I've been poking around listening to many LDS leader speeches on the internet from past devotionals/general conferences, etc. Before I knew any of the facts about Mormonism, all of these speeches sounded wonderful and sounded like they were full of inspiration. HOWEVER, once I learned the facts about the "church" and some simple education on cult tactics, it's very easy to see that with each of their speeches there are a few underlying themes:

1) You should stick to the counsel of the church to avoid "going astray." Because we are talking about eternity here and we, aka the church don't want you to suffer.

2) The church as all the answers because we talk to God and Jesus. You can have some of the answers by praying yourself but we will always have more answers than you.

3) On a minor note....the church seems to frown upon having fun for some reason...aka GOD FORBID YOU BE TRUE TO YOUR SEXUAL URGES AND HAVE SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE. Living your life with integrity and being honest with yourself is an enemy to the church.

4) There will be gifts/blessings/good things to come your way if you follow the church (for true believers when good things happen which they previously prayed about they give credit to following the church and it hooks them even more. It's a feedback cycle).

5) Happiness is frowned upon. Suffering/struggling is seen as "good"/"What you're supposed to be doing".

6) One of the high Sisters mentioned in a speech that to save money and to get ahead financially members should always pay tithing. She then gave an extreme example about one of the church members from a long time ago how he paid tithing on the amount of money he actually wanted to make, and then a year later he made that money. This advice is completely ass-backwards to growing financially in life. How can you become financially stable by giving your money away for free and not knowing where it goes? What the fuck?!?

7) You will suffer if you don't have the church or if you leave it. (Similar to #1).


They do make SOME positive/inspirational points every now and then, HOWEVER for the most part all of their speeches are marketing schemes to people to keep relying on them. They are VERY tactfully worded and to the average person with no cult tactic knowledge it can sound super wonderful and great. I become sick to my stomach hearing these speeches. It's very disturbing. VERY DISTURBING. These speeches are very devisive that can eat away at your brain and soul if you aren't aware of the underlying themes. I can see how people get hooked with no knowledge of the ulterior motives of the church. Disgusting.

I always cringed when I would hear about the tithing topic. It just seems so irrelevant when it goes to a big mall downtown. Some GA needs to do some explaining on that one.

Temple! Temple! Temple! was always a real snoozer. Like what's the point?

poopstone Wrote:
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> ...
> Temple! Temple! Temple! was always a real snoozer.
> Like what's the point?

"Temple" is just a euphemism for "Tithing". That way they can sound like they're talking about something other than tithing.

As Mark Felt said, follow the money.

poopstone Wrote:
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> Temple! Temple! Temple! was always a real snoozer.
> Like what's the point?

It has to be a snoozer because they really can't say anything of
substance about it. All they can do is talk about how great it
is and how you should do it but not exactly WHAT it is.

If you do x, y or z, (but most importantly pay your tithing) God will bless you. The more commandments you keep, the bigger your afterlife reward. Done.

For those interested, read up on social psychology and cult tactics. The mormon church always walks a fine line but is definitely into most of the cult tactics. They have to be otherwise they would have even more defections than already exist. If it wasn't for family and group pressure to "stay in the boat" the church as it is today would die and turn into an actual real estate investment trust.

The underlying theme delivered by the 15 in that sickening soft next to the angels lilt (to fool you into thinking these are pious people) is to obey, pay and shut-up, OBEY, PAY AND SHUT-THE-F-UP, and then you maybe will be a candidate for the CK.

They try to convince you that they care and want to talk to you about whatever bothers you. However, they do not mention that their visiting hours are NONEXISTENT. (we love you, but only if you stay the hell away from us).

OBEY, PAY, SHUT-THE-F-UP and STAY THE HELL AWAY is the real and only theme of the LDS Cult. It needs to be written on their temple doors.

The underlying theme of most religions (not all, of course) is about the punishments and rewards in an afterlife.
The other real theme is money. No money, no church. That's universal.

I've always wondered, if the church truly has a "great product", why would they care if people left? Wouldn't they come back?

My family is not mormon. My 82 y.o. aunt, stopped going to church because it's all about money. Religion has become just another big business.

Nothing new here...