is there a poll somewhere that shows what people do/follow after mormonism?

i declare myself agnostic --for reasons unrelated to mormonism.

hey mister admin, sorry to bother you, can you set up a poll thingy so people can vote?

Now that you're finished with Mormonism, you can do whatever you want, within reason of course. I've been out for 27 years and the celebration never ends. I've done so many things I could never have done.

When I say "within reason" I really do mean it. That is your only constraint now.

so far, no poll that I know of. and I guess the replies would be overly varied for any one poll.

But if you must know, since religion for me is now a mostly cultural phenomenon, I do read up on the major ones, have tried meditation, chanted to online guides, attend high Mass, attend bible readings (rare, I have to bite my tongue most of the time I'm there), and other traditional religious feasts, festivals and celebrations that as a Mormon I've not permitted myself to go to and without the burden and blinders on.

Oh, yeah, I'm also godfather to a couple friends' kids, no worries. Unca Charles be teaching them critical thinking! LOL

I'm sorry. I gave you a really lame response above. Anyone can tell you that you can do what you want. But I came up with something that might interest you.

Is there anything about your whole Mormon and exmo experience that has given you a kind of particular talent? Did you get out of Mormonism because you're good at something in particular? If so, that's a good indication that it's something you could be good at throughout your life. Most of the exmos I know are very intelligent and have diverse and interesting talents. What's yours?

I don't know if that helps you, but that's what has worked for me. You may want to do something that has nothing whatsoever with any of that. But it's a thought. With me, the child brides of polygamy have become a life-long obsession, so I decided to go into something that would truly enhance what I could do for them. It's the best thing I ever did for myself. I never dreamed I could love my work so much.

i guess my talent is to question everything. i don't mean it in any malicious way (i'm not a tough guy and don't have anything to prove.)

what brought me into agnosticism is the world we now live in.

yes, to me, it doesn't make sense that there's a heavenly father that claims to be in charge.

he loves some children and doesn't love others; keeps some of his children cozy and clean while others get starved to death; saves others by miracles and mutilates others. just look at the world news for one afternoon.

if he is in charge of this world then he is a sadist or doesn't care or he is not aware? then why should i worship such as useless god?

if he is not in charge, then who is? satan? a lesser entity? why should i worship him?

we are in charge? if so, why not treat each other like we depend on each other? why do you need to pray an all-seeing-eye to help your fellow beings when you can do it yourself?


religions are meant to keep people in line. religions are just political tools (see romans 13)

people should be free from religions.

people will end up loving other people for who they are; because it's the rational thing to do --not because you have a guilt feeling or have the need to score points in heaven or feel prompted to live up to the label of christian/ krishna/ etc.

have you ever seen a war started by agnostics?

My suggestion. You sound like the kind of guy that needs to listen to people like Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. On itunes type in Hitchens and download his debategod podcasts. They are free and very good. Also you need to watch Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion" part 1 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4321574955310561251# and part 2 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4321574955310561251#docid=-8210522903232438954. You sound like the kind of person that would find them very interesting. Also if you have the time - one more freebie on itunes - I would recommend Bart Ehrman's "God's Problem:How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question--Why We Suffer." Just type in Bart Ehrman and God's Problem and get there is a free audio thing.

Anyways you would probably really like these guys and they would help you refine your beliefs. I'm not saying that I recommend being an agnostic or an atheist, but if that's who you are then I believe its good to know all the reasons why and have them down pat. These guys are really cool guys though. You can check them out on youtube too.

Anyways, good luck.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2010 10:48PM by evolution.

Yawn.

Lets all go have a beer now, a real beer. I'll buy!

I highly recommend keeping the 10% of your income you were throwing away and enjoy all the extra time in your life. If you want to live like Caligula or earn your Keith Richards merit badge, that's up to you.

If discovering that a life-controlling organization is a fraud is a "yawn" for you, then you probably were not a Morgbot. For most of us, boring is the last word you might use to describe breaking through the Matrix.

