I casually mentioned, while telling an anecdote in Sunday school once, a Ouija board my parents had given me when I was 13 that we used at sleepovers to pretend we knew who was taking us to the school dance. I was publicly chastised (I was a brand new member) for participating in Satanic activity/witchcraft and the bishop called me in to speak to me the following week. No joke. I cried from humiliation for days.

What bizarre things (other than sex/ the obvious) do you remember feeling guilty about?

In my 30's, although a TBM, I rationalized that I had purchased a few R-rated DVDs (i.e. The Patriot, Gladiator, etc). I had about 10 of these action-type movies, but later when called to the Bishopric, felt guilty. I took them all to the pawn shop, with my son in tow - trying to show him what a good example I was.

I remember when this kid next to me (I was about 10 years old) joked that "The Holy Ghost will haunt you if you don't do what's right." I laughed at that and then thought I may have committed blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Outer darkness for eternity!

As a child, I once commented that I liked the smell of brewing coffee. My parents freaked out and scolded me saying things like coffee was of the devil and it hooks people like cocaine; and the devil was trying to get me, and other bullshit. So naturally, I felt terrible because of my "heinous" sin and worried that I was going to hell for simply enjoying an aroma.

Stupid cult. Thank goodness I developed a taste for the devil's drink later in life.

Boy, they really went over the top, didn't they?!

When I lived with my mom, I would get up early on weekdays and start brewing my pot of French-roast coffee. My mom used to say that waking up to the smell of brewing coffee was one of her pleasures in life. How awful to deny yourself such a small pleasure!

r-rated movies, 49ers games on Sundays, shopping at the store, music, going "to far with girls" etc...

I was about 15-16. I was on the swim team. I was sitting in a bathtub shaving my legs before a swim meet. I was already naked. Had all the shaving cream right there. So I shaved everything else. I felt. SOOOOOO guilty. Like I had done something bad.

Entertaining "the philosophies of men" after getting endowed. Before my mission I was starting to get attracted to philosophical thoughts of the great thinkers. I was pretty brainwashed after my mission and though my endowment almost had me running from Mormonism, on my mission I tried to convert myself more than anyone else.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/15/2015 06:57PM by Elder Berry.

They had me so brainwashed with their rules about taking the name of the Lord in vain that I felt guilty if I used the word "god" or "God." And I am not talking about cursing. I am talking about using the word and the name when discussing religion.

Amen.

Just being a normal person.

Soon after my mission, I felt very guilty about playing penny ante poker. No one had won or lost more than a dollar, but it was gambling.

When I was eight years old I was left in charge of three younger siblings. I was told not to take my siblings to the creek, but nothing was on TV. I lied later and said we hadn't gone there. I felt guilty about being neglected and not following orders. The Holy Ghost haunted me, contributing to the night terrors that I already suffered due to physical abuse. I wished I hadn't been baptized. My salvation was at risk. Already I was a thoughtcriminal.

Everything! I felt shamed for living. For having a beautiful curvy young body, for needing intimacy, for having thoughts and desires of my own of what I'd like to accomplish on this earth that did not fit the "mormon mommy and wife slave" mold.

I worried about breathing alright! I just never felt of value at all and felt constantly never enough and always judged for some reason...my jeans were the wrong brand, my dad wasn't rich enough to be blessed from God as someone else's family was blessed, my dad wasn't a bishop, our family didn't take the right kind of vacations every year, my extreme molly mormon ness did not seem to be what I was judged most over. Though, it caused me to be shunned by those who were not mormon. So, it was always a lose...lose as far as I can see.

For having my hair slightly touch the top of my collar in back and the tops of my ears on the sides.

Called out by Standards "police" and not being allowed to register for classes at BYU Winter semester 1974 until I got a haircut, which I did.

Used to feel guilty about going to movies on Sunday. Now it is my favorite Sunday activity in utah. No one else is there, it's like having your own giant home movie theater all to yourself!

I used to feel guilty when I would sneak crackers or a slice of bread on fast Sunday. The guilt didn't seem to stop me though because I did it all the time.

Maybe slightly off topic because I don't recall feeling guilty, but your post triggered a memory.

When I was about 7 years old someone at school told me that if you flipped the bird towards heaven it would kill God. I couldn't wait to get home to try it in the privacy of my own back yard. Afterwards I wasn't sure if it had worked because nothing really changed. So if you noticed prayers stopped working around 1972, it may have been my fault.

A couple of years before I left the church, I found myself praying for forgiveness for some trivial thing I did as a thirteen year old. I knew then that there was a problem...

I felt very bad about drinking hot chocolate and liking it so much, after "pondering" and praying about D&C 89 (Word of Wisdom). I even asked bishop specifically whether it was really really ok.

OMG how stupid it sounds today. I was really walking on eggshells those days.

Not bizarre, but I thought as a youth I was obcessed about my girlfriend's curvy figure.

I lost my virginity at 20 and was delighted with how much fun sharing sex could be. Right then and there I realized guilt did not serve me.

