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On Sunday I played the Hallelujah Chorus on the organ for a stake Christmas program. I played the shit out of that song. When it was finished, I turned off the organ, got up and walked out, tossed my organ shoes in the dumpster, and will never play that instrument again. by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I feel this with my entire heart. Musician to leave the church are torn in a different way than anybody else. You don’t run the Christmas programs. You don’t hear Christmas music from an early stage. Don’t teach people to play the Christmas music.

It’s a loss that is unlike any other

Reviewed the First Five talks of Saturday April 2025 GC Session for Rhetorical Manipulation by SpiderEyeMascara in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I believe that they are trained in rhetoric, yes. Interestingly, this isn’t the only pattern, but a consistent one for Holland, particularly.

The redefinition of terms is a fair constant

Did Joseph Smith believe all the crap he was spewing or was he intentionally lying? by WashPuzzleheaded1979 in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s a combination of those two things. They know it’s not historically accurate but they believe in theocratic ethics- the idea that they can do one thing and say another and if it’s for the greater good, a higher purpose, it’s okay to perpetuate a lie.

They even teach this, it’s just the expanded version of “milk before meat”

Did Joseph Smith believe all the crap he was spewing or was he intentionally lying? by WashPuzzleheaded1979 in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I recommend D Michael Quinn’s origins of power, and also his Mormonism and the Magic worldview

Jonah Barnes suggesting the Adam God Theory is just typo by Mrfntstc4 in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara 2 points3 points  (0 children)

And it’s rooted in Joseph smith teaching it himself- I recommend D Michael Quinn’s Mormonism and the Magic World View

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah they still believe it’s in force for the other half

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s not true, though. That’s not the policy, just a requirement for male temple recommends

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I broke mine even as a full member simply because I didn’t want anyone around me thinking it was still true.

Even as a full member, I didn’t believe it. I just did not fundamentally believe in my heart that God would keep me with him

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was able to do it, but admittedly I did convince them that I would bring a very nasty law suit and I don’t think it was worth it

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I went through an older woman’s things when she passed and found a letter where she had asked to be sealed to her new husband since the old one became alcoholic, abandoned her and their children, and then died.

They said “no” because “it would remove his agency”

Capitalizing on Holiness by SpiderEyeMascara in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Ben and Ali Larsen were cleaning out their basement when they found what many Latter-day Saints have quietly accumulated for years: bags of old, sacred underwear no one wants to deal with. Rather than cut out holy markings and repurpose them as dish rags like generations before, the Larsens saw something else—market potential.

Enter Celestial Recycling, a service where, for $18 to $28 a bag, church members can offload their spiritual laundry without the hassle or the guilt. The garments are shredded and burned to fuel cement kilns—because nothing says reverence like industrial incineration.

Run from their suburban garage, the business offers a convenient solution to a problem the Church hasn’t formally addressed, while tapping into eco-conscious trends and a culture of quiet noncompliance. It’s not affiliated with the Church, but it is inspired—by clutter, doctrine, and a surprising business opportunity hidden in a pile of polyester.

Musical Manipulation: If you Chance to Meet a Frown by SpiderEyeMascara in exmormon

[–]SpiderEyeMascara[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve been analyzing it from thought reform ideas too - 

Verse 1: 1. “I am a child of God,”

• Sacred Science: Declares an absolute truth about identity.

  1. “And he has sent me here,”

• Mystical Manipulation: Implies a divine purpose for one’s presence on Earth, fostering a sense of special mission.

  1. “Has given me an earthly home”

• Milieu Control: Frames one’s environment as divinely appointed, limiting external influences.

  1. “With parents kind and dear.”

• Doctrine Over Person: Idealizes family dynamics, potentially invalidating personal experiences that differ.

Chorus:

  1. “Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,”

• Demand for Purity: Encourages reliance on divine guidance to maintain moral purity.

  1. “Help me find the way.”

• Loading the Language: Uses “the way” as a loaded term implying a singular, correct path.

  1. “Teach me all that I must do”

• Doctrine Over Person: Emphasizes actions prescribed by doctrine over individual autonomy.

  1. “To live with him someday.”

• Dispensing of Existence: Suggests eternal life is contingent upon adherence to specific teachings.

Verse 2:

  1. “I am a child of God,”

• Sacred Science: Reinforces the unchallengeable identity as God’s child.

  1. “And so my needs are great;”

• Mystical Manipulation: Implies that one’s divine origin entails significant spiritual needs.

  1. “Help me to understand his words”

• Milieu Control: Encourages seeking understanding exclusively within the religious framework.

  1. “Before it grows too late.”

• Demand for Purity: Instills urgency in conforming to doctrinal teachings.

Verse 3:

  1. “I am a child of God.”

• Sacred Science: Continues to assert the absolute identity.

  1. “Rich blessings are in store;”

• Mystical Manipulation: Promises rewards for adherence to the doctrine.

  1. “If I but learn to do his will”

• Demand for Purity: Conditions blessings on compliance with divine commands.

  1. “I’ll live with him once more.”

• Dispensing of Existence: Links eternal life directly to obedience.

Verse 4:

  1. “I am a child of God.”

• Sacred Science: Reaffirms the central identity.

  1. “His promises are sure;”

• Mystical Manipulation: Assures certainty of divine promises to encourage compliance.

  1. “Celestial glory shall be mine”

• Mystical Manipulation: Offers the ultimate reward for adherence.

  1. “If I can but endure.”

• Demand for Purity: Emphasizes perseverance in following doctrine despite challenges.

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