A Brand New Year

A message from Mormon apostle Jeffrey R. Holland to all the youth of the Mormon Church on December 31st, 2008.
www.lds.org/abrandnewyear
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc

[@dvdleek]

This sermon is a form of hypnotic suggestion. People in a emotional state are very susceptible to manipulation. He is placing the suggestion that losing your belief = death. Later in life, think about it. When this person starts to think about losing their belief, when they start to doubt - their mind has already equated losing belief with death. The result will be great fear, anxiety, they may even get sick over it. They will say "Of course", it's just what apostles have told me would happen.

[@ZealousChickadee]

I LOVE this Story of Joan of Arc, and want to apply the principles I have learned! FEEL THE LOVE Of Christ~ FEEL THE ZEAL!! :D

[@Lauralovestheatre]

I just love this video! I remember the first time I ever heard this talk, it has always stuck with me. Joan of Arc is one of my heroes :)

[@dvdleek]

Believe. Believe us your leaders. Believing is more important than life. Act like a believer even if you don't believe. Don't think. Don't question. Trust Us!

[@Lannagurl]

In the lds church we believe everybody can receive inspiration from God. Whether it be women, men no matter who you are you can receive personal revelation straight from God.

[@andrewthedrummerboy]

thanks for uploading. I missed it and I knew I could find it on here. thanks! and no need to argue this message guys, take it or leave it but please have respect and leave your comments to yourselves. thank you!

[@freedombolt]

Aren't you concerned that some may be led to things they aren't prepared to hear? I think that's the reason that many have left the church; they heard things they weren't prepared to handle; true or not.

[@praestant8]

Seems like it was more fun than having the Army recruiter show up at the high school.

[@praestant8]

Many other faiths believe that as well.

[@DeArmondVI]

"'Can you even consider that someone who honestly looks at the facts is going to realize that the LDS church is a total fraud?'" "I think the KEY word is HONESTY. In order to do that you must possess it." I totally agree, and it's not hard to since I am honest, and I am looking for any lies in my comments and I don't see any. Why would you call into question my honesty when you have no precedent for doing so?

[@neil73]

I do not doubt the fevour of your faith and understand what your beleifs mean to you. I know that the church has a variety of members from all walks of life. I was just shocked at the speaker in this video who placed a set of beleifs in that which is unprovable and made it comparable to a fate worse than death. Logic and critical thinking are two things than wither away religion. I realised about 12 months ago the course my life needed to take, and that was one of agnosticism/atheism.

[@DeArmondVI]

Actually, I don't care about other people's personal lives. You know, it has to do with respecting their privacy. My original reference to Benson simply dealt with the concept of "I studied it, realized it was a fraud, and left," like Benson or Packham did. I never heard their names (or knew who they were) before I left the church. You've read way too far into my original response. I'll say it again, MY life is stable in every way possible and I am much more happy now than I was as a LDS.

[@DeArmondVI]

Umm...last I checked my name is not Steve Benson. I'm not really familiar with the "anti" mormon cycle. All I truly know are my own experiences, and life is great for me. I was never this happy while I was in the LDS church. Sorry to break it to you, but it is quite possible to walk out and be happy.

[@dvdleek]

My religion is simple. Kindness to others. Now, go ahead and twist it. Allowing others to believe what they want is supposed to be central to mormons article of faith 11, yet they certainly don't practice it. Beliefs based on myth and fraud deserve to be exposed for their ridiculous nature and harm done to people.

[@DeArmondVI]

Since you have mentioned psychiatry in a previous comment, I was wondering, in what journal of psychiatry is "shaken faith syndrome" written about? What does the peer review community think of it? Last I checked "sfs" was just a damage control book written by a church member. Calling something a syndrome when it is not, is kind of lame. Unless, of course, there is something in the peer-reviewed literature of psychiatry that give validation to "shaken faith syndrome" that I am unaware of.

[@praestant8]

I'm a Born Again Mormon actually. The divine potential is very much a Mormon construct. Yes I have read the Bible, more than I've read the BoM. Biblically where does it say that men are to be come like God? I don't care how many covenants you make through Mormon rituals they mean nothing with out the saving Grace of Christ. You could quote me "faith without works" until you're blue in the face but until you understand the context of how works follow after faith and belief we can go nowhere.

