I have observed that TBMs always testify to other TBMs that they "know" the church is true. I think they doth testify too much. If they were really so sure, they would not have to keep repeating the mantra! What do you think? Have you noticed the same?

Because they've been told that saying it over and over will make it true.

This is what we call conditioning. Tell yourself you are fat by comparing yourself to only skinnies over and over again, and eventually you will believe it.

I'd like to know why they say that you can WORK on your testimony.

You can't "Work" on a testimony. Try it in court. Work on that. You either saw the car accident or you didn't. If you did, what did you see? You can't work on it.

good point.

I would dare say that if you tried to use the same burden of proof for a testimony in court, that Mormons use to believe in God, you would be in jail for perjury.

You have to keep saying how great things are in order to keep yourself believing that they are. The illusion often collapses without this sort of rhetoric. It's whistling in the dark IMO.

If they don't keep spewing the party line, the Thought Police will get them.

I doubt they even pay attention to what they are saying anymore -- it's just meaningless blabber to keep everyone from hassling them.

Something's dreadfully wrong if you have to "work at" a testimony.

Also, it's a righteous, fully-correlated platform from which to diss one's fellow Saints.

YESSSSSSS!

I know the church is true
I know JS was a prophet of God
I know that TSM is the current prophet
I know that the BOM is the word of God

You say enough times and you believe it. My God, it starts when children are 3 years old and it never stops.

But, for many, there comes a time in their lives when they say OMG, do I believe this, do I know this????

I believe it is part of the indoctrination process of mormons

why do people who have horrible marriages always tell you how great thier spouse is

Exactly!

to stand beside them, and tell them what to say line by line:

http://www.lds.org/liahona/2008/10/testimony-glove

"A testimony is a spiritual witness of the gospel’s truthfulness given to us by the Holy Ghost. There are essential parts to a testimony. If you have a desire to believe those things, your belief can grow into a knowledge that they are true."

In other words, if you want to believe the fairytale (or don't want to be rejected by this community of your family, and friends), you have to want to believe, and your feelings will tell you it is real.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/2012 10:01PM by atheist&happy:-).

atheist&happy:-) Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "A testimony is a spiritual witness of the
> gospel’s truthfulness given to us by the Holy
> Ghost. There are essential parts to a testimony.
> If you have a desire to believe those things, your
> belief can grow into a knowledge that they are
> true."

I believe that 2+2=4.
I believe that Gravity is a real force.
I believe that Earth travels around the Sun.
I believe that, if I'm good, Santa Claus will bring me presents and God will let me live in Heaven.
If I desire to believe these things (and say them often enough) my belief can grow into a knowledge that they are true.

Feelings are not proof. Wishful thinking is not knowledge of reality. The first three can be proven with facts, but all the wishful thinking in the world won’t make Santa, and heaven real.

Every see an ant colony on National Geographic or on Animal Planet?

They are constantly rubbing antennae with each other:


"I'm from the colony, are you from the colony?"


Those ants are quite "spiritual" ...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/2012 10:55PM by 3X.

I'm minded of China under Mao. Citizens were required to attend meetings, and "confess" in front of their peers.

The idea was to show that an individual is subservient to the group.

They still have those denunciation sessions in the DPRK. Sometimes for hours on end--you have to take responsibility for EVERYTHING, even things you probably didn't have any hand in, and promise to do better.

I really think the Juche cult is dramatically similar to LDS, Inc.

The constant bearing of testimonies is a way to monitor the status quo. So long as you are surrounded by the like-minded, the false safety of the familiar, there is no reason to examine your own self more deeply. No reason to face what you really are inside--even if it's good. Fear of the unknown.

They say they know the church is true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet. But if you look further, what they are really saying is,
"Yeah, Yeah. We are right aren't we. Yeah. We're special" "OK, your turn, now you say it."

Exmos are explorers.

It wards off all suspicion. It puts ideas in the heads of leadership that you're "ready for an upgrade" in status. My testimony bearing was so calculated, so carefully done... just enough to toe the party line completely, but just personal and unique enough that I was "adding my own light" (you can't JUST be a bot to get anywhere--you have to show you have your own unique bot). It was forgiving enough to show the compassion and love of the Savior for all, but condemning enough to let everyone know that if the situation calls for it, I'd be tough as nails in defense of the gospel. Of course, the "foreign" accent was something I imagined never hurt me either--in areas south of he Mason-Dixon Line, they didn't do so hot.

In short, the testimonkey is EVERYTHING. Say it often to TBMs to reinforce that the gospel is true, even in your different corner of the world, so you believe it yourself. Use it to brownnose leadership into giving you better calling after better calling if you want to climb the ol' pyramid--but be sure to lie about having committed sins. That'll shut it right down.

I dunno if that sheds light on it, but that's why I sure did it. I imagine it has to be the same for a lot of others on the inside.

They tell you to bear your testimony until you believe it, then surround you with people who don't want to admit they have doubts. So when you do doubt, you think you're all alone. I remember feeling really insecure because I didn't "know", I just believed.

And when you text it, you textify.

I was in an group therapy session I mean testimony meeting nudging my wife to go up when we were visiting another ward across the country. I was telling her stuff about how I was feeling inspired that she should render her testimony. I love using those righteous exagerated manipulationbehavior on her when she knows I think there is not much worse than a testimony meeting.

It's status-checking and affirmation. Checking to make sure they and the people around them are still part of the hive and checking for cracks or "doubts" that endanger the hive.

hypnosis, mind control.

the more they say it, the truer it becomes.

It's exactly how it is done in North Korea. People are expected to praise anything good as coming from the Leader; and to praise bad things as good things. They are also taught that anything bad comes from their enemies who consist of almost every other nation. World news and media is jammed and or banned. School children spend hours after school each day, practicing to give yearly rallies/shows for the Leader. At some point with repetition and fear, North Koreans beleive.