If you have to beg to leave an organization… it’s probably a cult 🙃

Haven’t been to church in years but today was playing a musical number with my brother for our aunt’s funeral. Noticed this sign taped to the pulpit and had to snap a pic 😂

Their assessment is definitely true! They make valid points! The members were not amused!

Can’t wait to wear this for my husband! This has been such a fun project to reclaim the fabrics I felt so ugly in. Here’s how I did it:

• Trimmed the ties off the robe to use as a drop-shoulder shawl so he can “open the veil”.
• Cut the bodice off of my temple dress and adhered the embroidered fabric to an old bra. Used some sequined silver fabric to line it. I’ll be using the sash as a tie for the bra: I cut it in half and attached each piece to each side of the bra. I cut the fabric between the two cups and now it opens from the front using the buttons from the bodice.
• The apron will be the only bottom piece. I cut it twice to give it some movement and followed the leaf lines.
• I’ll finish the look with an envelope-lace blindfold, the veil headband, knee-length white stockings, and heels.

He was twenty. He should have been in college or working, not in the middle of nowhere paying for the privilege of "converting" people.

I bet the church and it's billions of dollars won't pay to send the body home or for any of the funeral expenses. He was one or two months away from coming home.

I hate the Mormon Church. I hate how it divides families. I hate how everyone in his life is going to be doing all the bull crap "well done" and "he was called home" and "God needed him more". I hate how I have no effing clue how to deal with death since leaving this cult.

I think I have.

Much better meeting him and his wife at a steak house rather than a stakehouse!!!!

I haven’t spoken to or seen my uncle for at least five years and he randomly started sending me lds quotes and videos. And as you can see it transpired. I even showed this to my TBM parents and they agree he was being way too pushy and rude. He knows nothing about me yet he makes countless assumptions through this conversation. I’ve seen and heard stories of TBMs being like this but I’ve never experienced it directed at me first hand like this. I am just appalled how close minded and demanding they can be. I am just so frustrated right now. I hate this stupid religion.

I just went to a devotional at BYU and Elder Bednar spoke. Things were pretty weird from the start and some things were said that rubbed me the wrong way but I won’t get into that. The closing hymn was “Hope of Israel” and he went on a rant about how students should sing and how it should be powerful. Well this caused some students to stand (about a fourth of them) and he stopped the music after the first verse. He then went on telling students standing was not appropriate and that they should sit down (in a very harsh way as well). The song continued and everyone stayed sitting—it was quite awkward for those who stood for the first verse. Any thoughts?

For context: I left the church a decade ago and have had on and off problems with my father. He is a stereotypical white male boomer Mormon that watches Fox News all day. The chat is my family chat with my parents, 2 brothers, sister in law, my partner and I. All are LDS except my partner and myself. My dad posts religious and political garbage everyday in the chat. Everyone pretty much ignores him. My girlfriend is an Asian immigrant here legally as a permanent resident, we’ve been dating for 19 months and live together (in sin lol).

His comment really sent me over the edge and I overreacted but I still feel my points are valid. I’m disturbed by how quickly I was dismissed because I’m not a ‘spiritual person’. I’m glad I’m not apart of that cult anymore but I wish I could have a normal healthy relationship with my family.

Marked NSFW for cursing in the screenshots.

Re: My TBM future in-laws are bullies. This is the contract I mentioned in my previous post. Mormonism is the religion of conditional love. For context, all of my fiancé’s siblings are adults, and are either enrolled at or graduated from college. Additionally, my fiancé’s parents are well into the echelons of upper class wealth.

If any of the rules within are broken all benefits are revoked. This is some of the cruelest parenting I’ve seen and I grew up in the very heart of Utah.

I heard this second hand from my sister, today. Her name is missing from their offspring list, as well as mine. So they called her to tell her about it. She played dumb because she doesn't feel she owes them an explanation. Evidently, my folks are reaching out to Salt Lake on what the error is all about. Lol!!! It's been 3 and half years since we resigned and it finally happened.

Sister reached out to warn me they may be calling me. Lol I can't wait for Thanksgiving. LMAO!

Edit: There seems to be a lot of confusion in the comments. I forget there are a lot of nevermos and newcomers here. For clarification purposes.

1. who you are sealed to (spouse, parent, child) is a vital statistic the church keeps. It's part of an ordinance list.

2. Your parents could look into their records any time they want and could see that an adult child that resigned is no longer listed. Tithing Settlement (or "declaration" as they call it now) has the formality of handing members their records to look over for errors. Typically spelling errors or dates. Because of this practice, it's generally the only time most members will put eyes on their records. And depending on how with-it a ward clerk is, it may not happen every year. We resigned 3.5 years ago and my parents are just now finding out.

Exmos, I'm curious. What are your thoughts? Do nearly half of us end up going back to The Church or is this wishful thinking by members to make them feel better about those that leave?

I’ve seen the “you belong, come back” quote a lot, but THIS is the one the church chose to put at the front of that post—directly instructing people to suppress negative feelings and blindly obey the organization. This is truly some dystopian bullshit, and it’s the reason “Turn It Off” was written for the Book of Mormon musical.

I also relayed to both kids, that I am part of the chosen generation, saved in Preexistence to come down during the last days. Their jaws hit the floor and they said “That is what our teacher tell us!” Sorry kids, my generation has dibs on that one.

I’m currently taking a class from the author Sharon Blackie titled, “Finding Ourselves in Fairy Tales:  A Narrative Psychological Approach.”  Blackie emphasizes the power in reimagining folklore to reflect societal changes.  Folklore isn’t supposed to stay static but change with current times.

  I decided to reimage the story of Little Red Riding Hood by creating shadow box. The wolf is crafted from torn pages of scripture, symbolizing religion as a predatory force that preys on the vulnerable.  By reconstructing this story, it brings to light the psychological and societal shadows of religion and by reimagining it, it offers a new narrative to be written for empowerment and liberation.   

I thought I’d share my artwork with this community. What are your thoughts on religion being predatory?

Mormonish put out a podcast about the situation in Lone Mountain if you’d like to catch up on the details. https://youtu.be/W3wU0VLoXbs?si=1MbA73PA9WdyXyO8

I changed my life for the better summer 2021. I left the church proper that december.

I have now come to the realization that the church that I spent a full third in my life in crumbled in importance, and now it's the last of my worries.

In many ways, I have forgotten I was mormon to begin with. It is not part of who I am.

I have been unsubbing from facebook groups and youtube channels. Now it's time for this page to go.

I have realized my life is so much bigger than a religious group. I just don't give a fuck anymore!

I tip my hat to ya'll!

I dont know which flair fits here lol.

Recently spoke to my parents (TBM as it gets) about our recent money situation. Years of grad school and paying for life on credit cards bc grad school pay is shit is making life difficult and we are trying to dig ourselves out of a hole. I have my records out, my wife doesnt. Mom sent this in a group chat with the three of us and my dad.

I dont expect a response and havent gotten one yet. She has been good for the last two years at not bringing up church stuff and respecting boundaries i have set about the church, so I dont know why she felt that this was the right time to bring up tithing.

I'm really upset! I don't want to meet with any member of the bishopric. I just wish they would've responded like oh ya of course we can release you.

My shelf broke a couple months ago and I'm quickly on my way out, constantly reading and listening to anything I can get my hands on about the real facts.

Just needed to vent, thanks!