An interesting Interview

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by Archaea

The wait times for interviews can be extensive. If one happens to be reading that, I suppose one might only bring one's scriptures, but jeez are we getting really NAZI like if leaders worry about somebody reading Juanita Brooks' professional history on a sad chapter in our history.

I'm not saying that's the way it went down,,,but I wouldn't be the tiniest bit surprised.

Oft times you can tell certain types are just begging to asked or hoping people see what they're doing.

It could also be true the counselor was just a prick trying to pick a fight.

Sounds like they both need to get laid.

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by BigFatMeanie

Just curious, do you think "As best I can" or a similar answer is a perfectly good response only for the honesty question or does it go for the others as well (note I'm just paraphrasing the questions here)?

- Do you keep the word of wisdom? As best I can
- Do you obey the law of chastity? As best I can
- Do you pay a full tithe? I try to
- Do you affiliate with or support any apostate groups? I try not to
- Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel? I've tried to get one
- Do you sustain Gordon B. Hinckley as a prophet, seer, and revelator? As best I can
- Do you sustain your local leaders? I try to
- Do you have a testimony of God the eternal father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost? I've tried to get one
- Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the temple? I think so

I've never heard of someone giving an "As best I can" type of response to any of the others. Why is "as best I can" considered by many people to be an acceptable response for the honesty question but it, or something similar to it, isn't considered acceptable for all the other questions?

I've given...."As best I can" responses before and wasn't furthered questioned for it.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by BigFatMeanie

Just curious, do you think "As best I can" or a similar answer is a perfectly good response only for the honesty question or does it go for the others as well (note I'm just paraphrasing the questions here)?

- Do you keep the word of wisdom? As best I can
- Do you obey the law of chastity? As best I can
- Do you pay a full tithe? I try to
- Do you affiliate with or support any apostate groups? I try not to
- Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel? I've tried to get one
- Do you sustain Gordon B. Hinckley as a prophet, seer, and revelator? As best I can
- Do you sustain your local leaders? I try to
- Do you have a testimony of God the eternal father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost? I've tried to get one
- Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the temple? I think so

I've never heard of someone giving an "As best I can" type of response to any of the others. Why is "as best I can" considered by many people to be an acceptable response for the honesty question but it, or something similar to it, isn't considered acceptable for all the other questions?

LOL. OK, "Anal" it is.

You make a good point. Yes/No is certainly easier to interpret, even though it is not the most honest answer. Nevertheless, I would say that "As best I can" should be a fine response to at least the following:

honesty
chastity
sustain prophet
sustain local leaders

WoW is especially problematic. Do I keep it in the spirit of how it was revealed to JS, or based on how it is viewed in modern mormon culture? Are you referring to the entire WoW, or just the selected parts that most people focus on? Etc.

I am sure I could come up with some nuanced answers to the other questions that would be sufficiently clear. In any case, the guy explained himself.

At the end of the day, I think the only important question is the last one. Too bad we can't leave it at that.

FWIW, I give the standard answers. I don't like to waste time.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

LOL. OK, "Anal" it is.

You make a good point. Yes/No is certainly easier to interpret, even though it is not the most honest answer. Nevertheless, I would say that "As best I can" should be a fine response to at least the following:

honesty
chastity
sustain prophet
sustain local leaders

WoW is especially problematic. Do I keep it in the spirit of how it was revealed to JS, or based on how it is viewed in modern mormon culture? Are you referring to the entire WoW, or just the selected parts that most people focus on? Etc.

I am sure I could come up with some nuanced answers to the other questions that would be sufficiently clear. In any case, the guy explained himself.

At the end of the day, I think the only important question is the last one. Too bad we can't leave it at that.

FWIW, I give the standard answers. I don't like to waste time.

I do now too. Why waste time of somebody who doesn't even want to ask the questions?

Given that many leaders are now like Meanie who believe the whole meeting with members is a waste of their valuable time I don't waste my time either. I go in ahead of time and see how fast I can give the answer before they finish the question.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I do now too. Why waste time of somebody who doesn't even want to ask the questions?

Given that many leaders are now like Meanie who believe the whole meeting with members is a waste of their valuable time I don't waste my time either. I go in ahead of time and see how fast I can give the answer before they finish the question.

Amen to that.

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Well they may all be appropriate answers though.

For example, if we are to keep our thoughts pure, and if only always having pure thoughts were the litmus test of chastity, then perhaps you'd have to answer no.

