Exmos

[_Doctor Steuss]

To those who have "left" the Church and have family still in:

Do you feel like your non-LDS-ness is always a monster lurking in the corner when you’re around family?

[_Some Schmo]

To those who have "left" the Church and have family still in:

Do you feel like your non-LDS-ness is always a monster lurking in the corner when you’re around family?

I've pretty much given up on them. We had agreed not to talk about it at some point, but it's essentially ended up that we just don't talk at all. It's very difficult for me to look past this character flaw they have. I'd just like to shake them and yell at them to wake up, but it'll never happen. They're too far gone.

[_The Dude]

To those who have "left" the Church and have family still in:

Do you feel like your non-LDS-ness is always a monster lurking in the corner when you’re around family?

For the most part I do not feel that way. However, my brother is enaged to marry a woman who finally converted over a period of 2-3 years. He struggled to help her overcome her doubts, and finally she was baptized. We have never been introduced and I can't help but wonder if I've been kept out of the picture because I might spoil her new faith.

[_gramps]

To those who have "left" the Church and have family still in:

Do you feel like your non-LDS-ness is always a monster lurking in the corner when you’re around family?

It always is the monster lurking. Gosh, I wish they could just get over it and we could enjoy ourselves while we have each other.

[_Trinity]

To those who have "left" the Church and have family still in:

Do you feel like your non-LDS-ness is always a monster lurking in the corner when you’re around family?

If I were ever around family, I'm sure it would be a monster. I have a gargantuan family, 8 siblings, 43 grandchildren, 15 ggrandchildren. They are all very involved in Mormonism. To a Mormon, all life aspects surround the religion. The only time I hear from said siblings about themselves or their children is if there is a baby blessing, a baptism or a temple marriage. I have one niece who is partial to me because she dared to do the great evil of getting married out of the temple (to a Mormon) and then getting a divorce. I just recently catered for her 2nd wedding which was at the temple. I was asked if I was going to attend the temple and told them no. And she was put out. Two years ago I was travelling back from my parents to Utah with my little sister (who I never see, she has 8 children and lives in Washington) and we were casually talking about religion and I told her I felt like all organized religion was not the best way to discover God. She went silent. For about 10 minutes. And I have not had a direct conversation with her since. I have a brother who has three autistic children. He told me once that believing in an equitable God was the only thing that kept him going on this life. So I don't discuss religion with him either.
My oldest sister and I used to be close. Her husband is an anal retentive Mormon. Their children were raised to gasp in shock if they saw someone drinking coca cola. I know that if I outed my agnosticism to this sister, her husband would forbid her to talk to me again (yes, he is that kind of douchebag.)

I knew the moment that I turned my back on Mormonism, my family would turn their back on me. Sad, but true. There is no room for someone like me in their world view. I remember when my youngest sister decided she had had enough of her mission after about four months, so she decided to come home. My oldest sister did not tell her children that YS had come home because she did not want her children to be exposed to knowledge that someone abandoned their calling in such a manner.

[_MishMagnet]

I guess it is the elephant in the room but I know nothing different. I was in my early 20's when I made my first break with the church. I don't live by any of my family. I've graduated from college, gotten married, had children, moved around, grown older. My whole adult life has been at arms length from my family and I don't know any differently. My parents seem to try extra hard with my husband who is a nevermo. They are very careful to not offend and to accept him as is and I appreciate this very much. I feel that I do the same back to them. When we visit we play by their rules. We go to church, we pray, we observe the Sabbath. Living the farthest away we spend over $1000 each time we travel to a temple wedding that we wait outside for. We are always there, however. I have not missed one wedding. Well, I've missed all of the 'weddings' but I've been physically present on the grounds. Not to seem the martyr, I don't feel bad about any of this. I hope my family realizes that I do TRY to be close to them. I love them very much.

[_John Larsen]

We are civil but the relationships are all tainted. Most Mormons are very non-confrontational.

Expressing any position that is out not in harmony with the Church is viewed as an attack on their beliefs so any sort of normal human communication is out.

We also have to be unendingly positive around them. Any expression of being down or things not going our way is seen as a sure sign that we are under the condemnation of God.

John

[_Jason Bourne]

Not really and exmo. Rather a liberal hypocrite.

