Leaving the Mormon Church

[Judee]

Div, why would all these animals in nature choose to be gay with their 'free will'? It doesn't seem natural. We expect animals and plants to follow 'nature.' Why are there so many gay animals? Why would they 'choose' to be gay? Not many hetero animals choose to be gay.

Interesting you say that Nemo. Before the days of a sure way to sex psittacines, many people would be fooled into thinking they had a 'pair' of cockatoos, or macaws, etc. The same-sex pair, would copulate, set up a nest box, lay eggs (in the case of two females) or of course have no eggs (in the case of two males) though in the case of two males, one of them would stay in the nest and viciously guard it against any and all comers.

[Nemo]

Good post, Muse. There was a film I remember that made a big 'splash' - 'Depression in Mormon Women.' Ever see it? Well, of course, it is all horseshit run by men and the horrible Bible with it's male war god and death to everyone.

[Judee]

Muse, I really want to thank you for having the courage to share this with us!

[MuseNoir]

Judee, I thank you for reading it... I am finding it is quite cathartic.

I am working up to my story on why and how I left.. it's just something I need to work up to telling!!

[MuseNoir]

Good post, Muse. There was a film I remember that made a big 'splash' - 'Depression in Mormon Women.' Ever see it? Well, of course, it is all horseshit run by men and the horrible Bible with it's male war god and death to everyone.

No! I never saw that or heard of it... now you've sent me to google... I am interested... maybe I can find in online..?

[Project]

No! I never saw that or heard of it... now you've sent me to google... I am interested... maybe I can find in online..?

I don't see it here, but lots to check out: Films about Mormon Women

[VOguy]

As for other 'inclinations', how would you like to be told that you cannot have sex with ANYONE. And that doing so would be a horrible dirty filthy crime. Is that cool with you? Would such an institution be cool with you?

Sounds like my friend Saul's marriage to the Ice Queen. "Oy! She's such a kvetch!"

Seriously, it does sound like there is some trouble in paradise. And I can understand the rationale on procreation.

[VOguy]

Muse, I really want to thank you for having the courage to share this with us!

Agreed. As I said before, NOBODY around here will talk about their believes. When someone feels uncomfortable about something that is suppose to be "their life's path", it always makes me uncomfortable.

[DorieTesla'sMom]

I have some relatives who are mormon.
I've been walking a tightrope around them for years. As long as we don't talk religion I'm fine.

One of the things I find repugnant, and bite my tongue about often is baptism of the dead.

I view the ones who came before me as decent people who served God as best they understood. Strikes me impudent to go around second guessing who's going to go to Heaven. It's not our call.

I read the ExMormon board and it sounds like there's a lot of pain out there. It seems especially hard on people who live in Utah and can't get away from religion.

[MuseNoir]

It is interesting, DorieTesla'sMom.... the baptism for the dead.

From their side, they believe that certain things are required in order for a person to be able to move forward in the afterlife. One of those things is being baptised in the Mormon church.

Remember, this is a church that does not believe in Grace. There is a strict, linear path through the religion that is required.

So they perform baptisms for the dead, with a person standing in as proxy for the deceased. When I was in high school.. maybe 14 years old.. I did this. At the time I found it very beautiful and felt like I was performing a great service for someone's spirit and soul. I am sure this is how most Mormon's feel about it.

I do not like, however, that they do this without any kind of permission from the living relatives... there was a huge outcry when they started going through lists of holocuast victims - these people were Jewish, and died because they were Jewish... it seems so disrespectful to them it makes my skin crawl.

However, what Mormons will tell you is that the person has the freedom to choose to accept the gift of baptism in the afterlife or not. So they really are not being forceful, they are just putting it out there should the person's spirit want to accept it.

[Alpha]

Not sure how accurate this is, however some of you may be interested in this.

Mormonism Exposed! - Scott A. Johnson




external linkhttp://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/mormon.htm

Mormonism, known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (with headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah), was officially founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith Jr. (1805-1844). Smith claimed to have had a personal visit from God the Father at the age of 15, who introduced him to Christ Jesus who then supposedly told him not to join any church because they were all wrong and all the Christian church's doctrines 'were an abomination' (Joseph Smith — History 19, Pearl of Great Price). After Smith's murder (most likely from the Freemasons as he had stole their secrets and incorporated them into his Mormon cult) in 1844, Brigham Young took the cult to Utah.

The Mormon Church currently claims it ranks 5th among the largest 25 U.S. denominations. Many do not know that "Mormon Prophets" have long taught and believed that Jesus Christ Was Married and Practiced Polygamy see: http://www.bible-truth.org/LDSpolygamy.html

Among the many blasphemous quotes from Joseph Smith he said: 'God made Aaron to be the mouthpiece for the children of Israel, and He will make me to be God to you in His stead, and the elders to be mouth for me; and if you don't like it, you must lump it' (Documentary History of the Church, vol. 6, pp 319-320).

While Brigham Young stated the following: I have not read the Bible for many years. I used to read and study it, but did not understand the spirit and meaning of it ...' (1854 Conference discourse, October 8). [Brigham Young obviously did not understand the Bible, and neither do any of the other Mormon prophets!]

[maryals]

The thing is, there are many things not told/taught Converts until they are deep into it.
I've been on quite a Spiritual Journey myself: born and raised Catholic, away from the Church for a few years, then Mormon, then broke away from them and now, for the past nearly 2 years I've been taking Bible Study nearly every week with The Jehova's Witnesses.

I'm beginning to understand how wrong is any "Church" or "Religion" that claims to be "Christian" yet fails to have the Bible in general and Jesus' Teachings in particular at their core. And by that I mean regular study, and not shoving down the student's throats what some "Elder" or "Priest" or "Preacher" claims things to mean. In other words, JW seems, so far, to be the Organization that respects where a person "...is on their path..." I have never been pressured to believe this or believe that. I've yet to be pressured to attend Sunday Meetings nor to be Baptized.
I met some Converts who took 5 years to come around.

Anyway...back to the Topic of The Mormon Church...in my own experience they are control freaks hiding behind smiles.
And I can see how it would be a Church that is difficult to leave. In other words, the Mormons put you thru the ringer when you try to leave, especially if you come from a Mormon Family.

Mary and Baby