Didn't. I simply accepted a belief system, like any other. I was taught a religious world view, just as I had been taught by my family and my experiences attending church while growing up. I changed my mind about my world view, no longer accepted any faith-based belief systems, especially ones based on visions and other metaphysical events. Nor did I want to be involved in any religious group
Forum: Recovery Board

YES!! Many. One is my husband of over 50 years that has now passed. I've known many LDS people that are good, honest, hard working people that I would trust. Also know some that don't meet that criteria. Pretty much what you find with most people. Some are stellar and some, not so much.
Forum: Recovery Board

The system of the changing of the guard has not changed. People are living longer these days. That means these leaders are staying in their callings longer.
Forum: Recovery Board

WOWZA - congrats on your graduation (coming up real soon) and on getting into med school - which one you like best! About LDS Counselor - remember they have you sign a "contract" of sorts and anything you tell the counselor can be shared with your bishop, who will report to BYU. NOT GOOD! My view? Don't do it. It's all about you getting your testimony back so you can go to the Cel
Forum: Recovery Board

The LDS Church has had a succession plan for the presidency, and Q of 12 in place for many years. The next president is always the most senior member of the Q of 12. The only question is who is going to outlive everyone! So, Nelson becomes the right person for the right time as far as the believing members are concerned. Nobody else cares.
Forum: Recovery Board

I have stuck to this simple statement of atheism as a definition: "The non-belief in the theist unsupported claim of a deity/God." Technically, we are all agnostic as the definition I like best is that a God/deity is not provable. All theist claim a belief in a deity/God by faith which is often accompanied by answers to prayer, or other personal claims. I'll stick to the sci
Forum: Recovery Board

Maybe it's my age, or the seriousness of my illness and medical conditions (well documented) I have no problem getting some pain medicine from my doctors. I highly recommend keeping a daily meds chart for yourself. It's very easy to forget times and meds.
Forum: Recovery Board

ahh..Thanks. Must have been sometime in 1999!
Forum: Recovery Board

Happy New Year to all our friends across the pond! Many of us are "related by love, not blood." :-) Or some of us have family that came across the pond!
Forum: Recovery Board

Not absolutely sure of the year I first came here, but it was not long after it first started. I think it was probably 1999 or 2000. I had been to one or two other sites. Not many available then. What did I think of it? SURPRISED! SHOCKED! Holy Cow. I had NO idea what kinds of problems people were having. My crazy experiences as a new convert, newly married seemed minor compared to the h
Forum: Recovery Board

fordescape Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I've been sick for a month. Respiratory crap. Keep > on getting well, take care. Oh my. So sorry. Lots of "respiratory crap" going on in our area - mostly South of us because of the fires.
Forum: Recovery Board

The devastation from the fires is overwhelming. Fortunately, my son's in-laws were spared, (only minor damage). Not so for some neighbors. Just horrible. Next ----the rains and all hell will break loose -- again!
Forum: Recovery Board

I guess I missed the appalled behavior ! Thanks for the good wishes. I have good days and bad days. More good ones, thank goodness!
Forum: Recovery Board

Thank you for all the good wishes! I'm on the mend. Older folks take longer to recover, I see. Patience is not my strong trait! The fires were way too close but did not threaten us. We did get a lot, and I mean a lot of smoke and ash for several days. Fortunately, I only had to go out once but that was enough. We were cautioned to wear the masks. I stayed in and kept the windows closed. D
Forum: Recovery Board

I've been very sick for several weeks. Worse illness in my life! Happy to be recovering -- long process. Finally able to get on the computer most days for a few minutes. Hope everyone had a good Christmas. Mine was very quiet. I'll start contributing when I am feeling better and have something intelligent to say! (Pain meds make me goofy!)
Forum: Recovery Board

You too? I have all of her books. (Still have to get "Y")She is an excellent writer. Lived part time in Santa Barbara, CA, my old stomping grounds! I too have read all of her books, at least 3 times, maybe more! "Q" is about an incident that happened in Lompoc, where I live now.
Forum: Recovery Board

Not a fan of tattoos.... but ... mine would say: I'm FREE.
Forum: Recovery Board

Fun time to ignore the fools.
Forum: Recovery Board

cludgie Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- Oh my. So hard to have to go through that. We knew she was not doing well. Had planned to take her to the vet but she passed on her own. So glad she did.
Forum: Recovery Board

Amyjo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The last cat I had was the kitty from hell. > Oh yes. Feral cats can get like that. I adopted a cat many years ago that turned out to be totally nonsocial, couldn't touch her and had to the SBCA.
Forum: Recovery Board

Mythology. That sums it up.
Forum: Recovery Board

badassadam Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Was she a cute kitty? She was a beautiful Tuxedo Cat! Very elegant!
Forum: Recovery Board

She was my middle son's cat for 13 years. I was her caretaker for awhile. Have not lost a pet in many years. It's quite an adjustment. She was his shadow. We knew she was getting close. She had some physical problems but hung in there, tapping my knee for a bite of dinner the night before, as usual. She went outside when her Cat-Daddy left in the morning and laid down in the sun and took a nap i
Forum: Recovery Board

Our little area in No. Santa Barbara County, Lompoc/ near Vandenberg Air Force Base has escaped all the fires. Got a lot of smoke at times. We were awakened by loud deep sounds and a lot of shaking when the rocket went off at 5 a.m.! SO far, my family is all safe also.
Forum: Recovery Board

Oh boy. Here we go again. Religion trying to take control of humans. What a wonderful world it would be without these religious ideas that people actually believe.
Forum: Recovery Board

Oh ya. You never know what is going to happen. Cold shoulder or profuse greetings? The reports of Mormons acting like jackasses has probably promoted a few "talks" on setting a better example! Not trustworthy, most likely.
Forum: Recovery Board

Leaving the LDS Church is like leaving high school. It was fun, there were good dances, some nice parties, some friends, some rotten nonsense, a lot of pressure, but 99% of it does not continue into the rest of adulthood. The community is finished. I like to think I outgrew the LDS Church. Matured. Grew Up. No longer needing constant reminders of how to think, dress, etc. with demands on my time
Forum: Recovery Board

Unfortunately, anyone not 100% on board and compliant is seen by the LDS Church as an angry, whiner who lot the spirit.' Writing your concerns is therapeutic for you but will fall on deaf ears with the leaders. Probably best to just drop out, resign and ignore them from here on out.
Forum: Recovery Board

Sounds like a dictatorship to me.
Forum: Recovery Board

YES!! Thank goodness he lost interest in you! He is/was a predator.
Forum: Recovery Board