The last of Irving Janis' symptoms of groupthink is the existence of "self-appointed members who shield the group from dissenting information". In other words, people either hiding or spinning the information that's out there.
The LDS Church has both self-appointed mindguards and officially appointed mindguards. On a very low level, consider all of the parents, bishops, and stake presidents who purposefully neglect they youth of a clear understanding of what goes on in the temple. On the opposite end of control, consider the documents hidden in the First Presidency vault. Why are are members kept from these things (and everything in between)?
In the semi-self-appointed category we have the apologists produced and employed by BYU. In a way they're endorsed by the Church. They're paid by the Church and their work has been crucial for the writing of the recent "difficult issues" topics on the Church website. And yet the Church can turn its back on these people and their work whenever convenient.
On the side of officially appointed mindguards we have the Church historians and the Public Relations department.
How can the general membership be expected to have its own thoughts and opinions about Church history, doctrine, and policy when certain information is kept from them?
According to popular wisdom, a good father spends quality (daily) time with his children.
Growing up Mormon I was told more than once that God is always watching over us, but I find that to be very wishful thinking. If God's there at all, he's doing a great job of staying out of sight. Imagine a father who simply watches his children via hidden camera, or who occasionally whispers something to you from down the hall or from the other side of a wall. I don't think that kind of behavior counts as quality time.
Let's not forget that we somehow have the ability to offend God and that the list of things that offend him is nothing short of enormous. He's just about the worst playmate anyone could hope for - the kind that will pick up his toys and stomp of at the drop of a hat. And this despite the fact that he knows us perfectly and already knows what we'll do before we do it! He can read our minds and then has the nerve to complain about our thoughts. Relax or butt out, Buddy!
Let's also revisit the concept of God waiting for us to come to him. Maybe he's just sitting around waiting for us to call or open the door or whatever, but that's really not what a good father's supposed to do. Come on, God, come entertain us a bit! Learn to appreciate what we like to do!
*These attributes represent the popularized
and popularizing thoughts of Ask Men’s Jullian Marcus, examiner.com’s Tanya Tringali, and Open Talk Magazine’s Glenn Silvestre
as per their respective articles on what makes a good father.
