is just to bend over and take it. They make it a virtue to take whatever anyone dumps on you and never complain, never take a stand, never grow up. You are perpetually a child with no power over your own life other than to do as you are told, keep sweet and take what any Mormon cares to dish out. If you speak up, if you complain, if you set boundaries - you are the naughty one.

You probably know Mormons who feel they can say or do anything they want to you and if you complain about it, you are the bad one. It's like your disappointment, disapproval, sheer ability to take a stand washes them clean of any sin they committed. They may have insulted you, for example, but if you call them on it, you are the bad guy for getting upset and not turning the other cheek. Somehow they think they have a right to do whatever they want and blame their victims for complaining about their pain.

Some examples of this:

My SIL said "I think the members of your ward need to humble themselves and forgive your bishop and get themselves back to church." This after Bishop Jackwagon alienated a number of members with his angry, bossy leadership style.

A friend just posted a quote by Gordo Hinckley on FB: "Do not feel sorry for yourself. Do not dwell on unkind things others may say about you." Good advice in general but Mormons think it gives them carte blanche to be as insulting as they want.

Bishop's interviews - you gotta show up, give up whatever info they ask for and take any punishment randomly assigned.

Church callings - do what you are told. It's from the Lord so you need to shut up and do the job you are asked to. No complaints.

Oh, and by the way, show up and clean the toilets.

Don't forget - give us your money and we will spend it however we want, without asking you. Or telling you. Don't ask questions - it's the spirit of contention. Just let the leaders do as they want.

Mormonism is about learning to be the perfect victim.

If you manage to keep some semblance of sanity after years of this BS, they act surprised when you tell them to go screw themselves.

I am more righteous, spiritual, knowledgeable, and mentally stable than the bishop and Sp that were passing judgement on me.

If they were called of God, then God failed them and me miserably.

is total B.S.

Well, teaching adults there is virtue in being a victim is BS so I guess I'll have to agree with you on that one. :)

God has created us to become robots. We are here to learn obedience. To act without asking. To never question. To think only what we are told to think. To conform. To ignore and/or reject anything we see, or know, or feel that does not support the church's current power needs.

According to Mormonism: God created individual human beings, but when it's all over -- He really wants insects!

And you know, I just had a thought. Maybe the reason Mormons act so offensive is because it's really the only power they have. To offend others, I mean, and then force the person to turn the other cheek.

... and then everybody is supposed to think - or at least pretend they are thinking - that that's a proper growing and developing process.

Loyalty (Cultish), conformity-compliance. the Blind variety.

the 'truth' ("Facts") is ONLY what they say it is.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2012 02:06AM by guynoirprivateeye.

I think the main thing the church teaches (currently) Is that it's evil to have more than 1 ear piercing, and that G's should be worn while gardening

Hinkley is dead, so the earring directive does not even apply any more.

He spoke as a man,not a prophet, when gave his opinion on fashion while in his 90s

Marments are TOLD when and where to go to cult.

Nevermos find this beyond strange.

but keeping to your meme,

You are told when and where to go to cult. Don't like it? Don't care. Oh, you do like it? Guess what, we're changing ward boundaries. Now you have to go to cult over there with a bunch of strangers and have to start making new fake friends.

I was having a discussion with my Dad about accepting callings. It was a light hearted conversation and I suggested that I would be okay because I was thick skinned enough to say no to a calling.
He went quiet and serious and said

"You must never, ever refuse a calling no matter what you think about it because they are calls from God."

"But Dad, isn't that Satan's plan?"

*crickets*

My son used that line about Satan's plan on a hot girl at his school who keeps trying to get him to come to YM/YW. He got crickets in response too :)

In a measured way? Of course Church is going to push you as hard as it can. You are it's source of income. How many Cops do I remember let me go. I think personally IRS is worse

in a real church, people are free to come and go as they please.

there is an entirely different covenant between a person and his job or country or school than there is with a church.

that's the point CAGirl is making. Since when does a church demand things of you more in line with a job, school or government? Hint: she's calling it a cult.

+1000

@CA girl...great thread. The never murmuring command really bothered me quite a bit. I found it very unhealthy to be feeling one way but always be encouraged to stuff the feelings and blow sunshine up everyone's ass. I am not talking about being a downer all the time, but being able to express how you truly feel is cathartic and healing. Plus if you are always putting up the "all is well" facade, how are you to know if anyone needs a shoulder to lean on? The church seems to encourage not being human. A well-known voice in the church even came to the last RS event I attended, and told the women they needed to be more like Mary and not Martha...for Mary the sister of Martha saw the bigger picture, and Martha complained about making preparations. And I see it all the time on FB with my friends who are TBM. It is one thing to be positive and encourage your family and friends, but quite another to put an exorbitant amount of exclamation points after every freaking sentence such as: "I am cooking dinner!!!!". (Eventually I will get over the exclamation point thing. There is a story behind it as to why I need to work thru it.).

Your fellow church members are considered righteous for "calling you to repentance".

...BUT...

You are considered rude and hateful if, in turn, you defend your own decency by "calling them to reason".

They can throw mean punches at you for righteousness sake, but you can't fight back (using sound reason) without being considered offensive and mean spirited.

THEY are the ones making all the truly outrageous claims: Golden plates - angels with flaming swords - Christians in America before Columbus - God running His Universe like a Moose Lodge!

AND YET - ASTONISHINGLY - THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS PLACED ON US, NOT THEM!

Who is the truly sensible party here - them or us?

"God running His Universe like a Moose Lodge!"


Best. Quote. Ever.

"Unconditional and highest freedom of will comes from obedience; obedience which is prepared to render each and every sacrifice to pride, to external honour and to all which is dear to us personally, obedience which never falters but unconditionally follows every order which comes from the Führer or legally from superiors."
Heinrich Himmler

Otremer - thanks. I've been looking for this quote.

What is amusing/disgusting about this quote is that, as you allude, the underlying sentiment is used to justify passive-aggressive unkindness or rudeness. So much so that it is an identifiable characteristic of one of RFMs oldest regular posters.

You are right, CA girl, this is generally good advice - for children. As adults we often face situations and circumstances that are far more complexx than children do, and we are required to respond with more control and sophistication. Is there an addendum to this quote that addresses those adult needs? Probably not: Hinckley never peddled anything but bland superficiality in the philosophy department.

the victims and the victimizers. Dependson the personality type. You don't even have to be a leader in mormonism to learn to be the victimizer. I learned well how to give over my power to everyone but myself--obviously.

I just got this e-mail from my TBM grandpa about sacrifice. It kind of goes along with your thread.

"I believe that Latter-day Saints who give unselfish service and sacrifice in worshipful imitation of our Savior adhere to eternal values to a greater extent than any other group of people. Latter-day Saints look on their sacrifices of time and means as a part of their schooling and qualifying for eternity. This is the truth revealed in the Lectures on Faith, which teach that 'a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. It is through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that man should enjoy eternal life.'" Dallin H. Oaks