Hey, I knew beloved Mormons in Utah who committed suicide, and Utah is among the state leaders in suicide rate on a fairly regular basis (so all is not A-OK in Mormonville as you claim). And this suicide rate is just one indicator that all is not right spiritually underneath the surface no matter how much you deny that.
I know the pressures are great to always be conforming to living up to certain images, to being among the 20% of LDS who receive temple recommends (& thereby be deemed "worthy"), and to attain exaltation. When you have a BoM standard of being "saved by grace AFTER all you can do," folks then try to accomplish "all" they can do so that God will finally take the load off their spiritual feet.
As Paul said, we are offer to be TRANSFORMED, not just to buckle under daily CONformation, and in order to do that, we need to be born again. Even the Book of Mormon says we are to be born again (see Mosiah 5:7; 27:24-28; Alma 7:14).
The problem is people can never do enough spiritually, relationally, and ethically. We always fall short. This perpetuates the notion that "I've got to get well first, so I can go see the doctor." No! Jesus specifically said, "those who are well have no need of a doctor" but I need a spiritual doc and I know everyone else needs one, too. We all need unearned grace; mercy; God's favor. And we need Him--not just to be "driven" to do more--but just to "be" the way we can just "be" in our most intimate moments with our spouse. He craves for us to relate to Him without feeling guilty--to BE reconciled.
SELAH!
I’m sure you’ve rationalized your deceit because you’re just “lying for the Lord,” right?
Just day before yesterday, a young LDS mother commits suicide and takes her three children with her.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695223169,00.html
ONLY 20%??
HMMmm...
I got the feeling that MOST LDS organization members had this lofty and worthy piece of paper.