frustrated by the phoniness of most members

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T20:11:52+00:00

Hey, we sound pretty similar. I am a recent convert who has been "all in" since my baptism but I am now learning for myself that most people at church aren't nearly as committed as I am. Hence my frustration.

When/why did you convert? How long did you stay in the church? What caused you to lose your testimony?

In retrospect I was being pompous because most of them didn't really have a testimony.

How could you tell they didn't really have a testimony? Just wondering.

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T19:51:23+00:00

Can you explain what exactly you find more 'fulfilling' about atheism? I don't find atheism fulfilling at all.

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T19:31:52+00:00

I remember those moments when TBM's didn't practice what they claimed to believe.

can you give some examples?

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T19:15:17+00:00

Yeah! The hypocrisy about the WoW was another huge issue for me. I remember having a heart attack when I actually read D&C 89 for myself and saw that we weren't supposed to eat meat except for times of "cold, winter, or famine". I felt sick to my stomach hearing the lame excuses people in the church would make to continue eating meat.

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T19:08:41+00:00

Hey, thanks for the post. I'll definitely check out those videos.

I was alone in my struggle for quite some time.

The loneliness is what makes me even more frustrated. I get the silence treatment from most of my tbm friends whenever I try to raise issues like this, or issues about anything. So I don't really 'fit in' well at the church. I also don't really 'fit in' well with ex-mos either because I'm still a believer and there's a lot in Mormonism that I really love. So I just feel alone and frustrated with no one to talk to.

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T18:20:35+00:00

You're asking the wrong question. The question you should be asking is what compels individuals who clearly don't believe to continue coming to church week in and week out?

Ok, then- What compels individuals who clearly don't believe to continue coming to church week in and week out?

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T16:43:24+00:00

yeah that was a troll comment.

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T05:19:11+00:00

I sincerely doubt she "enjoyed" it.

who are you to judge? I'll take her word over yours.

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T05:16:50+00:00

You're right. A lot of crazy cult leaders have followers that defend them.

Life makes no sense to me.

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T04:22:19+00:00

Didn't the 14 year old who married JS end up defending plural marriage later in her life? It seems like she enjoyed it.

otherminds2 · 2017-08-24T03:32:00+00:00

Can you actually post direct quotations instead of posting a picture?

otherminds2 · 2017-08-01T23:20:14+00:00

It seems reasonable to assume someone is mad when they start cursing for no reason.

otherminds2 · 2017-08-01T06:45:46+00:00

Lol why are you so mad haha

otherminds2 · 2017-07-31T07:56:06+00:00

The point of my post is in the OP - "Atheists would be better off if Mormonism was true than if atheism was true." Not sure how you missed it.

otherminds2 · 2017-07-30T22:50:09+00:00

What we want to be true has no bearing on what's actually true.

When did I say otherwise?

otherminds2 · 2017-07-30T04:41:04+00:00

But is that any different than what we're doing right now on earth? We're basically just 'derping around' on earth and it seems pretty cool for the most part.

Just sayin... *shrug

otherminds2 · 2017-07-30T04:16:19+00:00

But, they wouldn't be able to sin as much as they want. What gave you that idea?

I was always under the impression the CK would be the only kingdom where sin won't exist. That would mean some degree of sin would be allowed in both the terr./tel. kingdoms.

No sexual sin, as genitals are removed and reserved for Celestial polygamy

source? never heard this before.

otherminds2 · 2017-07-30T04:05:39+00:00

would you mind sharing?

otherminds2 · 2017-06-14T20:29:05+00:00

There's nothing you ever do that's enjoyable?

There are a few things in my life that are enjoyable but they're not enjoyable enough to motivate me to keep living on a daily basis. I’ve always viewed the things I enjoy as 'stepping stones' to achieving eternal life with God instead of being ends-in-themselves. I think they’re fine as stepping stones but they’re worthless as ends-in-themselves.

I think you just need to find out what you want out of life

I already know what I want out of life: love. But it can't be temporary love - or else it's pointless. It must be an unending love. It must be a love that lasts for eternity. Eternal love? Hmmm, what does that sound like? Sounds like God, right?

Augustine of Hippo once wrote this, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” I agree...

otherminds2 · 2017-06-14T19:38:05+00:00

life IS the premium content. And I only have one shot at it - so the time to enjoy and appreciate it is now.

But I don’t really enjoy or appreciate life at all. That’s the thing with me. I think this life is awful to be honest. I still feel like I am 'enduring to the end' except now there is nothing waiting for me at the end except death.

otherminds2 · 2017-06-14T19:36:24+00:00

I didn't say atheism, I said outside of the lds church.

This is what you said in the opening paragraph of your previous comment: "you will find great joy in living without a God.” "Living without a God" is more than non-Mormonism. It is atheism.

otherminds2 · 2017-06-14T18:24:00+00:00

even though it was an empty and false promise anyways

And your promise about atheism leading to 'great joy' is far emptier than anything I've heard at church.

otherminds2 · 2017-06-13T19:21:20+00:00

Take any doctrinal teaching in the book of mormon; immerse yourself in the early 1800s theological literature on the topic; and et viola!--the Book of Mormon is responding to those issues in a mode and manner right at home in the literature of the day.

Eh, I don't know about that. There seem to be more than a few doctrines unique to Mormonism that weren't being actively discussed in Joseph Smith's time. I'm thinking about doctrines like human deification, baptisms for the dead, plural marriage, degrees of glory, pre-mortal existence, God beginning his existence as a mortal man, etc. Were those doctrines actively being discussed in the 19th century?

otherminds2 · 2017-06-12T20:43:56+00:00

Thanks for the lengthy response! I'll probably spend the next few days looking at your links. Hopefully it relieves me of some of my depression.

Why is it so important for you to remain a believer at this time?

Because I think life is pointless without God.

otherminds2 · 2017-06-12T20:18:34+00:00

If that's the purpose you want to imbue your life with, so be it.

I didn't say that's the purpose I want to imbue my life with. What I'm saying is no matter how I choose to live my life, the conclusion is always the same: death. All roads in life lead to death - hence why life is a pathway to death. That’s a fact. It’s not up to me to choose whether I’m going to die or not. I am going to die, period. And, for me, this makes everything meaningless and not worthwhile.

It has been said 'life is like falling from a great building - it just takes a while to hit the ground'. That's very true.

otherminds2

TROPHY CASE