of my brothers and sisters, at least according to my dad. He said that since I don't attend any church service, let alone a mormon one, that I am damned. He figures I will be in company with my brother who is Christian. At least he attends some sort of worship service. Of course it isn't mormon so he is damned too.

Apparently he has not heard about the teaching of my brother and me riding his coattails into mormon heaven. I guess that is normal. I think many mormons don't know a lot about their own teachings or they pick and choose. Don't they call those NOM's?

And he won't ask me about these things. Instead, he just gossips to anyone at the other end of the line, namely the rest of my siblings, his siblings, my mom's siblings, his home teachers, his HPGL, the bishopric, etc. Everyone but me. Is this typical behavior for mormons?

What your dad thinks doesn't matter. Why do you care?

If I had a dollar for every time someone has thought ill of me I'd be relaxing on the beach of my own private island while my "staff" (twin supermodels) brings me chilled beverages.

I don't care what he thinks. What bothers me is how much he gossips about all the evil and wrong things I am doing or not doing.

Now a Gentile Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is
> this typical behavior for mormons?

Sadly, yes. It is.

My family gossips big time. That is how I found out one of my cousins left. It is also why I am the new family outcast.

Tell him that you reject mormonism because of the "forver families" in the afterlife. Ask him why you should want to spend eternity with mean, hurtful family members?

The church is worth more thsn its members, and they called it good.

Disgusting morals.

I wish my father was still alive so he could educate TBM asshole men on how to be a father and love their children unconditionally.

I feel confident that YOU could teach that same lesson.

Could you tell me about the LDS doctrine of riding someone's coat tails?

I can't remember where I got it from originally. It may have been on this sight. The principle is that if my parents make it to the celestrial kingdom, I will make it too just because I am their son.

I found the following link that kind of goes into its source.

Thanks for the short explanation.

That's very different than what Baptists believe.

Mormonism and most all other religions spend altogether too much time trying to get to heaven while leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. JMHO.

If someone of that caliber liked me it would be almost like getting praise from a potato head, and what would that make?

If others believe him, I'd question their heads as well.

Sorry have to be so negative about your relatives as you likely love them. Some of them might see through the lies and that would be great for you. If not, at least you can take comfort in being the a bright spot of courage and intellect in your family.

I can't speak for others but this behavior has been very typical of my own deeply mormon family, especially my own Father. I have two sisters who used to grill me hard for information to take to other family members. It's like they got brownie points for ratting me out for misdeeds.

All of my family is true believing mormons and very judgemental of those who commit any sins. It took me years to figger out how my life was being displayed as an open book. Then I learnt myself to keep my mouth shut.

My Parents, In-Laws, and wife have passed away now and I'm immune to anyone who feels the need to rat me out and cause me religious distress. I just received my letter from Salt Lake that says I'm not a mormon anymore, so I no longer care what anyone thinks. As long as my morning coffee is perked, I'm good to go.

Saying things about others to others isn't a mormon trait. It's a human one. Some people, as they mature, learn to be more tactful. Others, sadly do not.

I find that it's useful to acknowledge that people do this, that I'm going to be unaware of what is said most of the time, and therefore shouldn't really concern myself with it. I do my stuff, they can do there's.

Dad: Son, I am concerned that you may be my most evil child.
Son: Why is that Dad?
Dad: Of all your brothers and sisters you are the one who doesn't attend any church service. Your brother isn't Mormon but he attends a service.
Son: How do you feel about him?
Dad: Well he's damned for attending such a service.
Son: Why is that?
Dad: Well we belong to the one true Church.
Son: What does it mean by "true Church"?
Dad: Well of course it means that our Church is the most honest, truthful, and transparent Church ever.
Son: Why do you say its so honest and all that?
Dad: Because I know that on any important issue, such as one that could cause any person to not be a believer anymore, that the Church will try super hard to be super honest, super truthful, and super transparent. If not then it would be a fraud, not the true Church. Do you believe its the true Church?
Son: No Dad because I have concerns about its transparency.
Dad: On what?
Son: I heard on the Internet that the Church might not be completely transparent with the members on its finances.
Dad: Well of course its transparent or else it couldn't claim to be true. It sounds like we need to get you some good examples on how its been transparent.
Son: Yes Dad that would be nice. Will you promise to respect me and let me be regarding religion until you get me answers on this?
Dad: Of course son. But such a wait won't be long because with the Church being true I'm certain I can get you the answers you seek and then you will say "gosh Dad the Church is soooo honest and transparent". And then you will be more humble.
Son: Ok thanks Dad. In the meantime starting tomorrow I will live a life of iniquity without any judgmentalism from you.
Dad: That's fine. But the evening is young so we'll have that wrapped up tonight. I bet the missionaries at Mormon.org can help me quickly get this resolved. Oh how grateful I am to be in a true Church.
Son: Good luck Dad. Goodnite.

Bad seed here. Worst among seven. Scapegoat. I brought the devil into my abusive father's house. I drank Coke and listened to Black Sabbath. I refused haircuts and Joe Smith. I had to be put away.

I think that all you can do is treat such silliness with a sense of humor -- "Dad, you can come visit me in the afterlife, but bring shorts and a bathing suit, because you know it will be warm." Grin fiendishly at him!

Sometimes with people like that, I tell myself, "That's where they are at. That is their stage of (moral) development. There is probably not a whole lot I can do about it."