First, because it suits the church to have their members to firmly believe that if they can't take whatever abuse the church and it's leaders dish out, it's their fault. They are weak because they are easily offended and they are the ones destroying their hopes for eternity. If the church teaches there is value in your ability to take abuse, inconsistent teachings, bad manners then they can treat you any way they want and you will take it. They are grooming them to take what the church dishes out.

Second, I think next time someone says "People only leave the church because they are offended" I'm going to say "Man, you Mormons sure have a guilty conscience, don't you?" Because deep in their hearts, where they may not want to examine, they must know that they and Mormonism in general are offensive. Otherwise, this argument wouldn't make sense. If they really believed they were as good as they want credit for being, they would hear that comment and think "That's ridiculous...Mormons aren't offensive." The fact that they don't think that is proof they know they are part of an offensive belief system, somewhere in their souls.

I think blame is the default treatment towards anyone who would dare leave the "one true way" for something else. Anyone who would reject "the truth" has to be in the wrong in some way, because TSCC has "the truth" and is always right. If TSCC is always right, then people who leave are always wrong. They are sinners in some way, and of course proud, so either they are actively choosing to sin or were put off by the flawed behavior of the members, and leave, because they are likewise flawed/weak. This is why they proclaim "the church/doctrine is perfect, but the people are not", and why those who leave MUST be offended. It makes all the brainwashed members feel better about lying to themselves, and the cult can blame anyone who leaves, and label them as proud, while itself claims to be perfect, and righteous. The xstian doctrine of forgiveness, and LD$ doctrine of preexistence encourage more victimization, and rare punishment of perpetrators in TSCC. Of course the cult gets a free pass too, because it is a religion, and no one skeptically questions religions, and the harm they do.

Can't have any non-Church-okayed ideas put into members' obedient little heads!

Also, +1 for atheist&happy's "TSCC victimizes and exploits members, then labels and blames the victims." Yes;TSCC has done this since its inception.

Mormonism IS offensive in so many ways.

And somewhere, deep in their hearts, they have a testimony of their own offensiveness lol.

I was offended because I was black.

The nerve!

I left because I realized without my sustenance the profit is no prophet.

I wasn't offended, just relieved!

"Was" black? WTF?

Just wonderin'...

Ron

Yes I pulled an MJ and imagined myself white and before I knew it I had turned white and delightsome.

I was writing as I heard it said by TBM's

Oh she was black...and then that knowing looking they give each other!

Ya heard me!

I know right!

Did you hear BKKKP speak at the last conference how we need to forgive much and repent a little.

Lead the way brother, lead the way!

will do anything they can to trivialize and invalidate the motivations of anyone who leaves the institution.

Character assassination is one of the main weapons in this invalidation effort:

"She was too weak to live up to the high standards of the Church."

"He was so petty that he gave up eternal bliss and exaltation just to spite someone in church who offended him."

"She's like a spoiled child who refuses to ever come to the playground again because one of the other children once called her a poo-poo head."

There is never any acknowledgement that the person who left could possibly ever have a legitimate/valid reason for leaving.

The way the Churchco inmates try to spin the motivations of escapees is also a good example of circular Mormon reasoning at its best. "The apostate says she left because logic, history, evidence and careful observation all indicate that the Church is not what it claims to be and that it is in fact a corrupt man-made and man-led institution. But that can't be right because we know the Church is true and is led by divine inspiration. Therefore she must have left for another reason...probably she was offended by someone and wasn't a big enough person to forgive and forget. Yeah, that's the ticket. That's what it was."

I was groomed this way my whole BIC life. It was also perfect grooming for me to marry a wife-beater. In the temple, of course.

No wonder "inmates" willingly clean the church latrines.

Thank you. Making sense of all this helps me to heal.

So sorry!

Wife beating is part of keeping covenants!

hmmm...and so this is Celestial life!

God bless you mama...that is not right!

Wow, sorry that happened to you. The church's teaching to sit back an take offense no matter what really can seep into other areas of your life rather than just your relationship with the church. No wonder Utah is a hotbed for fraud and MLMs.

They've got to say something, right? And what does the LDS church always do? Blames the members.

If they would seriously confront some of their demons, they could change their church for the better. But the nature of their beast requires no compromise.

To say someone was offended or lack the fortitude to withstand temptation is easier on the flock then to say "The former member is relieved that this is all a sham and is happier now", or "This church does not meet the former members needs and they have moved on".

Personally, I was relieved when I realized it was all a sham.

I totally agree.

If they say the person was offended then there usually isn't any follow up questions.
If they say the person discovered some difficult facts about the Church there's a danger the nosey member goes looking for what it was they found.

There's also the morg is a one size fits all organization. If someone doesn't like the program, it's because *they* need to learn a lesson and fit with the agenda.


Where else in society are people forced into contrived activities roles they hate? Then they're made to feel defective for feeling any offense.

CA girl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> First, because it suits the church to have their
> members to firmly believe that if they can't take
> whatever abuse the church and it's leaders dish
> out, it's their fault. They are weak because they
> are easily offended and they are the ones
> destroying their hopes for eternity. If the
> church teaches there is value in your ability to
> take abuse, inconsistent teachings, bad manners
> then they can treat you any way they want and you
> will take it. They are grooming them to take what
> the church dishes out.
>
> Second, I think next time someone says "People
> only leave the church because they are offended"
> I'm going to say "Man, you Mormons sure have a
> guilty conscience, don't you?" Because deep in
> their hearts, where they may not want to examine,
> they must know that they and Mormonism in general
> are offensive. Otherwise, this argument wouldn't
> make sense. If they really believed they were as
> good as they want credit for being, they would
> hear that comment and think "That's
> ridiculous...Mormons aren't offensive." The fact
> that they don't think that is proof they know they
> are part of an offensive belief system, somewhere
> in their souls.

I've seen this alot so this rant of mine isn't directed at you or any other ex mormons...but more at other mormons and their "true" church...

Being "offended" at something is not just the individual's fault. The fact that they (mormons) disregard a person's feelings because the one and true church or someone in it offended them.

If something offends me, I'll do what I need to do to not be offended, speaking to someone, or not participate.

Hypothetical Example:
Someone says they're having a big group BBQ at a park, for like minded people to get together. I go and it's a KKK recruiting meeting. Guess what?? That would offend me and I leave...which IS a valid reason.

Real Example:
I went, with my family, to another state for a funeral on my wife's side of the family. This was when Obama was elected but not yet president. Mye wife's cousin's, nephews etc...start pissing and moaning about our "ni66er president"...CONSTANTLY.
Now...I'm no democrat and I didn't like anything about Obama then, nor do I now...but it has nothing to do with his skin color and everything to do with his politics. I took one of my wife's cousin's aside and told hime, I don't want to change your mond about our new president, I didn't vote for him either...BUT please STOP using that term to decribe him while my kids are her.

Now..I also work in an area that has many mormons and nonmormons....We had a team builder at a bowling alley purposely at an alley in Happy Valley (The Bubble) so that NO ONE could have the opportunity to drink beer. Where I'm from, that's how you get people to loosen up to bowl, a couple beers, etc...BUT MY choice to do so was taken away. Since there were many other mormons their also, they would have kept an eye on each other so they wouldn't drank beer anyway...But it was all the pizza, cake and soda I could eat and drink..(disgusting) it was like going to a party of 12yr olds.