This was a common argument among my family members when I left the church. Because I was never hardcore Mormon, I didn't get married in the temple, I had frequent bouts of inactive status, somehow that makes my leaving less valid. Its thier excuse for not listening to what I say because, what do I know?

My response? I wasnt any less brainwashed from birth. I spent my childhood and teenage years wholeheartedly believing everything that was fed me. I staunchtly defended Mormonism to my nevermo boyfriend/now husband, despite the fact that I disagreed with some points and wasn't active. That's brainwashing at its core, because even when I wasn't "in" I was still convinced of its truth. I thought the problem was with me, not the church.

Thoughts?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2012 11:35AM by americangirl406.

my exhusband was BIC and was inactive as much as he could but still believe its true even though he is completely inactive

Yeah, I never really gave the KKK a chance either. But I know plenty about both of them to know I don't want anything to do with them.

I didn't either. Guess we's a bunch of ign'ints.

Did they ever give Bhuddism, atheism, Islam, scientology, or Judaism a chance? How do they know one of them aren't "true"?

This is so true. When you ask them if they've read the Quran, they look at you like you have three heads. How do they know it's true or false, then?

I was never as active as my siblings, but I read the B of M and other scriptures multiple times, probably more than they did.

I know it's false, just as suredly as they claim to know it's "true."

You're certainly not alone. My brothers have been totally inactive for years, married to non-lds women. No garments, no tithing nada. As if they are no longer members. But guess what, somewhere deep down inside they still believe. They don't research it, they don't think about it, they just figure it's not for them, but still believe JS was a prophet. I told one of them about my apostate status and he said "you're worse than me". I just laughed at that. I don't necessarily agree with that point because he's out because he doesn't care. I'm out because I do care. He'd be easily influenced though, if I took the time to talk to him about what I learned, I'm sure he'd shed his belief of it, but being already out, it wouldn't change his life much since he already lives very much a non-mormon lifestyle. He says he doesn't feel at all guilty for being out of church, so at least he's lost that brainwashing portion in his mind.

Mormoney Wrote:
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> I told one of them about my apostate
> status and he said "you're worse than me".

"No, I'm better than you because I fit my actions to my beliefs."

This is why, according to my SIL, I'm not a 'real' apostate.

Me too!

You have to get baptized to get into heaven. But to REALLY get in to heaven you have to go to the temple.

What? You're not happy? It must be because you are not reading your scriptures every day for 30 minutes.

Oh, you have a temple recommend? Maybe you're not happy because you are not doing a session EVERY WEEK.

To really really REALLY get into heaven you have to have your calling and election made sure. That way it's 100% certain even if you sin someday.

There is no END to the commandments that you'll never live up to.

You could turn the tables on them and call them out on where they are not living the gospel 100%. It is easy because it is IMPOSSIBLE for a mere mortal to do everything required by the cult.

+1.But then they will talk about how great the atonement is and that they are saved, but you and your sins...well that is up to them to decide.

What their words actually mean is, "You were never as fully brainwashed as we would wish."

I was BIC yet never *seriously* tried to be a good Mormon for more than a couple months at a time. I used to think that I never gave Mormonism a proper chance - that must be the reason I don't have a testimony or feel "the spirit" right?

Then I learned Mormonism is BS, so it doesn't matter one bit how hard I tried to live it, because it's not the slightest bit true anyway!

You could reply with "Kind of like how you're not giving me a chance now?"

No one has tried this with me, but if they did my response would likely be:
"Excuse me??! I prayed at least three times a day for months at a time to get rid of my gayness...it didn't work. When was the last time you prayed that much for anything??!! I gave it a HUGE chance and it failed miserably.
Plus there's that thing about Joe making it all up out of thin air..."

That's like saying "you never gave cancer a chance"

Oh how I wish that were true!

Mia Wrote:
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> Oh how I wish that were true!

In fact, I gave them wayyyyyyy too many chances.