Further Light and Knowledge

Thank you for the post. It is very mind blowing.

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"I love all the bretheren, but I love some a hell of a lot more than I do others." - J. Golden Kimball

It's like you're in The Church of ANTI-CHRIST of Latter-day Scribes and Pharisees.

There are definitely tiers within the morg. The Olympian Tier (Marriotts, Huntsman, et al) are truly gods above men, and function like a noble class in mormonism. If you ever encountered them at YBU you could see it. The Olympians marry other Olympians by and large. The middle tier of which I am a part is the doctor, dentist and successful businessmen tier. They look up the financial skirts of the Olympians and dream about reaching that level. Of course the middle tier rarely comes into contact with the Gods, and take on airs in their local environs pretending to be Olympians themselves. The middle tier is there fore able to look down upon the poor wreches of lower mormondom. The poor people are those who make the oozing feeling between your toes when you step on them. The people you chastise for being weak and unable to solve their own problems. These are the weak links that the middle tier is there to serve. From these beings, we learn to be like god, dealing with inferiors and showing pity and empathy for them. The weak serve a great purpose in teaching us to be more like god. The "church within the church" concept is based upon this mind set. There are those coming every week who are not truly mormon, they just aren't good enough for the top tier of the C-kingdom, but it is sweet that they show up each week. They will be our eunichs in heaven, doing our bidding for us.

At least this is how I saw the world growing up in my family.

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

Hi Polly,

Are you trying to say that money and class status buys you privileges/indulgences that wouldn't be afforded if you were poorer, rather than saying that 'acting out' homosexually is wrong? Do you actually believe that it's wrong to be gay or are you saying that it was wrong for the Stake President to look the other way just because it was his own son? Are you saying that it was wrong for someone in a position of power to be wealthy or are you saying that their wealth made them insensitive to the ward members who did not have much money?

As for Ingrid, I agree with one of the comments posted to her blog that said that if you give a person (I don't think that it's just men who can be corrupted by power) the power to cast out demons and tell him that his wife and children might possibly be susceptible to demons, then you're setting up a situation for abuse to occur. Simple as.

A great blog. I followed up by reading her other 2 blogs on the site, then linked to the 1st chapter of Hippie Boy and read that too..it really does sound like a powerful book, and Earl's treatment of her from the very beginning was emotionally abusive..can't wait to hear it's published one way or the other..thanks for sharing the link.

Hey everyone,

I just found this post of my book excerpt. Thank you so much for sharing and discussing it. Wanted to let you all know that Hippie Boy: A Girl's Story -- about my journey to escape this abusive Mormon stepfather, a devout Mormon mother and the suffocating religion at home is now an ebook on Amazon! It published last week and is doing well. Would love to keep the momentum going in the ebook world so if you are interested, please check it out (only $2.99) And if you know anyone interested in this kind of story, please help me spread the word about it... I think the public needs to be aware of the kind of abuse that can happen in the church as a result of the male-dominated culture and untrained church professionals unequipped or unwilling to address it.

Again..thanks for your comments here. Here's the Amazon book page link for Hippie Boy: A Girl's Story: http://www.amazon.com/Hippie-Boy-Girls- ... B005RGXNVU


Best,
Ingrid
ricks.ingrid@gmail.com

Ingrid's story was a very sad one and I don't doubt that she really experienced the horrors she recounts in her book, nor do I doubt that other people raised as Mormons had unpleasant experiences caused, in part, by by their parents' slavish adherence to Mormon principles, or, at least, their extreme (and, perhaps, at least partially mistaken) interpretation of Mormon teachings, but based on my own and my DW's experiences growing in a loving Mormon family, and what I have observed with other Mormon acquaintances and friends, and even local leaders I have known, I can't help but doubt that such bad situations are the rule, rather than the exception in Mormon families.

Both I and my wife have very fond memories of the Mormon families we grew up in. I can't imagine having sweeter, more loving or supportive parents than mine were, and I still miss them terribly, years after their deaths. My wife feels the same way about her parents, as do both of us about our respective parents-in-law. My wife is still a TBM, and my own disaffection with the Church has nothing to do with any perceived maltreatment of me by my parents or any other friends, associates or leaders within the Church.

My disaffection with the Church is almost entirely due to its demonstrable disregard for the truth, no matter how well supported by evidence and sound reason, whenever it conflicts with what Church leaders would rather believe and/or persuade others to believe. Even after changing or correcting past wrongs and discredited doctrines, they often seem incapable of acknowledging that they were ever wrong. I suppose this is largely a consequence of their claim of being led by living prophets with a direct line to God. This unavoidably puts them between a rock and a hard place whenever their "divinely inspired" doctrine is demonstrably false or nonsensical. They are then faced with either having to admit that they are not really getting their instructions from God, or that God, himself, is capable of error and/or lying to them (unless, of course, they are content to being perceived as unreasoning, deluded fools and fanatics for clinging to demonstrably false and nonsensical claims).

Greenie,

I agree with everything you say. I know my experience was different from my friends and I know people who've had a very pleasant upbringing within the Mormon church. My wasn't. I also agree with your reasons for disaffection from the Church. I remember moving to Mississippi as a third grader (1975), being in a room with black kids and believing that they were cursed from God because of sins in the Spirit World. Then having that complete reversal three years later was so confusing for me...though even then I knew in my gut it was wrong to believe a group of people were cursed because of their skin color. And it goes on and on. Thanks for your post.

Best,
Ingrid

It never occurred to me to ask for such a blessing. The thought ran through my mind to pray for God to take my husband (numero uno) home, and help me with my problems, but blessings? No.

Ingrid, I was already sure that you in particular agreed with what I said, based on the highly favorable impression I have of you from listening to your interview on Mormon Expressions not too long ago, but thanks for confirming that anyway! I hope you don't think that what I wrote was intended as a criticism of you.

btw, my name is Gunnar--not Greenie. The word "Greenie" under my name only reflects my status as a relative newcomer to this particular forum (I think). I don't know why I am classed as a "Greenie" and you are not when my date of joining this forum is earlier than yours.

Sorry about that, Gunnar. I have a serious degenerative eye disease (called Retinitis Pigmentosa -- completely sucks) and I'm down to about 2 percent visual field so I often times only see the word in front of me. Definitely like Gunnar better:)

And I loved what you wrote so just wanted to second it!!!

Ironic and despicable that the organization which claims to have exclusive knowledge of all truth and claims to embrace truth and teach only true principles, yet they tell lies, hide facts, and spin messages to promote their agenda.

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It's good to talk about these things and to sort out the messed up mindfuck we were in.
- SIMS

No apology needed, Ingrid, and thanks again for your comments!

I couldn't agree more! Of course this characteristic seems to be more the rule than the exception with religions in general--not just Mormonism. Ironically, LDS leaders (as well as leaders of at least some other religions) would probably agree that it is the rule for all religions other than their own. It seems to be a classic example of the "seeing the mote in your neighbor's eye but not seeing (or admitting) the beam in your own" type of thing.

Yet, despite that, this Church has succeeded in producing a large body of membership with a justly deserved reputation for honesty and decency.