Just wondering if I could ask a couple of questions?

1. How did you feel when you figured out that the church isn't what it claims to be?

Depressed, sad, angry, confused, kicked in the stomach, etc.....

2. How do you feel now towards the church?

I love this goofy thing called Mormonism and mostly love Mormons of all flavors, even the exmos! But I have shifted that ole paradigm thing to accomodate religion in general because I want religion as part of my life and for me I think the LDS Church still works best.

But a lot of the literalism is gone, the Church is not the ONE TRUE CHURCH and all that it used to be for me an this really still makes me sad. Want to go back at times, but cannot. The genie is out of the bottle.

[_Jason Bourne]

Not really and exmo. Rather a liberal hypocrite.

Just wondering if I could ask a couple of questions?

1. How did you feel when you figured out that the church isn't what it claims to be?

Depressed, sad, angry, confused, kicked in the stomach, etc.....

2. How do you feel now towards the church?

I love this goofy thing called Mormonism and mostly love Mormons of all flavors, even the exmos! But I have shifted that ole paradigm thing to accomodate religion in general because I want religion as part of my life and for me I think the LDS Church still works best.

But a lot of the literalism is gone, the Church is not the ONE TRUE CHURCH and all that it used to be for me an this really still makes me sad. Want to go back at times, but cannot. The genie is out of the bottle.

[_Jason Bourne]

When I had my name removed, I didn’t know the Corporation wasn’t what it claimed to be. All I knew was that I was in complete disagreement with the Mormon God, and I turned my back on him and his doctrine. The Mormon God was a racist, a murderer and a God that wanted strict obedience and money before he would ever love you.

Several years later when I joined the Ex-Mormon Foundation, my eyes of understanding were opened. And I was angry beyond description. I was lied to for 15 years in the cult of Mormonism. I was told what to read, what to do, how to behave, and how much to pay. I was told to stop looking at any material that would put my “testimony” in jeopardy.

Yes, I was hurt, angry, betrayed. This lying organization purposefully kept the truth from me. I could go into depth about the lies and deceptions about Joseph Smith, Brigham, Book of Abraham, Book of Mormon and everything else all the way up to that lying piece of sh*t Gordon B. Hinkster. When I began to unravel these truths I saw that Mormonism turned its back on me – all the while claiming that I had done so first.

If you’re in, keep your damned mouth shut, otherwise, you are an apostate, a bad person, someone who has rejected Jesus Christ himself. You cannot be trusted, you are angry, you are hateful, you have been deceived by Satan himself.

How do I feel now? Is it not obvious? I have helped countless people get out of the Cult of Mormonism. I’ve helped countless have their names removed and will continue to do so. I will do everything in my power to bring down the Cult. To show the world the truth behind the facade – the lies, the deceit, the white washings, the changing doctrines and more.

I’m tired of listening to Mormons like Gaz, Charity, Harmony and Ray A. I’ve heard all of their bullsh*t time and time again, even when I was a Mormon. I’m beyond trying to answer their questions or even try to debate with them anymore – it is pointless. They will only see what they want to see – and then have the balls to turn around and say the same thing about me – even though I was in their cult for years. It’s pure spiraling circular logic that is pointless.

The energy is better used to help people avoid the Cult and to help those trapped in it, get out. I don’t find Mormonism amusing or funny at all. I see it as a serious cult that robs human beings of their humanity. It robs them of their money promising them heaven if they will only pay – and threatening them with hellfire and damnation if they don’t.

Mormons see me as hateful and angry. This helps them cope with the fact that I am an apostate. I mean think about it, how can somebody leave the One And Only True Church ™! Those on the outside such as Ex-Mormons or those still in trying to get out, or even those who’ve never been Mormon see me in a totally different light.

At least for the moment, the family I have now who are still Mormons, have not rejected me completely – as many other Ex-Mormons have been treated. Of course, they do not know the full extent of my work, and I do not discuss it with them or their Mormonism. I treat them with respect knowing they are trapped within a Cult and have no idea how to get out. The rest of you Internet Mormons can piss off and live within the secluded boundaries inside your mind.

Mormonism has more of a grip on you know then it even did. Bet you spend more time with it and on it then you ever did before. of course in a different way. Why don't you just pull down your really bad web site and move on?