I left the TSCC in 1991 so it's been a while. I was bic, RM, temple marriage, bishopric..the whole ball of wax. At times, I find myself still wondering why I REALLY quit. Don't get me wrong...from a historical, doctrinal, scientific & even biblical veiwpoint it's very easy to justify my departure. But...all of that aside...the real reason I began the departure process was...I didn't feel it!

All the joy, happiness, & peace that was promised never came to fruition for me. It just never felt right. It all seemed so artificial & fake...because it was! I was very TBM & lived it by the book for over 30 years!

This thought process bothers me because we shouldn't build our lives or make decisions based on feelings. Feelings can be so misleading & erroneous. TBM's base their lives and whole existence & testimony on feelings(some call it knowledge) & yet it's the lack of those feelings that really drove me out...despite the intellectual knowledge of the tscc's falsehoods.

Perhaps, I was just born skeptical.

This post is another example of why one shouldn't post & drink!

Cheers!

IMO, feelings are okay. It's the feelings that may draw you towards something or push you away. If you don't enjoy participating in whatever it is, then you stop going. Why would you even want to? You don't necessarily have to go into research on the "rights" and the "wrongs" and all that stuff. It could be the best and most perfect organization on the planet, if it sucks to go, you don't go. Certainly further research is necessary in many situations and relying on feelings alone is not the best way to go in a lot of situations, but I think feelings are quite valid. Your feelings just started you on a journey.

There is no right or wrong reason, even though the LDS Church likes to threaten and bully the members that there are!

Don't like the pews? Don't like the music, don't like the people, don't like the teachings?
Don't believe it? Don't like the bullies and the threats?
Don't like all the commandments: the Word of Wisdom, tithing, temple recommend questions, ecclesiastical authority, and on and on? OK.
Don't like the politics, the long meetings, etc? OK. You are free to leave!
Others don't agree? Who cares.

It helps to develop some skeptical skills, some critical thinking, know when threatened by imaginary nonsense, and know when you are being fed BS, etc.


It's you life. Live it your way.And, have fun doing it!

Cheers, and Happy New Year Travis!

I think the main issue is that you're always told that your REAL feelings are probably bogus, likely to be manipulated the 'the adversary', etc. The fact is that your real feelings are valid to you, and your own instincts tell you when something feels bogus or not. Being conditioned to believe that you can't rely on your own feelings and intuition is the worst kind of manipulation, and actually blinds us to genuine spiritual forces.

I've had more good spiritual experience out of the church than ever in, and on considering going back recently (I know, I know!) I feel nothing prompting me to but my own foolish thoughts that it might have been better. Hence being here reading funny and sad posts tonight as a balance to the bullshit. :)

travis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I left the TSCC in 1991 so it's been a while. I
> was bic, RM, temple marriage, bishopric..the whole
> ball of wax. At times, I find myself still
> wondering why I REALLY quit. Don't get me
> wrong...from a historical, doctrinal, scientific &
> even biblical veiwpoint it's very easy to justify
> my departure. But...all of that aside...the real
> reason I began the departure process was...I
> didn't feel it!
>
> All the joy, happiness, & peace that was promised
> never came to fruition for me. It just never felt
> right. It all seemed so artificial &
> fake...because it was! I was very TBM & lived it
> by the book for over 30 years!
>
> This thought process bothers me because we
> shouldn't build our lives or make decisions based
> on feelings. Feelings can be so misleading &
> erroneous. TBM's base their lives and whole
> existence & testimony on feelings(some call it
> knowledge) & yet it's the lack of those feelings
> that really drove me out...despite the
> intellectual knowledge of the tscc's falsehoods.
>
> Perhaps, I was just born skeptical.
>
> This post is another example of why one shouldn't
> post & drink!
>
> Cheers!

Several times I posted from a pub whilst under the influence of Absinthe. I felt no pain! The posts were... interesting! ;oD

I don't think this was an invalid reason to leave at all. LD$, Inc. set up their own standard of proof to judge their veracity--warm fuzzy feelings, peace, etc.--and their own standard of proof was not met. You didn't make those rules. They did. And by their own rules, you had no reason to determine the church is true.

I myself often pondered this dilemma as a TBM. Even from a young age I was frequently aware that the feelings weren't there, or that when they were they were artificially manufactured. I usually rationalized the absence of these feelings as a product of my own unworthiness, and figured TSCC must still be true nevertheless. It wasn't until I left on other grounds that I realized that they never even met the standard of proof they set for themselves.

In fact, to take the logic a step further, you needed no evidence whatsoever to justify leaving. Besides the STANDARD of proof, LD$, Inc. bears the BURDEN of proof. If they fail to meet it, you are under no obligation whatsoever, regardless of whether you were born into it. The default setting should never be lifelong totalitarian commitment to any organization unless you have contrary proof. The default setting should be that you live however you want to unless they prove their case.

Thanks for all the comments! My Catholic wife & I just spend two hours with my TBM family. The church & thier warm, fuzzy feelings is all they really have in thier lives.

Now, bring on the rum & egg nog!

God, it feels so good to be un-worthy.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/2011 10:37PM by travis.