I have heard several NOM-type, or non-believing, but, cultural Mormons, and even some ex-Mormons say something similar to this.

I come from pioneers and most of my family is hard core TBM.

I don't get this sentiment. I absolutely LOVE saying that I am NO LONGER Mormon. This fraudulent cult of a religion is NOT 'who I am' and there is no such thing as Mormon blood running through my veins. It's a belief system that was imposed on me from birth.

Now that I factually know that it is NOT true, I cannot comprehend this thought process, coming from those who know it is a racist, sexist, homophobic, fraudulent organization, founded by a sex addict. No, thank you. I am NOT Mormon!

Anyone else feel the same? Or maybe I am just ranting from my own observations...

Interesting (and sad) that mormons can use this claim to be mormon, but they won't accept the same claim from a homosexual.

LOL good point. Or from a Catholic, or anyone else...

"He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery."
~Harold Wilson

Growing up as a Mormon shaped me into a prude and a snob. I am happy to no longer be a Mormon and would gladly tell anyone how happy I am about it, but I fear that I will always be a prude and a snob.

. . . that never really worked.

I tried many times to make it fit, but it always felt fake. The REAL ME ponders all points of view, then I consider the evidence. The main tenets of Mormonism simply do not stand up to honest scrutiny. Faith and warm fuzzy feelings aren't the answer - for me.

I think it's a declaration of laziness and lack of moral character. Basically, they know Mormonism is a fraudulent, immoral belief system with a toxic subculture, but they personally are comfortable in that sort of company. So, it's all good, because there are no immediate consequences.

I find people like that reprehensible as well.

I've had to be brave to leave the cult and I've worked hard to learn nonmo ways. Mormonism is part of my past but I am no longer part of it.

Can't pass up the lime green jello in the supermarket!

I never felt right with Mormonism, but it's coursing through my veins regardless. There's over five generations of bad blood between me and Salt Lake. The blood Thomas McBride spilled at Haun's Mill. My blood.

I once had a TBM explain to me that the most valiant souls in the pre-existence were blessed to be born Mormon. She warned me to not throw away my heritage by leaving the church since I was one of them.

She clearly is one of whom we speak.

My best friend is always laughing about little things I do and says, "you can take the woman out of mormonism, but you can't take the mormonism out of the woman."

Yeah, maybe that's true. I have some little quirks that are just "who I am" too. But if we aren't always evolving with the new things we've learned, we've wasted our lives.

I would never classify myself to most people as Mormon. Nonetheless, I recognize that a part of my personality was formed while being a Mormon, in a Mormon culture, with Mormon ideals and thoughts. That makes a pretty big part of me still tied to Mormon culture.

I don't believe in God, I don't think Mormonism as a religion has any redeeming features, I don't make the same decisions a Mormon would, I don't hold the same viewpoints as a Mormon would, I don't act like a Mormon and I don't think that Mormon culture is superior to anything else. Also, I don't think the parts of me that were formed in a Mormon culture are inherently bad (I think that I am inherently good). Still, I remain true to myself and can only be honest about it when I am introspective. It might be cathartic to claim otherwise, but it wouldn't be true.

Hopefully that helps you comprehend.

I agree with oy--it shows a lack of character and integrity... if you know something is wrong and you do nothing.. that isn't a good sign.

These are probably people who would cheer the self-improvement efforts of an alcoholic/physical abuser/drug abuser... anyone who found themselves in undesirable circumstances and did something to improve themselves... and yet they want to shrug their shoulders and knowingly wallow in muck.

It just makes me think they either believe the muck or don't think it's that bad.

If they know the morg is racist, sexist, homophobic, fraudulent and say, "yeah but..."... they *are* supporting it and *are* part of it.

Ask a Mormon what they think when an investigator says to the
missionaries, "I'll always be a Catholic (or Presbyterian or
Baptist etc.). It's who I am and I can't change that."

For some reason, the missionaries never seem to be happy for the
guy; they don't seem to admire his adamant commitment.

