Cognitive Dissonance -- It Sucks

[_beastie]

And I'd leave the church alone if it would leave me alone. ;)

I do leave the church alone, and I'd bet most other exmormons do, as well.

I do not contact members of my ward. I do not try to "deconvert" members of my family. I do not periodically call Mormons to try and lead them out of the church. Yet the church STILL does that to me, despite the fact that I had my name removed years ago.

I do discuss Mormonism with Mormons who voluntarily come to message boards designed for that purpose, and I post what I consider useful information about about Mesoamerica and the Book of Mormon. If that constitutes "not leaving the church alone", then what do we call what members of the church still do to me, and what thousands of missionaries do to "gentiles" world over?

[_charity]

And I'd leave the church alone if it would leave me alone. ;)

How does speaking against the Church on a message board help you solve the problem?

[_Runtu]

And I'd leave the church alone if it would leave me alone. ;)

I do leave the church alone, and I'd bet most other exmormons do, as well.

I do not contact members of my ward. I do not try to "deconvert" members of my family. I do not periodically call Mormons to try and lead them out of the church. Yet the church STILL does that to me, despite the fact that I had my name removed years ago.

I do discuss Mormonism with Mormons who voluntarily come to message boards designed for that purpose, and I post what I consider useful information about about Mesoamerica and the Book of Mormon. If that constitutes "not leaving the church alone", then what do we call what members of the church still do to me, and what thousands of missionaries do to "gentiles" world over?

I'm in a somewhat different situation. I'm married to an active, believing Mormon, I'm still a member and a high priest, and I live in a predominantly LDS neighborhood. We have home teachers and visiting teachers, my boys are in Scouting and my girls in Young Women. The church is part of my life.

But oddly enough, I don't discuss my issues with the church anywhere but here. I tried to get answers from my bishop, but he had no idea what I was talking about and simply encouraged me to pray and read the scriptures (which I did).

My wife knows of my interest in Mormonism, and I think part of her is relieved that I get it out over here instead of at home.

[_Runtu]

And I'd leave the church alone if it would leave me alone. ;)

How does speaking against the Church on a message board help you solve the problem?

My intent isn't to speak "against" the church but instead to speak the truth. It solves nothing, really, but I think it's better to get it out of my system here than it would be to keep hashing over it at home.

[_Some Schmo]

I would also have to write that the words miscog dis is a postmodern concept acquistioned by post and exmormons to make them feel better about leaving the church. It gives some sort of explanation about why they feel the way they do. It gives them a sort of validation and explanation about why members also stay in the church.

The word has been abused by exmos.

There's a new movie coming out:

The Boy in the Mormon Bubble starring Why Me.

[_beastie]

Once again, from my favorite essay explaining why exmormons retain interest in the church:

http://zarahemlacitylimits.com/essays/RogerLoomis1.html

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded in the spring of 1830. But the driving value of the church goes back 10 years more. In the spring of 1820, Joseph Smith didn't want to join just any church, but rather wanted to join the right one--the true one. So he studied, meditated, and prayed to find out which church was the true church. I argue that the value of belonging to the "true" church is more fundamental in Mormonism than the Mormon Church itself.

The church was established by people who left the false churches they found themselves in favor of what they believed to be the truth. Throughout the church's history, the sacrifices that Mormons have made for what they believed to be the truth should be held in reverence by all.

And that is what Mormonism is all about.

The church itself isn't a culture that was passed on to us that we pass on to others. It is an expression of what we believe is the fundamental nature of truth and reality. We value the truth so much that one of the main missions of the church to proclaim the gospel to anybody who will listen. We make huge sacrifices to convince the world that we have a better way.

In a sentence, Mormons believe more than anything else that the truth matters. It matters so much that we have to be willing to leave economic well being, friends, family, and even our religious heritage to embrace it. It matters so much that we must leave the comfort of keeping our beliefs private and proclaim them to those who see things differently.

We see then that people who leave the church but don't leave it alone aren't fighting against the culture and ideals in which they were raised. Rather, they are embracing it--they are honoring the integrity of the true believers of the church throughout its history by actively living and preaching the truth that they see.

