I went to LDS for around a year. Quitting now. I always wondered, what's with all the crying?

Is it something everyone is supposed to do--get up there in chapel and sob about the Atonement?

I've never seen so many people cry in my life.

I tried two churches at once, the Baptist, and the LDS, and Baptist sermons would talk about real-life problems and lessons which could apply in daily living, while LDS almost always, would be a grown man sobbing about the Atonement.

For me, believing in the Atonement has zero applicability to make me a happier or better person in my life. What's with all the crying?

I saw it as more of a way to publicly show how righteous and humble you are. Image is very important for Mormons.

Virtue signaling. It's their way of showing everyone else that they're feeling The Spirit™. "See how spiritual and righteous I am!" In mormonism, it's all about the image.

I'm not sure it's all about image.

When you get up to the podium and start to cry it's kind of a hopeless feeling that sets in, like holy sh*t here I go kind of thing, and the hormones kick in or whatever it is that causes the tears to flow, and there you are weeping and sniffling away like a sob.

Mormons call it the spirit moving you. I'm not sure if that's really what it is, but it is definitely some kind of emotional thing happening.

I've cried just sitting in the pews during certain hymns being sung if they struck a chord with me. The church is more about feeling than it is being rational though. So it plays right into its hands.

I was music director for five years as a young adult. For me it was a good position because I really loved the music.

It's the manipulation I can do without.

The crying and blubbering at F&T meeting were excruciating to endure as a kid...including when my mom got up the day after she was baptized in 1959. My inner voice was screaming SIT DOWN MOM!

I just want to bear my testimony and say that (pause) Jeeeesus Chriiiiist (squeak) itiwitilli my gershonkedink whaaaaa (sob sob sniff long sniff) I'm sorry I just have a hard time talking about how IIIII abouut t profffettt and itiwill maaachen cleeeanumpunim infroo itimini (Loud nose blow) Sniff.

that was hilarious....and perfect!!

Sounds heard eternally at a mormon 'church' [hopefully not too] near you.

lol

I laughed at "SIT DOWN MOM!"

I remember as a child being so embarrassed once when my mom bore her testimony that I crawled underneath the pew and stayed there until the end of sacrament meeting. I never once bore my testimony as a mom myself mostly because I didn't believe in the church, but I also didn't want to embarrass my kids.

Praydude, thanks for the laugh!!!

I went here in the Deep South and it is not only F&T but EVERY speaker, the stake presidents, speakers in regular weekly meetings, all of them, that cry about the Atonement.

It seemed like it was the only thing that was allowed to talk about.

Of all the things to have an emotional sob party about, they pick snuff porn.

> SIT DOWN MOM! > lol

And let's get away from this God forsaken place!

M@t

People are thinking about the money they just paid in tithing. That's why they are crying.

Messygoop!

THANK YOU for the laugh! hahahahahahah

Some of it is for show but I’m sure some of it is just nerves. People are encouraged to proclaim their faith publically and I’m sure some of them cry out of nervousness or anxiety.

Mormons talking about Jesus/atonement? that's very rare...

In mormondom it's all about getting up and bragging about the family. If you see mormons talking about the Atonement that's unique... Most all the mormon churches I've been to it's a bragfest all about the family, God only blesses those with big mormon families and everyone who is not quite as lucky is being punished. Or is wicked, or selfish, or a democrat, lol!.

But I would say that it's nerve racking to get up infront of a crowd and so the emotions display that with tearing up. But that's great if you've found a baptist church that has a pastor teaching about "real life problems." That's exactly what people need to hear about.

They are proud of the sobbing because they think it makes them look humble and godly.

I think it's sometimes a release for sexual tension for mormons who can be sexually inhibited.

I was more embarrassed than anything when I cried while giving a talk or bearing a testimony. It was easier for me to sing a solo than to speak in public (still is.) My mother was a public speaker, drama teacher, trained in method acting long before I was born. I was not born with her gift. My dad could sing so that must be where my musical ability came from.

His side of the family were gifted musicians and poets (the Welsh side.)

I never saw dad cry in public except at his father's funeral in the Mormon ward where grandpa was laid to rest. I don't even remember dad ever bearing his testimony. He believed in parts, and parts of it he didn't he'd tell me toward the end of his life.

Some people are afraid to speak in public. Yet they are mandated by membership to stand and proclaim!
For some people it is a way to show how pure and holy they are.
For some it is just what it seems "emotion in overwhelm"

I remember my stepmom and dad would complain that one of the main reasons they quit going to church was because of all the whining and crying on fast and testimony day meetings. It drove my stepmom bonkers to the point she preferred to stay home instead.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/2018 07:15PM by Amyjo.

Maybe F&T has more crying than a Kim funeral because it attracts those magical thinking types who think getting themselves all worked up about a bunch of hogwash means that the church is “true”.

They could just as easily cry over their latest MLM investment or their geriatric dictator’s latest brain fart. They’re like teenage girls at a Justin Bieber concert.

Which is fine if that’s your thing.

Now, it’s possible that there’s a mystical component to group emotion. But then you’re back to the Bieber effect. Those feelings have no bearing on truth. At most there is a common fantasy. I can think of better fantasies than bad 19th century fiction.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/2018 07:42PM by babyloncansuckit.

I am just an emotional guy. I used to get teary when I thought about the love that I had for my family. I was this way as a kid, even before I joined the church. I hate getting emotional in front of other people.

I am often moved by the personal stories of people in sacrament talks, although I always feel like I am being manipulated. Also, many of the tear jerking stories are meant to prove that the church is true, but they always have non-sequiters. It's manipulation.

I don't think most people even realize that they are doing it. It's just bad reasoning and modeling behavior.

