What is Heaven

Heaven is where egos end up together—the good and bad, dammed to hang on to the notion of self even after they are dead—and for whatever reason cannot escape their religion—you still think you’re real… This temporary portal into consciousness is for the game and not a separate soul at all.

The ego is what sees out and has been taught its headset has become a separate entity—it is a collection of observations and analysis stored in your packets of quanta that wants to identify as unique from the environment. Hanging on to this transcends death and remains in the form of a separate mind. The form it occupies now will remain that until we learn to let it go. Heaven is to accommodate those hung up in the programming—confused over which is real.

So accommodations evolved to treat the convincing nature of the game.

If you believe in any dogma you are dammed and led carefully through the channels of heaven, rejoicing in your rightness and again and again, trapped in the illusion of self. Some unfinished business or expectation—that certain things ought, or should be different? Perhaps your programmers were too thorough? There are many ways to avoid liberation.

Entire cultures trapped in endless cycles of birth because of belief—but the belief in a false sense of identity that distorts the quanta into a make-believe reality.

Bhagavan, Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, Krishna, Lao Tzu, etc, never followed anyone.

The awakened worship no one. The asleep worship the awakened—yet hardly can grasp the gist of the message.

To aim your devotion towards any being, or any blame, guilt, fault, or achievement, political, religious dogma, or any historical event shows our infancy. It reminds me of Napoleon’s heaven in “The Great Divorce”—

“Walking up and down—up and down all the time— left-right, left-right—never stopping for a moment. The two chaps watched him for about a year and he never rested. And muttering to himself all the time. “It was Soult’s fault. It was Ney’s fault. It was Josephine’s fault. It was the fault of the Russians. It was the fault of the English.” Like that all the time. Never stopped for a moment. A little, fat man and he looked kind of tired. But he didn’t seem able to stop it.’—CS Lewis-The Great Divorce

The other type is the unprepared who stumble into the cosmic experience, then lead a life of self inflation, using Jesus, Muhammad, or the Buddha as a tool, yet live their own life as a god—doing whatever they want while using the lord as a means for their own social dominance. Master manipulators, Joseph Smith, Jonathan Edwards, the Imams, the preachers and priests—the narcissistic self righteous that proclaim dogmas yet live the life of self serving gratification —

We are stuck in this loop until we are not. If you want to believe in whatever suits you—you deserve it. The corporations of the church is your own doing. It is not heaven, but in fact hell. The object of the game is to crack the code and break free the ego. Not to see who can hang on to it the longest. That is where heaven comes in—to treat the PTSd. To return again to delete the programming or remain un whole forever in heaven and hell.

“The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper”. ~Bertrand Russell

Whidbey Island, Washington

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Faith vs Integrity

The life of faith is in a race with integrity. The trick is to die before the vector of integrity is tempted to intersect faith before the finish line. Development of integrity can cost you your soul. Dying in unscrutinized belief is the safer bet. Have no fear. Your faith is the sure safety that nothing will change until you get your catastrophe.

Meanwhile, be content in the outcomes of faith which we have witnessed now for two millennia. Don’t complain, and please no worries. This is the life you choose through belief.

“The impression somehow prevails that the true believer, particularly the religious individual, is a humble person. The truth is the surrendering and humbling of the self breeds pride and arrogance. The true believer is apt to see himself as one of the chosen, the salt of the earth, the light of the world, a prince disguised in meekness, who is destined to inherit the earth and the kingdom of heaven too. He who is not of his faith is evil; he who will not listen will perish”—Eric Hoffer

“Ye are the light of the world”. What do you say to that when everything faith touches lives in a constant state of regression? Living in the past, hoping the future ends. Would a good god condemn you for truly not believing? Seems to me such integrity should be rewarded.

