I don't like to think about this too much because the pandemic was a terrible thing that caused suffering, but it's true in a weird way. I was still forced to go to Church even as a grown adult, I had a terrible, soul-sucking calling, I was feeling depressed and suicidal every Sunday after church because I wasn't living up to the standards. I couldn't see a way out, it was going to be like that forever.

But then the pandemic came along and I didn't have to go to church. Even when things opened up, my mom stopped going to church and suddenly I was free from Mormonism.

Yay! It's amazing how often a silver lining appears in the toughest of circumstances. Often, an altered perspective is life- changing. Faiths such as Mormonism demand time and total devotion and you don't get time and space to think. Mo leaders demand obedience, not thought or self- governance. It's great to be out and able to draw a deep breath and clear your head isn't it.

With no ability to demand attendance and obedience and time (and $$?) the church masters lost their stranglehold on their flock. Hopefully, many members felt freer to make their own life choices once given room to breathe.

I'm happy for you. All the best in post-mo land.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2024 01:58PM by Nightingale.

Yes, sometimes even the darkest events have a silver lining.

My mom stopped going to church as she aged as well. I'm not sure why. She still prayed and still kept the holidays, but weekly church attendance fell by the wayside. Perhaps at a certain point, some people feel that they've had enough.

I'm so glad that you have some peace in your life at last.

It reminds me of the story about Dumbo, realizing he can fly without the feather. We are conditioned to think we MUST have that feather or horrible, awful, terrible things might happen.

Enjoy having quality Sunday time!

and they had just changed wards again. She doesn't like mormons and had a hard time finding a ward with nice people. While they were on zoom calls for meetings, there were several leaders in the ward who were having affairs with other leaders like RS with bishop, etc. One was actually a distant relative of ours.

So then while all this was going on, the RS was bugging her endlessly about VT and she could never get her partner to go and they wouldn't change her. They bugged her for a while.

And that was the end. I never thought I'd see my BIL leave the church, but he did. My sister has been on a path out for years. Her kids have been out since their teens and they are in their 40s.

So COVID got my sister out, too. She tried going back once after they started meeting in person and she just couldn't do it anymore. I only have my disabled brother who still goes.