Episcopal here.

While I'm "exmo" in thought, I am not quite out yet. When I leave, my answer to this question would be "none."

I go to a United Methodist church...a reconciling ministry that would shock the pants off most TBMs. Many openly gay members, and just about every sermon I've ever heard there (by a female pastor) contradicts every GC talk I've ever sat through.

A really good place for a freshly ex-Mormon to be.

The weekly sermons I have heard in Methodist and Episcopal churches have been lightyears ahead of any LDS chapel talk or conference address. The lack of a ministry trained in theology and in social work really leaves the LDS lacking. I heard one Episcopal priest tell a seminiary class that they should take classes in addiction therapy, because so many of the problems that will come to them from the membership will in this area.

I believe in the 19th century LDS services were more charasmatic. Looking back at my time in the faith, I found most LDS services to be something akin to zombies moaning. It was dreadful. I was glad to be Clerk so I didn't have to always sit through it. I still remember the Chrismas service when they forgot to mention Christ. And don't get me started on Easter.

I had come to the LDS faith from a family tradition of Methodism. The few times I ever spoke or prayed I used the tone and tenor of a Methodist minister. I also only quoted from the Holy Bible. I could never find anything in the LDS books of quality. I always received compliments on my talks and prayers. Probalby because I woke up a sleepy congregation.

You are grossly discounting the extensive training that MORmON Leaders have in mind control, manipulation and abuse. IT is a wonder to behold in action, and a horrible thing to be subjected to.

I go to a parish in the Anglican Church of North America.

Not "officially ex-mo yet, and I do not have any interest in organized religion. Not now, not ever.

that is all...

Dennis

koriwhoremonger Wrote:
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Nice one! ;) talk about peace, and quiet... and COFFEE :) good morning- we worship here every day of our lives.

I don't go to any. If I did, it would be the one right next door to the mormon church. It would be fun to wave at the mormons in the parking lot.

Unitarian church because it doesn't have any mandated beliefs.Plus I have found previous mormons, catholics, jehovah witnesses there that are looking for community and not dogma.

Anglican

No church. Once you pick yourself out of a cult, all other religions appear for what they are too - godless human constructs designed to extract wealth and control people.

None.
I found other "social" groups to be a part of, that provide activities, sharing of common interests, and business contacts -- without having to pretend there's a magical imaginary man in the sky.

None, atheism for me totally agree with Ozpoof on this one. Why leave one cult to go to another, many other options for a sense of community .

Episcopal.

After 20 years outside of any communtiy of faith, I went "church shopping" last year. Was exposed to the Episcopal faith at a friend's wedding. I find it a very thoughtful faith and enjoy the "High Church" feel and liturgial tradition. Have now been attending a year and half and was confirmed six months ago. There was never any pressure "to join." When I did start to attend a convenant class, they made sure we were grounded in the faith before baptism or confirmation. There was no rush. The faith does not have a unique doctrine that defines itself against the beliefs of others. Nor does it have a founder who claimed a monopoly on truth. It's a bit funky in management, but that can be endearing. It's a faith where great thinkers have pondered matters of doctrine for several centuries.

+1 The Boner!

Local Druidic grove.

Church of England, but very, very rarely.

i don't often go to church - but when i do, i go to beer church

http://www.beerchurch.com/

Love it! The one true beer church. I'll drink to that

Presbyterian - it's low-key and accepting with no pressure to join or commit to anything. I've attended four months now and feel free to attend the Sunday worship service and then quietly slip out without feeling any judgment. The pipe organ music is a bonus.

Agree. The music in the mainline faiths is so much better than in the LDS faith. We had horns and bells at Easter. It was great. I often stay until the musicians have finished. We have a complete processional with acolytes, crosses, the Priests and choir. What an uplifting way to start the service. Then afterwards the clergy are at the door to greet every member as they leave.

In one LDS ward I attend, the local Bishop tired to implement the latter, where he and his counselors went to the door during the last hymn to greet every member as they left. Someone on high put a stop to this very personal touch.

