Ex-Mormon Missionaries

[_Boaz & Lidia]

One thing I am reveling in is how much KA's action just really irritate Jason the Loopy LOAP.

I cannot express how much I have enjoyed reading their posts.

Jason, you are such a damn hypocrite. You have posted numerous times about the things of LDS that bother you, yet you are so infuriated by what KA is doing.

Have you no balls to stand for what you know is false? Or will you stand idly by as your children march right into the belly of the beast?

KA is helping people and you seem to only want company for your misery.

[_KimberlyAnn]

Thanks, B&L!

KA

[_Boaz & Lidia]

Note to Jason and Loap, your train has come in:

[_Jason Bourne]

Jason, what is a more balanced opinion:

Someone who is currently Mormon or someone such as Kim and myself who have lived Mormonism everyday for years and has found a specific path out of it.

It depends. One or the other may or may not be. But certainly the fact that someone leaves Mormonism and leaves it does not create a defacto more balanced view. Personally I believe I am more balanced then either you or Kim in our opinion of Mormonism. I think Harmony and Liz are a as well.

[_Jason Bourne]

One thing I am reveling in is how much KA's action just really irritate Jason the Loopy LOAP.

It is false reveling. I am not irritated at all. More amused. It is interesting to see the human behavior in action here. Yours is particularly fascinating.

I cannot express how much I have enjoyed reading their posts.

You should enjoy my posts. There are a lot of brilliant points being made.

Jason, you are such a damn hypocrite.

Oh yes I know. You and Bob Crockett point this out on a regular basis. And you are an angry fool. And a stupid ass as well.

You have posted numerous times about the things of LDS that bother you,

So what? I try to give a balanced view. I talk about things that concern me and I defend things that need defending. I found Kim's behavior midly interesting and wanted to explore it further.

yet you are so infuriated by what KA is doing.

You think I am infuriated? You are a funny little boy PP.

Have you no balls to stand for what you know is false?

Blah, blah, blah.......

Or will you stand idly by as your children march right into the belly of the beast?

All my children aer grown but one. The one that is home I am trying to present a fair and balanced approach to the LDS Church. But with all its faults I like the LDS Church for its religion. I like religion. I think it good and is helpful with this thing called life. I choose to continue with the LDS religion. It is no more true or false then any other in my opinion. So I will raise my children as I see fit. If you think it a bad thing raise yours the way you choose. Otherwise butt out buster.

KA is helping people and you seem to only want company for your misery.

I think you are the one who is miserable. If you were happy about your choice you would not rant so much about it.

[_Jason Bourne]

Thanks, B&L!

KA

Oh YEA atta Boy Boaz!!! Real brilliant remarks. I am left utterly speechless.

[_Jason Bourne]

Jason, I'm sorry, but you don't make any sense.

Sure I do.

I provide information to people who ALREADY have information from the Mormon church. If they didn't, I'd provide more information from both sides. I have, in fact, defended Mormons on other boards when I feel they're being misrepresented. As it is, I only give information to members who contact me or people who have had, as I said in my original post, several visits with missionaries. If the investigators want, they can show my materials to the missionaries, who can then provide further information from the Mormon perspective.

No not really. The Mormons present only one side, a fairly plain and faith promoting side. It seems you present a only negative side. Take polyandry for example. If you only put it in a way that makes it look like Smith was stealing other men's wive's for lustful purposes you that is not fair and balanced. Certainly you can present that side. But there is also the argument that he did it not for lust but based on a a beleif in a potential for dynastic relationships and tieing families together in the eternities. I am not saying that is correct nor the other. But give both sides. Tell them here are two sides of a difficult issue and let them make up their minds. This is what I do when asked about polyandry even though I think it more likely it was a power issue with Joseph Smith.

I have already said I believe NOT joining the Mormons is a positive, so yes, I believe Mormonism to be deleterious to people's wellbeing.

So what? Is that for you to decide?

And I don't have to provide information about the controversies of historical Christianity to folks attending the Methodist church, because, Jason, they talk about those IN church! At least in my church, they do. Some people there don't think the Bible is literal, some do. Most believe in evolution, some don't. There are women ministers. There are Calvinists and Armenians who seem to argue non-stop in class, driving my husband nuts. They argue about the crusades, about Catholicism, about infant baptism, and then, at the end of the day, they agree to disagree and then go eat the potluck luncheon in the dining hall, where my chili is the best thing going.

Well I will confess I find that wonderful and refreshing. Perhaps a day will come in the LDS Church where we can have such discussions. Perhaps I have a pipe dream. WHo knows.

[_KimberlyAnn]

No not really. The Mormons present only one side, a fairly plain and faith promoting side. It seems you present a only negative side. Take polyandry for example. If you only put it in a way that makes it look like Smith was stealing other men's wive's for lustful purposes you that is not fair and balanced. Certainly you can present that side. But there is also the argument that he did it not for lust but based on a a beleif in a potential for dynastic relationships and tieing families together in the eternities. I am not saying that is correct nor the other. But give both sides. Tell them here are two sides of a difficult issue and let them make up their minds. This is what I do when asked about polyandry even though I think it more likely it was a power issue with Joseph Smith.

I don't present polyandry with any viewpoint at all, really, Jason. I simply state that Smith married at least thirty-three women, many of them already married to other men. I have referred several people to this website, which I think gives a pretty fair representation of Smith's polygamy. In my experience, most investigators don't care why Smith married other men's wives. They just care that he did, and to all I've spoken with, that alone is pretty much enough for them to dismiss Smith's prophetic claims. I don't need to embellish or give "sides."

So what? Is that for you to decide?

I believe Mormonism is deleterious to people's wellbeing. Is it for you to decide that it isn't? Huh? Yes, it is, in the same way it's for me to decide that it is! Everyone can decide that for themselves, and the information I give folks can help them make that decision an informed one.


KA

[_Yoda]

This quote is for Boaz. I posted this in the thread on "speaking as a man", but I think it's worth repeating here:

You are a TBM of Exmo's. You are the mirror of folks like Bob Crockett and Coggins.

Jason has a point, Boaz. I like you. You know I do. But this all or nothing stance of yours gets as old as Bob's "everyone who posts anonymously is a coward."

I understand that being a member of the Church proved to be a painful and bitter experience for you. I accept and am glad that you were able to make choices that benefited you and your family, and that you are on your way to being emotionally whole based upon those choices.

But the journey is different for all of us. And choices that are best for our emotional, spiritual, and family well-being are different for all of us.

Jason and I don't expect you to agree with our choice to continue to be active in the Church in spite of our disbelief in certain tenets, but it is not too much to ask for you to respect our decision to do so based upon our assessment of what will work best in our given circumstances.

[_LifeOnaPlate]

Jason, what is a more balanced opinion:

Someone who is currently Mormon or someone such as Kim and myself who have lived Mormonism everyday for years and has found a specific path out of it.

I'm going to go with "it depends on who it is."