Didn’t go on a mission and I doubt I’ll get married, but now that I’m getting into my mid-20s, my family and ward people are really jumping on me. Had an uncle tell me to read the interview questions and get worthy so I could take out my endowments.

The whole idea makes me so uncomfortable, but I wonder if I should do it so everyone will leave me alone!

As long as there isn't a large financial hit (back tithing make up), then I think you should go and do it. No need to worthy up for the interview, just lie and use that as a test of the Bishop's discernment, and to see if the angels protecting the temple also notice.

Watching the temple ceremony on Youtube ahead of time is a good idea, but being there is person really shows how creepy and weird the ceremony is. You can still ditch the church and your magic underwear after the ceremony. You don't even promise to slit your throat and disembowel yourself any more if you flake on your endowment covenants anymore anyway. ;o)

Edit to add: They won't leave you alone until you conform 100% to their ideal. So unless Marriage, lots of kids, perfect Mormon approved career and 100% Mormon participation are in your future, doing an Endowment ceremony will not get you free. In fact it will embolden them to beat you up even more about your lack of church progress.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2018 10:40AM by Darren Steers.

Are you active, participating mormon? If so, I wouldn't do the endowment unless you want to be imprisoned in the ugly undies or have to explain why you're not wearing them. And if you aren't paying the full clubhouse dues, you'll be pressured to if you want to get a recommend.

If you're not active or don't plan to be in the future, and especially if you're planning on resigning, I'd go just for the experience of it and to remind yourself that you are in a man-made cult with ridiculous rituals. In fact, you can use that as your excuse for leaving. "I just can't square the temple with anything I was taught growing up. And unless someone will really answer all my questions about it, I'm outta here."

It's time to learn what it means to be an adult and stand up for yourself, now better than later.

You are suggesting that he violate his own conscience and go ahead with something because others think it best. Where and when will this end?

notmonotloggedin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where and when will this end?

As I added to my comment, it will never end. You are 100% correct in that he will need to adult up at some point if he doesn't want to be forced into being a good Mormon person, or to be a project for his family and ward the rest of his life. There is no harm taking out the creepy Endowment just for the experience though. Plenty of Ex-Mos have wished they'd got to experience it at least once before they left.

He can adult up after he's seen the Endowment. I mean they wont even touch his naked ding-a-ling anymore in the washing and anointing part of it. They take all the 'fun' out of the endowment. ;o)

notmonotloggedin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's time to learn what it means to be an adult
> and stand up for yourself, now better than later.
>
> You are suggesting that he violate his own
> conscience and go ahead with something because
> others think it best. Where and when will this
> end?


My thoughts exactly. When would the manipulation ever end.

Since his salvation is seen to be at stake, the OP's parents and other loved ones may feel that hectoring him to toe churchco's lie is something they NEED to do.

If that's the case, staying at his/her current level of participation means ceaseless attention. If OPie resigns, it might do nothing to reduce the attention. Leaving OPie to ponder the uttering, "Hey, shut the F up about the church, okay?" And they just might, along with putting a stopper on the bottled love.

Not everyone is suited for drawing lines in the sand, and it's often apparent to those who would trespass boundaries.

Well...if you are on this site, I'm assuming you have some doubts about Mormonism. Whether you decide to go through with the endowments or not, Mormonism is far less than advertised.

The endowment ceremony is...er...weird. There's no reason you would really need to go through with this. I'd recommend you research some of the key controversial issues with the LDS Church before deepening your commitment. I'm not sure what your existing concerns are, but here are some things that I and others have found disconcerting:

1. Joseph Smith gave multiple contradictory accounts of his "First Vision." The contradictions are substantive (nature of God, several accounts don't mention the question about the truth or falsity of the churches of the time etc.)

2. The Book of Mormon has many evidence problems, such as the presence of horses or steel in the Americas during that timeframe. In addition, Native American DNA markers are consistent with a migration from Asia well before Lehi, Nephi, Sarai and friends would have made their journey.

