Or is this my imagination? Looking back over many years from the age of 16, I remember a lot of these kind around. Some are angry if they can't turn you into a source of money or services. Others want someone to feel superior to and are upset when you don't play that role. Some are just plain snarly because that seems to be their life. Snarlies tend to get you to trust them, then turn and unleash their hostilities on you. Does Mormonism seem to attract those who need psychotherapy or psychiatry but try to get their needs met by using a vulnerable, sensitive person? Or am I blowing this up in my mind?

They tend to put up a front of righteousness and/or spirituality, or act all holy in some way. Is this real, or me being sensitive?

everyone has a dark side. lots of people who are well to do and prosperous get an attitude and tend to really enjoy bragging about their wonderfulness. They enjoy feeling so blessed that they aren't like "those" people.

This describes my mother and sister to a T. I know many other TBMs like that....mostly women, though.

I don't really know. I have never lived in a deeply Mormon community, and it seems like it is much worse in those areas. I lived in an area with great Mormon history, but it was mostly not such a strong Mormon enclave when I was there.

The Mormons whom I knew, including my relatives, now seem to me to be sort of the opposite: good, loving people who were horribly twisted by TSCC into putting aside their decency in favor of religious arrogance and hatred.

I had thought in terms of people coming into the LDS church already messed up, but maybe it's good people getting all messed up by the LDS church. They have always claimed that they bring out the good in people, but then they are always making claims that don't pan out in real life.

I suspect that both things happen. Authoritarian people who want an authoritarian lifestyle are attracted to Mormonism. Also, perfectly nice people are twisted by the church's incessant broadcast of self-serving propaganda.

And then, there are a lot of people who join because they are lonely, hurt, struggling, or afraid and want an instant community that promises all of the lovely things that they dream of having.

The truly smart people see behind the curtain, and realize what a scam the organization is. The rest just get sucked in , deeper and deeper.

The ones I know that are the nasty snarly types were born and raised Mormon. I think it's part of the culture.

You're not imagining it, Brigid. It's for real.

Unlike bluebutterfly, from what I recall there was a mixed bag of who was the nastiest and snarliest among them. Converts gave some of the BIC a run for their money!

As one of my convert friends used to joke back in the day, he knew either the Mormon church was 100% true or 100% false based on how the members persecuted their own. He'd never seen so much hate before in his life. He was born and raised Catholic.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2017 09:05AM by Amyjo.

mormonism is a magnet for @$$h0le$.

Yes,IMO it sure does,and based on personal experiences here in the land of Zion, (and while I realize that prejudice is found everywhere in the US or the rest of the world), IMO most of the LDS are also some of the most prejudiced, benighted souls around. At least the older generation is. My husband has experienced a lot of prejudice and it's mainly by good LDS people. One day at my work, I was speaking with an older,active LDS woman and her doctor was not available for an office visit. I told her about another doctor who was available,and that myself and my whole family had seen him when we needed to and that he is very spot on about everything. She replied:" Oh I've seen him before, but I want someone who speaks English and knows what he's doing!" I about fell out of my chair! I thought: he is highly educated, skilled, and personable, which guaran-damn-teed YOU are not!

My MIL. Even my wife acknowledges that her mother's vaunted "holiness" is little more than a facade to manipulate others and to avoid criticism.

I doubt that this is limited to Mormons, but I believe that any religion or organization with set rules of behavior attracts people who will use adherence (and the appearance of adherence) to badger and manipulate others who worry that they are less diligent.

My wife used to feel inadequate compared to the "great faith" her mother exhibited until I pointed out that her mother was merely inflating her faith for her own ends. It was obvious to anybody not in the thrall of the church how my MIL was gaming the holiness system.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2017 09:57AM by GregS.

Lose the "front of holiness" part...then, yes.

I found this to be mostly true for the corridor Mormons, but not so much for those who live outside of it.

angela Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I found this to be mostly true for the corridor
> Mormons, but not so much for those who live
> outside of it.

That may be so. There certainly are exceptions.
The convert who married my mother after she divorced my inactive father on the bishop's instructions is an exception.

One of the things that attracted him to the mormon church was its "order" and "clear lines of authority." No mucking about with women having a say in things, or open discussions about important issues, just an old white guy "prophet" in Salt Lake giving orders, and the "priesthood" following and enforcing them. With nastiness and snarling, if the sheeple wouldn't follow. He *loves* having the priesthood "authority." He loves enforcing the church's dictates, with nasty snarling being part of the routine as often as possible.

'Cause it's what god would want, of course.

There are a few people that come to my mind for sure.

It's all about appearances. TBMs are no different than people in general but what the ARE good at...expert...is putting up a front and making themselves appear....perfect.

No surprise that when you scratch their shiny surfaces there's a mess underneath.

I had to learn this the hard way but it's there nonetheless.

Oh yeah, I experienced this recently myself. Granted, I'm a nevermo in-law and there's no obligation to keep me in the loop with what's happening with the extended family, but I was still very surprised that a niece and two nephews (all siblings) left the church at the same time.

One was recently married in a Protestant church (my wife and I had both assumed the husband-to-be was Mormon until we got the wedding invitation), another joined the Navy rather than go on a mission (it was just a couple months earlier that my proud BIL was telling everybody how much his son was looking forward to his mission), and the third came out as gay (OK, that really wasn't a surprise to anybody, but my BIL was doing everything he could to play it down).

