I am interested to know if people here at RfM still go. I haven't been in over a year, my wife even longer. I vocally declare that I am a jackmo to all who ask. Many of my friends are mo or TBMs. The only reason I would ever go is purely social and familial; but I ask you, is there any middle ground at all? Furthermore convoluted, if I go back ever I plan on being a vocal proponent of drinking booze and coffee, and don't care if young people have sex, etc. There seems to be some people here who DO attend mtgs/activities. This is rather normal- and for many leaving the church is simply impossible despite the mental divorce that has occurred. So, is there a way to introduce a "new" Mormon paradigm where you say "hello bishop, I'm Yaqoob and I drink beer and coffee and pretty much think it's all hogwash...and I'm a mormon!"

Thoughts?

I go. I have to. My wife believes if I only went and saw how wonderful it all is, I would put my "doubts" aside and gain a testimony.

For the sake of my marriage, I go. But neither of us make an effort. I usually spend Sunday School in nursery with our special needs 2 year old, and I can be found in the library during PH, either reading "anti-mormon literature" on my phone, or reading old Mormon books that have been gathering dust for the last 50 years.

I do not. But I don't go out much, period. I will attend Sac Mtg, though, if a TBM family member has something going on that's important to them. I feel I'm supporting the family member, not the Morg.

I go every week but lately I've been spending a lot of time in the halls with my daughter who is 17 months old and way too fidgety for three hours of meetings. I will go back to attending all of my meetings as soon as the little one is off to nursery. I'm not aggressive in my atheistic views but I'm honest. If asked my opinion of scripture I answer honestly. Despite my unbelief I do enjoy the social and intellectual (I know, I know) aspects of church attendance. I never bear testimony but will volunteer to serve if the service seems well intentioned or of a truly charitable nature. Church has never been better when enjoyed this way. I also stopped paying my tithing and offered the bishop 10 percent of my income paid to a charity of my choosing in exchange for a temple recommend...he refused the deal.

Seneca Wrote:
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I also stopped paying my
> tithing and offered the bishop 10 percent of my
> income paid to a charity of my choosing in
> exchange for a temple recommend...he refused the
> deal.


How interesting. Yes, the point of the money is NOT to do good for those in need, but to bring in money to SLC. They have quotas to meet and giving it to a legitimate charity does not fill that gaping maw that needs cold hard cash.

Seneca Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I also stopped paying my
> tithing and offered the bishop 10 percent of my
> income paid to a charity of my choosing in
> exchange for a temple recommend...he refused the
> deal.


A few years ago, I did this very thing. Although, I'd already paid my 10% elsewhere, where I KNEW it was going to help someone in dire need. My bishop, a good man despite his brainwashing, told me I'd still have to pay the same amount to the church to get my TR renewed. I told him, politely, there was NO WAY I could do that. That was the last tithing conversation I had with him.

I do attend SM to keep the peace in my family and to be there for my two kids so they don't feel alone, but I always leave after SM and pick them up after the three-hour block is over. This is fine with my TBM DH. We have compromised that our kids will attend all Sunday church meetings until they graduate from high school, then they can decide at what level they want to stay involved, if at all, and we will respect their decision.

I attend most of it, there are some personal reasons for it, and I am also not ready to leave completely, I am very disappointed in so much but leaving is harder than I thought. I admire those who one day just leave and don't look back. I'm not ready yet though, not yet.

about once a month for the last year or so. Mostly to support family members.
Rarely if ever do I sit through Sunday School anymore and the last time I even attempted to go to EQ it was a 30 minute conversation about football. That was like 5 years ago.
I left my position in the church's boy scout troop to be the scoutmaster of another much better run troop. Most folks probably assume that if I'm not there on Sunday it's because I'm doing something with the new troop. So I haven't had anybody come looking for me, at least not yet.

Great answers. I've totally been there. So how do we grow a secret community so we can ID each other? And then have dinners after where we talk shit and drink wine just like the Lord did?

The problem is that usually, most of the people here live far enough apart to make that difficult, but I would be down. As for dinners, you all should come to the Mormon Expression potluck tomorrow if you can, at wheeler farm.

I have attended once in the past ten years. My sister asked me to accompany her singing and so I went and did this. SM only.

Quit going to church in 1971....went to conference broadcast when then started out of respect to my Dad & Mom who were TBM's....went a few times after his passing in 2000....but after Big Tommy got "elected" I gave up on it....

DW and I last attended three years ago. We have kept this from family members although suspect some of them know through the mormon gossip mill in town. We will have to attend sacrament meeting for nephew going on mission in a couple of months. Seriously, we will barely be able to stomach attending sacrament meeting that one time. The longer we are away, the more the meetings seem to be a colossal waste of time.

I go to SM only and I do it for DW. She knows I'm right but she still wants to attend for social reasons. I've openly told the bishop I'm here for her and no other reason. Actually that reminds me I never did return and report on Bishop Your House is my House. It's not exciting but I'll type it up sometime soon.

I go (approx 75% of the time) b/c my wife goes and takes the girls - I like to keep an eye on their education and this is no different. If I don't know what they are hearing i can't adequately counter it. Fortunately the tscc is so repetitive that i don't feel the need to go each sunday morning. I'm hopeful the girls will leave on their own as they get into their teenage years.

FYI - this next weekend in St Louis there is a huge meeting for RS, YW, and Primary leaders(and the priesthood that oversee these auxiliaries). My wife is going b/c her Aunt Rosemary (Wixom) will be there to "train" primary leaders.

Haven't been in a mormon building in 6-7 years. That was for a funeral for a dear friend.