"As appropriate, use the following activity or one of your own to begin the lesson.

Write the following phrases on the chalkboard:

A pint of cream

A misspelled name

No available seating at the Kirtland Temple dedication

Tell class members that these phrases all have something in common. They are all reasons given by early Church members for their apostasy from the Church."

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=bc6f9207f7c20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=32c41b08f338c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD



You can guess where this is going.

That makes me want to have been there for that lesson.

I'd raise my hand and have plenty to say about legitimate reasons that people leave, and what is the purpose of trying to make it seem like people leave for dumb reasons.

I know, right?

As if people just leave and don't give a crap about how it effects the people around them, with spouses divorcing, and families disowning the apostatized person. Yes, we all that pain over <insert petty reason here>.

In 1864, George A. Smith claimed in a sermon that Marsh had left the church because of a dispute between his wife and other Mormon women over a milk cow. Although this tale has made its way into Mormon folklore, Smith’s statements are not supported by any contemporary evidence.

Wait a minute-- isn't control by Satan a loss of free agency? Are they implying that leaving the TSSC means you have given your away? Or had it taken away?

Has anybody heard that argument?


Anagrammy

Tscc or satan...either way you give up your agency...
Glad I am done playing pretend on both counts.

As if any of us left because of cream or a misspelled name.

I'm not sure if they're lying or if they're just stupid. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking Exmos must be so easily offended to leave the one true church over not getting a pat on the back or because of having to work with a mormon loudmouth every month at some dumb meeting.

Cheryl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm not sure if they're lying or if they're just
> stupid.

They are lying for sure. The point of the whole lesson is to make people think that anyone who leaves the church is dumb and shallow. And by implication, you would be that way too if you left.

Who wants to be thought of that way? And then who would listen to us shallow people who did leave, we just part of that group that left over milk etc.

Its an out right deception all the way. They could have used some legitimate examples to keep things fair, but they hand picked some really lame ones. It is a well thought out deception used to keep people from listening to any of us.

Religions like to blame common sense on pettiness or satan.

If you study actual church history, you will find that members "apostatized" for legitimate reasons in those very instances that the lesson outlines. It's amazing how I've done a 180 since my departure on those I think of as heroes and villians where church history is concerned.

Those who had a sense of decency and a solid moral base were those that GOT OUT. Those who stayed either victimized others, became victims themselves, or both (Emma's an example of the last).