There were no signs at all that anything was amiss in this perfect Mormon family until everything busted out over a matter of weeks.

Greg, I've seen that a lot...
It just takes one in a family (often extended family) to buck the expected. That one act gives courage to many others who were afraid to do the same, and it all comes pouring out.

This is a good thing :)

Although not a Mormon, one of my mother's care givers in skilled care is a Jesus freak and cannot stand that I am my mother's advocate when Mom is ailing. She yelled at me that she only worked for my mother and not me so she should not have to take direction from me and yelled at me to leave her alone to do her job. She mumbles under her breath nasty remarks cloaked in religious context. She says things like "Jesus help me" or "Lord Jesus" when she has to do something unpleasant for my mother or if I am in the room giving her direction on Mom's care. Don't misunderstand me here. I am very grateful for all the good care my mother gets from almost all her aids. All but this one are delightful to work with. I think this one is a control freak and loves the control she has over the elderly patients who have no family and nobody watching out for them. I cannot help wonder if she isn't abusive to some patients because of her attitude when I asked her to be more gentle or more prompt with certain aspects of Mom's care. I put a security camera in Mom's room after Mom got robbed and this particular care giver went nuts over it. She complained and was given special permission from the admins not to have to assist my mother if I'm in the room. I asked what she said about me but nobody will tell me. You'd think the administration would get a clue from this kind of behavior but they like her because she is fast at her job and always talks sugary sweet to patients whenever someone is there listening and hardly never takes time off. Nobody else but me seems to get that she is playing the martyr when she calls out for the help of Jesus when patients are unhappy. She is mostly behind closed doors when she is with patients because the facility encourages privacy. I always wonder how she treats patients behind those closed doors. If I hear the name of Jesus called out once more by this creepy aid I might go off my gourd.

Brigid, you are not blowing this up in your mind!

I could write pages of Mormon abuse--my temple husband beat me while quoting D&C 132, the priesthood leaders broke into my house several times to wake up my sons and shove and kick them and get them dressed and throw them in a van to take them to church. One YM president pushed open the front door, chased my son into the living room, roughed him up, and literally carried him towards the door--right in front of me! The whole time I was telling him, "No. My son is staying home tonight to do his homework. Let him go! The man argued with me, and I said, "You are trespassing--get out, or I'll call the police!" He was later promoted to Stake President, then a Mission President. The other priesthood bullies were promoted up to Bishop and Mission President and Temple President.

Abuse of women and children is condoned, and even rewarded, in the Mormon cult. My children and I know that, first hand.

Read "The People of The Lie" by M. Scott Peck. It explains everything.

1. Yes, Mormonism is a cult of hate. "Friends" are really frenemies who compete with each other. Primary children are taught FEAR, and are brainwashed with repetitive chants, and fake scriptures to be memorized. Children not "BIC" are taught that they will be alone in the hereafter, and will not even know their parents or siblings. "You will walk past each other as strangers." I taught Primary. I read the manuals. The love of Christ is not taught. Their salvation is CONDITIONAL on how well they OBEY. Children are taught that Mormons are better than other people. They learn racism, sexism, homophobia. They learn to "not tell" when someone abuses them. One of the primary teachers would literally spank the kids in his class. My parents spanked me. My older brother abused me, and got away with it. What a harsh and unloving way to raise kids!

2. Yes, Religions and Cults like Mormonism do attract dysfunctional people, to join, for whatever gratification they are seeking.

I think many of those who achieve higher callings and who aspire to even high ones...even being called to the mother ship in SLC get drunk with power and their own self importance. Only GA I've been close to was Eldon Tanner when he was in the first presidency. He got the rock star treatment even from his own family...and I could tell that HE LIKED IT!

The guy who is possibly my least favorite human being is on the verge of being baptized. He carries more than a whiff of psychopath about him.

I told my wife it's a match made in (Mormon) heaven. He'll do quite well in the church, I believe. I wouldn't be surprised to see him shooting up the management structure double-time, like a well-lubricated catheter jammed up one's urethra.

I USED to be one of those "snarlies," growing up, sadly BUT it was when I was young and bullied by my brother.

I had a temper, oh boy did I ever. Now I am super calm, a bit too calm actually. My patience has gotten better; but I fell people like to take that to an advantage.

Its my opinion that these snarlies are just right out of patience with the foot draggers that are keeping jeebus from coming any day now...the only reason things arent progressing is we arent worthy...and its YOU!! Bastards that are causing it...im eighth gen morm so we know it isnt me...its YOU...now get with the fetching program you losers...the time is short...we needa be harvesting...your holding up my parade...well that and the church does attract self righteous assholes and they seem to float to the top...like scum on a pond..hi boyd....but there are exceptions ...lots of them really...but perhaps farther from zion where the real important people and events are...join me now in calling down moisture by going hungry for a bit then donate your grocery money to the cause...it takes a hell of a lot if money to buy florida ya know

Well, there is my mother ...

I grew up knowing some tyrannical holier than thou TBM assholes.

The only thing I can add is that when I was in high school, a girl in my class converted with her family and the local mormons seemed to be glowing with pride.

Her dad was a bloviating alcoholic with a rep' as kind of an a-hole.

I have to assume he stopped being an alcoholic at least.......