[@StorminMormin91]

. There is no such thing as Mormon "magic" underwear. We all believe in things neil. As a member of the Church can say in all truth that I have plenty of leisure time along with work time. I happily give a tithe to suppor the building up of temples of the Lord,where families are sealed to gether for ever! There are many with in the church who have small families, or are single parents! There are all kinds in our church, so dont just go on trusting all the stereotypes you hear! I

[@DeArmondVI]

"does that make you Judas or Mark Hoffman. Which one is it?" How about a "Steve Benson," or a "Richard Packham?" I would settle for being labeled as someone who realize a fraud for what it is and having walked away. If leaving an organization is tantamount (in your mind) to being a mail-bomber or Judas, then I would hate to think of how you would treat any family/friends who might one day leave the fold.

[@dvdleek]

I'm not unhappy at all. Why would make such an assumption about someone you do not know? What has anarchy got to do with anything when questioning the validty of doctrinal beliefs or teachings such as those presented by a man who claims to represent Christ as an Apostle? Surely his words can stand up to scrutiny and investigation. If not, they must fall.

[@praestant8]

This is where I personally have issues with Mormon doctrine. Striving to "become like God" is not Biblically based. Actually it is very much contradictory to the Bible. It also suggests that the gift of grace through Christ's sacrifice is secondary to the striving ("works") you do to get to heaven (ie one must be righteous and worthy first). This is also not a Biblically based ideology.

[@dvdleek]

It's not about the body, it's about mind control. Mormon missionaries do it all the time with investigators by planting seeds of thought and ideas. This is just like the scripture in your book of Mormon that says to plant a seed and see it grow. Well, Holland has planted some negative reinforcement that will result in tragic consquences for youth who take him at his word literally. Some people really do take the truth to be hard.

[@freedombolt]

Are you a Christian? Did not Jesus die for his belief? You think Joan of Arc should have denounced her beliefs then? I don't know you personally but I have communicated with those on youtube and witnessed others who do hate the church. They've said it and written it. You deny that there are many who have left the church and now despise the Church and it's leaders? And I guess I can list you among the other mindreaders who seem to know the motives and meaning of the church leaders.

[@dvdleek]

It gets even worse. They are all told that you can't be happy outside of the church. If the first thing that happens when you question the LDS dogma at all is pain, anxiety, fear - this just reinforces this idea that happiness is only found in the church. Most people will turn back immediately and no longer question since that brings on such bad emotions. This is a way of totally manipulating the youth through hyptnotic suggestion.

[@DeArmondVI]

I have left the church and denounced it entirely (openly discussing the temple rituals, secret handshakes, passwords, etc.) and I could not be happier in life right now. I have tasted of the fruit of their tree, and it is rotten, foul, hallow, and delusional. The whole "bring in the new year" event is a desperate shot in the dark to try and keep the youth reigned in, which is why they are now resorting to the same presentation style that they have been against for so many years.

[@praestant8]

Yet the Mormon church claims it is the only true church and that all other religions are false. Not a very loving stance if you ask me.

[@DeArmondVI]

Aww, how cute. You're resorting to ad hominem attacks. I'm not quite sure what you mean by "a life of divorce unhappiness and abuse," since I have an incredibly happy and fulfilling life (much more so than from when I was an active LDS). Can you even consider that someone who honestly looks at the facts is going to realize that the LDS church is a total fraud? It seems as though you're trying very (very) hard to not consider that a person can leave the church based on studying it.

[@pewtorye]

Wow, could their be a dumber response, congratulations on not making any sense.

[@dvdleek]

I am appalled by the comments from Jeffrey R. Holland regarding the value of human life below the value of belief in the Church. It saddens me that youth will consider their own lives expendable should they fail to live up to the new bar of being a believer set by an apostle of Christ! It is an inexcusable abuse of trust and authority to manipulate the emotional and mental well being of kids who one day will falter and look back on this occasion and recall that faltering is worse than dying.