A Good Place To Raise A Family

One of the comments that a leader made to a person who was investigating the history of the church and how it doesn't line up with the church history books, was that in spite of those claims, the church was still a good place to raise a family.

Well, I beg to differ.

I understand why the leader would say that. On the surface, the LDS church would be a good place to raise a family. From a young age you are put into a primary program that monitors you and you attend Sunday school and church with your family.

But based on moral grounds. Uh-uh.

On the surface, the LDS church looks like it a morally run organization and many members still believe that it is.

But I disagree on the grounds that the church is LYING to its members. This is the fundamental reason why this is not a good place to raise a family. 

2019 - 7 Years and Counting and Not Looking Back

I'm back.

I've been away from this blog for a while and I think it's time to revisit and see how all my readers are doing.

I've been out of the LDS church now for almost 7 years. And I have suffered no ill effects from this withdrawal from the M"org". As far as the church is concerned, I don't really care about it anymore at all. This is in my past and I no longer think about the church on a daily basis. Or even a monthly basis.

And I don't miss it, not one bit. Some days I look back and wonder how did I ever survive in that cult. It took a lot from me—my time was a big one. This is something I will never get back, and that's OK.

This is a life journey that we're on and things happen—good and bad. Being a member of the LDS church wasn't all bad. I have some good memories with friends that I made while attending, but the church is not your life and that's what the LDS church wanted you to think. That everything you do is tied to the church—every decision you make, it's all connected. 

Whether the church thrives or crumbles, I don't really care. There is only 1 thing that I wish regarding the church, is that investigators know what they are getting into when they join. If the church leaders were up front and honest and let people know what the church is about, then if you still want to join, go right ahead. I won't dissuade you. If it's your decision, then that's OK. 

I can't make the decision for you.

2017-Five Years Out Of The Church

2017 marks the 5 year anniversary of my leaving the LDS church. Not much has changed in the past few years. I have moved on from the church and though I won't forget the church, I need to put it in the past and move on.

One thing that I thought about was that though the LDS church took a lot from me, it didn't take everything.

It took my time and a lot of energy that could have been spent in other areas of my life. All those meetings and home teaching assignments and preparing for lessons took a lot of my spare time.
I was reflecting the other day how one Sunday, I don't remember when, I had church for 3 hours, then in the afternoon I went home teaching for a few hours. Back home to eat supper, then I was gone to a general priesthood meeting.

I was gone all day. My wife was not impressed. And I was exhausted.

One thing the LDS church didn't take from me is my belief in God and in Jesus Christ. I am still a Christian and though I might be confused about a lot of things, I'm not confused about that.

And I'm very thankful for that. the LDS church may have beat me down, but I'm not out yet.

God Was Once A Man?

Ok, so I was reading in the ESV Study bible under a special section in the back of the book under "cults" and you can guess which "church" was listed first on this list. You got it. the LDS church.

the first point in the article on what mormon's believe that is different from Christianity, is that God was once a man. Mormon's believe that God was once a man and progressed to deity.

OK. What?

This is just about the dumbest, stupidest things I have ever heard. in regards to religious beliefs and I've heard some pretty dumb and stupid things.

I don't remember this teaching in the church that I was a part of for 18 years. It seems back in the 1840's, Joseph's Myth taught this principle to his sheep. and apparently they bought it. And believed it.

Ah, no, Mr. s'Myth. God was not once a man. He has always been God.
Where did you come up with such a ridiculous theory.

Back in the 1990's, LDS Church president Gord Hinckley was apparently asked this question--whether mormon's believed it.

This is a quote from a 1997 Time magazine article:
On whether the LDS Church holds that, "God the Father was once a man, he sounded uncertain, ‘I don’t know that we teach it. I don’t know that we emphasize it ... I understand the philosophical background behind it, but I don’t know a lot about it, and I don’t think others know a lot about it,’" Hinckley told Time.

This is the prophet of the church saying that he doesn't "think" that we emphasize it and that he doesn't know a lot about it.

I thought the prophet was God's mouthpiece. Maybe he should have set up a conference call with God to find out whether this was true or not.

This teaching was not widely taught in church after this time as I don't remember it being taught in my ward Sunday School or Priesthood class. I asked the question on another forum and many people remember it plainly being taught in their wards, but not so much as it was downplayed after Hinckley's interview with Time Magazine.

So there you have another ridiculous teaching of the mormon church that people just accepted as truth but it is a load of crap.

How could God be once a man? It plainly teaches in the Bible that God is unchanging. He didn't progress to that state. He has always been God.

