I resigned from the church several decades ago and my willingness to challenge church norms has gradually increased over time. Most recently, I've started venturing in to saying things that non-members might not understand the supposed offense of, while active church members might be highly offended. Doing this in a mostly or partially mormon group of people or even inside of a church building can be liberating.

Every once in a while these opportunities come up if you look for them. Sometimes it might involve a clever or even humorous method of "mocking the lord's annointed", or maybe even drawing your thumb from your ear, down across your throat and up to the other ear publicly (in relation to some other topic) in otherwise casual conversation. The idea is to do this in a group of mostly TBMs, or even more subtly, on church property. If the joke or inference is subtle enough, some people will laugh while others get all offended. It's a way of letting people know that you are a non-believer and of revealing who the truly brainwashed people are (the ones who don't laugh). As a non-member, no Bishop can call me in for an interview, although they could ask you to leave church property if the verbal offense is too overt. The idea is to stay just under that threshold depending where you are in the moment, while pissing-off or shocking as many TBMs as possible and having fun doing it. It's a way of letting others know that you don't buy-in to the BS, and that you are a free agent. When you have fun with it, the responses range anywhere from jealousy to anger or resentment, sometimes hysterical laughter. But otherwise you can be such a nice person, that people let you get away with it even if they are shocked or offended.

I usually only do this when the religious bs around me gets too thick, or when I don't agree with someone's verbal support of mormon beliefs in relation to whatever is being discussed. Turn that faith-promoting story in to your funny slam on their favorite general authority. Has anyone else out there discovered these methods of communication to be effective when the mormon bs around you gets too thick?

no, but I admire your patient communication skills and use of body language to convey a more open and less obedient way of thinking. I usually just quietly fume inside when tbms are overly narcissistic.

I very occasionally meet missionaries on the street, and they don't know who I am. I usually only talk with them for a minute or two, but there are a few mindgames you can play.

Like when it is a hot day, you can see they are wearing garments and I say something like, "how come you guys are dressed up like you're cold?" and you get some strange answers off them. Or "we could discuss this over a coffee over there" and seeing the puzzlement on their faces.

Asking them JW questions is fun too like "how come you guys won't have blood infusions?"

It's quite fun. I'm never totally cruel to them though, because I know that could have been me once.

Right now there is the satisfying joy of simply calling them mormons!

elderolddog Wrote:
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> Right now there is the satisfying joy of simply
> calling them mormons!

That alas is too easy. I suspect they are trained to respond to that in some way.

> That alas is too easy.

Perhaps that is the upper limit of my capability?

> I suspect they are trained
> to respond to that in some way.

"They..."? Everyone in the church has received training in how to respond to this particular calumny?

Well then if for no other reason than to test this suspicion of yours, I need to proceed!

elderolddog Wrote:
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> > That alas is too easy.
>
> Perhaps that is the upper limit of my capability?
>
> > I suspect they are trained
> > to respond to that in some way.
>
> "They..."? Everyone in the church has received
> training in how to respond to this particular
> calumny?
>
> Well then if for no other reason than to test this
> suspicion of yours, I need to proceed!

I think it's going to become such a common faux pas that they will probably learn some pat response.

It's a bit like polygamy. That's one of the few things most non-members know about Mormonism in my experience.

There's nothing better than a subtle slam. Except when the slammed tries to explain to the slammer why it isn't really a slam.

I love calling someone clever. It communicates that I appreciate their ability to fake at being intelligent.

jacob Wrote:
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> There's nothing better than a subtle slam. Except
> when the slammed tries to explain to the slammer
> why it isn't really a slam.
>
> I love calling someone clever. It communicates
> that I appreciate their ability to fake at being
> intelligent.

Most of those types of slams on here are so UNsubtle that I ignore them. Anybody who thinks "whoosh" is a sophisticated critique is a moron.

I'm actually well aware of what a lot of them are up to, since I live in a place where sarcasm and ironic comments are much more commonplace than the USA, which has never quite got to grips with them in the main, since so many of them are descended from learners of English in the recent past. Most of the time I use these on people from the USA they end up missing them.

Half the time I ignore such comments, the other half I get them to reveal themselves even more than they reveal me. And trust me, some of the assumptions on here aren't even close. Especially the nevermo one.

When meeting some members or missionaries I don't know I say "I went to one of your services and they gave me a piece of bread and a tiny cup of water. Are they too cheap to buy me a cup of coffee and some donuts"?

I am in the happy situation where I don't have to engage in conversations with Mormons! It was a struggle to arrive in this place. If there be Mormons afoot, I'm unaware of people's religions, and it doesn't matter who I'm talking to, conversing about what's going on. We talk about things like soccer and baseball games, dance recitals, kids, school, music, nature, pets, gardening, cooking, commuting, movies, books, current events, etc.

It's such a relief that I am guilt-free. I no longer need to help Mormons see the truth, rescue them, listen to their complaining, cheer them up from being depressed, try to give them hope and love, etc. Having been love-bombed, scammed, slammed and shunned, I don't think it would be "fun" to slam anyone. I'm not clever enough. LOL, I think of clever things to say--about 3 hours later--when it's too late.

Avoidance is my weapon of choice.

I'm sorry you are still deep in the middle of that awful cult, and I'm glad you have found a diversion to help you survive.