I've watched many of Shawn McCraney's iTunes podcasts and now and again, he'll get a caller that begins ranting and screaming and swearing and being vulgar in defense of the church. We get the same on this board once in a while. People who behave in such a way the church would be ashamed to claim them as members. How, may I ask, can someone consider themselves a defender of the faith when their words and actions go against everything that faith claims to stand for? The swearing, the vulgarity, the anger ... it's like all the morals they were taught go right out the window when they are under pressure. Some of them are pretty scary as they show you just how shallow their belief system is. Clean language, uplifting thoughts, patience as a virtue, loving thy neighbor, being honest ... these are only acts put on for Mormons and potential Mormons. And possibly for those who are willing to buy into the act. When the pressure is on and they are challenged, the mask is ripped from their act. A good belief system is based on creating character, lasting values to live by and making people better. It's not enough to act the part if you have nothing of value inside.

Seriously! Their cog-dis panties get in a wad and their brains short circuit. It's like watching a child have a meltdown.

So what you are saying is that next time Mormons come to my door, I should splash them in the face with holy water, and yell "The power of Christ compels you." Actually, I totally see that having the benefit of keeping them from coming back, so they must really be possessed.

Yes, you can do that, but you have to let me know when so I can show up with my video camera to tape it. And then put it on YouTube...

Actually, I seriously doubt they would even appreciate what you said...

Worth noting that the saner ones are probably less likely to walk into a blatant conflict. Crazies be itchin' for a fight.

Who is Stan?

Stan is satan's real name.

:-)

A few years ago I was helping to set up a memorial for fallen warriors in a local Houston park. There were a whole bunch of us setting out flags, one for every person from Texas who had died in Iraq and Afghanistan. We had a large group of helpers and it was going well.

Out of nowhere this fairly young guy drives up in his beat up old car, squeels his tires pulling into the parking lot, parks his car and slams his door getting out of his car. He rushes over to us yelling the whole way about how we all need to repent or we'll be sent into outer darkness and that these men and women had died in God's holy war, blah blah blah. He had a crazed look in his eyes and spittle came flying out of his mouth as he shouted at all of us. We just stopped and stared at this lunatic.

I had noticed as the guy pulled in that attached to the dash of his car was a replica of the SL temple. He had LDS stickers all over his bumpers. You know the kind, "families are forever" and all that crap. So I walked up to him and tried to calm him down. He kept spewing his venom. Then he turned around and walked back into his car, yelling the whole time, got in, and pulled out of the parking lot, yelling at us through his rolled down windows.

If this isn't evidence of being possessed by Stan, I don't know what is. :)

My theory is that these people are all new converts. Their 'zeal' and continually burning bosoms 'forces' them to share their new found 'religious experience' with anyone they find. Even if it is just someone they see driving down the road.

They can't help it. They just have to share. Like a Klingon at a Federation Cocktail Party, (old Style Klingon, not TNG).

They will, soon, learn to shun people who don't listen to them after they kicked enough for being enthusiastic about anything...

As an aside

When I was growing up, a long time ago in a place, far, far away (Virginia); my grandma had a Virgin Mary statue on the dashboard of her car.

Conveniently built into the base was a place for her put out her cigarette in.

(Around the same time, the USFS gave away little, plastic Smokie the Bear 'heads' with places to put out your cigarette in the tops of their heads you could stick to your dashboard. Our pickup had a 'forest' of six of them, all with a cigarette butts sticking out.)

I don't suppose his SLC temple dashboard ornament had a place to put out his cigarette, did it?

Remember, they have been carefully brainwashed to believe they are a persecuted people - they start out on HIGH DEFENSE, so if you challenge them, they have no place to go except straight to LIVID.

My 24 yr old married RM, in the high council son comes over Sunday nights for a visit and I'm almost tempted to say no to theses visits.

However there is a sick side of me that likes to mess with him. He feels it is his duty to reactivate me. Whenever he reads from the BofM or any other JS stuff, I try to stop him in his tracks.

Anyways, since he can't get through to me, he will get really pissed and sometimes stomp out.

I actually like discussing with people with different opinions, but mormons are completely closed minded.

I suppose I was like that maybe back in the day. lol

Ye-ah. I figured out to just stop the conversation, as they went so ballistic with anger. I was pretty shocked at first, but eventually realized at least for some, if not most, the anger is because they haven't got the balls to examine their own beliefs and are angry just at the prospect that they may be wrong!

I've seen exmos do the same. Names like Benson come to mind.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2012 08:22PM by steve benson.

There are a couple people I know that can't handle any conversation whatsoever that doesn't paint the church all rosy.

I can literally see them go into an anxiety attack. Their breathing gets shallow, they clench their fists and teeth. Their bodies seem to get very rigid. They look like they want to run, but know its not socially acceptable.

If one is inclined, it's very easy to push these peoples buttons. It takes almost nothing to get them in anxiety mode. All I have to do is put a book they don't approve of, on the coffee table.

These same people drink all my Coke when they come to visit. They will stay in bed until they're sure i'm done drinking my coffee. When they come out of their room they bring their BoM with them so they can read it while eating breakfast.

Rather than contaminate their garmies by using my washer and dryer, they wash them by hand and hang them in the bathroom overnight. They go to great extremes to keep me out of that bathroom while this insanity is going on.

They live very anal retentive lives. No wonder they're all on meds.

Sort of like someone saying dissenters should be " "shot... in...the... face?"

Frequently resembles textbook* narcissistic rage.

*All I know are informal writings on the subject, just saying...

You know, WinksWinks, I've thought that before. I read up on narcissism a couple years back and although I'm no expert, that anger does sound familiar when you read the description of narcissistic rage:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_rage

Raptor: Sure you don't mean Santa?
I think we all know TBMs possessed by Stan........



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2012 09:20PM by enoughenoch19.

my tbm bro does exactly this whenever the conversation causes cog diss

"I can literally see them go into an anxiety attack. Their breathing gets shallow, they clench their fists and teeth. Their bodies seem to get very rigid. They look like they want to run, but know its not socially acceptable."

I tend to back off because I worry for his health, he doens't realize how far gone I am in his opinion but I am sure he suspects something. thing is I wish that we could talk more openly, he is very well read, and yet continue to believe, that intrigues me.