My initial feelings about apostates and doubters

[_Quasimodo]

Z,

Turning it back to you. You were the reason (above others) that I joined this board (for good or evil). I read your posts when just lurking and decided that this might be a good place to hang out occasionally.

Your honesty shines through! I admire your sincerity and that fact that you share so much of your personal life. If others are unhappy that I'm here, they can blame you. :)!!!

[_zeezrom]

Z,

Turning it back to you. You were the reason (above others) that I joined this board (for good or evil). I read your posts when just lurking and decided that this might be a good place to hang out occasionally.

Your honesty shines through! I admire your sincerity and that fact that you share so much of your personal life. If others are unhappy that I'm here, they can blame you. :)!!!

Thanks Quas.

I fear I have revealed waaaaaaay too much about myself. If my (extended) family found me on here they would FREAK OUT! Truly Quas, it wasn't supposed to turn out this way. LOL. I was supposed to go through the 5 stages of faith and come out the other end with a stronger testimony than before just like two BIL's and my BFF promised me. How funny.

[_zeezrom]

Zee, I am with you on a lot of these points.

Rambo, it is nice to know a fellow engineer is on board with me. Thanks for posting here. It was enlightening to see your journey as well.

[_Runtu]

Zee,

When I first came across your posts, I recognized the same struggle and good intentions I had experienced way back before I completely lost faith in Mormonism. In fact, we were so alike that Will was sure you were my sockpuppet.

I have been around these kinds of boards a long time, and I had never met an apostate until then. I'm not sure I thought they were evil so much as I thought behind all the "excuses," there was a real issue they were hiding (bcspace isn't the first to think that about apostates).

What I discovered is that so many apostates are where they are because of personal integrity and a refusal to make excuses for anyone. When I compare them to the Pahorans of the world, I'd rather hang out with the apostates.

[_Blixa]

Zeez, there was a time Mormon culture wasn't as black and white as all this. I swear, the pre-correlation church had moments of neighborhood good feeling that included all neighbors! Even more, why there were times that utter non-believers in the divinity of the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ were CES teachers held in high esteem! (I've been communing with the ghost of Sterling M. McMurrin these past few days). I'd love to introduce you to a whole host of stellar lights of Mormon/Utah history and culture beyond the limited frames of current reference...

[_Ray A]

(I've been communing with the ghost of Sterling M. McMurrin these past few days). I'd love to introduce you to a whole host of stellar lights of Mormon/Utah history and culture beyond the limited frames of current reference...

I think this is one of the better ones, Matters of Conscience: Conversations With Sterling M. McMurrin on Philosophy, Education, and Religion, which you may already have. His interview with Blake Ostler in Dialogue (originally published in Seventh East Press I believe) is definitely one of the classics.

[_Quasimodo]

I Truly Quas, it wasn't supposed to turn out this way. LOL. I was supposed to go through the 5 stages of faith and come out the other end with a stronger testimony than before just like two BIL's and my BFF promised me. How funny.

That's the magic of it. You came here expecting to revitalize your faith, but your personal integrity lead you in a different direction. I hope (I'm sure) that your new path will make you happy.

[_CaliforniaKid]

Zeezrom,

I really like your OP. Although your epiphany about the Church has brought you pain and struggle, it sounds as though it has also made you a better person. I admire you for having the courage to see the good in people and ideas you had been taught to fear.

Merry Christmas,

-Chris

[_sock puppet]

You're more likely to think there's nothing wrong with the old-fashioned number one pass-time of teenage boys.

Why would it be the old-fashioned number one pass-time of teenage boys and be wrong--unless your god is a cruel, vexatious being trying to make his children feel guilt? Merry Christmas to you too.

[_Norvo Ten Sing]

It is also interesting how I started to see how some defenders of the faith were kind of rude. I realized that religion had very little to do with how kind a person is. That likely had a huge impact on me.

Yes. Thank you, Zeezrom. If more people could come to this realization...

I found out who my friends were and, more importantly, who they weren't when I left the church. And, try as I might, I found that I could not just leave it behind.

Keep sharing your light.