vehicles that convey to the community the values it collectively holds. We relive our Mormon sacred stories in the moment when we feel moved by the spirit, and anchor our experiences and ourselves in the explanatory power of the sacred stories.

A lot of this operates at a relatively abstract symbolic level. Thus, the sacred stories must be made concrete and tangible so that it can be experienced. It binds our personal life with the community’s sacred beliefs. Public testimony does this for us.
We pick and choose the experiences that we mention for what would be appropriate to share in a testimony meeting. Then we can use those experiences to show the effectiveness of the gospel and the hand of lord in our lives. It unifies the congregation with a sense of community unified by common sacred stories.

Bruce R. McConkie backs this up saying, “Rich outpourings of the spirit are frequent manifests in testimony meetings, and as a result, faith and devotion are increased in the hearts of the spiritually inclined who participate in them.”
Neal A. Maxwell said, “unasserted convictions soon become deserted convictions.” Once again testifying of the importance of making a ritual expression of sacred beliefs.
Moroni 6:5 shows us that this isn’t just a modern day church ritual. It says, “and the church did meet together oft to fast and to pray and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.”

I’ll leave it to anther to explain just what a testimony is comprised of, I wanted to find out, and then explain why we do it.

It is important in our time, just as it was in Moroni’s time to bear testimony to each other, but D&C 3:4 cautions that, “Men are not saved by virtue of a testimony alone.” (Wife’s) talk on temples gave us an example of another area of work that will help us not rely on the virtue of a testimony alone to save us.

Preparing this talk has given me some insight into the importance of testimonies, and that testimony I leave with you.

That was the best I could do while secretly hating testimonies.

Next time you attend a FAT meeting...

Count how many people have a testimony about Christ.

In my experience FAT meeting tends to be a combination of outpourings of grief, neediness, requests for sympathy and microphone hogging.

The most fun to be had is watching the face of an investigator who the Mishybaby's have brought to FAT for the first time.

I don't think I ever really had a testimony. I can only remember baring once. That was at SC and our whole seminary class was called out of the blue to come up and bare our testimonies.

If I ever did the whole I know the church is twoo thing with my mom whispering in my ear I don't remember. I can sure remember passing the microphone on down the pew to whoever was next. I always got dirty looks for passing up the chance to testify.