I was born into the church. Born in Utah to a generational mormon family. So, of course, by default that is why I was a mormon. And i grew up with the shame and guilt that comes with a life of narrow minded thinking, fear mongering over your soul and brainwashing from nursery on up.

Does anyone have the stats on the church numbers? Meaning, when it comes to any growth in the church, I am confident the largest contributor is those born into mormon families. What are the numbers of those born in the church compared to converted members?

You have my sympathies.

I, too, was born into it amd yes, the indoctrination, shaming and consequent depressions and psychological problems and anxities resulted, as they inevitably will for anyone unfortunate enough to be in this position.

I was duped, indoctrinated, conned, shamed, psychologically/emotionally abused, lied to by The Brethren - and I had to give up ten percent of all that came my way for the fu***ng privilege to boot!!

I was a Mormon to try to escape the bullies and find hope, it darkened my world considerably more though and put me through trials I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

I was a mormon because I was born into the church. As soon as I discovered what a steaming pile of shit filled lies it was I got out and took as many people with me as I could.

I spit on the church and its pain and lies and mind numbing doctrines and belief's. It takes away from the full and total
enjoyment and love of life. It makes people feel bad about not
being perfect. It makes them feel guilty for being curious and
wanting to learn of other things beside the church. It does not embrace the beauty and individuality in each and every one of us , instead it hates those of us who are different , who break out of the cookie cutter image , white bread superficiality that they espouse. Being a mormon is like putting your brain
in prison and throwing away the key and making your heart shrink within. I spit on the mormon church and all that it stands for and all of the garbage and lies it promotes.

They never mention the nasty sides of being a Mo until after baptism. It's like "oh yeah also white people are superior, women are on the level of sex slaves, and don't be anything but straight or you'll go to hell, have a nice day." Ugh conversion memories.....

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like saucie says... FUMC!!, in a matter of words, or an acronym.

I was forced into it!

Beginning about the onset of teenagizm, when I felt like feeling/ expressing myself, I observed it becoming increasingly difficult to honor myself - and the CULT = community under living tyrany - at the same time. So, naturally, I began to question. Something I'll always do.lol

I've learned a lot of things. First of all, I like to breathe... and to be me. I wouldn't make a good Mormon today. I probably didn't as a kid either. Yeah

It was the right thing to do at the time. I have no regrets. It was what I needed at the time, taught me what I needed to learn until it was time to move on and give myself permission to change my mind.
I can change my World View with clarity because of my life experiences that have expanded my horizons and ability to learn and find meaning in all of my life.

I don't have a need for religion or any kind of organized belief system anymore. It was part of my growing up years before I converted, what I accepted at the time.

It's a wonderful thing to be able to think differently, view the world differently and find deeper meaning in our lives.

PS: Most importantly, I married my husband of over 50 yrs when I was LDS and raised a family in the church, (now all have left.) So I'll always be grateful for my family.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2016 11:55PM by SusieQ#1.

I was raised Catholic and used to believe that we had the market cornered on shame and guilt. When I married a TBM 4 years ago and studied mormonism to ward off missionaries, I realized that Catholics are pikers by comparison.

I was born the son of a black-hearted Mormon man and his invertebrate wife. It's the only reason I ever had anything to do with that anti-intellectual cult. They tried to beat it into me, but that backfired as I associated the beatings with the bigoted doctrine. I was thoughtful.

I think you have the opening line for a good short story.

This may seem like a trite, simplistic answer, but it is said with much consideration.

I joined the church
Because I didn't know any better.

I didn't know about the history. I didn't know about the psychology of being sucked into a cult. I didn't know that the missionaries are basically, ignorant salesmen pedaling a product they know little about, themselves.
I didn't know that most of the congregation are similarly ignorant

I didn't know any better

my parents were dumb asses who were completely susceptible to the the wiles of the MORmON scam

IF I could have a few minutes to speak with my departed MORmON grandfather or Male parent, It would be spent openly marveling at how damn dumb they were as they endorsed the idiocy of MORmONISM. STUPID ASSES!!!!

I was adopted as an infant, and my parents were/are Mormons. A whole lot of good luck bad luck.

Still not sure if I should be thankful or pissed. Maybe both.

like I had a choice ?

I was raised in the church. It was not beaten into me. I was never told I HAD to read the B of M, or the bible....so I didn't. When all the other guys my age were concentrating on their upcoming mission calls and being worthy enough...I was concentrating on my next beer drinking session with my pals.

RB

....I was engulfed, smothered, and surrounded by the village of Mormonism while drowning in a home filled with alcoholism, silence, and emotional abuse. It seemed to me in this situation that Mormonism was my life-line, so I grabbed it.

In Mormonism, I was only shown and told the "milk story". Those in charge didn't care they were being devious to an innocent, hurting, young person. Hell, they didn't care in the least. I became a victim again, soon loosing trust in yet another set of adults.

However, thanks to being genuinely rescued this time with the gift of an education teaching me critical thinking, plus the gift of other fellow cult-victims, like Fawn Brodie, who with courage dared question and expose truth, I was also able to discover freedom.

The cult is a dishonest, evil, greedy building existing only to serve its dishonest big-wigs who hide under the guise of religious men pontificating they only exist to help others. I love watching and helping them as they drown.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2016 05:33PM by presleynfactsrock.

BIC here. My father is a life-long member who is very down to earth, my mom joined at 21 just before she married my dad. I grew up in the South surrounded by Southern Baptists, so the Mormons weren't too weird in comparison. My friends did think it was weird I didn't drink sweet tea. I read a lot, but did not really think anything was terribly strange until I left home. After I left home, I did the slow fade. Made sure to work on Sundays so I had the ready made excuse to not go to church. Reactivated for a bit after my husband (a lukewarm convert) and I got married in the campus chapel where I worked. After a year we got sealed... That sealed it (pardon the pun). It was a bit weird, started coming here, and left a couple of years later.

librarykim2

I wish I could convert all my enemies to Mormonism. Ha ha. That would teach them!

My mormon parents convinced at the end of a whip that being mormon was in my best interest.

BIC....had no choice. Towards the end of high school I couldn't take it anymore. By that time I was only going to church to play the piano for primary and then I would take off. Parents were super angry and said that if I lived under their roof I was REQUIRED to go to church. That's when I moved out and never went back to that damn church! And here I am 19 years later and TBM mom won't give it a rest...what's worse is she is now trying to get my kids.

parents sat home drinking coffee. Did not know at the time that in the pecking order of moism I was at the bottom of the pile. Went to a ward movie as a kid and member of the bisoPrick said I did not have a ticket. Asked what he meant and he said my parents had not paid their tithing and that was what was needed to get in. I was set up once again by my parents.

He said I will call your parents now and you get on the line to tell them they need to pay. I was such a pawn. The counselor said "oh.....I will let you in". My parents were furious with me when I got home but kept sending me.

Stopped going when I could get a Sunday morning job to pay for my school clothes.

Sent my letter in years later when a Bro Woodruff said I should get out if I "did not need him to visit this month as a Ward teacher." Mad at first but good advice.

alaskawild Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does anyone have the stats on the church numbers?
> Meaning, when it comes to any growth in the
> church, I am confident the largest contributor is
> those born into mormon families. What are the
> numbers of those born in the church compared to
> converted members?

This may help:

http://ldschurchgrowth.com/lds-church-growth-statistics-anomalies-since-1970/

:)

The good thing about being a convert is that you can walk away so cleanly. There are no TBM family members to deal with.

You still have to deal with being shunned by people you thought were friends, but there's no spouse, children, parents, cousins, etc. in the Church, thank goodness.