There's two things I like about Mormonism: its face.

They put the us in obsequious.

This is why the tribe analogy works for Mormonism because for those born into it, it's their entire culture which makes it much harder to leave. That's especially true for those whose families go back to when Brigham Young ordered his followers west.

When I left the Church, I had this feeling that I was leaving 'my people.' Until I finally said to myself, "They're not your people. You were the only Mormon in the family."

People born in the Church don't realize that converts do feel adopted into the Tribe and they do get a sense of, "These are my people."

I'm glad I got past that.

I too, tell anybody who wants to know, that I'm no longer Mormon, and I too come from pioneer stock, but that counts for nothing. I'm my own man.

RB

A neverMo friend of mine who knows I've left the church calls me "Molly" b/c she thinks I'm still conservative and "sweet". Most of my mo friends would call me "off the deep end".

You really couldn't ask for better citizens, right?
I mean as far as voting blocks go, I'm not a fan of Mormons who fight against equal rights for people, just because they happen to be same sex.
But it's not like they're underacheivers or a drag on society, right?
Is UT really a problem for anybody outside of UT?
Is Mormonism really a problem for anybody outside of UT?
Uh, yeah.
Mitt Romney, the reincarnated Joseph's Myth, was just nominated for the GOP last time around and he's the front runner right now for PResident and he's not even running.
The next Drone King won't be as charismatic as Obama.
He'll be a guy who makes jokes about his rapist founder of his Doomsday Sex Cult.

I was born into mormonism. Like a cheap shoe, it never quite fit no matter how long I wore it.

I left it behind. It clung to me like a virus that I couldn't find a cure for. It would come back and make me sick, sometimes more than others.

I decided to take mormonism on 100%. Live it to the hilt. I thought it was the only way to put it to rest. Go with it. Study it. Live it, and surround myself with it.

It was like going to a leper colony to be cured of leprosy. The longer I stayed, the sicker I became. I finally became so ill that I went online to study the origins of the illness.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered the cure was to cleanse myself of every misconception, and the best thing of all was to leave the colony. That was the only way to prevent re-infection of this horrible life consuming disease.

Everything I thought I knew was wrong. I'd been fed so many lies and distortions that it had made me ill. The only cure was to immerse myself in the deep and healing waters of truth.

Truth always comes with a price. I chose the truth, and have been willing to pay the bill. In the big picture, the price is cheap.

I'm clean. No more living in confusion, lies, deception, threats, fear, and coercion.

Mormonism is a dirty business.

Beautifully, beautifully put madalice.

Tell them "I am" is God's name, and anyone who says "I am____" is taking the Lord's name in vain ;-)

"I was born Catholic, and I'll always be Catholic."

"I was born Mormon, and I'll always be Mormon."

I guess after 170+ years, they're finally a religion.

A fraudulent, cultish, child-abusing, corporate religion, but still a religion.

That's like saying you'll always be ghetto because you were born in Watts.

Yo, I gots to be down wif my homeys cause it's who I am and I can't change dat!

Damn, it's good to be a gangsta. Or a GA.

If true, those members must believe in convert baptisms.

Because if Mormon always a Mormon....

...then if Catholic, always a Catholic, etc.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/2014 12:07PM by Stumbling.

I was born and baptized Catholic, but then no one ever took me to a Catholic service in my life, so I never had a chance to identify with that label. I suppose I'm still on their records, because they won't undo baptisms. I don't identify myself as a Catholic though.

If gullibility has a genetic component, we of pioneer heritage may always have a little Mormon in us.

I love not being Mormon. Why value a culture based on falsities and causes such self loathing? Community??? I love hearing how people "love" their bishops, stake presidents, etc... Often times, you're an assignment to them so be careful who you love.
Culture??? I'm still trying to determine what that is with mormons and I was active for 40 years.

Sure I love my family and friends that are still in, but definitely not for their membership. I'm Out and I'm Happy!!!