"That sure is a nice family you got there...wouldn't it be a shame if something happened to it?"

I'm convinced that the veiled, Mafia-like threats that you won't be with your family forever (or empty promises that you'll get to be with them for eternity) that the church lays against the members are most of the reason my TBM wife is hooked.

She comes from a large family, and "family" seems to be very important to most of them. They've had family reunions ever summer for years and years, and probably will far into the future. They'll spend hours together talking about some great feat that so-and-so did while he was a child, or talking about how what's-her-name was "Sooo Cuuuute" when she was a baby, in reference to many other family members. They celebrate and venerate their dearly deceased much more than any other family I know.

My wife would tell you her faith stems from the belief/hope/"promise" that they'll be with her family for eternity. But whenever I hear her talk about it, it sure sounds like fear talking, fear that she'll never see them (the deceased) again. More fear than hope and faith.

Psychological studies show that fear is a stronger motivator than reward is. Hence, the fear tactics of the Mormon brainwashers. Highly paid Madison Avenue advertising executives give out good advice:

"First, convince people they have a problem, then offer them a solution--for a price."

Mormonism: "Scare people with threats, then ease their fears with false promises--for a price."

Many ex-Mormons on RFM, from time to time, have posted comments such as, "But what if it is true?" I know that I had nagging doubts, based on guilt and fear. When I resigned, the Mormon bishopric, stake presidency, my home teachers, the Sunday school teachers all threatened me. They overtly, blatantly threatened me with financial ruin if I didn't pay tithing, increased physical illness if I quit my calling as organist, and that my children would fail in life if I didn't force them to go to Mormon meetings. We were threatened that we would be separated in the afterlife, and would "pass by each other as strangers." We got tired of hearing that. Men in groups of two or three, banging on my door after 9:30 at night, and me and my children home alone, cowering in the back of the house, with the lights turned off--it was like Mafia movie, or something. The bullying was surreal. The whole cult seemed surreal and evil, during those months.

Ask your wife, what kind of "church" physically forces kids to attend meetings? What kind of church threatens and bullies its members into paying tithing money, cleaning and maintaining its real estate holdings, working for free?

The charities I'm part of now, I work for and donate to out of love, because I want to, because I like to see the direct result of my good deeds. No false promises to the needy.

So well put.

Like many, I found the knee-jerk reaction from the indoctrination, "But what if it's true," to be a very bitter aftertaste for a while after discovering the lie of Mormonism.

Now, the idea of the Mormon church actually being true and there actually being a Celestial Kingdom is the ugliest of threats. I can't imagine anything worse than enduring Mormonism for eternity. OMG. Please. NOOOOOooooooooo . . .

The fear of losing my kids was worse.

I remember a column by Robert Kirby about who you'd have to share "home" with if you went to the CK, like that SIL you can't stand, as a lot of your family won't be there.

Well, I have this sister. She has been the bane of my existence. I think she has been angry with me ever since I was born. I'm 17 months younger. She has made my life a living hell through most of it UNLESS I pretended to get along. I did through the years her children were growing up as she neglected them and I took care of them a lot.

Well, now she has taught her kids to treat me like she does. We just had another situation happen yesterday.

I'm 60 and I will be so glad to be done with her when this life is over.

I think in reality that many people really don't like many in their family all that much. If mormon heaven really existed, what a shocker it will be for them to end up sharing a house with a family member they never got along with while the ones they wanted to be with are in the TK.

Too bad you won't be with them if you don't tow the line! There was always that threat that if you're not good enough, your spouse and children will be given to someone more worthy of them in the next life. Oh, but families are forever,remember?

An awful lot of my family isn't so "nice". If I leave tscc will you promise I don't have to hang with them in eternity? Outer Darkness has a peaceful, tranquil, quiet sound to it.

"To have to live with some of my family members would make Heaven a living Hell."
- - Bishop Judic West, Orem 533rd Ward, upon his realization that religion has consequences.

Mafia talk- good one.

Terrorist talk: We are holding your family hostage. No one try to leave.

The nano-second the statement "But what if it's true" is made that is an automatic indictment that they DO NOT KNOW and they have perjured themselves with any so called testimony of "I know this church is true".

All excuses come to naught the moment the above is used as a plea for the unbeliever to "reconsider" their supposed wrong reasons for leaving the church.

The "what if it's true..." goes totally away once one decides it is absolutely not true. One does doubt doubts but one cannot deny certainty!

What I found interesting was the brilliance of setting up a religion which would use even clothing to hold its people because if you wear garmies, you will feel guilty without them - at least for a while. Same about tithing and all else. Just how certain am I? If I even thought for a moment that I would lose the opportunity of seeing my wife and offspring, for eternity, I would shudder and be a basket case. I have a family of many and I have lost most as to closeness because I left mormonism - but I not lost them forever because I know TSCC is false and I must stand for truth, regardless.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/12/2017 04:19PM by rhgc.

Fear is one of the reasons I converted to the Mormon church at the wee age of 12. My parents had just divorced and I was terrified at the prospect of my family splitting up. The Mormon church promised that we could be together forever in the next life if we were all Mormon. Not everyone in my family joined though so I always had a dark cloud hanging over my head knowing that we wouldn't be together.

Three out of four of my TBM brother's children don't want anything to do with the Mormon church. It causes so much sadness in my brother's life. He can't truly be happy when spending time with his family thinking that they won't be together in the next life. F the Mormon church.

Texmo Wrote:
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> F the Mormon church.

No, hombre. F the Mormon Corporation.

I am so sick of their family talk it is one of their control tactics. I dont even like my family except one or two and why would i want to be with them forever that is a horrible idea, i was treated like utter garbage because i wouldnt believe what they believed. i am an adult and should not be with my family at all at this age or forever more i have to find another way.