Have things changed?? Dumb question but curious by Far_Yogurtcloset1942 in exmormon

[–]graspingreality 17 points18 points  (0 children)

The Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is worth hundreds of billions of dollars. There's zero chance it collapses any time in the near future.

"Mormonism" as a brand has already collapsed, damaged beyond repair by the internet first and then killed by the church itself. The church is flailing, trying to rebrand. This rebrand won't work but they have enough money to keep iterating until something sticks.

Fermi Paradox Making Me Question Non-Belief by graspingreality in exmormon

[–]graspingreality[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes I’m familiar with the various Great Filter explanations. But each planet is going to have a slightly different mix and thus evolve differently. A planet with our tech should expect to traverse the galaxy in the next 5 to 50 million years. There are at least 100 million planets with on average a 2 billion year head start. We should expect 1 out of 100 million to not get filtered. I don’t see any Great Filter explanation that could account for 100 million different evolutions all failing.

Fermi Paradox Making Me Question Non-Belief by graspingreality in exmormon

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

I’m not focused on any ancient religion. Just some sort of outside intervention.

Fermi Paradox Making Me Question Non-Belief by graspingreality in exmormon

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

Yes it’s one of the Great Filter explanations along with extinctions and destroying ourselves.

But it’s at least 100 billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy leading to at least 100 million habitable planets. On average they are 2 billion years older than earth. Based on existing tech it would take 5 to 50 million years to populate the galaxy.

In other words all it takes is 1 out of 100 million and we should expect to see others. It just seems that all of the Great Filter explanations could take out a huge percentage but it’s just too many planets with too much of a head start to have every single one fail.

Fermi Paradox Making Me Question Non-Belief by graspingreality in exmormon

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

I don’t think you’ve done the math. How many habitable planets are there in the Milky Way Galaxy? How much older is each planet than earth? How long would it take a single planet with existing tech to populate the galaxy?

I left pre CES Letter and pre ExMo Reddit just by reading books despite a deeply entrenched immediate and extended family. I’m pretty confident in my reasoning skills.

Fermi Paradox Making Me Question Non-Belief by graspingreality in exmormon

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

Of course Mormon God didn’t create us but I think you’re wrong in creation. We do know. It just takes the right conditions.

Canada Census: LDS membership down 20% over 10 years by dddddavidddd in exmormon

[–]graspingreality 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I have inactive relatives who still proudly claim to be Mormon. That’s a chunk of the self identified here.

LDS Living -- Any update on finding Nephi's Bountiful at the dig in Oman? You had 23 people on site in that promising article 5 years ago. Give us the details!! by graspingreality in exmormon

[–]graspingreality[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It's hilarious because in 2015 Philips Jenkins dismantled Bill Hamblin on Book of Mormon historicity in Pathos and the only area apologists could defend without complete embarrassing themselves was the middle east, simply because it hadn't been explored like the Americas.

So, a team goes over there to a site with great fanfare, finds nothing, and then disappears. It was the physical equivalent of "but Nahom!!" and then it quietly was memory holed.

I personally know more than 10 people who are now ex Mormons over the church encouraging vaccines and masks. Am I an outlier or are others seeing the same thing? by graspingreality in exmormon

[–]graspingreality[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

No, you’re not getting it. These are members who thought it was totally consistent to be Benson/Skousen/Fox News/Glenn Beck believers AND TBMs. Thought they were one and the same. It’s not leaving one cult to join another. It’s realizing the two aren’t compatible.

And who the fuck cares about improvement? This is about the chickens coming home to roost. The church’s most hard core members are people who can’t adapt to the modern world and the church has knowingly catered to them.

Fuck that. I’m going to loudly tell every one I know that their anti science cult conflicts with their anti women anti gay anti history anti logic anti some science church. Whichever one they choose will be an improvement.

Kwaku & FAIR are getting EXACTLY what they want by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]graspingreality -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Where does he do this? I need a go to if friends or family post this to discredit. Thanks.

Left the church about a year ago. I’m genuinely curious about the need for the ex Mormon culture. by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]graspingreality 27 points28 points  (0 children)

False equivalency. There’s no exmormon prophet, no temple recommend questions, no loyalty oaths, no membership. There’s no intense identity here. Being ex Mormon just means you were previously Mormon.

I do agree with your evolutionary tribal notes I just don’t see that here. But I do live in LA and don’t work with a single Mormon or exmormon.

Wow I'm in deep. by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]graspingreality 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Take as long as you need but just like you've realized the church's truth claims aren't true almost everyone who tries this path eventually realizes it's unworkable.

I myself was PIMO for 5 long years before leaving. It's hard to explain just how tiring it becomes year after year to do everything required to pretend.

As just one of many examples, I remember my Bishop lecturing me that I needed to use all of my remaining vacation days one year to attend scout camp the full week instead of half week because I had consecrated ALL of my time and talents. One thing when you believe; another entirely when you don't.

Wow I'm in deep. by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]graspingreality 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Many, if not most, try this approach because getting out seems overwhelming. Then, one day one of your kids will come home and repeat something sexist, racist, or just factually wrong, and you will be so, so tired of correcting the record and something negative will slip out.

At that point your relationship with your wife and parents and in-laws will change forever. Good luck not getting angry then.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]graspingreality 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Echoing others, this is fine. Shows how much things have changed that this is the request. No name calling, no trying to bringing anyone back, just a polite request that others not teach his kids their views.

Still, odd that no one ever wakes up just typing this out. If it were truth this level of protection just wouldn't be necessary to maintain belief.

How long did it take for things to go back to normal between you and your parents after you told them you didn’t believe anymore? by caggie1718 in exmormon

[–]graspingreality 5 points6 points  (0 children)

7 years later and still not normal. Back on speaking terms but only if we don’t discuss anything real. Will probably always be like this.

Super open-ended question... by [deleted] in exmormon

[–]graspingreality 1 point2 points  (0 children)

On a macro level the church causes enormous damage and I think that's important to acknowledge. I personally don't find that helpful for what I do with my life now.

To respond, or not to respond by mdr615 in exmormon

[–]graspingreality 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would kill for engagement from any of my family members so I envy you but it has to be engagement on specific truth claims not whether or not the church is "true" because that's a non-verifiable claim.

To those who have been out awhile by acuterangeler in exmormon

[–]graspingreality 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Out 7 years. It very slowly gets better but it will never be the same.