I have found this quote to be very true. Most people never get to where they want to be because they fear failure, they fear ridicule, they fear offending family, they fear losing friends, they fear making God angry. If you look at organizations like the church they rule by fear. Oh you won't reach the Celestial Kingdom unless you do everything we say perfectly. You will lose that spouse you love in the next life if you don't do what we say. You won't be protected if you don't wear that special underwear. You won't get protection unless you pay your tithing. I mean how often does a member of the church do something out of fear? Probably the biggest fear is not being accepted by the group. How many people never leave the church because of FEAR? How many want to be there because they want to be there?

That is a really great quote. So much of what we fear isn't really a threat either. I'm terrified of being disliked but I when it happens its actually not that bad.

I read somewhere that Islam is the LOVE of God and Christianity is the FEAR of God. MORMONISM is the scariest of all 'religions' (claiming Christianity) and exists to SCARE it's members into doing what they say [(is) "the right thing"]. It is the FEAR of GUILT/ conscious, others knowing/ looking bad/ embarrassment/ church leaders/ God/ future/ family...

The LDS "church" preaches fear, rather than love. I LEFT, seeking love, and found it IMMEDIATELY outside those doors and outside Mormon preaching, teaching and influence.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/2017 08:16PM by readwrite.

Ironically Christianity in it's purest form shouldn't be all that scary. Christ was quite forgiving. In fact his biggest enemy was the church. The first time I really read the New Testament the message to me was do your best to treat others how you want to be teated. Judgement is not yours but the Lord's. We all fall short of the glory of God. In short, do your best to be a good person and don't beat yourself up on your faults and don't be obsessed with other's faults and beware of self aggrandizing religious leaders.

Rubicon Wrote:
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> Christ was quite
> forgiving. In fact his biggest enemy was the
> church.

What "church?"

> In short, do your best to be a
> good person and don't beat yourself up on your
> faults and don't be obsessed with other's faults
> and beware of self aggrandizing religious leaders.

And believe in magic jesus, or burn in hell for eternity.
You forgot that "forgiving" part.

Writings of author Anita Moorjani (google is your friend) echo your sentiments well. I have read both of her books and fear is exposed in it's naked state.

It's interesting that fear isn't one of the seven deadly sins. Maybe it would have defeated the purpose of the list.

Jesus was quite anti-establishment in regards to religious leaders (pharisees,Sanhedrin) and said they were all like sepulchers full of bones. Kinda like what we say about the Q15 and all the GA's. His truthful criticisms got Him murdered, though. Maybe that's where the fear that's taught in Christianity comes from: You better go with the flow and don't rock the boat, or else! That fearful control that men came up with is the total opposite of what He taught about love and "live and let live".

Great post. What a valuable quote.

This is what struck home with me:

"Probably the biggest fear is not being accepted by the group."

Once I realized the Mormon church was one big lie, then my life began because suddenly, after all those years of trying to fit in, I no longer cared if the group accepted me and I kind of liked that it didn't. I started identifying as an outlaw in a joking, still legal, kind of way.

Being gay and Mormon in the seventies, it wasn't just the Mormon church I no longer cared if it accepted me, it was society in general. There were some ugly times. I was chased once by gay bashers but got away. Let me tell you that gets your heart going. But I learned to treasure not fitting in. I didn't feel like I was on the fringe. I felt like I was another species altogether.


Sometimes the opposite of fear is not bravery. Sometimes the opposite of fear is knowledge or self esteem?

No one should ever base their own value on someone else's opinion.

It's great to find out huh. Fantastic!

Fear paralyses, and to feel this is to feel helpless and hopeless. Emotional abuse is the mantra of the MormonCultCo.

Of course they deny this is the case to the rooftops. But what in the hell is it if they tell you that only they can tell you what to read, what to watch and, most importantly, WHAT TO THINK?

Censorship is emotionally abusive and it certainly is the mother of fear. Am I measuring up, am I following the rules like I am told I must, and will I make it to the Celestial Kingdom?

And, the Cult teaches that Satan is ever so near and you need to be on your toes to keep out of his grasp. He is clever, abusive too, and, yet again, is a master of creating bushels of fear.

How freeing, how amazing it has been for me to leave fear behind once and for all and be on the other side. I had been in its grasp in my home, and then, ever so cunningly, in Mormonism.

