I just read on facebook an article called "10 signs of an abusive church"......wow.....fits Mormons so well. Check it out. I thought of 6 of the 10 for sure that my daughter allowed herself to buy into and now I have two grandkids and it kills me to know they will be taught all this crap. Maybe all ten apply to Mormons. Not ever being one I just know 6 do apply. Interested in your thoughts.

You don't acknowledge it when you're in it, but the Church is a very abusive culture. It turns you against yourself until you're a neurotic mess with no self esteem. Unless you're a narcissist, then you're good to go since you'll have people to abuse.

The main reason it's so abusive is that it stunts your emotional growth. I know elderly TBMs who are emotional infants because they ceded all moral decisions and decisions about how they should think and feel to the Church. That creates an emotional dependency on the Church, which is what they want. And they don't care how many lies they have to tell to keep it going.

The children of such parents might behave, or they might be depraved little brats who'll bully your children. Kids aren't dumb, they catch on to entitlement thinking real quick.

True. I read a book about recovering from religious abuse and it totally described Mormonism. It's a form of slavery almost, because you "belong to the church" and you define yourself as a Mormon primarily - not by your own accomplishments but by who owns you. And remember that saying about how you can tell who a person is subject to by who they are afraid to criticize. None of this makes for a good relationship. It's an emotionally abusive one.

Do you mean this one? http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/christian-trends/10-signs-of-an-abusive-church.html

Because that's mormonism to a T.

1. Personality Centric - Don't even try to tell me that the church doesn't idolize Joseph's Myth and all the current church leaders. Obedience to the leadership is always pushed within the ranks, that gives them unquestioned sway over the congregation.

2. Operates Independently - How much noise does the church make about being "in the world and not of the world". Not to mention all the times mormons broke off to form their own church-ruled societies. Need I say more?

3. Engulfment - Though the church "welcomes" non-members there are a lot of things about it that are exclusionary. The language they use, the temple, the way the look down on and/or ban anyone who has a lifestyle they don't approve of.

4. Busyness - Meetings, activities, home visiting, big long blocks of church. Busy is the mormon church's middle name.

5. Stalking - Practically enshrined in their doctrine, what with all the home and visiting teachers.

6. Coded language - LDS, stakes, CTR, the word of wisdom, etc.

7. Unrealistic Promises - All those blessings they promise that never come true even when you do everything "right".

8. Courting Rituals - Marrying in the temple means you can't date non-members. They also want full control of your sex life. No fun in the bedroom unless you're making babies to become future tithe payers.

9. Shunning - Anyone against the church is wrong, anyone not living by their standards is wrong, and anyone who leaves the church is pitiable. (According to them, not my opinion.)

10. The Ends Justify the Mean - Basically all they teach. Do whatever is necessary to get to that highest kingdom, even if it means disowning your own family members. Mormonism is all that matters!

Several years after I had left, I found these--they don't just apply to churches--any groups (self-help, business ventures, etc.) that adhere to these are basically cults or have cult-like mindsets. The indicators are very useful for clarifying any uneasiness one may feel about a group.

Thanks for posting them. The Boner.

#1 sign of an "abusive church:"

They try to get you to believe made-up nonsense is fact, and that you should model your life after the rules they've derived from made-up nonsense.

Churches that fit: all

Wanker! :D :D :D

Guilty as charged :)