Recovery Board
: RfM
Recovery from Mormonism (RfM) discussion forum.
I've heard that in testimony meeting.
If so, what kind of life did you have before?
If so, what kind of life did you have before?
Most definately! I was born into the church and was expected to be a docile and conforming member for the rest of my earthly life and eternity.
As someone that could apply some critical thinking, even in my early youth, I recognized that what I was being told by the church didn't align with what I was experiencing in my life. I knew it wanted me to ignore my experience and just go with churchy feelings. This caused me to doubt the church and its teachings at a very early age and eventually leave it for good.
Leaving for good was one of the best choices I made in life, so yes, the church changed my life, and in my case, for the better.
As someone that could apply some critical thinking, even in my early youth, I recognized that what I was being told by the church didn't align with what I was experiencing in my life. I knew it wanted me to ignore my experience and just go with churchy feelings. This caused me to doubt the church and its teachings at a very early age and eventually leave it for good.
Leaving for good was one of the best choices I made in life, so yes, the church changed my life, and in my case, for the better.
I learned German and it stayed with me throughout life. Today I speak it fluently.
Oh, and learning German WWII history from those who lived it, has helped me especially now with what is going on in the world.
Oh, and learning German WWII history from those who lived it, has helped me especially now with what is going on in the world.
It sure did.
Once I rejected the whole thing and took charge of my life. I understood what "not" to do. Since then I have never missed the dumpster fire of organized religion.
My mental, financial, and physical health has never been better.
Once I rejected the whole thing and took charge of my life. I understood what "not" to do. Since then I have never missed the dumpster fire of organized religion.
My mental, financial, and physical health has never been better.
Without the church I probably still would have left England for Canada but it is almost certain that without being a member I would not have accepted their job offer and moved to Utah where my family grew up around me cementing me in.
Better to say it ruined my life.
Being BIC, it certainly formed my early life. My life changed more when the churhc's truth crisis impinged on my life.
Of course it did. Anything that happens to you changes your life, and Mormonism generally happens to you a lot, and over an extended period.
So did it change my life for better or worse? Mixed bag. First of all, it is often difficult to determine whether something should be characterized as "better" or "worse".
I got a chance to learn Portuguese. That has actually turned out to be handy a few times, and it is a pretty rare skill in the US. Knowing what I know now, would I still have gone on a mission? Hell, no. But what happened happened, and it wasn't entirely without benefit. And there was plenty about going on a mission that was not beneficial.
Ditto going to BYU. I wouldn't go there again, knowing what I know now, but I think I got a pretty decent education, even with the time wasted on their religion classes. It would have been better without the religion classes, and the interruptions for mission and military service, but things turned out OK.
Once I left university (BYU, specifically), I left the Mormon Church. That changed my life too. For the better, for the most part, but it did sever a lot of relationships.
So did it change my life for better or worse? Mixed bag. First of all, it is often difficult to determine whether something should be characterized as "better" or "worse".
I got a chance to learn Portuguese. That has actually turned out to be handy a few times, and it is a pretty rare skill in the US. Knowing what I know now, would I still have gone on a mission? Hell, no. But what happened happened, and it wasn't entirely without benefit. And there was plenty about going on a mission that was not beneficial.
Ditto going to BYU. I wouldn't go there again, knowing what I know now, but I think I got a pretty decent education, even with the time wasted on their religion classes. It would have been better without the religion classes, and the interruptions for mission and military service, but things turned out OK.
Once I left university (BYU, specifically), I left the Mormon Church. That changed my life too. For the better, for the most part, but it did sever a lot of relationships.
Made it worse.
Mormonism is like malaria. The parasites never really leave.
Two really good things come to mind:
1. Spending 21 months in Argentina (1975-1977), although I would have much preferred a study abroad or volunteer experience with the Peace Corps in Latin America.
2. Meeting my wife-to-be at BYU in 1977 and spending spending 45 years together. I would do it all again, if only we had done a longer engagement so that she could finish her senior year at university without enduring terrible morning sickness. Also, I wish we had gotten married traditionally (civil vs. temple) so that her parents and her entire family were included.
Cuz X
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2025 03:06PM by cuzx.
1. Spending 21 months in Argentina (1975-1977), although I would have much preferred a study abroad or volunteer experience with the Peace Corps in Latin America.
2. Meeting my wife-to-be at BYU in 1977 and spending spending 45 years together. I would do it all again, if only we had done a longer engagement so that she could finish her senior year at university without enduring terrible morning sickness. Also, I wish we had gotten married traditionally (civil vs. temple) so that her parents and her entire family were included.
Cuz X
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2025 03:06PM by cuzx.
Like cuzx the one good thing Mormonism did for me was the mission--also Argentina South, 69-71. Got me out of my Mormon bubble in the mountains of Utah and let me see a world that was completely different and more wonderful than I had been lead to believe. I went to save them. They saved me. Cuz being back at BYU after I really missed the real world.
> Got
> me out of my Mormon bubble in the mountains of
> Utah and let me see a world that was completely
> different and more wonderful than I had been lead
> to believe. I went to save them. They saved me.
This really resonates with me.
> me out of my Mormon bubble in the mountains of
> Utah and let me see a world that was completely
> different and more wonderful than I had been lead
> to believe. I went to save them. They saved me.
This really resonates with me.
Before LDS OOPS revelations revealed what a noxious LIE Mormonism is, Molly Mormon wife & i parented a large number of children; not all are 'active members' now, PTL.
For the first half of my life, the church limited my capacity to live the full measure of my existence. Yeah, it changed things. But now I feel like I have a second chance to play the cards I’ve been dealt a lot better and be a better husband, father, and friend.