Freedom is so absolutely delicious in so many ways--joy in curving around a cup of coffee on a stormy Sunday morning and knowing that you do not DO NOT have to put in your performance (dressed appropriately in clean appropriately colored clothing and wearing the appropriate smile and saying the appropriate things). I've been out 20 years and I am certain that my Sunday mornings are more joyful than the average person. Remember, man (and woman too) is that he (she) might have joy.

The gift of entering a meditative state of "nothing" and having learned that it is not really "nothing where a door is opened and Satan can enter" but is instead a state of all possibilities existing but not yet expressed. The place where you can position yourself completely open and try on possibilities....oh, I could go on, but my point is this:

You now have the freedom to think for yourself and find out where people are doing that so you can learn more about your unexpressed potential. Once you have awakened to --and decided to honor -- your own unique talents and interests, they will guide you towards the place/people/activities which you will find satisfying.

Just like a person who first walks without leg braces, it takes time to build up personal strength and insight on what YOU think about things, not the BRETHREN, not what's RIGHT, but what's RIGHT FOR YOU.

I hope this helps- and good luck to you. It's an exciting journey and one you will never regret. There's only one you and this is your shot.

Now I just live as a normal human being. (Normal being subjective, of course.) Every now and then something will bother me about religion or Mormonism that sends me into an intellectual fit, but honestly, I just enjoy being a contributing member of society.

Can we arrange a coffee date sometime after I recover? It's been far too long.

P.S. My old email is gone. The email under my SN here works though. =) lots of love!

P.S. I'm in Redondo Beach, now, but will be in Sonoma County soon to check on my cat.


How are you kiddo? Still dating Mr. cutie-pie? Or are we on another version?

My email is helvetebrann@yahoo.com

I'm doing well other than the surgery thing. I'm in the process of recovering now, but it's a slow and frustrating process.

I am! We are going on five years now of dating and starting to plan a non-religious wedding with an open bar and lots of coffee =) You, Jerry, and Cheryl will obviously be invited!

How's life treating you?

The wedding and your speedy recovery. Please do take care and get well soon.

I've known a lot of exmos. Some remain Christian, some become agnostic or atheist. Some become wiccan or pagan (not many). I'd say that the majority that I've known have gone sour on organized religion, and move towards agnosticism as they question EVERYTHING.

There are as many paths after Mormonism as there are people who leave.

You have to find your own way.

I'm not kidding. A lot of Mormons are so used to being micromanaged by the cult, that they have no idea what to do, what they like, what makes them happy, or who they are.

You have the adventure of discovery ahead of you, and that is NOT boring! Check it out!

Seriously, try new things, and write down your reaction. Evaluate your pleasure level on a scale, +5 being the greatest (for me, it is skiing) zero being neutral (washing the dishes), and -5 being the worst (pain) When I discovered that I really hated some of the things I was supposed to like, I laughed out loud! I never have to do those stupid Relief Society things again!

I gave myself permission to read about all the real history of the church, just to validate my decision to leave. I read about all other religions, too, and came to the conclusion that other posters here have already pointed out-religion is just a means to control the masses. I see no reason to trade one myth for another now that I'm out of the church.

@evolution: awesome bro. i checked out those videos and i googled Bart Ehrman's book and i got too curious that i went to borders right away. so bought the book. that was just what i had been thinking all my life. i had joined mormonism so i could make a change in our society but...they turned out a hoax. no dramas no depression here. just big sight and a 'i told you so' from my dad.

@anagrammy: thank you for your thoughts as well. i always was into meditation and buddhism. if anything, i'm partial to that since the 'now' it's only thing we have. but i won't worship or bow to the fat dude that's for sure.

i live in hawaii so there's tons of things to do. so now i have an extra day to surf. :)

when i said 'yawn' is because, to me, it was sort of expected. sort of like saying "really, tell me a new one".

when i was a missionary i was somewhat disenchanted with the whole organization and doctrine. that led me to a serious study of the church after my mission and deep down i knew that i was going to become disappointed. and i did.

i guess i was always free; renouncing to yet another organization was sort my path. some people feel guilty for leaving but i didn't. and my departure didn't happen long ago. weeks maybe?

and here i am. enjoying life typing this while drinking a cup of green tea.

