I enjoy religion. It suits me. I like the ritual, community, and comfort of religion. For the most part I enjoy partaking in religious ceremonies. In my opinion the purpose of religion is not belief. Over time I've realized the religion I grew up in and currently practice is a bunch of crap. It is useless. The Mormon church is not interested at all in ritual, community and comfort. I don't believe the church is "true" but I've been holding out hope that without the truth I can at least get the religion. But no, over the last 10 - 15 years, the church keeps wussing out and turning into just another cream puff religion with nothing of value. No truth, no religion, no ceremony, no ritual, no community. It is an absolute waste. I'm very upset.

How about taking a Joseph Campbell approach that all religions are true if they inform their adherents of cosmic truths--birth, death, renewal, love, family, etc.

Best wishes, The Boner.

That was the model of value I was trying to shove Mormon teachings and religion into, however, it doesn't work. I don't see Mormonism as properly informing humans how to live, die, give birth, create life, etc. It is a weak icon of something with substance...smoke and mirrors disguised as a religion of value.

You articulate well the other half of my cognitive dissonance during my journey. As shocking as all the false doctrinal and historical claims were, the absence of any spiritual or evangelical leadership was justas telling. By Their Fruits.

I feel more like an employee of a shallow corporation than a member of a community designed to make me the best person I can be.

They've taken lying and delusion to an all new art form.
If you want to be the best liar in the name of the Lord you're in the best belief system to reach that goal.

The 2 elders who came to my door Saturday night valued lying above all and did it straight faced with great enthusiasm in the name of Jesus one and only truth restored.

Yes, belonging to the cult feels like an employee who works their ass off; and instead of getting paid, they must pay their employer. It's sick.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2014 10:08PM by hangar18.

All my life i've looked for a special message from a boner and here it is. It wasn't for me, but I'll take it

So, since it is not belief that you are interested in, it does not have to be true, it can be a 100% lie. As long as there is ritual, comfort and community, the lies do not matter?

That is not for me. I, for one, do not have to take part in a lie for ritual. I also do not what to be part of a "community" that is based on a lie. I see not comfort in lies, only suspicion. But hey, that is just me.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2014 06:52AM by MJ.

Humans tend to think they know more than we really do. Just because we may find a falsehood according to our reasoning the truth may be something different. What I value (and what worked for a short time as a Mormon) is a set of rules, values, and community that taught me how to live successfully. When that was stripped from me and I saw the church as not only a lie but a bunch of goofy rules that actually don't teach you how to live a good life. For example many christian faiths teach fasting as a principle of truth, a way to connect with Deity. I don't actually believe that fasting is a way to connect with god but fasting does confer considerable health benefits. This is a lie that provides a human with something valuable. I've been trying to find value in the religiosity of Mormonism for the last two years and I've come to see the religion as shallow, useless, self-centered, and a waste of time. I'm really upset with this as it represents a crushing personal defeat.

MJ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So, since it is not belief that you are interested
> in, it does not have to be true, it can be a 100%
> lie. As long as there is ritual, comfort and
> community, the lies do not matter?
>
> That is not for me. I, for one, do not have to
> take part in a lie for ritual. I also do not what
> to be part of a "community" that is based on a
> lie. I see not comfort in lies, only suspicion.
> But hey, that is just me.



OOw, I like that.....the lie doesn't matter. The 2 elders I spoke to Saturday night were trying to convince me of just that -- the lie doesn't matter -- giving me a few excuses to defend the lie.
In the end they couldn't get away from the fact that a lie is a lie is a lie and no amount of praying, or spirit will make that lie true.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2014 07:04PM by joan.

When I was finally learning the truth about the TSSC I would read a sentence or two of the revealing book or website, and then jump out of my chair and pace the room, walking back and forth, too angry to sit still. When I had calmed myself down, I would sit and read a few more sentences.

For the first 30 years of my life, I had believed 110% in the truthfulness of "the gospel" and been a self-righteous little "Molly Mormon".

Aside to being lied to, I was furious at the MANY MANY hours of my youth I mis-spent in service to these rascals, and they mis-information I received about my sexuality. My entire youth - distorted in service to these wretched control freaks.

Another layer is about tithing. For many years I was very poor, and the little checks I would write out to the TSSC were a true sacrifice for me. How I wish I could have put them in an interest yielding account. Not only has the TSSC taken my past, but has stolen my financial future.

They are not a harmless alternative belief system; they are a parasitic growth, feeding off humanity.

I have worked hard to put my past behind me, but it is difficult to not be bitter.

"Not only has the TSSC taken my past, but has stolen my financial future."

And then they say we should just walk away quietly....

Not gonna happen.

+1

JS and his smarmy religion were/are indeed self centered. The egalitarian veneer of today's TSCC is wearing ever thinner so the core doctrine of "Me me me" sticks out like a sore thumb. If you lick the icing on a sh!t cake, it tastes pretty good. But then you dig deeper.

You have the rest of your life ahead of you, freed from the awful chains of Mormonism.

Believe in people. Your family, your friends, yourself. Those are real. We are all the God self, so just believe in people. Let life be your God.

Thanks for your words of wisdom. I think it is time to leave.

Although each circumstance is unique, leaving has been the best thing me and my family have ever done. We feel much healthier; socially, emotionally, and spiritually, the we now look at going back with horror.

Good luck in your endeavors and I hope you and your family find the happiness, community, and ritual that you crave.

