Eric.

[_Ray A]

I've just spent perhaps an hour or more talking to Eric on Skype. I had the opportunity to ask Eric some pretty pointed questions, about his life, his views, and his experiences. I hope he will be back here soon. I'm impressed with his sincerity. First, let me say that Eric didn't deserve the treatment he got, and he doesn't deserve the treatment he continues to get from some quarters. Certain "parties" intervened in what should have remained an anonymous expression of dissent from "the orthodoxy", and with good cause, if anyone understood Eric's motivation for "that post", which was not meant to injure anyone as long as it was anonymous. Some caught wind of who Eric was, and from there the escalation began.

Does he love his family? Of course. Does he want communication and continuing bonds with his family? Of course. Does he see any sense of this family bonding, love, concern and care inside Mormonism. No. Why? Basically, because if you dissent from Mormonism - you become a pariah, an "untouchable". What you believe is more important than who you are. Perhaps we can lay some of the blame on Jesus, who said that he came to "divide people", even families, depending on what they believed. No? I sense that Eric just wants a normal life, and he wants to be part of his family, but cannot do so while they continue to look at every angle from "sheep and goat", "faithful and unfaithful", "black and white", "good and evil".

Eric is a painful and poignant reminder of how Mormonism can divide people. All he's asking for is to be accepted for who he is, and what he never wanted to be, and why he rebelled against efforts to shape him into what others felt he "should be". In other words, he wanted his agency, a term Mormons would grasp. The price he paid for being who he wanted to be is exclusion, and for a couple of years incarceration in a "Mormon correctional centre".

I would hang my head in shame if I sent one of my sons to a "correctional centre" because they were out of line with my religious beliefs (or otherwise; I would deal with that myself). And yes, I'm unashamed to say that my heart does "bleed" for Eric, because he's an intelligent and fine human being, but unfortunately those qualities will never be recognised outside the purview of Mormon absolutism, and some other narrow minds who never took the opportunity to speak to Eric face to face. He totally reminds me of my three sons, a person who just wants to be normal, and accepted for being normal. A person who actually wants to be tolerant, who has found it impossible to do so considering the oppression that has been his lot.

All he asked for, from the beginning, was to be given his freedom of choice without being branded the lowest form of life.

Thank God I brought up my children outside of this MF. I wish I could find more diplomatic words, but I can't.

[_Some Schmo]

Yep. I can completely relate.

If anyone wonders why I still have any interest at all in criticizing the church after over two decades of apostasy, it’s because of the way it divides families. I could easily forget about my Mormon past completely were it not for the constant reminder that there are two halves to my family: the Mormon and non-mormon halves.

I’d like to see Eric back. I sense he’s a genuinely good guy.

[_Daniel Peterson]

Absolutely certain of the condemnation that will come my way for pointing out the obvious, I proceed to do so:

Getting your story from only one side of that story is potentially risky. In many, many ways.

[_KimberlyAnn]

Getting your story from only one side of that story is potentially risky. In many, many ways.

Exactly. Which is why folks investigating Mormonism shouldn't go only to Mormons for their information.

To Those Who Are Investigating Mormonism

KA

[_Some Schmo]

Absolutely certain of the condemnation that will come my way for pointing out the obvious, I proceed to do so...

Of course you proceed. Turning threads that have little/nothing to do with you into threads about you is one of your favorite things, isn't it? Especially nice is if you can get some condemnation out of the deal to further the justification of your persecution complex, huh?

Look, it worked on me! Clever!

[_Some Schmo]

Exactly. Which is why folks investigating Mormonism shouldn't go only to Mormons for their information.

Heh... aside from DCP's pitiful, thinly-veiled request for attention, that is exactly what I thought too, KA.

[_asbestosman]

Exactly. Which is why folks investigating Mormonism shouldn't go only to Mormons for their information.

Indeed, they should turn to God for the rest of the story.

[_Some Schmo]

Exactly. Which is why folks investigating Mormonism shouldn't go only to Mormons for their information.

Indeed, they should turn to God for the rest of the story.

Hmmm... I'd recommend someone who will actually answer specific questions with words, not easily misinterpreted feelings.

[_asbestosman]

I’d like to see Eric back. I sense he’s a genuinely good guy.

I like seeing Daniel Peterson and The Nehor back. I sense they're genuinely good guys.*

I also don't put much stock in online senses. Personal interaction with people can reveal important clues into their personality, and even then it's hard to tell. Con-men abound for a reason.

I haven't noticed anything particular extrordinary from Eric, Daniel Peterson or The Nehor, so really my opinion is fairly neutral except that I tend to enjoy the humor of the latter two and tend to agree with them more.

*Daniel Peterson did not sway me to make this thread about him--I did that on my own.

[_asbestosman]

Hmmm... I'd recommend someone who will actually answer specific questions with words, not easily misinterpreted feelings.

Yet I find words are also easily misinterpreted (expecially when communicating with the opposite sex).