I have found more genuinely nice, caring people here than with all the GAs and TBMs I once called friends.
People on this board tend to 'hate' lies and liars. Is that such a bad trait?
Those who have needed counsel or support have found a wealth of caring and concerned posters who exemplify so called 'christianity' like no other group I have met.
In general, I have found exmos to be the most truly 'christian' people I know, and a lot of them are atheists.
No. Not everyone is "hateful" - some are very angry and some stay that way for a long time. Others - not so much. Some, not at all. I'm in the latter group. I have lived with and loved Mormons most of my life since I converted. I have long lasting relationships with Mormons.
Some, like myself have found a way to live by a set of principles that are predominately positive.
It's very pragmatic for me: anything that does not work to my advantage is discarded. If it has detrimental effects of any sort, is not worth spending my thinking and emotions and time on.
It's in my best interest to respect everyone's equal rights to their choices - which includes religious beliefs systems, including Mormonism. Besides, I want the same!
I don't have to have any belief in any of other people's religious beliefs to maintain a long relationship.
Yes and the church is using and abusing these wonderful people. How do you NOT hate the church for what they are teaching and what they are doing, if you really love them so much. Being passive isn't an asset when faced with something like Mormonism. Remember, Jesus got angry and let the people defiling the temple have it in the New Testament. Letting people walk all over you isn't a virtue, unless you think Jesus was a hater too.
It is amazing to me that we are perceived as 'angry' for speaking against the lies of the church and the way in which we are maligned by them.
Yet, Jeff Holland can huff and puff, shout and scream, dribble from his mouth and pound the pulpit while he tells blatant lies, and he is considered so 'spiritual'.
The mind boggles at how dumb (or brainwashed) TBMs can be.
What version of the The First Vision is your favorite? Is tha the one you tell investigators or do you tell them the version approved by the Mormon church?
What about the Book of Mormon translation, do you show the head in hat pictures or the hand on gold plates version? Which story do you tell? Which is your favorite?
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/2013 07:57PM by gentlestrength.
What exactly does someone expect when they come in and instantly say something hateful?
As anointedone said, I've found a lot of loving and caring people here. A still-very-Mormon friend said to me, "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're one of the most Christ-like people I know."
I just laughed. But it does surprise people when they discover that ex-Mormons are loving.
Don't confuse hating an organization which has destroyed quite a lot of lives with hating the people who are in that organization. A lot of us have Mormon family and friends we dearly love.
Some have had their lives made miserable by Mormon family members. Those people might be hateful if they were Mormon, Catholic or atheist. Each situation is an individual thing.
There does seem to be a lot of anger and bitterness. I'm ok with that if it's against the Mormon church, TBH, but it's a general "tone" that happens here that gets really old.
Hate is a very valuable commodity when used properly. I see many complex individuals who on this board with a full range of emotions to use as tools. Hate in many ways is as valuable as the rest.
It is black and white thinking to assign hate a negative only connotation. Many positives in the world are a result of hating something that is vile.
That being said, I rarely if ever see hate on this board except for that which is worthy of hate, such as the bigoted, lying, false cult--The Mormon Church.
I have seen more love, understanding, and support on this board than any other place in my life. And, a lot of really funny stuff too.
My problems is the posters who attack or mock those that don't follow the group think,but that is hardly everyone.The OP will soon figure out who they are and can avoid them if he chooses.He can also avoid anyone else he doesn't care for
I'd agree with this...sometimes there is a definite "group think" thing going on and people can get really rude, but it seems like the most insulting people are just the loudest voices, not the majority. I find rudeness pretty tiring and generally unhelpful/unfunny, so it bothers me, but obviously it doesn't bother a lot of other people.
Every group on the internet has group think like we do and popular rock star types who can do and say whatever they want to pariahs at the bottom of the pecking order without public shaming.
Most people find what they're looking for. If you're looking for hate, you'll find it. If you're looking for love, you'll find that. If you're looking to find a place where everyone agrees with you, you may find it, but it won't be on this bulletin board.
I don't think anyone is trying to tell you what's right or wrong. I do think board members are trying to help you realize you just lumped the entire board into one category.
Like toto said, this board goes through waves. Stick around and you will also see love, care, friendship, etc. I've been here for a year and have appreciated the responses through all my tough times.
My history with this board is lengthy. When I first arrived, the anger scared me because I was programmed to only seek positive, happy things. I needed this board, but my ex-husband also didn't like me being on here. So I left for a while.
After experiencing life a bit more outside the morg, I also began to allow myself to feel anger, hatred, and disgust that I didn't initially feel when I left. At that time, I needed the board again, I was then divorced, and all of a sudden, the anger didn't bug me at all. I understood.
The posts on this board go through waves of emotions. And yes, anger and hatred towards the church or those who have wronged many exmos are evident. As they should be. But there's also healing, and understanding, and care, and thoughtful responses.
I love too many cyber folks on RfM, and some of us have had our rifts, but we move forward and onward. If I'm one of the hateful people you labeled by generalizing, so be it.
Anger is a very useful emotion. Would we have abandoned one country and created america without it? Would women have gotten a chance to vote? Civil rights? Gay rights?
Vegas, you asked a question, honestly. Just like life in general or within Mormonism , you meet here all types of people with varying backgrounds who also may have mental, physical,or emotional disorders which color their thinking. This board can yield damage ,as well as ,healing ,so beware of how you internalize responses. People are themselves wherever they are. That said, some people are further along in their journey of anger. Although they remain angry from the deceit inflicted upon their lives ,they actively listen and respond objectively without needing to point the finger and retaliate at any post that might set them off. Sometimes,when some posts are ridiculously immature and attacking , I get on over to Mormonthink ,in a hurry. I appreciate this site but good manners are important to me as an older person. There is joking and then there is just crapandola. You asked a question. I wanted to give you my perspective rather than attack you for yours.