I can’t recall a single talk given by a woman about motherhood that didn’t include all manner of sobbing and blubbering. It made me always wonder if being a mom in the church was so great, then #1 - why did we have to hear so many talks about it (should be obvious, right?) and #2 - why were all the women nearly drowning in their own tears, snot, and slobber trying to convince me?

"Baptist sermons would talk about real-life problems and lessons which could apply in daily living"

Oh man, that would be a great change. I really wish I could go to a church like that. Sacrament meeting always feels so painfully irrelevant.

And I agree, the crying makes me so uncomfortable. I'm rarely actually moved by someone's talk. I find myself purposefully zoning out for the hour because I just can't handle it.

Probably some of the member making an attempt to appear humble while bragging about their blessings.

When I pointed out to my Mom that she used crying to manipulate certain decisions she would point out "I always cry. I cry when I"m happy, sad, spirtual, angry." I think it almost becomes habbit for feeling strong emotion.

Also, if you only had at fast and testimony meetings then you know nothing. Try to 5 day long "spirit fest" that is army of Helament. We had 4 hour testimony meetings three times that week. And I cried my eyes out from the "spirit" every time. This is why I am so concerned about my oldest son, I don't want him to expierence that crap.

I still like to have a good cry, like when Frodo hugs Sam at the end of Lord of the Rings. Also the last season of Daredevil made me cry twice. But it is different now. Its threapeutic and doesn't feel forced.

It makes them feel better (to feel worse).
That's why they are LDS (They like feeling bad).
To make themselves feel better, less afraid.
It's a story they constantly tell themselves.
The same scary stories their 'church' teaches.
They can't think! So, they can't feel.
So they can't express their feelings.
Because they don't wan't to be embarrassed.
So they embarrass themselves, by crying.
They get baptised all over again this way.
The salt burns them, making them cry more.
It dries them out, making them cry even more.
The big babies. They need bottles.
Not microphones and tiny fish.
Babies cry but they don't lie.

They won't grow up; they're LDS!
Without truth, man can't be sober.
Can't control their thoughts-feelings.
Can't express without trying to impress.

Hope this helps. It nearly made me cry, but it way too dry, so I laughed until tears came to my eyes, but that drew flies, so I swatted them - and then myself - and then went for help. Sniff

M@t

I used to cry at my son's track meets because I was so moved by all the hard work that I knew all the participants had put in. My wife and I often cry during the same parts of movies. We look at each other, see the tears, and smile at each other.
Yeah, the morMon crying is a mixed bag. Some people are just really emotional, some are just good actors, some have moved themselves for whatever reason. Some probably do have some good thing going on within.
Sometimes I cry at public events because I am moved by the solidarity, by the human experience, by sharing life with others.

That's about the only times for me too.
Or when I lose a family, friend, or pet.

Trust me. Many Mormons have emotional issues. Many are on anti-depressants and seeing councilors and psychiatrists. I became aware of this being a ward financial clerk and paid the medical and counseling bills. Most who were TBM's. They sure didn't look like happy people.

Rubicon,
Gosh. The church pays bills of members? Then I guess they have to go forever, right? Or the check stops coming?

What a hole to be in. I bet there are strings attached to that help. :(

Good question I never considered. But right, what gives? I guess "Jesus wept" so there is that precedent.

i get it, the whole bit about it, but, really, for me, the experience was quite cringe-worthy.

it made me feel very uncomfortable and was a more than a bit traumatising to view all the weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

they'd reach a point in the testimony, where i could tell where they should just pull out, with their dignity intact, and wrap it up. (and i was mentally saying 'wrap it up, now!' in my mind at them)

but they'd get to a part where they'd start to get off on a tangent that usually wasn't really about an actual 'testimony' but more about something in their life that bothered them, more often than not....

and at that point, they'd start to get rambly, then, the voice would start shaking, and then, the sobbing and blubbering would start...and then, they would go on and on and on...

i felt a bit embarrased for them, really, it was like watching an animal being tortured.

being that i am what you call 'psychic' and i easily can pick up the 'empath' vibe from people, it was very difficult for me to sit through it, feeling all that unhappy energy.

the testimonies that were kept short and sweet and *happy* and, to the point, felt good sometimes, but it was those ones that seemed to want to 'put on a show' (always the same ones, usually pretty big-names in the local branch or ward.) and so, i would brace myself when the showboater got on stage, and as the sobbing began and the water-works began to squirt, as it was not like a television set, where i could just change channels or switch it off, i would cringe and just try to tune it out the best i could.

it was not a very happy experience to sit through. not a bit of 'spirit' felt at all when that happened. i ended up feeling more drained afterwards, than 'uplifted' each time.

so, i eventually let wisdom prevail and did myself a favour and started intentionally missing that day or coming in 'fashionably late' to spare myself. ;D



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2018 04:42PM by moi.

You are likely comparing a professional pastor who has a theological degree and has been doing his job for a good while, with a bunch of random people getting up with no real script in front of their whole neighborhood and asked to speak about whats supposed to be the most important thing ever... to them.

Moi,

Your insights are interesting, thank you.

I started getting up and walking around for a while during testimonies. Especially there is one older lady that gets up there every month without fail, and always, always cries.

She caught me one time walking back in after she was done, and hasn't spoken to me since.

But, since I'm not going anymore, I doubt that will bother me!

during my youth and leading into my mission my gosh I use to CRY!

It was for show unfortunately lol but sometimes I think it wasn't. So confusing trying to work out what caused the crying

...ocular urination.

I thought it was bath water, for the eyes, and face.

...a facial Baptism? Maybe sinus/ocular drainage is triggered using certain key words? Regardless, I prefer "Mr. Bubble" for my bath-time antics.......

Mormons living in a bubble.
Time for another bath.
It's high time to cry!

Words, feelings, circular reasoning...

Clearing up is refreshing.