Another thread got me thinking.

I was slightly embarrassed in church because my scriptures didn't look very used. They weren't marked and the pages stuck together like they do when they are new. It was a sign to anyone looking that I didn't read and ponder like they all obviously did...with their pages all marked in red and cross-referenced.

Oi-sha! The things I remember about Mormon culture!

I read the Book of Mormon straight through, more times than I can remember. But, I refused to mark up my scriptures. People would look at my scriptures and at me like, "For shame. Those clearly are not studied very often."

But I couldn't imagine trying to read them with all of that distracting colouring in there. It would have driven me crazy.

Me too. I never felt right about marking and coloring in my scriptures. I've had ss teachers even as a grown-up chide me for not marking them as suggested.
Actually, I never write in any books, but to deface the word of God is to me a definite no-no.

Reminds me of one of those godawful mormon phrases.....

Scriptures that are falling to pieces, are read by people who are not

Don't you love all the little kids that carry their quad books
in a little black handy satchel to church every week. They usually start carrying them right after they learn how to carry their own nursing bottle....

never used and never opened that I recall.

Looks FLDS-ish to me.

Mine are in good shape too....all I have left is the big combo volume and a bible...neither of which I've read....funny, when I got ordained an elder I was never asked if I'd read the B of M...or the Bible...or if I wanted to go on a mission...and in fact I threw the rest of the b of m's, D & C's, etc. and bibles in the dumpster last week...and good riddence...

the fact that you even thought of it!

As mormons we were very concerned about what others thought of us.

What a crock!

I don't have my original set that I know of, but it rarely got used. The set that I ended up using the most was my seminary set. It's the one I still have around for reference and is pretty battered.

I was going to burn mine but instead just threw them in the rubbish bin and then washed my hands. Felt really good.

Really, just how much about mormonism itself is actually in the BoM? Not very much, actually.
I mean, that was a rather insulting statement.

DO I need to know as much as you do about a work of fiction to be a "proper" exmo?

I struggled to find anything of value in the BoM when I was a TBM. As an exmo understanding it to be nothing but bad fiction, fraudulently claiming to be an accurate historical record and the everlasting "Mormon" gospel, I am GLAD my quad still looks new, 10 years on.

I'll be gladder still when I finally use it to light a bonfire in celebration when my wife learns the truth and we leave together. I'll be sure to burn my garments too, only after cutting out the little masonic symbols and throwing them into the wind.

You really do need to know Mormon scriptures in order to show Mormons how much it contradicts the Bible.
Most Mormons who quit still believe in the Bible, no matter how much some exmos hate it.

Oh right, it's very important to deeply read historical fiction, in order to discuss other historical fiction. Everybody's got a hobby.

Ah, the name calling. A sure way to "win".

Yeah, I SO want to "learn as much about it as you can" all right. I mean, why the heck did I ever leave? I could be learning how to think circular thoughts, and reinforcing my superiority while accomplishing nothing.
You're right, I should go back to church! Another exmo lost to the fold!

"Most Mormons who quit still believe in the Bible, no matter how much some exmos hate it."

Source, please?

White & Delightsome phrase in it. It's come in handy a couple of times :)

I swear the Mormon Church I had back East seems so way different than Utah. I never paid attention to anyone's scriptures to see if they were marked or not and no one ever said anything to me about it.

I never took mine to church. Nobody ever seemed to notice. I never saw the point of dragging books back and forth to church unless I was teaching a lesson.

Did you ever notice how many people dutifully brought them, but never opened them? In my ward I estimated about 2/3 of adults never used them at church. They only brought them because they were told to. When I was young NOBODY brought scriptures to church. Most members where I lived didn't own any. It wasn't until there was a conference talk and everyone was told to bring their scriptures. I think David O was the one that started that.

My Mom's dog took a nice pee on my quad set. Should have seen that as a sign and saved myself years of grief. So yes...mine were very, very much marked. Good Kirby, that's a good boy!