The last argument I ever was in with a TBM, I stated that the Hebrew word Elohiem was plural and not singular. If the temple endowment was correct there would be multiple god's and not just one silver headed dude in a robe named Elohiem. So the Mormons got that wrong as well.

That being stated I told the person I was arguing with I didn't give a ratt's ass about what the imaginary Elohiem thought of me. I wasn't going to pay my tithing to him, I wasn't going to do endless busy work for him, I wasn't going to let people who said they worked for him intrude on my freedom and life.

Basically, I didn't give a tinker's damn what Elohiem and his so called servants and followers thought of me and it seemed like they needed me more than I needed them.

Once you know this, you are one free SOB.

Whatever flips your trigger to feeling "free" is fine with me. However, I think being able to love yourself for what you are AND for what you aren't is just as viable a trigger. I don't bring any god into the equation.

I chose to keep believing in "God." My own concept of God, that is.

The Mormon God--that polygamous, vindictive, money-grubbing, child-threatening beast--is bogus! My version of God-the-Creator loves us unconditionally. He created this world and us, and doesn't micromanage mankind with a bunch of petty rules and dress codes. Somehow, God is bound by the nature of His own creations, and He can't give people any powers He Himself does not have. God does not obey the demands of the Mormon Priesthood! God does not need Mormon temple workers to save His Holy Dead in His Heaven!

The Mormon version of Christ--our polygamous, sexually active, moody "older brother"--is just as bogus.

Mormons disrespect God, by claiming that God was once an idiot-man, like the bishop, and that the idiot bishop will someday be a God. That is blasphemous!

The MorGod is something Joseph Smith invented to support his polygamy and his other con-jobs, to take people's money.

So--NO--I don't care what this silly MorGod thinks of me!

Funny, but the more I turn away from the false Mormon God, the closer I feel to the real God (real for me, at least). As I feel God's love, I feel the love of the people around me. My world is so much happier and more beautiful than the tiniy Mormon world. If there's suffering, all I can do volunteer work, to help in some small capacity. Giving money to a real estate business to build malls and million-dollar condos, and temples and churches to avoid paying property taxes, does not help God ease suffering in the world. I believe in America--and we must pay taxes to keep it going. I believe in human rights!

Since the Mormons invented their own god, in their own petty, parsimonious, hateful image, I would rephrase your statement:

"You are truly free when you no longer care what Mormons think of you."

This is my last chain that binds me to Mormonism. I'm trying so very hard not to care anymore!

Wow, forestpal. Well said! Thank you.

And that means when you are living the same life you would, whether you believe in god or not.

Mormonism prevented me from living with integrity. So would any religion. Frankly my personal ethics are much higher than that, and really aren't much concerned with what I eat or drink, or who I screw (as long as I don't screw them over).

God? What God?

But along the lines of what ExMormonRon wrote, I learned from my therapist that it's not enough to run AWAY from whatever crap I'm trying to escape, I need to be moving TOWARD something. And it's stunting if I never get beyond defining myself by what I USED to be (ex-mormon in this case). What am I now that I'm not that anymore? What do I want to become?

The orthodox Christian view, which I hold, is that God loves everyone unconditionally. Therefore there is no real point in caring about what God thinks of anyone, since it is always the same. Our task is simply to love everyone the same way, as much as we can.

Agreed, oddcouplet...I agree with a speaker I once heard who suggested that the only real way to demonstrate love for God is to love those whom God loves and sent his son to die for.

Yep. That's pretty much where I am now too. I have no eternal fears anymore.

About eight years ago I was sitting with a group of Mormons in a casual setting and mentioned that if God himself told me to marry some other woman's husband I wouldn't do it. And I wouldn't let my husband marry anyone else but me. Not even in the next life. They were shocked enough that I wouldn't "Follow The Prophet" but not obeying god was really evil for them.

Whatever happened to the free agency the missionaries taught us about when we were investigators taking the discussions?

In spite of what they say, in the LDS Church there's really no such thing as free agency.