Hey everyone,

I'll never forget how scared I was back in 2003ish when I was first visited the RFM board. I was literally shaking. But I'll also never forget how relieved I was to realize I wasn't alone in questioning TSCC.

Fast forward to today. I'm well out of the church and married to a great woman who is staunchly non-religious. Life is good. However, I still live in Utah and my kids are approaching school age. I feel like I might be needing some guidance and support in the years to come.

I've been mixed up in many of the exmo groups/forums through the years but I like this one the best. Glad to see it's still so active!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2017 12:22PM by bohica.

My experience, raising kids in Ut., they seemed to get along alright until third grade and some of their friends were getting baptized. We got through that okay but their teen years were where the challenges started to set in. Fortunately, they all saw the cult for what it was and though pressure was being applied by their peers and cult leaders/teachers they remained immune. By being exposed to the virus of Mormonism, they were basically vaccinated from getting the disease. Yes, there were side effects but none that were lasting nor convincing.

Yeah that's kind of what I'm expecting. I honestly don't think kids care at all about the religious issues until something like a baptism comes up. But that comes and goes pretty quickly.

I am truly worried about the seminary/teenage years though. Speaking as one who grew up as an 'insider', I know I basically had zero thoughts about what church my friends belonged to or didn't belong to until the seminary indoctrination really starting kicking in. Then it mattered way too much I'm sorry to report.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2017 12:45PM by bohica.

Almost every year a Christian kiddie would confront non-Christians and tell them they were going to hell if they didn't convert.

In your situation I'd expect some mormon student to try to set nonmormons right by telling them they needed to go to the true church or some other veiled threat.

I think it might be a good idea to mention this concern to the teacher and to your child. Tell the teacher you'd appreciate it if she/he would watch out for this problem and help you alleviate it if it happens.

Tell your child to let you know if kids talk about church and watch for signs that this might bother them. You might want to teach them what they could say to aggressive mormons wanting them to go to church.

"This is public school so my dad told me not to talk about church stuff here."

"No, I don't want to go to your church. My family isn't mormon."

"We're here to learn reading and numbers, not church stuff."

Your child might have other good ideas for what to say.

As a teacher, I sat the class down and held meetings. I explained that parents and other grownups paid for school for everyone. They did not pay for teaching about any certain church and would not let it happen. Church rules belong at home and at churches. School rules apply at school.

People who want church and school to mix have to pay for special schools where Catholics or Christians or Hindus attend.

This is good advice.

Now, how can I make sure my kid ends up in a class with a kindergarten teacher like you? I'm afraid she'll get the teacher who also happens to be the overzealous R.S. President.

Did you teach in Utah? I have four kids in school in Utah, and I've never heard of anything like this happening. I have heard of others mocking Mormon kids though. Most of the mormons I know are semi-ashamed of their religion and just keep their mouths shut. That's how I was in school...I didn't dare let any of my school friends know I was Mormon. On the other hand, most of my non-member neighbors are very vocal about their disdain for TSCC.

Kids have passed out invitations to mormon ward events and have told other kids that they must go to a mormon church if they want to be with their moms and dads in heaven.

Also, missionaries and students have handed out flyers or Books of Mormon on school campuses in Utah. I saw this happening when I was visiting my mother in Ogden.

I never had a problem with mormon kiddies or their parents, but as I said I never taught school or had my own children attending school in Utah.

It depends on where you live in Utah. SLC is only 30 percent Mormon and there are neighborhoods in SLC that are very open-minded. Where in Utah are you?

That is the other thing. We're in Layton, right next to Hill Air Force Base. So I'm hoping there will already be much more diversity built in. It does seem that way - living here for the last 5+ years - but I'm still holding my breath for when my kids actually have to go to school and live it first hand. I grew up in uber-Mormon southeast Idaho and I know Layton is at least a significant step in the right direction compared to that.

My experience was pretty much what deja vue said.