I suppose if one lives in a binary world, yes - no answers are what are to be expected.

I certainly work in a binary world...

But you've definitely hit the crux of the matter here with the "if only always having pure thoughts were the litmus test of chastity". That's exactly the point. For the most part it is generally undefined as to what the litmus test of chastity (or honesty or WOW, etc.) is. The expectation is that the member make the determination for themselves. So make it.

I think people would certainly hate to go back to the days of individual specific questions. I'm guessing nobody would like it if the SPMemb or BMemb asked have you ever told a lie? even a white lie?, have you ever shaded the truth, do you drink cola? Do you exercise? Do you eat meat only in times of famine or in times of winter? It just seems a little odd to me that people don't want to be asked specifics, so they aren't, yet they don't even want to directly answer the generic as well.

If every single question can be answered with a hedge then I propose that they are essentially meaningless and should be done away with altogether. That would save even more time than the online quiz.

On a completely unlreated note, I've always thought it was interesting that long time members would come in for their temple recommend interview and answer "no" to a question that required an affirmative. If you know that you don't obey the law of chastity then why are you in here asking for a TR? Why not take care of the LOC issue first and then apply to get the TR? I suspect it was an easier way for them to start the confession/repentance process as opposed to just making an appointment with the bishop. Anyway, that's neither here nor there - just an aspect of human nature that has always fascinated me.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by BigFatMeanie

I certainly work in a binary world...

But you've definitely hit the crux of the matter here with the "if only always having pure thoughts were the litmus test of chastity". That's exactly the point. For the most part it is generally undefined as to what the litmus test of chastity (or honesty or WOW, etc.) is. The expectation is that the member make the determination for themselves. So make it.

I think people would certainly hate to go back to the days of individual specific questions. I'm guessing nobody would like it if the SPMemb or BMemb asked have you ever told a lie? even a white lie?, have you ever shaded the truth, do you drink cola? Do you exercise? Do you eat meat only in times of famine or in times of winter? It just seems a little odd to me that people don't want to be asked specifics, so they aren't, yet they don't even want to directly answer the generic as well.

If every single question can be answered with a hedge then I propose that they are essentially meaningless and should be done away with altogether. That would save even more time than the online quiz.

On a completely unlreated note, I've always thought it was interesting that long time members would come in for their temple recommend interview and answer "no" to a question that required an affirmative. If you know that you don't obey the law of chastity then why are you in here asking for a TR? Why not take care of the LOC issue first and then apply to get the TR? I suspect it was an easier way for them to start the confession/repentance process as opposed to just making an appointment with the bishop. Anyway, that's neither here nor there - just an aspect of human nature that has always fascinated me.

You make a great case for my "boil it down to one question" proposal.

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

I've given...."As best I can" responses before and wasn't furthered questioned for it.

I've received that answer before and haven't questioned it. First timers or people that are scared/intimidated/naturally timid in their personality - I never made a big stink of it. Other than gently prompting them to come up with a definitive answer. After prompting/explaining - I always got back a yes or a no.

Smart people that are intelligent enough to define something and then assess their own behavior in terms of their definition yet willfully refuse to do so - that bothers me.

I never had someone give the hedge answer and then insist on giving it again when asked to answer definitively. I guess it's the second "as best I can" response that really kind of gnaws at me. The second or third time around it ceased to be a thoughtful nuanced response and became a prideful stubborn response.

Am I saying with certainty that I wouldn't sign the recommend of someone that willfully refused to answer definitively? No, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that it would certainly make me think long and hard about it.

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I do now too. Why waste time of somebody who doesn't even want to ask the questions?

Given that many leaders are now like Meanie who believe the whole meeting with members is a waste of their valuable time I don't waste my time either. I go in ahead of time and see how fast I can give the answer before they finish the question.

Don't put words in my mouth. I never considered the whole interview to be a waste of my time nor do I believe I have intimated such in this thread. I simply don't think the hedge answer adds any value to the process. I don't think it helps the interviewer or the interviewee. I think it is meaningless.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BigFatMeanie

Don't put words in my mouth. I never considered the whole interview to be a waste of my time nor do I believe I have intimated such in this thread. I simply don't think the hedge answer adds any value to the process. I don't think it helps the interviewer or the interviewee. I think it is meaningless.

Do you finish the question if somebody anticipates the answer?

I once simply stated the questions in order before he could ask them and repeated them verbatim with the stock answer.