That ahhhh haaa moment changed my thinking and I have not let guilt or shame effect me.

When I wore pads at night I wore regular underwear under my garments so the pad would stay in place. I felt so guilty about wearing regular underwear under my garment I told a member of the bishopric during my temple recommend interview. Also, to be honest TSCC has done a huge mind f**k on me, I feel guilty about everything that I don't think I do well enough. I get into what DH calls a downward spiral of depression. I hate TSCC, because it brainwashed me into thinking I wasn't good enough and to always doubt myself.

I snuck into the kitchen late at night and ate a doughnut with a maple glaze. When my father asked who ate the snack, I said that it was my brother Jack and jack was grounded for 14 days.

Wait...that was Elder Price. Sorry got the musical on the brain and this thread reminds me of Spooky Mormon Hell dream. Mormons obsessing and feeling guilty over ridiculous things is well known and hilarious to outsiders especially when compared to actual bad things that happen in the world.

Getting a drink of water from the foyer water fountain when no one was there, on fast Sunday, the day after my baptism.....I was very thirsty, but I was supposed to be fasting and had just broken the rule the day after I was perfectly clean.

Getting a very large drink of water from a faucet in the building we used as a church as a new missionary assigned to the Caribbean islands....on fast Sunday....I was sweating bullets in the hot humid climate and needed water.

I'm glad your common sense took over and that you didn't suffer from extreme dehydration and end up hospitalized or worse.

I loved to play solitaire and I felt guilty for using face cards. I eventually broke the sinful habit.

My parents never cared about face cards. This came from church.

I never did go to movies on Sunday until I became a heathen. Now, like someone above, love going to movies on Sundays here in Utah.

I was released from my mission. A few days later I was watching cinemax near 1AM and they had some sexy tv themes going on.

I didn't masturbate my whole mission. Didn't have wet dreams either. Not sure why but my other missionary roommate would on ocasion relish in having a wet dream that their mind created without any self stimulaiton (as far was they were willing to share).

Anyway -- story short -- I felt horny and masturbated, along in my room, thinking of the sexy curves and naked women I saw on tv. I felt pretty bad.

After awhile I hang of things and just didn't care if there was guilt because I could always tell Jesus I'm sorry and please forgive me.

Praying for forgiveness always seemed like an empty exercise in futility because for years I would do this knowing that at some point in time I was going to break down and masturbate again.

So, the guilt slowly became irrelevant and the bishops and stake presidents were none the wiser anyway. I didn't like bringing up masturbation with them because it was uncomfortable and always ended up being -- well brother <blank> keep trying to improve and the Lord will forgive you. So, I didn't bother explaining or praying for forgiveness anymore. I just took it that bishops forgave easily so would god without the middle man.

If you'd asked for stories of guilty things about which I'd felt bizarre, I might have had a story or two to contribute... All of them involved fine dining.

As a teenage TBM, I had some money from working in a neighbors backyard for a few days.

I went to the store on my bike, bought some treats and decided I would buy a package of ice-tea mix, I think Nestea. I'd never tasted tea of any kind but I think they'd been playing some fun ads on TV.

I made a pitcher of ice tea when I was home alone, didn't care much for it and dumped it out.

I took the rest of the package and hid it from my parents, and then that night, went out on my bike, with the remaining packages in my pants pockets. I dumped all the powder in the irrigation ditch at the end of our street and threw the package out in the field.

My dad was the "ditch master" and I was sure he'd find the package and know it was me. I don't think I've ever told anyone else about this. I felt very guilty for several days. And I still don't like ice tea now.

Having a smoke (stupid in hindsight...and I quit 32+ years ago), enjoying a beer in public and being seen coming out of the liquor store.

RB

I felt/feel guilty every time I 'fail' or get chastised for doing something not how someone else wanted. That my ways are always the wrong way and people around me are always right because all the church did was tell me to do this and that and feel guilty if I did anything different... it was wrong and bad and I had to change and conform. Still struggle with this every damn day.

I'm sorry. I can totally relate though.

As a missionary we were not allowed to read anything but church magazines, scriptures, the missionary handbook and books from Deseret book. Sadly I am a voracious reader. It was pure hell for me. Eventually I gave in to the temptation.

I used to sneak in book stores and read Time magazine or peruse newspapers or look at books I wanted to read after my mission.

I felt so dirty doing that. I felt the spirit leave me immediately.

Later I realized how ridiculous the sense of guilt really was and how it was a conditioned thing. After my mission I would read with no guilt.

If you tell a bunch of gullible kids that something is a sin they will feel guilt. If my mission president had told us that to wear brown shoes was a sin we would have all worn black shoes and felt the searing pain of guilt if we had snuck around wearing brown shoes. Situational sin.

On fast Sundays as a deacon.I would break down the the leftover "body and blood of Christ" and cram the extra wonder bread in my mouth. You know to tie me over until after church. I would feel gulity, but always hungry won out. Maybe sometime I will tell you about fast oferings and my personal cut I would take on that. No guilt there.guilt with pepsi,but not with Mountain Dew.