Too many church talks seem to be centered around tithing, temples, obedience, and missionary work. Where is the genuine spiritual instruction? Why are the apostles not giving major talks on charity (to non-Mormons,) patience, kindness, tolerance, persistence, forgiveness, etc.? There is the occasional talk on the traditional Christian virtues, but such talks tend to get lost among the leader's favorite topics of tithing, etc.

It took me a long time to regain enough trust to return to a church. When I finally did return, I went back to the Anglican faith I had abandoned to become a Mormon 43 years earlier. The Anglican faith has all of which you stated you expect from religion while the Mormon church is empty. The LDS church is a church of lies.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2014 07:22PM by michaelc1945.

Hah. I thought Christianity was supposed to give people the "Good News!" We are all saved. We are all loved. I got that from the Bible and my parents, but not from Mormonism. Before I left, there was less and less positive about Mormonism. My children were being taught about Satan, Fear of being without a forever family for eternity, Threats of punishment (real physical spankings from the adults, shunning and ridicule from their peers) if they asked the wrong question or if they were late for a meeting.

I know what you mean, NNT. Mormonism was all negative. It was especially difficult for a single, divorced, working female. After a recovery period, I tried other churches, and at least, the sermons were uplifting, and I left on a positive note--that was something new!

The Catholic church had its beautiful frescoes and pipe organ.
The Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches had nice old-fashioned hymns, that I remembered from youth. Even in my Atheist period, I would hike to a place I call "The Cathedral," in the forest behind my house, and that was beautiful. Nature, children, pets, my career, people I love, helping others (who really need it), music of my choosing, art--so many things make life beautiful--and the Mormons used to act like they owned these things. These beautiful things belong to every religion--and no religion. I always had this inner joy and love, but the Mormons tried to take it away from me.

The Mormon cult is a thief that robs you of happiness, love, life, curiosity, wonder, family, money, and TRUTH. It is evil.

Oh no, I'm not full of rage--I'm just beginning.

Some posters on this board write that they have gained something positive from Mormonism. Not me!

I'm like my friend who had a horribly abusive marriage, and she has physical scars on her body, and recurring nightmares. She has very low self-esteem, and no confidence, and says she will never get married again.

When I got divorced, because of my husband's serial cheating, she said, "Well, at least you had some good times in your marriage." My divorce was very painful, but we did go on some fabulous trips, had a ski condo, had a nice house within walking distance from the beach, nice friends and neighbors, fun family traditions, etc.

The Mormon church is like my friend's divorce--the divorce that costs you money, that leaves you crippled and alone, that makes you say, "Never again."

Not only that, Mormons are not taught proper social skills, to help us fit into the outside world. We are taught that the world is scary and evil. We are taught that only Mormons can be trusted. It is the opposite: out in the world, it is only the Mormons who are shunning us and putting us into outer darkness. There are many loving, kind people in the world, of all races and cultures and religions. I'm most angry that Mormons taught me to HATE. Now, I hate only the Mormons--so I'm not cured yet, right?

That's one reason I like Disney's "Tangled..." the witch's speech to Rapunzel, about how the rest of the world is evil and only she is good... lol, such a good analogy to anything and anyone controlling...

I'm curious about your thoughts on how Mormonism doesn't deliver "community." I have been pondering that a lot lately. I always believed that it did, and I do have a lot of good friends who (surprise surprise) are Mormon (duh, I'm in Utah). But I've never made friends based on that, and I've actually almost always been a misfit in Church social situations. Now my only frustration is that I'm not sure how to get to know my neighbors if I don't go to church.
The Church claims to have excellent community and social opportunities: LONG church services, visiting teaching, youth programs. I'm sincerely curious how these have NOT worked out for you? As I clamber to a new perspective I'd love to understand others' views too. I've been REALLY brainwashed.

It is said that like attracts like. This is surely manifest in the religion which, in its migrations found a home in a barren wasteland, and proceeded to grow like the weeds that infest the region, never flowering nor producing anything of value. Mormonism has the appearance of growth and unlimited development, but never flowers nor produces fruit. The contrast in the boulevards of its cities to those on the coasts and the barren representation of God’s Throne in its temples symbolize the sterility of the axioms inherent in its religion. It has the form of self-realization and fulfillment, but denies the individual the essence thereof.
Does a good tree produce bad fruit? Or a bad tree good fruit?
When a group of men identify themselves in black and white clothing, it is quite likely they also see the world in the same hues.
The “average” person has about 27,000 days in which to discover happiness. That’s about 2½ billion seconds. Don't waste any of them--they don't come again.

"When a group of men identify themselves in black and white clothing, it is quite likely they also see the world in the same hues."

I like that.

TSCC has no rituals ?

That's news to me.

When I was in high school I lived on the outskirts of Portland oregon. I was raised Mormon. I had friends who were Mormon. However, us Mormon teenagers would often get together and go to a secret place. It was (then) accessible day or night. We usually went there at about 2 or three in the AM. It was a paved Catholic shrine that was built in the forest. The paths were lit at night. It was one of our favorite places to go. Our Mormon parents never knew about it.

We would go there and light candles for deceased friends. We would stop at the stations for the cross. The goal was to make it to a life sized replica of Michael Angelo's Pieta. It was there that we would light candles, and feel the peace of the forest in the middle of the night. I love that place. Its still there.

If you go to Portland, try to make time to go see it. You don't have to be Catholic to go there. Imagine that! It's more peaceful and spiritual than any mormon temple i've been to. I don't think it's open day and night anymore. The times they are a changing. It's too bad. It's at its most beautiful on a summer night. Still, it's worth going.

http://www.thegrotto.org/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/digefxgrp/6379381113/



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2014 11:38PM by madalice.