Posted by:
forestpal
(
)
Date: September 01, 2014 03:47AM
Cheryl is right--we don't need the cult as much as the cult would have us believe.
When I resigned, I went to a therapist in a panic. Everyone was shunning me. I was having a bout with an incurable disease, that comes and goes. I asked the therapist how to find a "support system" to take the place of the Mormon church.
First of all, he asked me, "What, exactly have the Mormons been doing to help you?" I couldn't think of anything. VT's coming once a week, not out of concern, but to preach a lesson from the Ensign, that I had already preached to the women I teach. Um, cookies at Christmas. Once, a neighbor used his snow blower to clear my driveway and sidewalks...oh, wait, his wife was Mormon, but he was not a Mormon.... My HT, who was a doctor, came to my house with his son, to give me a blessing once, but what cured me was that I told him I had been prescribed two antibiotics, to take together, and he told me stop, and to call my doctor in the morning. Turns out, I was allergic to both antibiotics.
Put it all into perspective, is what I'm saying. I can name a lot of times that the church made things worse--dropping in unannounced, judging and blaming, demanding Saturday musical rehearsals, and taking me away from my children, and wasting my time. My illness, or any of my children's sicknesses or injuries, were not accepted excuses for me to not attend, no matter what. No empathy, no love, no support for me as a divorced single working mother. Not to mention 10% of my single-breadwinner's salary. You see, Mormonism made my life worse, never better.
What keeps me going?
Good doctors
Nurses
Instacare
911 (never used it)
The Police Department
The Fire Department
Suicide Hotlines (never used it)
12-step programs (non-Mormon)
Psychiatrists and therapists (non-Mormon)
There are even more services, that 10% of your income could help pay for, such as house cleaning crews, car mechanics, yard care, pet boarding, veterinarians. Money will buy you any kind of cookies your heart desires, and ready-made dinners.
The Lutheran church, Methodist, Presbyterian, non-denominational Christian churches are more nurturing than the Mormon cult. I have known old people, disabled, terminally ill, small children, who have been cared for by their Christian community. Mormons do very little, but brag very much about it.
If you are frightened and alone, get a cell phone to keep with you, get one of those health-alert signal necklaces, have a friend or relative call you every day, or drop in on you every day.
Mormons don't own God. Have faith in God, or in Mother Nature, or in the Universe. You can believe that people are mostly loving. I was beaten and raped at BYU, and, mercifully, I lost consciousness when the pain became unbearable, and I could fight no more, with my broken bones. Mother Nature takes care of a lot of things. Three boys risked their lives to rescue me, out of pity and humanity. Believe in your own strength.
Remember, "This, too, shall pass." Everything is temporary. My doctor uncle always says, "Everything is better in the morning." I know these sayings sound trite, but they seem to help me. I believe in these sayings more than I believe in anything Mormon. Remember, the Mormons are liars. Anything bad you are experiencing is not your fault, and not because of your lack of faith. That's hogwash!
You can look forward to being happier than you've ever been.