DiscussMormonism.com

I wanted to do a poll but I couldn't figure it out. Just trying to see how deceptive and skanky the doubters who post on this board are. This is to help Bob feel better about his crusade against the anonymous.

Since beginning to seriously doubt aspects of the church, can you say you have done any of the following:

1) Born testimony of something you don't believe?
2) Born testimony of something you don't know?
3) Lied in a temple recommend interview?
4) Accepted a calling knowing full well you wouldn't be magnifying anything soon.
5) Pretended to believe something infront of members by verbally saying so (or did you just keep silent).
6) Raised your hand in support of the leaders in church, knowing full well that you don't.
7) Made demonstably false statements regarding the church anonymously online or elsewhere.

So since we are all anonymouns (save Bob) no damage should occurr by answering honestly.

Since its my thread I will answer first:

1) I can say that when I first started to doubt, I still bore my testimony as usual. I didn't really doubt per se, just felt that there was something wrong. However, as soon as I got to a certain point, and actually recognized myself as a doubter with no testimony, i have not given it since.
2) Funny, I didn't this all the time as a TBM, but not after starting to doubt.
3) The one interview I had several years ago, after starting to doubt, I unloaded on the bishop and told him everything about my doubts - historical issues, modern day dearth of revelation, not believing in God at all, early apostasy of the LDS church, etc. I unloaded it all and told him I didn't know what to believe about anything. Some days a normal TBM, other days agnostic, other days atheist. After all this, since there was no "sin" involved, he still wanted to and gave me a recommend. Knowing all of this, he basically instructed me to answer "yes" to the questions so he could give me one. He thought going to the temple would be good for me. So there I sat and answered "yes" to the testimony questions that I knew and he knew full well that I didn't believe. He even asked me take special notice of my feelings as I answered "yes" (a la - I think he was tryingt to invoke a "if you bare it it will come" sort of thing). Did I lie? I will leave it to you guys to judge that one. (EDIT - As a side note, I never actually got the recommend. Due to the ward changing boundaries the week after this meeting, I didn't get into the SP on time and it expired. So it would have then required going to the new bishop and doing the whole thing over again, so I didn't bother. Until late last year when new bishop asked me about it and I had to unload on him as well. But his approach was different afterwards, he didn't have me do the questions. So i haven't gone since being a doubter. And I wouldn't lie to get one.)
4) Hmm. A tough one. I wouldn't say I planned to fail, but I knew the motivation was lacking and it would be hard to do.
5) At the beginning, I probably did this a little, mainly out of habbit I suppose. The instructor asks stupid softball questions in class and everyone is too embarrassed to say the answer (read scriptures, pray, go to temple (the answer to everything)) and so you throw out some comment, trying to be meaningful, but you don't fully buy it yourself. But then after realizing its pointless to try and think outside the box, you just keep quiet. So that is what I do. Quiet as a mouse. (except for an occasional snore or snort).
6) Well for me, I don't know if this one is an issue. Even on message boards, I don't rail against anyone or accuse church leaders of X Y or Z. That just isn't me. Do I support them in their calling? I guess I recognize that they are in leadership positions, so I raise my hand. Will I do everything they want me to just because I raised my hand? Not really. I will do what I think is best.
7) Nope, I've never done this.

Edited to adde side note above.

Since beginning to seriously doubt aspects of the church, can you say you have done any of the following:

1) Born testimony of something you don't believe? No
2) Born testimony of something you don't know? No
3) Lied in a temple recommend interview? No
4) Accepted a calling knowing full well you wouldn't be magnifying anything soon. No
5) Pretended to believe something infront of members by verbally saying so (or did you just keep silent). This is tougher because at work people are always talking about Mormonism. I just don't participate in the conversations, so I suppose that would be "just keep silent" but then no one at work has any idea of my status as a member or not. I figure it's none of their business.
6) Raised your hand in support of the leaders in church, knowing full well that you don't. No
7) Made demonstably false statements regarding the church anonymously online or elsewhere. No

I'm not a TBM doubter but when I was:

1) Born testimony of something you don't believe?
2) Born testimony of something you don't know?
3) Lied in a temple recommend interview?
4) Accepted a calling knowing full well you wouldn't be magnifying anything soon.
5) Pretended to believe something infront of members by verbally saying so (or did you just keep silent).
6) Raised your hand in support of the leaders in church, knowing full well that you don't.
7) Made demonstably false statements regarding the church anonymously online or elsewhere.

