Calling out Dravin: Give us your story!

[_Polygamy-Porter]

Former LDS.NET Mod.

Recently resigned.


Share your story please with all of us here at Shady Acres®!

[_cwald]

Former LDS.NET Mod.

Recently resigned.


Share your story please with all of us here at Shady Acres®!

-Like-

[_Maureen]

I will admit that I'm very curious too.

M.

[_Dravin]

I'm in school for geology, this created an instant cognitive dissonance with the more fundamental takes on Mormonism right off the bat. Furthermore studying a science caused me to reconsider a lot of the standard apologetic rhetoric in response to a lot of questions mostly because if I ever tried to use the same tactics in making a scientific argument I'd have been laughed out of the class room. I also developed friendships with non-Mormons and realized that they weren't horrible people *gasp*. You get exposed to people who drink and don't turn into alcoholic and it kinda cuts the legs out from under the "One sip an alcoholic makes!" rhetoric you find in the church. Actually being on LDS.net kinda highlighted the issues, I start to see the surety and zealotry as pride and the apologetics as a stream of logical fallacies and intentional misconstructions. Kind embarrassing when you've spent so much time repeating them.

The cognitive dissonance built up until I eventually examine the epistemology of my beliefs. In science it's important to know what your claims are based on, to evaluate them for error. Longish and slow process short, I concluded that feelings of elevation aren't reliable determiners of some sort of eternal truth. Those of other religions claim similar experiences as evidence of their beliefs, the only basis for discounting those experiences rested on some sort of bastard love-child of begging the question and no true Scottsman fallacies. In the end I reached the conclusion that even if what I experienced wasn't strictly emotional it wasn't reliable, once you can no longer use your feelings of elevation as a foundation things crumble quickly. I probably would have simple remained inactive except the church's and member's behavior in a lot of things ranging from apologetic to how they respond with doubt made made me not want to be associated with the Church. Also, as petty as it was, I was tired of random members I was friends with on Facebook trying to covenant guilt trip me into activity (I have no clue how any rational adult thinks messaging someone out of the blue to accuse them of being a covenant breaker and betrayer is going to have a positive result). You don't think it as a TBM but the church and it's members are very, "You're all in or you're all out." I chose out.

[_Polygamy-Porter]

Bravo Dravin!


May I dedicate this song to you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWsJcg-g1pg


I presume you are single? If so, I hope that you live in an area of the country where you may explore all that mother nature offers!

[_Dravin]

I presume you are single? If so, I hope that you live in an area of the country where you may explore all that mother nature offers!

I'm married to a TBM. I won't say it's smooth sailing but I'm not about to scuttle the ship and despite threats early on I don't think she's going to scuttle it either.

[_DrW]

I presume you are single? If so, I hope that you live in an area of the country where you may explore all that mother nature offers!

I'm married to a TBM. I won't say it's smooth sailing but I'm not about to scuttle the ship and despite threats early on I don't think she's going to scuttle it either.

Dravin,

Thanks for sharing your story. It warms the cockles of my heart to hear first hand from young scientists who figure it out early in life and have the courage to resign.

Many of us here have gone through the same process with believing spouses, myself included. It is my humble hunch that things are beginning to improve with this aspect of life after Mormonism. Even five years ago, on this and other boards, one read a lot about divorces that resulted from one partner (usually the husband) figuring it out and becoming inactive.

My sense is that, with the rapid deterioration in public's perception of the LDS Church, and the fact that LDS Church leadership looks more like a clown car with each passing year, more people are able to leave without serious disruption to their marriage or family. And I think this is especially true for members living outside the Morridor.

In our case, my wife has remained somewhat active as an NOM, and things are going very well. She understands that the Joseph Smith story and the foundational truth claims of Mormonism are all lies, just as is the case with other religions, but feels that the organization overall can offer some benefits.

Anyway, glad to hear that your wife values you and your marriage more than the LDS Church.

Thanks again for sharing your reasons for choosing science over religion. Hope you will continue to post here.

Best wishes.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

It'll be ok, man.

[Guest]

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[Guest]

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