3. Joseph Smith's practice polygamy included some unusual practices such as marrying the wives of people who were previously married and pressuring very young women (one was 14) to become his plural wives. He used his spiritual authority to acquire plural wives--promising salvation and blessings to them and their families.

4. What do we need modern prophets for? They seem to be behind the eight ball on critical issues of race, sexuality, science, war and peace etc.? They have to back track and say they were speaking as men with limited understanding. Okay, but why are we bending over backwards every time they tell us how many earrings God want us to wear, or not?

In addition, I would urge you to consider whether you are personally comfortable with Mormonism, or you are being pressured into doing things. Do you really find value in these priesthood interviews, or are they uncomfortable? Is going to church something you look forward to, or do out of obligation? As a single person, do you feel valued, respected in the Mormon church?

There is a way to make a life after Mormonism that is meaningful. It can be difficult, but I think most people here would tell you its worth the effort and then some. I hope that's helpful. Good luck to you.

Please don't take them out in public.

bwahahahahahah...joke of the day right here.

The first thing that you can try is the "broken record" technique. Come up with a stock response and just keep repeating it i.e."I'm not interested in doing that at this time."

If you've said that to the same person multiple times, and that person keeps hounding you, stop responding. Just stare at the person silently. The other person is likely to become uncomfortable because they have been socially conditioned to expect a response. But you do not need to respond. Just stare them down.

summer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The first thing that you can try is the "broken
> record" technique. Come up with a stock response
> and just keep repeating it i.e."I'm not interested
> in doing that at this time."

Some other responses:

- I don't want to get "worthy." I love masturbation and fornication too much, and hate paying tithing.

- It's all a big steaming mountain of bullsh!t.

- Leave me the f#ck alone.

Every human should know this trick. Great advice Summer.

If you feel like you have to participate in a weird religious ritual, the thought of which makes you uncomfortable, just to appease certain people......those people shouldn’t be appeased.

Your life, your choices.

Don't do it!!!! The magic underwear sucks!! It doesn't fit well, it rides up your butt and there is absolutely nothing attractive about it.

Nevermind the weird rituals and "ordinances" and behaviours in the temple. And the annoying movie...take forever to get through. Save yourself the heartache, the fashion pain and suffering and the financial losses and stay away from the temple.

Right now they are trying to save you. They won't quit.

If you go and get the endowments it could be fun to see the circus that is the temple. It will not bother you because you already know it is bull. Then they will leave you alone because you won't need to be saved any more. Well, leave you alone for a while. Then they will see that you are not honoring your endowments by being an obedient Mormon and they will pressure you to start keeping your covenants.

I just told my parents because they blindsided me with the same kind of pressure you are getting and they did it on a day when I was just done with it all. Done & done with it all. It was traumatic for me. I couldn't even get my mouth to work. My tongue froze for minutes. I sobbed. What a great memory. I cut the apron strings in style. It was spectacular.

Cut the apron strings. Own yourself. It may be awful now, but it is a rite of passage that should not be missed.

"Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose,"sang Janice.

Or just say you aren't ready and leave it at that. Whether you get your endowments or not is none of their business.

Sometimes I wish I had lied and gone through just to see it all in person but the YouTube videos literally traumatized me alone.

If you don’t want to go, just say you have a WoW problem. How can they prove you’re not addicted to coffee? Drinking coffee to avoid the endowment is a kind of addiction.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2018 12:29PM by babyloncansuckit.

Then don't answer it to busybodies.

It isn't their business if you aren't going on a mission or take out your endowments. That is your decision to make, or should be. You will always resent doing something because someone else wanted you to rather than doing it because you want to.

You know this though, so you're seeking reinforcement here for your already made decision not to do the temple thing.

Just say "NO" and mean it.

I didn't want to go when I was TBM, and I'm so glad I decided against it after learning about all the idiocy that goes on there. It screams C-U-L-T.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2018 01:15PM by Amyjo.

