Posted by:
Russsell Mallard
(
)
Date: August 05, 2020 09:32PM
I realized recently that perhaps one reason that it's been harder for the women I know than the men to leave Mormonism is that the Young Women Theme is drilled into their heads all the time.
As a boy, the closest thing we had to that was the Scout Law and Scout Oath, but both of those things were not uniquely Mormon. The theme, which all girls are required to utter weekly and memorize, repeatedly and explicitly tells them to obsess over temple marriage. The implication is so strong that being loyal to the church leaders is the only way to ever have a family.
It's such a powerful cult indoctrination mechanism.
I remember hearing my sister and all the other girls say it and remarking to her later that it seemed like she was in a cult. If only I had realized that I was as well. It only took me about 9 more years!
How many exmo ladies were impacted by this message in particular? And how common were you-must-get-married-in-the-temple lessons?
They definitely were commonplace for boys but only about once every other month, at least for me.