Posted by:
Done & Done
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Date: October 27, 2016 11:43AM
I was shocked that even my elderly extremely TBM parents admitted recently that they are aware the Mormon church is hemorrhaging members, including the SP's, bishops, and higher ups. They are aware of the DNA and have joined the discussions of where the BoM took place and who are the "others." My mother is concerned with Joseph's polygamy and shenanigans, but accepts it as God's will. The various of versions of the first vision don't even raise a red flag. My 89 year old father recently learned of the second anointing and is troubled by it, but, they are not worried because Satan using partial truths to confuse us "was prophesied by Joseph to be the case in the last days." The fact that the chosen are falling away in droves only makes them more determined to endure to the end until rigor mortis is the last thing clenching their arthritic hands to the iron rod.
People leaving the church is proof the church is true!
I realized at once the phrase, "This was prophesied . . " was an inoculation against the truth. And then I realized how many similar phrases are fed to the sheep constantly as booster shots to keep them immunized.
The Mormon Playbook:
"Satan is so clever he can deceive even the very elect."
"Heavenly Father does not want us to delve into the mysteries."
"Be in the world but not OF the world."
"Only Mormons know true joy and happiness."
"It will all be explained in the hereafter."
"Avoid even the appearance of evil."
"Doubt your doubts."
"Endure to the end."
"Heavenly father has a plan for you and the things you find extremely trying in life are your special challenge to prove yourself."
"You chose your challenges in the pre-existence."
And now I see the worst of these is indeed, "Joseph prophesied that many would fall away in the last days." It is the catch-all that makes people stay no matter what facts, knowledge, suspicion, and reason they must bury or ignore in order to hang onto that rod.
For some Mormons I think facts don't matter, truth does not matter, because the indoctrination is so complete that they are "in it to win it" at any cost. Our competitive nature is being used as a cult tactic.
For some, it is only about being the "last man standing?"