Conditioned to see

[_Hades]

A few months ago my son was at a local park running trails with his cross country team. I drove in and parked in a line of cars up front to wait to pick him up. It was a nice day so I had the window down as I waited. A car came in and parked a few cars down from me. A lady got out and started walking in front of the cars. When she got close to me she looked up and saw me. I could see that she recognized me, and then she got that look you get when you see the local drug pusher talking to grade school kids.

I didn't know who she was but she did look familiar. She continued to walk around looking for her son. She never looked my way again. After a while it came to me, she was the Smith lady (not her real name). Her husband was in the bishopric a few years ago when I still went to church on occasion. My wife and kids were going to church at the time and my wife got to know the Smith lady quite well. Her husband was always nice to me and made it a point to talk to me when I did go to church.

Since then I have sent in a resignation letter to the church. The Elder's Quorum President has been over to save me. I told him that I no longer believe. The missionaries have been over to save me. I told them that I no longer believe. Odds are the Smith lady knows that I am an apostate and that's why I got the look.

I started thinking about my Mormon upbringing and years I'd spent as a believer. There was a time when I could see the goodness in righteous people. The bishop had the hi-pro glo and I could physically see it on him. If I had run into an apostate, I would have seen the darkness of his cold, hard, heart. I would have easily been able to tell that the spirit had left him long ago.

The truth is, I'm no worse of a person now than I have ever been. In my estimation, I'm better. The thought came to me, "We see what we have been conditioned to see".

What would we see if we hadn't been conditioned to see?

[_Hoops]

The truth is, I'm no worse of a person now than I have ever been.

I don't even know you, but I would agree.

In my estimation, I'm better.

By some standards, you might be right. From a Biblical perspective you're not. Neither am I. for what it's worth.

[_Some Schmo]

I could see that she recognized me, and then she got that look you get when you see the local drug pusher talking to grade school kids.

LOL... nice line here.

I enjoyed your all too familiar story. This is the kind of normal everyday occurrence that leads me to conclude that members are brainwashed (if the term "brainwashed" is to mean anything at all). I mean, what is brainwashing if it's not conditioning to make a person perceive things in an extremely warped way?

[_Hades]

By some standards, you might be right. From a Biblical perspective you're not. Neither am I. for what it's worth.

So I should judge myself by the standards of malnourished, iron aged, goat herders? Were you conditioned to see by the words of said goat herders?

[_Hoops]

By some standards, you might be right. From a Biblical perspective you're not. Neither am I. for what it's worth.

So I should judge myself by the standards of malnourished, iron aged, goat herders? Were you conditioned to see by the words of said goat herders?

First, I would have to have some idea of what you're talking about. Second, you can judge yourself by whatever standard you wish. Third, if you are, indeed, a better person - good for you! You've done something I've been unable to accomplish, so why would I judge you for what I can't do?