It's kind of a weird thing. I see myself in them. Just an innocent pawn in the play that has no clue what is going on around them. I do not know what to think about it all. They are younger than i.

THis is SusieQ#1 .. new handle, couldn't get in under the old one.

I found I could still love/like/associate with many LDS folks when I left the church, as I could separate their choice of religious beliefs form our relationship that was positive and on-going. This is the same process involved with the dozens of other people in my life with different religious or world views from mine.

The important thing, in my view, is to deal with folks where we have our common humanity. There are what I call, Universal Truths that apply to everyone in our lives. Kindness, honesty, caring, compassion, thoughtfulness, trustworthiness, for instance, are found in most people, regardless of their specific faith based religious beliefs.

Of course, I was married to a true believer for over 50 years, the last 20+ I was a non-believer. Our commitment, history, children and a desire for continuity overrode any difference of opinion about religious beliefs.

I am in contact with several LDS people, mostly on Facebook. These are people I've known from the 60's on. We share a lot of the same things in our lives.

Probably because I was a young adult convert, just prior to my marriage, I have taken the approach that I changed my mind about my religious beliefs and world view. And, I could do that. After all, we all have the same rights to our beliefs and we also have the right to change our mind, which I have done several times in my life. I'm will into my seventies and my world view is still evolving.

My view is to accept people just the way they are and be the best we can be and never mind trying to change anyone.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2018 03:22PM by susieq.

Thanks for this. I think i evolve as i go as well.

For me, Badass, religion (or no religion) isn't a condition for friendship. I have friends and family members who run the gambit from athiests, agnostics, Mormons, Eastern Religions, pagans, Muslims, Baptists, Protestants, Evangelicals, and Catholics.

Outside the Morridor, most people generally DON’T talk about religion. Or, if they do its light talk.

As for you, wanker, I love you because you are funny, earthy, honest, and a shit-ton of fun! Why would I let something like age, politics, religion, gender, public farting, swearing, or anything similar come between me and a friend?

BYU Boner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For me, Badass, religion (or no religion) isn't a
> condition for friendship. I have friends and
> family members who run the gambit from athiests,
> agnostics, Mormons, Eastern Religions, pagans,
> Muslims, Baptists, Protestants, Evangelicals, and
> Catholics.
>
> Outside the Morridor, most people generally
> DON’T talk about religion. Or, if they do its
> light talk.
>
> As for you, wanker, I love you because you are
> funny, earthy, honest, and a shit-ton of fun! Why
> would I let something like age, politics,
> religion, gender, public farting, swearing, or
> anything similar come between me and a friend?

You are right boner all those things should not get in the way of a friendship. Only mormons think like that, you are either all in or all out. Add gritty motherf-cker to my list of characteristics as well.

The GMF Badass!

That is because you are a very good man.

kathleen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That is because you are a very good man.

Maybe underneath all the bs and pain there might be something, just maybe. But i don't want to be walked on so i might have to be a little bad.

Badassadam1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kathleen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > That is because you are a very good man.
>
> Maybe underneath all the bs and pain there might
> be something, just maybe. But i don't want to be
> walked on so i might have to be a little bad.


I've had that experience also. I have a very quiet voice, so people have assumed that I am weak. And I was. I had to change that. I never cussed. I had to change that, too. It took a lot of "No, and HELL NO!" to keep from getting walked on.

One of my worst experiences was visiting teaching. Leaders figured Sister Kathleen was "the only one nice enough" to put up with a dreadful, ill-tempered companion. No one else wanter her. So, they paired her with me. I tried to look out for that woman for a long time. I finally said NO MORE.

kathleen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Badassadam1 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > kathleen Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > That is because you are a very good man.
> >
> > Maybe underneath all the bs and pain there
> might
> > be something, just maybe. But i don't want to
> be
> > walked on so i might have to be a little bad.
>
>
> I've had that experience also. I have a very
> quiet voice, so people have assumed that I am
> weak. And I was. I had to change that. I never
> cussed. I had to change that, too. It took a lot
> of "No, and HELL NO!" to keep from getting walked
> on.
>
> One of my worst experiences was visiting teaching.
> Leaders figured Sister Kathleen was "the only one
> nice enough" to put up with a dreadful,
> ill-tempered companion. No one else wanter her.
> So, they paired her with me. I tried to look out
> for that woman for a long time. I finally said NO
> MORE.

You would not believe how much i got used and taken advantage of throughout life. Finally just said to myself if god has a problem with me to stand up and be a dick with everybody then he knows where to find me but he never came. Not afraid of a god that couldn't defend me for over 30 years i finally told myself. The mean badass.

As a nevermo, I am friendly with a few Mormons. But it's weird, I feel that they have a whole other life that I am not a part of. It's a feeling of being shut out to a certain extent. I normally don't feel that way about my other friends that are religious.

summer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a nevermo, I am friendly with a few Mormons.
> But it's weird, I feel that they have a whole
> other life that I am not a part of. It's a feeling
> of being shut out to a certain extent. I normally
> don't feel that way about my other friends that
> are religious.

Yes there is definitely a WHOLE nother world that they are not letting you see.