Special Time Of The Year

In a few days a very important birthday will be celebrated in the LDS church

It's the end of December which means the birth of a very important man is approaching. 

That's right. Joseph Smith born December 23, 1805. 

You thought I was talking about the other important person whose birth the rest of the Christian world celebrates two days later. 

Ok I'm being a little facetious. But the LDS church members obsession with this man who perpetuated one of the biggest religious frauds in history is quite simply amazing. 

I'm not going to ramble on but suffice it to say that this is the most wonderful time of the year because we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 

This is what Christmas is all about. 

There's only one persons birth I'll be celebrating the end of December his year

That's right. Jesus Christ. The Saviour of the world. 

Mormon Underwear

Did you know that most devout mormons have their own type of underwear. You're thinking "What? what do you mean they wear underwear dictated by the church leaders?

Yes, it's true. If you are a member of the the LDS church and you have been to the temple then you must wear special underwear. The LDS call them "garments" but what they really are is very uncomfortable. The last time I had to buy mormon underwear was August 2010, probably the hottest August in the last 100 years. My wife and I went to the beehive centre at the Toronto Temple (in Brampton, ON) and bought some mormon underwear. it was stifling hot that day but we were determined to wear them like the good little mormons that we were. We had recently gotten our temple recommends earlier that summer, and were really gung-ho about about the church. After many years of ups and downs we were finally on the path back to full activity. Our son had recently turned 8 and was baptized a few months prior so everything was looking good.

But this damn underwear was so bloody uncomfortable. We put on our new attire and strolled the temple grounds and were sweating profusely. We took a few pictures of the pretty flowers and the fountain around the back of the temple. But we were dying of the heat and the underwear really chafed.

Now, you might be thinking: "why do you have to have special underwear?" and my answer is that this is another one of the LDS church's inane ways to control it's members. It's not enough to demand that men wear white shirts and ties to church and that women wear dresses that are not sleeveless, but they had to dictate you had to purchase and wear special underwear.

They claim the underwear protects you from harm. Really?  How can underwear protect you from harm?  They claim that if you are in a fiery car crash that you won't get burned where your underwear is. I wonder how many burn victims have tested this theory?  I'm willing to bet a few. 

Needless to say. Along with shirt color, jewelry choices, sleeve length and shorts length, drink choices, Sunday afternoon and Monday evening activity choices, oh the list is endless, the mormon church even dictates underwear choices. 

To the members of the church, can you not see how much the church controls your life?  You have to see it. For a church that claims you have free agency to choose, you certainly don't get to choose very much in your life. 

I'm going to go now. I have some colored striped underwear to put on. 

I just hope I don't get into a fiery car crash today.... 

No Apologies

A few months ago I posted about image and control in the LDS church and as I reread the post I felt a little bad for any of my Facebook friends who are still members of the church. If any of them read it they may have been a little angry with me as it seemed I was making fun of the current leaders of the church who the LDS hold in high regard.

It was meant as humour, but I can see that it was a little mean and I should have been more tolerant of the LDS church members feelings.

But I make no apologies for the content of that post. It is my opinion that the LDS leadership are leading the members of the church astray. I believe that the LDS church is a dangerous cult that seriously manipulates it members. I really do feel that they have all these rules and commandments not to help members but only to control their lives.

I can sympathize with the members because I was one for 19 years. I know that they are taught that any commandment that is given is from Heavenly Father and is for their benefit, but really does God care about how many earrings a woman has? Or that a guy wears earrings? Or that guys wear white shirts to church? Or that a woman wear slacks to church? Or that anyone has a beer or a glass of wine once in a while.  Deep down, DOES HE REALLY CARE ABOUT THOSE THINGS??

No, I don't think so. I think Heavenly Father (God) cares about what is in a person's heart. One Sunday back in August I wore a black shirt and shorts to church. There was a band on stage with a drummer (my new friend Peter), keyboards, electric guitar and acoustic guitar, And guess what we were singing about? And every Sunday since then?

JESUS CHRIST.

That is all we ever sing about at church. We don't sing about prophets past or present. We don't sing songs about how great Joseph Smith  the alleged prophet was. We sing about Jesus Christ.

And this is what a Christian church should sing about. And preach about. And talk about in Bible Study groups. Jesus Christ.

The LDS church claims it is the restored gospel, Jesus Christ's own church. But they don't talk enough about this man called Christ. This is why we are called Christians. We worship Christ. And only him.

And we can be wearing a coloured shirt when we are doing it. And an earring or two if we want. And women can wear *gasp* slacks and a t-shirt. Everyone can wear jeans or they can dress up if they wish. Or they can wear shorts. What matters most is that you are worshiping Christ together.