Testimony—Relieving Your Doubt Through Repetition

A testimony or “witnessing” is known as a statement that is based on personal experience or personal knowledge. A statement is accepted on the basis of person’s testimony if his or her asserting it renders it acceptable, ie; conviction, eloquence, or sincerity. We can also, rationally accept a claim on the basis of another person’s testimony unless at least one of the following is found to be true:

1 The claim is implausible;

2 The person or the source in which the claim is quoted lacks credibility;

3 The claim goes beyond what the person could know from his or her own experience and competence (children)

When it comes to testimony, how trustworthy are you, the source, in separating what you want to believe vs what you’ve been taught to believe vs the inherent bias of culture, demographics, and perception? If you know your church is “the one” sanctioned by Jesus, how can others know theirs is “the one” True Church© too. Maybe they’re coat-tailing on a bad idea? It’s happened before.

If you fallen to religion, just be grateful it wasn’t Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, Catholic, AOG, Money Church of Osteen™️, Copeland, Dollar 🤡, Comfort or Ham. Id hate for you to look silly. And for the loners out there, your close. Really close.

As far as children witnessing for any religion, who’s testimony do you suppose they are they sharing? But it’s so cute… Hmm?

Being a Mormon Man

Selling life insurance was a perfect fit. After returning home from his mission for the LDS church, it was a natural opportunity.

Shortly after his career started to bloom, the internet snowballed into a monopolistic platform and life insurance was no longer a haven for cold callers. Kid number two on the way, he and his eternal bride moved into the in-laws basement—the lord will provide.

After father-in-law funded his education, he landed a job as a teacher. Five boys now ran the basement halls, all under the age of ten; celestial family intact—while daddy kept his secret life on the school computer.

It all came crashing down.

A sting operation uncovered adult pornography on his school computer and he was fired. I can’t imagine the horror he felt as his thoughts of wife, children, church community, in-laws, all of it stared deep into his person—the inadequacy, the impending doom of a life of lies quickly became public knowledge.

There is a lot of pressure on the Mormon men because the women are typically more faithful and submissive. The doctrine states; if you don’t get in to heaven with your bride, another will take her home. If you are not worthy to lead her through the veil into the presence of the lord, she will be given (along with all your sealed children) to another more righteous that you.

His whole life and self worth is dictated by a doctrine of the groveling sinner, All of his insignificant secrets condemn the man for his natural urges, while his wife controls his sex life with her puritanized upbringing. Not only is his sexual adventure suppressed, it is taboo to even discuss such fantasies with his wife without being suspect of perverism.

Now he is not only monitored by the lord, but by his church community. He interviews with his bishop twice a year to make sure his little problem is in suppression, while the lingering disapproval of his weakness reigns.

His wife has forgiven him for his secret (which never should have needed to be secret) and he sells mattresses to supplement her income—because of some dirty pictures he should have been viewing with his wife to begin with.

Vatican Hands Over the Keys

Mormon officials were stunned after Pope Francis surprise visit to Salt Lake City, Utah on Tuesday. Amidst poorly handled child sexual abuse scandals worldwide, the Pope has called it quits, handed over Vatican keys to Russel M. Nelson, prophet, seer, and revelator of the Utah group. Nelson was speechless, but after a short intercessory prayer spoke of the fulfillment of Mormon prophecy. “The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 65:2)

The church never imagined the prophecy would be fulfilled in such a literal sense. 58,000 Missionaries around the world have received notice to return home immediately, ending the church-old Mormon tradition. Russel M. Nelson, after quoting Joseph Smith was briefly interrupted by Francis. Off-mic comments by Francis recorded by cell phone congratulated the prophet on the LDS church mastery of grooming minors, encouraged him to continue the rite in a less hap-hazard manner, was followed by a subtle wink at the pope. Arrangement have been made and bishops, priests, and cardinals from around the world will be heading to salt lake to receive the Mormon priesthood. LDS sign shop will be mass producing stickers to relabel churches with a New Name, “The Catchurjesuschrist of Latter Day Saints” will be the stone that fills the whole earth.