You have two choices:

Live your life according to what everyone wants you to do Or:

Man up and be honest.

If you have any doubts about the church being true or not, going through the temple will make you run from the church as fast as you can.

I know many people who are jack mormon or inactive for forever, but they still think they missed out on something really, really special as they didn't go through the temple. It doesn't matter what I say, they still see the temple as sacred. Like if my TBM daughter posts a picture of a temple, my younger sister always "loves" the picture. My sister hasn't been active mormon since she was 17. She is 57 now. She'll never go back, but she was so excited after going through the Brigham City temple during the open house.

They make it seem so mysterious and SPECIAL, that I would have spent the rest of my life wondering. I don't have to since I went through.

I'm with c12 on this one. Go at least once, just to see for yourself what all the hoopla is about. (I'm fairly certain you won't be impressed; most of us were not.) But at least you will have seen it and "experienced" it, if only out of curiosity.

Once will probably more than do it for you.

Agree with those who say don't do it. If you cave on this, it will only encourage them to harass you on all the other mormony requirements –

"When are you turning in your mission papers?"
"Why aren't you married?"
"Brother Tool said you haven't been to church in TWO WEEKS!"
"Let me check your browser history for porn."

– and on and on and on. Anything less than full compliance will be considered an invitation for full intrusion. Don't give them anything.

(But at least you'll never have to pantomime slitting your throat. Those penalties put the "ow" in "endowment.")

First, watch the endowment on YouTube

Second, if, and if you do it -- than NEVER say YES to the questions. For example, in the endowment it will say "bow your head and say yes." Just say "no" quietly.

Then later in life when folks give you a hard time for not living up to your covenants and promises in the temple, you can always say, "I never said yes." That will drive TBM's crazy - and you'll be able to play with them forever when they try and whip you back in to full church participation.

I wish I had done this. It would smack right in the face to every bishop and stake president I've ever spoken with.

You are in your twenties and being pressured to go to the temple? Dude, for right now, how about just enjoying that endowment in your jeans? Tell people you’re not ready to go to the temple and you don’t want to talk about it.

Hey boner I want you to make me a king in an endowment ceremony in my jeans and T-shirt. That would actually mean something.

For you, Badass, yes! “You’re now a king in the Celestial Kingdom. Arise, Your Hardness, er ...Highness, er ... Sire.”

don't blow your bank account on this cult. Of course after you'll get the underwear they will expect you to wear them. Of course if you are not wearing them they think there is something wrong with you. SO there will be repercussions if you cave in to the Mormons. I'm 43 and never been. I'm never married also.

I found out the questions they ask you. Yes I'm a virgin, but I'm proberly gay. I do give to charities I see fit, but in the Mormon church that's not tithing and there fore I will burn up because I didn't pay my "fire insurance" dues.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2018 02:26AM by frankie.

Don't go to the temple. You will just regret going. Be yourself and do what you want to do and just be honest. Pretending to be a good Mormon when deep inside you hate it takes a psychological toll on you. You will feel much better just leaving the church and in the long run, the relatives who really love you will accept you for who you are.

Go to the temple, do the costume parade, and immediately after exiting the temple tell everyone that it freaked you out and now you have doubts. They will blame themselves for pushing you to go, and you can leave the church because of the cult-like temple ceremony.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2018 09:10AM by lapsed.

Where are you planning on taking them?


ba da bum

I wanna see!

Go,be polite.Do as they ask. Afterwards you can tell them"that was the creepiest thing I have ever seen. I have lost my good opinion of you. Stay away from me or I will call the police".Make sure you remember your manners and thank them for inviting you.

Don’t...just don’t. Complete waste of time and you’ll prob create more fam drama later (only because you’d be an “endowed” member that wants out and you “should know better”).

The endowment ceremony, even post-1990, is the stuff of which nightmares are made. don't be bullied into participating by those in your life who think they know better than you know what is good for you.

I wish I had never gone through the ceremony.