I was always offended by members who chased around the Bishop to hand him a tithing envelope. Buy a stamp! Seemed so tawdry.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2014 08:03PM by unabashed.

We have several exmos in our Presbyterian Church-USA congregation.

I've been Catholic, then Anglican, then Baptist, then Mormon. No thanks. I'm out of the religious community now.

None...I'm an atheist.

Happily home in the Catholic Church

The church of YouTube atheists. Shout out to Jaclyn Glenn, Steve Shives, and of course TJ Kirk!

None.

I'm ex-mo going on 35 years, and it's taken me a few decades to gradually lose any belief that Jesus ever existed as depicted in the New Testament. I threw out the virgin birth long ago. (Mary figured out how to conceive a child without having sex with Joseph ... her fiance', not Smith.)

I used to believe Jesus was an enlightened teacher who actually lived. But now I tend towards the theory that Christianity was constructed as an effective method to guiltify and control the masses - wildly successful, by the way.

http://jesusneverexisted.com/

My first exposure to "spiritual" stuff post-Mormon was Ramtha. Years later I discovered David R. Hawkins, MD PhD and inhaled his books as he wrote them. Eastern spirituality concepts written for the Western mind. He died a couple years ago.

More recently I read (very slowly) and enjoyed being mind-challenged by "In Am That" transcriptions of talks with Nisargadatta Maharaj (died in 1981).

Currently I am reading stuff written by Nisargadatta's teachers, long since dead.

I now believe that advanced states of consciousness and awareness are possible, albeit rare, for human beings. The key to reducing pain and suffering in life is to cultivate the following ideas:

1. I am not my body.

2. I am not my mind (brain chatter) either.

3. Closer to who and what I am really is the silent awareness that is watching and listening to my brain chatter and body activities.

4. Deep within that silent awareness, the concept of separation from All that Is eventually disappears as illusion.

Mastering 1 and 2 is not too difficult. I would self-assess that I'm now flirting with 3 and nowhere near 4.

Reading the teachings of Realized Human Beings who live at 4 or beyond is a humbling experience with frequent Aha! moments. Their clarity of perception of Reality is awe inspiring. They all say pretty much the same thing in different words.

One has to work up to an appreciation of the teachings of Realized Masters ... whose words otherwise sound like circular nonsense. My own experience reading David Hawkins for years was great preparation for Nisargadatta and his teachers. He does not accept any religion as useful, even Hinduism.

In this context, regular religions and churches seem childish and distracting. The concepts of sin, judgment, salvation, atonement, post-death rewards are all silly nonsense.

Poor behavior choices generate their own consequences. No need for Silent Note Takers to keep accounts. Positive behavior choices result in nicer consequences.

One last comment: The journey of discovery of Spiritual Reality is the most exciting and exhilarating endeavor possible for human beings. It's a shame that we are so distracted and thrown off the trail by religions and churches. Spiritual Reality is the ultimate discovery of who and what we are and are not as human beings, and what the Universe and All Creation is all about, and what is our relation to all of that.

Or ... see how much of the above you can glean from General Conference and the Book of Mormon.

Calvary Chapel

It's just too hard to believe in religion. It has so many problems with it. Above all, I just think no god would enlist other people to enlighten me to him; he would just tell me his stuff himself. Why would he rely on falable humans to translate his word? That is an awful way to spread truth. Especially with the way people like to corrupt truth.
Another thing: Pascal's Wager. To believe in a god simply to avoid the risk of there not being one would be to insult the intelligence of that god. If I believed in a god, I could not do so the same way I bet chips in Vegas. I would have to base it on sincere belief-not risk/reward basis. If any god exists, he is just going to have to accept that I am a sincere person and I deal with people and any "gods" in a sincere way. This means no mind games or gambling over his existence.

Sometimes Catholic and a little Greek Orthodox.

But I've never met an Episcopalian I didn't like.

None. I'm a happy agnostic.

When I go, Episcopal