Further Light and Knowledge

I'd like to sit and type my apostimony.

When I was 13, I was sitting in american history class, and the teacher was discussing the political climate in the United States round about the time ole Joe was starting his religion. We learned of the antifreemason party (secret combinations) and anti catholic attitudes in the united states. I was struck by the fact that the political climate JS was living in mirrored the BOM. I should note that by this time i had been forced to read the BOM at least 4 times. I was an avid reader of non fiction, and had studied a variety of historical issues with pre columbian cultures. I had accumulated some doubts prior to that day in history class, namely the problem with the population of the armies discussed in Alma, and the problems of no iron, horses or wheel technologies in the Americas; however, the day the switch flipped was when i realized the BOM was a ploy to capitalize on the prejudices of the day.

It took 13 more years to fully extracate myself from the morg. Thirteen painful years of inner turmoil and conflict. Evidence was constantly piling up on one side of my brain pointing to the conclusion that moism was a fraud, while social pressure and guilt built up on the other forcing me to stay in. I went on a mission, married in the temple, and did everything I was required to do to stay in the good graces of my family. I left the morridor for law school, and I couldn't handle the inner conflict anymore. I made my emotional, but not physical break withthe church. I was pretty pragmatic about my affiliation with the church at that point. My parents are VERY wealthy, and I didn't want to do something that would get me cutout of the will.

Then one day, while we were on a family vacation where all my siblings and thier kids were in attendance (it wa paid for by my parents) my parents were oozing with pious satisfaction. They all told us they were so proud of how successfull we had all turned out, and that none of us needed their money. So, when they died, the church gets everything.

I never liked my family much, and had never bonded with any of them, especially not my parents. The only thing keeping me around was the pot of gold at the end of the funeral, and now I had no incentive to stick around the church. at that point, i made my decision to jump. I told my wife I was done with the church. that created six years of tension. Six years almost to the day I left, she left and is fully out of the morg.

Since that time, I have had two priceless conversations about religion with my dad.
1. The utter ridiculousness of the Noah's Ark story
2. An explanation of my respect for JS ("I respect him. Anyone who can convince other men that he has to sleep with their wives for them all to go to heaven is a genius.")

From time to time i still get the mormon rage, where I am pissed off that the morg stole my youth. But the good news is, my kids will grow up free of the curse of mormonism.

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I would be agnostic, but I have a commitment problem.

This one will be my next sig line, I think.

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Fear will keep the local systems in line.

Great story Reuben. It must have been so frustrating staying with the church for that many years, and such a relief when you were finally able to break free. What a pity your parents couldn't see thru the con. that the church is...

Me too. I occasionally get the mormon rage and I'm glad my kids will grow up free from mormonism.

Thanks for sharing. Best wishes to you and your family.

How very poetic!

Big green hugs,

Froggie

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"Mormon culture is a combination of well-intentioned naïveté, the Stepford Wives, and the Holy Inquisition." ~Dr.Todd Ormsbee
http://froggey.wordpress.com

You gotta be fucking kidding me....

I understand & respect your POV about JS...still I cannot have any drop of respect for that pig. I mean, I agree that he was pretty darn smart for his time, still the disgust is still greater than any admiration.


Good story BTW, it's great to hear that you got your intact family out. That's always a plus.

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"There is a temptation ... to want to tell everything, whether it is ... faith promoting or not. Some things that are true are not very useful."

Boyd K. Paker

Disinherited in favor of the church? How did your Mormon siblings feel about that big announcement?

They were so proud. I am sure they told the story in FTM. IT showed that they are from righteous stock.

_________________
I would be agnostic, but I have a commitment problem.

Thanks for sharing your story Reuben.

That is really messed up about the parents' inheritance without any real cause for doing that other than being "faithful". I think instead they should spend it all. At least then someone in the family would enjoy it!