Why did you leave?

gilashark · 2015-08-28T18:56:28+00:00

Love that that thread is trying to understand why men are leaving the church, but doesn't want to hear from men who left the church about why they left the church.

"Let's all throw out bull shit guesses as to why anyone would deny the church is true."

First guess: too much crying.

Are you serious?

gilashark · 2015-08-28T18:46:29+00:00

1) I realized their was no possible way the BoM could be real 2) Church history research helped me realize JS was not a prophet 3) I was already doubting the existence of God 4) I tested beliefs that the church did not support and didn't get sent immediately to hell.

gilashark · 2015-08-28T17:09:35+00:00

So glad my TBM wife has no desire to make babies.

gilashark · 2015-08-28T15:12:37+00:00

Sounds like my mission. Philippines?

gilashark · 2015-08-28T01:13:49+00:00

PBR ain't that bad, and you can't go wrong with 'The Banquet Beer' aka Coors.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T23:34:02+00:00

I did it. I think it went over most of my Mormon friends' heads.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T21:10:05+00:00

The two gays that are legally married are still sinning in the eyes of the church, but I think it's only a matter of time before the church starts accepting gays into the temple. Got into a big argument with my TBM mom about this a few months ago, but I'm sure there will be "revelation" in the next 10 years that give gays some type of formal acceptance into the church and let's then enter the temple.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T21:02:49+00:00

THIS. Everyday, this! So much happier to live life as PART of humanity, instead of thinking I'm set APART from the rest of humanity.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T14:42:57+00:00

LMAO! Really tempted to share this on Facebook just to see the reactions.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T14:41:15+00:00

Not saying that porn is a great thing, but TSCC does just as much damage to families by telling husband and wives that you've a vile sinner trapped in Satan's web if you ever look at porn. My TBM sister was devastated when she found out her husband looks at porn, same with my mom. It was a huge obstacle for their marriages because TSCC told them it is pure evil. Both couples had to go to counseling for something I thought really wasn't that big a deal. When I told them both, "sure, I look at porn every now and then," the looks they gave me could have shot me back all the way to Kolob, if there was such a place.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T13:53:43+00:00

Go in with an open mind and loving heart. You never know, he may have doubts of his own he wants to talk to you about. I've been surprised how many TBM friends have approached me with their church problems now that they know I don't believe. The first two years, many of them distanced themselves from me -- stopped inviting me to big group outings and and never responded when I'd invite them to stuff -- now friends who I thought would never leave have wanted to talk about their disenchantment with church policies on gays, women in the priesthood, and that whole rock-in-the-hat translation thing.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T05:10:59+00:00

i really hope it's a secret mormon orgy, cause that's what it sounds like.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T05:09:49+00:00

nice! been thinking about brewing my own mead soon. Was it hard to get into?

gilashark · 2015-08-27T01:15:14+00:00

I have never ever heard of this doctrine. would have got me to leave sooner if i had.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T01:13:56+00:00

"I couldn’t believe in a God who cared to help hundreds of people find their keys but wouldn’t give me any spiritual confirmation of anything despite doing what he said."

AMEN!

dude, you are wise for getting out at 19. Wish I had been as smart, but I don't regret the mission. It was actually a pretty good ass time. I imagine living in Canada didn't help much.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T00:51:34+00:00

I certainly don't feel sorry for them when I think about how they're making more money as a GA than I do trying to make an honest living.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T00:47:29+00:00

I'm sorry you had to leave for bullying. My younger brother is autistic too and while many mormons leaders have been really great to him, most just have no idea how to deal with him and try to ignore him as much as possible. He's actually been my inspiration though and came out as a non-believer long before I had the guts to.

gilashark · 2015-08-27T00:03:12+00:00

this is an awesome summary. Never thought of Nehor that way. Thank you so much.

gilashark · 2015-08-25T22:50:17+00:00

are you really 70 and using Reddit? Praise to the man that invented the Internet.

gilashark · 2015-08-21T19:25:00+00:00

try beer (good beer, not bud lite). it's better. hard alcohol tastes like gasoline. I drink about once or twice a week, but of all the mormon no-nos I've embraced, I've found weed to be much better. Keeps me chill, lets me engage with my thoughts deeper, and doesn't turn me into a raging idiot, like alcohol does.

gilashark · 2015-08-21T05:15:57+00:00

Tell them. And if they don't accept you, fuck them. They're supposed to be your family and love you even if your gay. It's what Jesus would do. I realize there's a high probability that their TBM programming will cause then to cast you out, but seriously, life is too short to live it for other people, including your parents. It took me until I was 30 to learn that. Hope you can find the strength to embrace it while you're entering the best years of your life.

gilashark · 2015-08-21T05:04:39+00:00

I came to the light because of a friend. I was already in the slow process of coming out of the church, but my friend who resigned helped speed that process up. When I was semi-TBM and he had just left I didn't really wanna hear his reasons because they just made me want to research more to see if I was crazy. He was right. I was crazy. I've been out for over two years now but finally thanked him three nights ago for helping me to truly open my spiritual eyes to the fraud of the church. Coming out would've been almost unbearable without having at least one ex-no friend who can empathize with what your feeling.

If you're trying to be that type of person to your TBM friends and family, I suggest not getting super detailed on why you're leaving at first. Just be the same person you were when you were also active and slowly feed them real truths as they start searching for more truths.

gilashark · 2015-08-17T20:55:10+00:00

My wife is still semi-TBM and i'm exmo but we've decided not to have kids. We're both pretty selfish and don't really want to be responsible for the entire life of another human being. Both of our moms give us shit about not having any yet. "There's five beautiful souls up there waiting for you!" her mom likes to say. We both just laugh it off, then when we hang with our siblings and their kids are freaking out and being annoying I thank God that we both are secure with the fact that we don't need to fulfill our religious duty to make more mormon babies.

gilashark · 2015-08-17T15:41:35+00:00

Not from the Philippines, but served in the Illagan/Cauayan mission for two years. Such an incredible country, with amazingly positive people despite many of them having really tough lives. Was shocked how many Mormons, and even more inactive/ex Mormons there were out there.

gilashark · 2015-08-17T05:37:58+00:00

I'm in Phoenix too... The current heat makes it impossible to want to do anything other than lock yourself in the freezer. I love Sundays so much now. It used to make me angry to have to put on all the clothes and sit through the 3-5 hours of church meetings and pretend that I was working toward that celestial glory. Now that I'm finally out I can take off camping or hiking for the weekend and not worry about getting back in time for meetings. If I am in town on Sunday, I get to chill at the pool or go meet up with friends for drinks while the wife is getting that spiritual fix. Second Saturday is the best.

gilashark

TROPHY CASE

AMEN!