[_antishock8]

Well, I don't leave "the church" alone because if the individuals who had left "the church" before never spoke up I may have still remained brainwashed and a tithe-paying member. What a travesty that would have been. The ramifications for myself and my children.... I shudder to think about it. So. I take the opportunity to express the truth about "the church", that's it a demonstrable fraud and its members deliberately lie about it in order to maintain the idea that "the church" is "true".

What a load.

Of course I don't leave it alone. To do so would be immoral as I watch others be deceived. All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing, and I refuse to do nothing. Mormonism. Islam. Christianity. And a host of other destructive ideologies must be confronted because they're not good for the human condition; they're fantasies and lies. It's just the way it is. And we must confront that illness in order to elevate the human spirit to a place where it no longer relies on mythology to explain reality. THAT is evil, and keeps our race stunted in the worst possible way.

[_JAK]

Well, I don't leave "the church" alone because if the individuals who had left "the church" before never spoke up I may have still remained brainwashed and a tithe-paying member. What a travesty that would have been. The ramifications for myself and my children.... I shudder to think about it. So. I take the opportunity to express the truth about "the church", that's it a demonstrable fraud and its members deliberately lie about it in order to maintain the idea that "the church" is "true".

What a load.

Of course I don't leave it alone. To do so would be immoral as I watch others be deceived. All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing, and I refuse to do nothing. Mormonism. Islam. Christianity. And a host of other destructive ideologies must be confronted because they're not good for the human condition; they're fantasies and lies. It's just the way it is. And we must confront that illness in order to elevate the human spirit to a place where it no longer relies on mythology to explain reality. THAT is evil, and keeps our race stunted in the worst possible way.

It has always been difficult for information and knowledge to challenge religious myths. They are so entrenched in cultures and presently in relatively well educated cultures.

“Six Degrees Could Change the World” on National Geographic is coming next week. It will be science. Religious mythologies abhor science.

The process of educating people begins with the birth of every child. The parents of that child want him/her to follow in the parents’ religious persuasion. Many religious organizations baptize infants. They tend to follow that up with religious education which, of course, is not education but rather indoctrination.

Public education is forced to tread lightly in many locations in the USA on science. Kansas prohibited the use of the word “evolution” in all text books for a time. It was the Kansas State Board of Education.

See: Kansas evolution hearings

See: Kansas education board downplays evolution

See: Kansas Restores Evolution Standards for Science Classes 2001

It’s been a long struggle for education in Kansas and in other states. Look at the popularity of Huckabee in the Bible states. He is a creationist and a biblical literalist. He’s running for President of the US.

Don’t misunderstand me here. I’m for information and education. It’s just that it has always had to struggle against superstition/religion and has often been suppressed in favor of superstition/religion.

Neither you nor I will likely live to see the day when an acknowledged agnostic becomes President of the US who favors open, complete, unfettered information and education absent some (even if vague) expression of certainty about a God myth.

JAK

[_Jason Bourne]

And those of you who have decided to relieve your stress by leaving the Church have still not overcome the cogn dis problem. Many, many of you (maybe not all) still have a kernel of truth hiding in your souls, and you still know deep down that the Church is true. Which is why Elder Maxwell pointed out the problem you have. "You can leave the Church, but you can't leave it alone."

If you are a solid believer and have no doubts or questions then why are you here? On one thread you said God will not give archaeological evidence of the Book of Mormon because it would destroy faith. But you would leap at it if it was there. And id what you say is true then why is there such evidence for the Bible? Charity, I think you have cog dis and you prolific posting on such message boards is evidence of it.

[_Jason Bourne]

And no, it is not possible to KNOW that the Church is false. They may not be able to see the evidences for God. But they cannot KNOW that Joseph Smith was a fraud. They would have to KNOW that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ did not appear to him. They would have to KNOW that the object Joseph Smith had was not really a set of plates prepared by ancient prophets. There is no way to KNOW that with facts.

Why is that? If one can know it is true in your world why can one not know it is false? Perhaps the Holy Ghost told them it is false? What then?