(hell, i just lost my right to rule my very own galaxy and missed my chance to having sex with numberless blond virgins with perfect goddess bodies - damn green tea! )

what is "Morgbot" anyway?

@misfit: i hear ya man. check out buddhism. i think that's the closest to what happiness is all about: the now. no myths, no cureloms, lamanites or any kind of -ites. just the now whatever it is. the rest such as organized religion, "just to control the masses" -as you put it so eloquently.

and i say amen to that my brother.

When a couple of missionares first told me that the Indians in America were descendants of an Israeli called Lehi I was blown away.One of them even drew me a map in one of the LDS Chapel rooms. I thought she was amazingly clever and educated!!! hahahhahah

I had never heard before that there were Israelite descendants in the New world and realised how out of touch with world history I must be. How could I so dumb and ignorant!?!? lol

So my Investigation began and to cut a long and embarassing church attendance story of two years short I have now discovered who the American Indians really are and how they got there, how old the earth really is geologically and why we have nations more prosperous and dominant than others ( Guns, Germs and Steel etc). That latter one always bugged me as a kid and I used to wonder why effectively the white Europeans came to be prosperous while the many other nations (usually African nations and others)lived in poverty by comparison.

I've also learnt how Tomatoes, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Chocolate, Chillis, Maize etc came to Europe from the NEW WORLD and no mention of any of them in Smiths Book of Mormon Fiction.Instead Smith wrote of Wheat, Barley, Horses, Cows, Sheep etc NON of which were in the New World until the Europeans brought them and hence not in the Book of Mormon Time Period and Location.

I feel so liberated and empowered and even educated at last!

How sad it all is that people have been taken in by a con man who went on to interfere with their lives using fear of his own words as God's voice and even took advantage of those people sexually and financially.

Church lessons started to make me feel physically sick once I knew for sure.

You are now free to move about the cabin!

Timothy

@zeezrom: oh yeah, not only history of the church is a bit fishy, i could have lived with that. but the book of mormon faults and fantasies are just beyond laughable.

you would enjoy the video "the bible versus the book of mormon"
"the book of abraham" also in youtube.

i just recently found them.

also you would love the book "lamanites: losing a lost tribe"

it's surprising how *after* my departure i find all these tools that sort of reinforce my decision.

Read Zecharia Sitchin's books so when the missionaries knock on your door you be able to tell them what planet the gods REALLY come from. http://www.truveo.com/zechariah-sitchin-12-anunnaki-nibiru-l%C3%BCgen/id/2146153398

@Otremer: i've been buying his books since the 1990's.
;*)

that's the other thing...most christian religions (if not all of them) tell me that the earth is 6,000 years old. that god created man from mud.

the bible genesis (tale of creation) is just a rewrite of sumerian texts such as enuma-elish. to me, the sumerian texts seem to be more accurate and make much more sense.

but that's me.

Since you're already familiar with Zecharia Sitchin, combine his stuff with Laurence Gardner's Grail Bloodline theory and Avraham Gileadi's pre-excommunication stuff about The One True Church needing a little Davidic bloodline leadership and start selling it to Mormon missionaries. Throw in a bit of Richard Hoagland's NASA conspiracy of OTO, Nazis and Freemasons (who are basically Temple Mormons anyway) and I'll bet the missionaries won't be able to resist the 'meatiness' of it all.

You'll have 'em thinking that 'Jesus' isn't just Satan's brother, but his biological descendant through Cain. "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." Revelation 22:16 ...and we all know who the "bright and morning star" is.

I'm into advaita vedanta and hamsa kriya yoga. Pretty similar to Buddhism, but with more physical tek.

I created a survey on surveymonkey after reading your post, now_what.

Admin, I don't know if I can legally post the link, but if you want to check it out and decide, here it is:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GFY3NLZ

I'll gladly post the results after, say 25 responses, and then again at 50, 75, and so forth.