Nelson, now famous for excommunicating Sam Young (for exposing Mormon abuses of children by presenting nearly 1000 letters from former victims) has a good handle on continuing the ‘inner-traditions” in the hierarchy of religious practice, sending a clear message to incoming clergy that the playground will stay open in a kinder, more subtle secrecy. “The suit is the new robe of the holy priesthood”, says Nelson, providing the needed autonomy to mix business religion with pleasure at the expense of our youth. “Hold on to your butts” the oft quoted line from Jurassic Park has taken on a new meaning in Mormon mantra.

The Next Einstein

Oops. The lottery on child birthing foreordained spirits has just placed the next Einstein in a Christian home. His room, all ready for next months due date, is blue. Above the crib sits a mobile with jesus and twinkles with children’s hymns. The walls are adorned with bible verses and pictures of Moses parting the Red Sea, Jesus praying in the garden of gethsememe, and Abraham praying up to a cloud. The boys name will be Daniel, after the prophet.

—fast forward 12 years. After showing excellent aptitude for math and science, his parents question his devotion to god and distract his convictions with innuendos and smugness. They correct him with comments about pseudoscience and how faith is the answer to all of life’s questions. They openly criticize climate science, and other ungodly, intrusive left wing conspiracies. Those who believe in science have more faith than Christians. They continue to read select bible verses and tell the creation story, and that we all know that truth comes from the Bible and from god—the answers to life’s questions are in scripture. Bible camps and Sunday worship, youth choir and is now president of his Sunday school class. He can quote 50 scriptures. He is a good boy. His neurons are off the chart smart. He memorizes the King James Bible. He is a prodigy.

At graduation he leads the school in an unsanctioned prayer, even catching his parents by surprise. They are so proud. He is a leader. Perfect GPA and smart as they come—he will do just fine in life and be a good husband and a godly man. On the side he is applying the sciences—quantum mechanics—his true love. He’s been accepted to Liberty University and plans to major in divinity. His parents are so proud.

At 21 his love for science remains, but the pace of college life and an early graduation, student debt and a baby on the way, he takes a job at a church in Tulsa. Moving expenses paid and a little house on the property, he begins the rest of his life. His ideas of quantum mechanics are never published or reviewed. His math is getting rusty, and the equations he had memorized he can no longer decipher. They sit in a “get to it later” moving box as his life begins. He now does a local Christian radio show Saturday nights. Q and A and a memorized bible. He’s fantastic!

Religious side-tracking is delaying progress in the world. Statistically, 80% of the greatest scientific minds we’ll never hear of. Distracted with faith, belief, and fable, the windows of opportunity close and what could be, would be great, becomes mere baggage to the few that are pulling us along toward greatness. Fill the mind with something great, but anything will do if you’re starving it.

And if you think christians are indoctrinated, what do you think of their cousins?

“Is it true that Muslim children can RECITE the whole Quran? How?

Yes! It is true. Our children can recite the Quran by age 5–12 years. Around 90% children in Muslim households memorize more than 6000 verses and can recite Quran from memory”. Literally millions from each Muslim country have done this. And the cultural pressure for these “Hafiz” is great. They must maintain the memorization through there life leaving little time for advanced learning.

Although an impressive feat, it is also a discouraging look into the future of practical knowledge from the former breadbasket of higher learning.

When that’s all you know, it must be true. There is no time for anything else when culture dictates a life filled with one topic that designs your every thought.

Book of Mormon Authorship

If Joseph Smith authored the Book of Mormon with an eighth grade education it is quite a feat. Although the book came out in his 20’s, who really knows what he learned or where. A history book issued in his school years when he was 12 obviously had some significant influence. Thanks to the computer age, 100,000 books published in Smith’s time extracted one stunning correlation. The Late War Between the United States and Great Britain by Gilbert Hunt, is a king James style history book used as a student reader about the war of 1812. The Book of Mormon contains over 100 4gram matches (please see this and scroll to the top after loading) to the The Late War. 4gram, or unique 4 word sentences typically will match one or two times per thousand books. It also contains many exact phrases and closely related ideas from The Late War, and the Book of Mormon itself is primarily about war, but then again, so are most other religious texts. Joseph Smith was 12 when the Book entered schools. It was a great success, and endorsed by reputable scholars. The same scholars joseph smith approached to validate the Book of Mormon.