I so agree with the statement that everything I want is on the other side of fear.....choice, critical thinking, creativity, freedom, spontaneity and peace all for the taking.

There is definitely a wall of fear from inside the cult to getting outside the cult mentally and physically its not an easy jump that's for sure so you are correct.

Many folks are disasters because they've won the admiration of the whole world, but feel fake or hollow within. The greatest work you'll ever do is the work you'll do within the walls of your own skin.

Self-development must preceed any true relationship that lasts and grows beautifully.

Only the authentic can find a true soul mate.

Flaws are perfection tempered with love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOKTOrx1bDs

Great quote.

Thank you.

Thanks for the quote.

Yes, everything I did was out of fear when I was a member - the tremendous anxiety TSCC caused made me feel I was going to lose my mind daily

Growing up, I thought I wanted a "testimony" (of 'the truthfulness of the [lds] gospel'), though it was really just the truth. I WAS AFRAID I'd never find it. I WAS RIGHT! However, I found the truth - which lead me out of Mormonism - since it was all a big lie anyway.

Mormonism taught me FEAR.
I learned LOVE on my own.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2017 11:26PM by readwrite.

Mmmmm, not everything. Most of my wants are simple, easy and free, not on the other side of fear. I want a nice meal and a good nap. I want a long hot shower and a good book. I want to take a walk and talk with a friend. I'm a contented person.

There's something to be said for your approach too.

If you can only have the life you want by breaking through your fears . . . that might be a tall order and a long wait.

But if you can enjoy life (even without crashing through your fears) . . . .

Are you being sarcastic, I kinda hope you are..

If something is not wroth fighting for, you don't really want it!!

I'm completely serious.

I used to always think I had to get somewhere to enjoy my life - get over some fear, overcome some huge challenge, bust through an obstacle ---- I found, for me, that those things are always there. I think you can enjoy your life before, during and after you've conquered your fears.

I also relate to the OP.

I'm not talking about achievements per se

health as an example, people who don't go to the doctor cause they fear being told they are sick, but they can never be made well even if they are! I am all for living life true to who you are, but to even really find that out and not listen to what media, culture and people is tell you what you should be is a fight of its own

thingsithink Wrote:
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> I used to always think I had to get somewhere to
> enjoy my life - get over some fear, overcome some
> huge challenge, bust through an obstacle...

My life was filled with people who were always saying we needed to climb some metaphorical (and occasionally literal) mountain. I got so I would reply, "What's wrong with this lovely valley?"

Achievement-oriented people tend to think their way is the only way to be happy, just like extroverts believe extroversion is the key to success and happiness, and like religious people believe you can't function properly without their religion. The achievers are always achieving without achieving contentment, which is the most difficult thing for them to achieve. "I'll be contented when I achieve everything on my list." No, because they never stop adding things to their list.

In his novel, Galapagos, Kurt Vonnegut says the human ability to imagine is our great curse, because no matter how good we have it, no matter how much we achieve, we can imagine something better.

I hear you.

I try to do both. Imagine I can achieve something greater and enjoy that journey, but also enjoy where I am - and I'm finding myself focusing on the latter more as time goes by.

That's why you sometimes have to rotate it while eating.

It has been my observation that all organized churches have two goals: POWER and MONEY. They achieve this by controlling people and they control people through fear and guilt.

Originally you didn't have to pay tithing to attend the temple. However it was identified as a great tool to get money. Here they use fear (You will live for all time and eternity without your family if you don't take out your temple ordinances).

We had a temple president tell us in a HP meeting that we needed to attend the temple once a week. I approached him in the hallway after the meeting and told him I attended the temple once a month and why was I to be made to feel guilty for not attending weekly. You'll find that many members are made to feel that no matter how much you do it's never enough.

I always thought it strange that more people didn't leave the Catholic Church after the revelation of the Priest Pedophile problem. But you have to remember that these Catholic's have been taught from a very young age about Hell, Damnation and Satan. They are filled with fear and this is what keeps them from leaving.

I'm sure we all have many examples of how guilt and fear are used in just about everything organized churches do to control our behavior.

I totally agree. Fear is not a motivator. Fear is an inhibitor. It blocks reason and encourages irrational behavior.