No, to all of the above.


~dancer~

I think the process by which people leave the LDS Church can be compared to how people leave a marriage, and not all do it the same way.

*Some people come home and find their spouse in bed with another person, and they leave the marriage the same day.

*Some people come home and find their spouse in bed with another person, and decide to try to make the marriage work as long as they can. When it no longer works, they finally leave the marriage.

*Some people have difficulties with their spouse, but nothing problematic enough to require leaving the marriage. The marriage, however, might suffer as a result.

*Some people are courted by another suitor and leave their spouse.

That pretty much covers the various categories of leaving Mormonism, I think. People either leave immediately, once the ascertain a significant problem, try to stay for a while to make it work and then leave gradually, stay in long term even though there are difficulties, or leave for something they perceive to be better.

no to all except when playing mind games with the unwitting online missionaries at Mormon.org :)

truth dancer wrote:I'm not a TBM doubter but when I was:

1) Born testimony of something you don't believe?
2) Born testimony of something you don't know?
3) Lied in a temple recommend interview?
4) Accepted a calling knowing full well you wouldn't be magnifying anything soon.
5) Pretended to believe something infront of members by verbally saying so (or did you just keep silent).
6) Raised your hand in support of the leaders in church, knowing full well that you don't.
7) Made demonstably false statements regarding the church anonymously online or elsewhere.

No, to all of the above.


~dancer~

See above.

Black Moclips wrote:
1) Born testimony of something you don't believe?
2) Born testimony of something you don't know?

7) Made demonstably false statements regarding the church anonymously online or elsewhere.

Most members, even the faithful, do at some time #1, 2 and 7, even if their intentions are honorable.

Testimony bearing is generally that of something that is hoped to be true, even if no evidence is available. Some of us might later come to realize that we said we "knew" something to be true, when it was in fact either unprovable or patently incorrect.

In so doing, we made false statements.

1) Born testimony of something you don't believe? No, I only born that which I did believe when I believed, I am not the type of person that goes up regularly. I have only gone up on my own accord twice in my life.
2) Born testimony of something you don't know? No, how can one bear something they don't know?
3) Lied in a temple recommend interview? No, I was entirely honest and still got a recommend. I am just good at making people worship me. LOL just kidding. Or am I?
4) Accepted a calling knowing full well you wouldn't be magnifying anything soon. I accepted two callings whilst doubting, but my doubts didn't have effect on those.
5) Pretended to believe something infront of members by verbally saying so (or did you just keep silent). I asked questions all the time, which made people think, I have an enquiring mind. I asked complicated questions which I never really got awnsers to.
6) Raised your hand in support of the leaders in church, knowing full well that you don't. I raise my hand, but it means nothing to me as the whole congregation including children do it. It is not in support anyway.
7) Made demonstably false statements regarding the church anonymously online or elsewhere.
I don't know. Not intentionly.

Gosh I'm just a damned bitch. If one doubts then it means nothing to them. So there is no imotion therefore it is not bad, I agree bareface lying and making out to be someone you are not is wrong, but not all your questions can point that way.

I didn't know one could chat with missionaries on Mormon.org. Cool.

1) Born testimony of something you don't believe?
2) Born testimony of something you don't know?
3) Lied in a temple recommend interview?
4) Accepted a calling knowing full well you wouldn't be magnifying anything soon.
5) Pretended to believe something infront of members by verbally saying so (or did you just keep silent).
6) Raised your hand in support of the leaders in church, knowing full well that you don't.
7) Made demonstably false statements regarding the church anonymously online or elsewhere.

No to all the above. I was quite upfront about my progressive loss of faith.