Biographies

Teaching to manipulate - straight from the LDS manual

Jesus Smith Nov. 2012

The following comes from the LDS [Mormon] Missionary manual
Summary: Act devastated if the investigator doesn't do what you say before being baptized.

Most Important Element of A Damaging Cult

anagrammy Nov. 2012

Today one of my daughters called me and asked me to give her the single most important element that makes a religion a cult.

Mormon Church Falsely Claims 1890 Manifesto Ended Polygamy

steve benson Nov. 2012

In an unending effort to twist history and turn it on its head, the Mormon Church dishonestly declares (despite mountains of documented evidence to the contrary) that its 1890 "Manifesto" ended, dead in its tracks, the Mormon practice of polygamy. As is so often the case, the historical record speaks loudly and clearly to the contrary.

Things my Mission Presidents said

xophor Nov. 2012

Things my Mission Presidents said in zone conference...
I have a couple of quotes that stuck with me all these years, probably because I was a bit perturbed to hear them from "spiritual" leaders.

"Well, you know what they say: The looks of your eternal companion depend on how well you served as a missionary...and as far as I'm concerned, that means prettier."

Shock, horror, relief, excitement?

sherlock Nov. 2012

Describe the very moment you realized that the LDS [Mormon] church wasn't true.

"Prophets are not scientists"

xyz Nov 2012

"Prophets are not scientists: Their views of science tend to reflect the prevailing views of the time."

http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_doctrine/Changing

Was the church ever biased towards any of you for being shy?

ray Oct. 2012

I was baptized at the age of 10 in early 1985. I left the church in early 1996 at age 21.

I have Asperger's in a moderate way. I avoid eye contact at least half of the time when I am talking and chatting to people. Who has felt badly treated for being shy or more shy than the way the Mormon church like you to be?

The New Party Line? History Doesn't Matter

suckafoo Oct. 2012

This is the new party line my husband's family is using whenever I point something out. That history is not relevant today and what matters is the church today.
I wonder if they have been told this somewhere and are now repeating it because I hear a lot of people on here who are being told this by relatives.

Lamanites Lamanites Everywhere but Nary A Drop of Jewish DNA

steve benson Oct. 2012

--Identifying from Whom the Lamanites Originally Descended

Thus Spake the Prophet Joseph Smith:

"When I was about 17 years old I saw another vision of angels in the night season after I had retired to bed I had not been asleep . . . [

"[A]ll at once the room was illuminated above the brightness of the sun an angel appeared before me . . .

New Order Mormon?

amberbock Oct 2012

This term is new to me. Is this something that is commonly known throughout the church now (inactive for +10 yrs.) Is it "OK" to tell your bishop you are a NOM [new order Mormon] and still get a temple rec.? Can't wrap my mind around this thinking.

My First twitches of understanding why you are angry

roxy Oct. 2012

Ok I'm starting to get it now, I think i have been on this site maybe 4-5 months give or take, and I just didn't get a lot of the anger sometimes, (except for those being shunned etc - i got that!) but just general anger towards the church etc. Just wanted to tell you all I am starting to enter that phase and I now understand!

Insider Info on 18 year old Missionaries

justrob Oct 2012

So my brother-in-law was beaming today to announce to the family that his father-in-law was actually one of the few people on the committee that decided to make the new mission age 18.
[Admin note: This is not verified, but believed to be accurate. See discussion inside.]

Some fun facts:

I have been trying to be so brave. But I am terrified.

ambivalent exmo Oct. 2012

I cannot reconcile the paradox. How do I go on? Oh god, I feel so alone. My mother in laws comments sent me spinning. Who am I now?
I was lying when I said I was OK. What in hell do I do with this new knowledge? I am so lost.

Ridiculous things Mormons (TBMs) say to us

icedlatte Sep. 2012

-What are you going to do if one of your kids gets sick? You can't give them a priesthood blessing!!! (oh no! Whatever will we do without the magic olive oil?!?)

-So when do you think you'll come back? (uh, never, that's why we resigned)

Big-Stick Media Hits the Twede Excommunication Story-New York Times Weighs In. .

steve benson

"Editor of Web Site May Face Mormon Excommunication"
by Laurie Goodstein,
"New York Times"
21 September 2012

Horses in America and Book of Mormon

spanner Sep. 2012

Just posting some links to recent stuff on Horses in America. Research is honing in on the time horses finally went extinct in the Americas, which was thousands of years before the Jaredites supposedly set sail.

email bishop sent out when i resigned

templenameaaron Sep. 2012

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the ... ward,

This is a difficult time for our ward family as some of our fellow ward members whom we love have openly questioned their faith and testimony. As one of the Lord's "watchmen on the tower", I feel impressed to sound a voice of warning. There is safety in studying and living the gospel of Jesus Christ each day, following the prophet and sustaining our Church leaders, and keeping our covenants.

Romney There No Help for the Millionaire's Son?...

steve benson Sep 2012

There are certainly a wide variety of factors at play in who ends up winning the presidential sweepstakes in just over 50 days (Many of those reasons are overtly and non-religiously political, so we won't address them in this forum, per Admin rules).

However, the Big and Legitimate Question here at RFM is:

Will Mitt's Mormonism end up doing him in?

Mormon Church sucks the fun out of everything

rationalguy Sep 2012

Speaking to my wife, I brought up the idea of sharing one of my interests with my 8 year old grandson. I thought I might teach him to fly model airplanes.

Response: "Wait until he's a Boy Scout so he can at least earn a merit badge from it. Also I really don't want him to get obsessed with any frivolous things like that. Those things take kid's minds off the Church."

Mother compelled to have a large Mormon family and suffered a nervous breakdown

turnonthelights Sep. 2012

My grandmother had 9 children. She had a very unhappy marriage and they were poor. She was forced to work and leave her 9 children at home. She reached a point where she became so depressed that she tried to throw herself out a window. She didn't fall but cut her hands on the glass. My Grandfather was both emotionally and sexually abusive to the children and she refused to leave him because it was frowned upon in the church. Despite my own mother's severe emotional problems and depression she continued to have more and more children to please the church and fulfill her Mormon purpose.