A few months ago I said the endowment wasn't the reason that I left. Well, it wasn't. I'm a sucker for religious ritual but have since found that the Western liturgies certainly have more to offer. Besides, they don't use video.

When I left the church according to my free agency, I lost all of my friends in an instant. Word spread rapidly and I was hung up on, doors shut, etc. I can't think of one person in the Catholic Church that would do that to me.

I made a good choice to leave because I wouldn't want to do these things to other people.

"We don't shun." -- The "I'm not a dodo" guy

They do it out of fear. It's nothing short of cockroaches scrambling when you turn on the kitchen light. (Disclaimer: I'm not inferring that you have ever had cockroaches in your kitchen.)

Yep - a lot of why I am glad I left has to do with the way the people acted when I left. Even the ones who were relatively nice, I would NOT want to be like. Suspicious, judgmental, shunning, awkward at best. I didn't leave because of it but I'm glad I left because of it.

To which they would reply "You can't judge the church by the people." My response would be "I'm not judging the church - I'm disgusted with the people. If the church means so much to them why do they live in a way that doesn't reflect what the church teaches. You should be able to judge the church by the people."

Ooo that would make a good canned response for exmos. When they say "You left because you were offended" I could reply "That isn't why I left but it's why I"m glad I left. Because Mormons are so offensive even they admit it."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2017 01:44PM by CA girl.

You left to find out who your friends really are. And now you know.

Sometimes I don't think it's a matter of shunning. Who has time for the outside world when you have 3 hours of church, at least once a week meetings, home teaching, visiting teaching, temple attendance, family home evening,.......

No need to make an effort and retain "friendships" when a lot of times the only thing you did have in common was the church.

Even if there was something more there, you become a scary apostate who might lead them astray. If they aren't afraid of you, where are they going to find the time to do something normal outside of their commitments.

Catholics are pretty cool to non Catholics and ex catholics alike. I've never met hostile Catholics yet.

The church culture is that "we are all sinners," so your average Catholic tends to be very understanding and tolerant. There are some turbo-Catholics, just like there are turbo TBMs, but they are in a small minority.