sock puppet wrote:
NOMs have it the toughest. How do you find others that believe just what you do? The lonely problem is that as you discuss it with other NOMs, you find out one believes yet in the historicity of the Book of Mormon, but not polygamy, for example. If you think the Book of Mormon is simply a divine inspired allegory, you haven't found a fellow traveler of your beliefs. You inevitably start discussing, and then perhaps arguing, and then perhaps lobbing personal insults at each other over the historicity of the Book of Mormon as the two of you only agree on polygamy being bupkis.
In this way, NOMs who discuss with other NOMs are just going to find themselves with nothing left but the lowest common denominator: the Book of Mormon makes me feel good, inspires me to be better. Gone are JSJr as a prophet to whom god or Jesus talked, and all that has followed down all the way to the hallowed corporate corridors at the COB.
This is all an emotionally charged process.
Mormon Stories groups are a wonderful place to find NOMers. And you the thing about NOMers is we are an accepting bunch. Want to be TBM? GREAT we are happy for you! Pursue it with vigor. Want to leave? Hey if that works for you go for it! Want to attend but doubt some, much, most but still want to be an active Mormon? Great. You are gay and want to be a celibate Mormon? A ok! You are gay and want to have a love life and leave the Church will it is you life to live so go right ahead. Believe some of the Church but struggle with other stuff? Fine and dandy.
See life is tough and a hard journey. Leave us alone to live and believe and deal with the Church that was and is a big part of our life as we see fit. The only ones who I will cross are the TBMs that want to boot me out and the former now non or never LDS who pressure me to leave.
Now on these board wars, grow up everyone.
I have not read all this thread or the other at the cafeteria. Nor do I have time to. But it is all so silly and immature.
It is interesting to me that Scratch is the main instigator of things here, or so it seems. Scratch, really why don't you leave Peterson alone. Haven't you hounded the man enough?