the many years I gave to the mighty morg

the small fortune I was extorted out of by the mighty morg

the hours and hours of sitting in meaningless meeting after meaningless meeting.

the mental anguish of being called to teach a class or speak over the pulpit.

I am, however, thankful that I not longer feel the weight of the chains that held me down for so long. The marks are still there, but the chains are long gone.

I am thankful for the support of those who understand what it is like to be morgified almost beyond help.

Thank you all you wonderful Apostates!

Being made to feel ashamed of my own wonderfully goofy self.
Being made to feel ashamed of my body.
Being made to feel ashamed that I didn't serve a mission.
Being shunned by my neighbors and TBM friends.
Being told by one of my kids that I've made a terrible decision in my life.
Having my wife tell me I'm a man without a conscience.
My lost years as a judgmental TBM.

But, Happy Days Are Here Again... I've resigned from all of that!

The fear and guilt over nothing.
The lies I told as a result of the fear and guilt.
The years wasted mourning my lack of a temple marriage.
The time wasted.
The opportunities I threw away because "that's not what mormon women do."
The lack of self esteem and feeling of self worth.
Being walked on and used, and subjected to people who had no boundaries.
Being forced to allow myself to be treated as a 2nd class citizen.



However, I am thankful for....
My freedom.
That I raised my kids outside mormonism.
The relief of letting go of the guilt.
My family and children.
MY Sundays.
My coffee, beer, and wine.
My home.

And many many many other things. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

applesauce

-feeling that my "package" was evil whenever it reacted the way it was designed to do.

Not grateful for...

-Exhausting myself trying to be peperfect/Molly Mormon when that isn't even realistic.
-Being uber, uber careful over how I act, what I say, what I listen to, or watch for fear that I was sinning
-Feeling pathetic or unaccomplished because I'm not married like 98% of my TBM "friends."
-Having superficial friendships. (Although a few friendships I have to have some depth to them. A precious few, though.)
ETA: - Having my business/personal matters and secrets shared with THE ENTIRE FREAKING WARD and then some. Which is why I'm a private person now.

Grateful for...
-My freedom.
-Reading and watching whatever the hell I want.
-Having friends that are in my life because they want to be, not because of some religion I practice or don't practice.
-Not being insecure/ashamed of my ethnic background. Trust me, there were many members that made me feel that way.
-Colorful lingerie (I know, TMI!)



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2016 02:39PM by severedpuppetstrings.

okay,

I am not grateful for the dearly-loved family members who were turned into judgmental, hate-spewing, ignorant foes of anything different from straight, white, American Mormons.

I am extremely not grateful for the business masquerading as a family-centered church that so carefully brainwashes them and and their children into believing that its lies are god's perfect word.

I am not at all grateful for the fact that I can't even talk with those relatives any longer, without either:

having them try to convince me that TSCC's "truth" is real truth,

or else having them simply turn away and pretend that I am not there.

I am overwhelmingly grateful for real friends, reasonable family members, places like RfM where there are people who actually think, and for being here and being alive.

...thirty years of servitude to "the church."