Over the years since my revelation that Moronism was a crock, I noticed my sister staying quiet when I told her all I had learned that was false about Mormonism.

My sis was the one who always broke the rules. She went inactive first. Griped about things members did. Hated that her ward kept trying to activate her. She had sex outside of marriage, smoked, etc. I had the feeling she didn't believe for a very long time.

Fast forward, I actually had breakfast with my sister last week. She's the narcissist I've spoken of before so we only meet twice a year on her birthday and my birthday. I asked her if she still believed in the Mormon church and she said "Yes" but she doesn't like a lot of things it does. She even appears to believe that gays should not get married but she stated that it "just shouldn't be talked about". She now attends an Evangelical church and spouts religious phrases often but I never really thought she believed any of it.

Even my 92 year old mother has seen the light. I think Mom always knew that being gay was not something to shame a person over but she never wanted to rock the boat. Now Mom says upfront that she doesn't have any problem with gay people living their lives as they choose and I think she always felt that way. She never thought living a gay lifestyle was sinning.

How odd it is to feel closer to my mother's philosophies than my sister's. We are two completely different generations but I feel closer to Mom's. I've never felt so distant from my sister now that she is Evangelical, especially since I know she's in it just for the easy praise she gets for spouting the party line . She goes all Mormony when she is around her Mormon friends as well.

I guess narcissists have no real self. They just put on the mask that gets them what they want at the time.

They still believe but don't follow any of the rules. I have trouble understanding their way of thinking. I guess that's often the difference between jack-mormons and exmos.

and can't let go completely. My younger sister was just complaining earlier this week about a card her "HT/minister" had sent her. She has a couple who won't leave her alone, are almost stalkers if you ask me. I can't remember what my sister turned them down on and the wife sent her a card that was an insult and then told her she loved her. My sister was furious. I told her to resign and gave her the info and she said "she's fine."

She posts things the GAs say now and then and likes pictures of the temples that my daughter posts. I'm just like "wth?" She has lived quite the life. QUITE THE LIFE. She cheated on her husband several times, left him, cheats on long-term boyfriends, etc. She doesn't do drugs, but she drinks a lot of wine every night. I'm sure she is a "functioning" alcoholic. It gets pretty bad and she has alienated a lot of people because of her drunk texting. She lost her long-time boyfriend over drunk texting.

But she still believes.

Perhaps it's the underlying indoctrination that she was exposed to as a youth. It really muddles a person's ability to clearly think. I have an older sibling that left the church as a teenager. Well 20 years ago, my sibling was very upset over a film that depicted BY as a terrible tyrant and leader.

"That's not what the church taught. I'm so upset that I may write them (Hollywood) a letter. They shouldn't get away with that."

My parents were speechless. I had just left the church and didn't give a darn about a movie about Brigham Young.

I think all the years of primary, sunday school and seminary really affect people in a deep way.

We were converts. She never went to Primary. She was 16 when she was baptized and basically rushed her baptism because she had the hots for the missionary who taught her the discussions and wanted him to baptize her.

If she "believes" in the Mormon Church why on earth would she attend and evangelical church? That makes no sense.

Her attendance there either speaks volumes about the church she now attends (in that they are not getting their message across very well) or she has a severe case of cog-dis and somehow convinces herself there is no difference between their doctrine and Mormonism.

Bizarre on a number of levels, but then isn't everything when dealing with Mormons?

My feelings exactly. I've learned that my sis has no real identity of her own. She's a total follower. Trouble is, she doesn't like rules. The Evangelicals believe her when she tells them she is "saved" etc. There are no bishop interviews, home teachers checking up on her, etc. She can pretend to be all holier than thou but she doesn't have to walk the walk when she's not around. She basically has virtual relationships with everyone on Facebook. Her Evangelical friends give her lots of sympathy because I'm sure she tells them her family are horrible heathens etc. They even give her money and she doesn't have to pay tithing.

I'm not totally sure just what it is about Mormonism sis likes but there is something, I think, about it being the ONE TRUE CHURCH that she fears might be true and she doesn't want to leave it entirely. Yeah, she's Jack Mormon with an evangelical twist.

I have a brother who is serious about studying "the gospel". He is the person who introduced me to all the problems with the Book of Abraham and especially what a joke Joseph Smith's interpretations of those facsimiles is. He's the first person who explained to me that the supposed doctrine in the Book of Mormon is only what was commonly taught and believed in upstate New York in the 1820's. This brother also gave me a copy of Fawn Brodie's No Man Knows My History and explained that book was the best objective history of Joseph Smith.

And yet, this brother teaches Gospel Doctrine class and says he has a "testimony". I' m quite sure he is sincere but it's beyond my comprehension how he can believe.

This man here is proving that the Book of Abraham is true lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoHmU5V9Y3M

Isn’t that considered a “ Culture Mormon “?

That’s interesting, because I’ve known a few less active/inactive mormons who broke all the rules and “struggled with living the gospel” but if anyone were to criticise the Morg they would defend it, sometimes passionately. On top of that, when they get older, they become active and then treat exmormons like me as if I’m the scum of the earth. And these are the people I was trying to reactivate when I was a TBM; they were so wish-washy and half hearted about the whole thing then. It’s truly bizarre. Except in both situations they didn’t like me. Maybe that’s it, lol.

There was a story about confirmation nias this morning on NPR; very powerful stuff.

Since you and your sister are not close, and it appears as if your mom favors you, perhaps your sister is a little jealous of you and is trying to purposely irritate you. She sounds a little on the manipulative side and just wants to get a rise out of you by claiming to still believe in Mormonism. If you don't react she might stop.

It is also true that some inactive members are so brainwashed they can't let go of the Mormon church. I have a Mormon friend who can't get through the day without at least one glass of wine, and has sex with whomever she pleases. She rarely attends church but she still believes the Mormon church is true and still pays her tithing. It boggles the mind.

I know too many females like your sister. Most say they believe but they do whatever they want and claim they dont agree with about half of what the Church teaches. Well how in the hell are you a believer and yet dont believe half the stuff they teach?

I think many people like the feeling that they have found "the one true church". They are special. In my sister's case I have a sense she is unsure about TSCC but parts of it are appealing and she just can't let go. It doesn't help that Mormons never give up trying to reactivate members. Sis likes being connected to people that value her (who doesn't) and letting go of those fawning people is near impossible for her.

logan Wrote:
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> Well how in the hell are you a
> believer and yet dont believe half the stuff they
> teach?

Some of religious belief's truths are more useful than others. Just ask Boyd, in a séance or Mormon temple.