Posted by:
FreeAtLast
(
)
Date: October 07, 2010 06:34PM
Were you raised in cultic Mormonism? If yes, your psyche was 'programmed' with its fear-, guilt- and shame-inducing 'spiritual' ideas (a lot of crap) from the beginning of your life. You - and millions of other people raised in Mo-ism - were most psychologically and emotionally vulnerable during your formative years. The 'hard-drives' of our psyches were 'programmed' with LDS nonsense from very early childhood. Can we fully liberate ourselves - psychologically, emotionally, and physically - from cultic Mormonism? Yes. One step at a time.
What do children need? To be accepted and loved just as they are. Not conditionally accepted because they're 'cute' little Mo-bots who parrot the mind-numbing phrases of older Mormons ("I know the church is true. I know Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. I know that the BoM is true...blah...blah...blah). So many people raised in Mormonism, particularly by perfectionist, control-addicted, insecure, naïve, immature TBM's, grow up feeling like strangers to their real/authentic self. You're in the process of liberating yourself from cultic Mormonism and discovering the real you. Keep going!
What happens to kids raised in cultic Mo-ism if they don't mentally regurgitate all the LDS nonsense that their 'brainwashed' parents, older siblings, grandparents, other relatives, church leaders and teachers, and the Mormon 'tribe' expect them to believe and parrot is 'true'? Withdrawal of approval. For small children, the withdrawal of approval and acceptance, particularly from their primary caregiver(s), is terrifying.
The needy 'inner child' keeps the individual psychologically and emotionally chained to cultic, boring Mo-ism, while their adult self desperately wants out. The moment when the adult in each of us CHOOSES to leave the Morg - and remains firm in our decision - is the moment in our lives when we step foot on the road to total freedom from Mormonism.
Shunning. Guilt-trips. Words from Latter-day Saints that are intended to instill fear ("If you don't go on a mission, God will hold you accountable for the souls of people who would have joined if you had gone!" "If you don't pray, attend church, pay tithing, and otherwise be obedient to the commandments, Satan will gain control of your soul and bring about your everlasting misery!" Etc. ad nauseum).
You're not obliged to tolerate anyone's attempt to try to manipulate you to do what they want by their use of guilt-trips, fear-trips, withdrawing their immature, conditional approval, threatening you (subtly or overtly), and so on.
Normal, psychologically healthy people respect other people's freedom to choose. They may prefer that a young person, for example, make healthier choices (e.g., refrain from experimenting with illicit drugs), but they realize they cannot control other people's thinking and behavior, nor do they want to. Unlike 'brainwashed' Mormons, they're not addicted to control (it's a function of Latter-day Saints' deep insecurity, irrational fears, and more, in the context of this discussion).
Etch this psychological truth into your mind: WE TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO TREAT US. Also, IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO. If your parents or another family member start verbally attacking you, tell them that they're being disrespectful and walk away. You don't have to scream at them, get into a long, dramatic fight with them, etc. Just speak calmly and firmly, then leave.
If they won't back off (some Mormons are real bullies), go on the offensive. You could say:
"Why would anyone believe in a religion founded by a guy who used his hat and a rock that he believed possessed a 'supernatural' power to 'translate' one of the religion's main books of scripture?" (search for posts on this board with links done by me for details)
"Why would anyone believe in a religion founded by a guy who, as church president and so-called 'prophet', made other men's wives his plural wives, as well as teenage girls young enough to be his daughters?" (details are in my posts w/ links)
"Why would anyone believe in a religion founded by a so-called 'prophet of God' who targeted other men's wives and girls as young as 14 - and single women - to be his plural wives and then lied in public about his practice of polygamy?" (see note #291 at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith#Death for details)
You can be a 'doormat' or a 'tiger'. You can be a 'punching bag' or a 'boxer'. You're in charge of your life. There are things in life like personal freedom that are worth fighting for. You need to 're-train' your LDS-'brainwashed' parents and other family members to back off and leave you alone. If they wish to attend the highly dysfunctional and boring LDS Church, that's their business. You choose for your life.
Best wishes!