But for myself, there are two other reasons I do not believe Joseph Smith Jr. authored the Book of Mormon, but I believe his father did, and with cooperation in the family business, Jr. was the front man. The tree of life vision of the Book of Mormon is an important piece in Mormon culture and the Book of Mormon. Everybody mormon knows the story. It was also a journal entry from Joseph Smith Sr’ wife, referring to the story told by her husband 19 years prior to the publishing of the Book of Mormon. He was an educated man and had been working on the story for decades, and is the ghost writer if I am right.

I asked my wife the other day when I stumbled across this journal entry, if one of our kids said they wanted us to join with them in a church, would we do it? It was an emphatic “no!” Jr’s parents and all his siblings joined the church and were part of its organizing day. All of them! Then I asked my wife if I wanted the family to join a church, would we all join? Her answer was probably. In fact, that’s what happened to us years ago. The entire family joined the LDS because I was LDS. Jr’s family were all a part of the scheme, as they were with other shady adventures including divining and other occult activities.

LDS apologetics is stating the vision by Sr. was to prepare him to know his son was a prophet. How surprised he must have been when he read the tree of life vision in the Book of Mormon for the first time. Uh, no, not surprised, because most likely he wrote it. Remember the simplest answer is most likely the best answer. Here is a short Mormon article about the vision. Read the comments too, as you can judge for yourself the depth of LDS faith in fiction.

As a side note, most LDS do not know about Sr’s account of the tree of life. Members need to do some digging because this is just another of many failing bilge pumps. The ship would sink pretty fast if anyone does any reading. I would love to hear some thoughts from members on this. What is the current thought on this?

Blood Oaths

When I was twenty I went to the LDS temple for what is called an endowment. In Mormon lingo, the endowment is where you receive your “spiritual gifts”, that enable you to pass the sentinels and enter the presence of god. Washed and anointed with oil, pronounced clean and blessed to be a “king and a priest unto the most high god, to rule and reign in the house of Israel forever” The endowment ceremony is about an hour and a half where you rehash the creation!story and make various covenants that are sworn to secrecy with signs, special handshakes, and followed by an oath to never reveal the signs and tokens or suffer your life to be taken. As you made the oath, you symbolically slit your own throat in one phase, and disembowel yourself in the other. All the while wearing the robes of the priesthood and a fig leaf apron to cover your nakedness.

Besides having to agree to all the covenants by acting out a blood oath it happens BEFORE YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. It was shockingly strange, but you move along to the veil and use those key words, signs, and tokens to pass through and enter the presence of god in the “celestial ” room. Hushed tones and reverence rule, and discussing these things is vague and symbolic in nature. Everyone around you congratulating you and telling you how wonderful it is. It wasn’t. But, trusting those that have gone on before, convinced that you just lack understanding, and being reassured that the more times you go (the next times in behalf of the deceased that missed this opportunity) the more you understand the wonderful significance of it all.

To anyone who thinks this is even remotely normal, you have a problem. The ceremony now, some 35 years later, has been dumbed down to be less offensive, but the one I went through had already been lightened several times before. The initial ceremony was vastly more ghastly, but as times changed, so did people’s ability to tolerate it. While some fought the changes, apparently god is changing how important this is to have it exactly right.

Mormon culture is a persuasive closed system, where open criticism is the road to apostasy, and questions about anything inside the approved doctrines are unwelcome.

In most cases (mine being extremely rare where my wife left with me) the mere mention of unbelief deems you an outcast, failing your priesthood and your family. Tell your wife and extended family you don’t believe, and you are told to pray, study, do not doubt, trust me, trust us, and the fear of hell from denying your testimony, losing every friend, spouse, kids, and practically every sense of your life is on the chopping block. I have one friend left after 50 years of church. But it was worth it.

Finding My Faith Groove With So Many Choices

I once had the difficult decision of selecting the right faith. I really like the Seventh Day Adventists. Nice people, eat right, and family values. But worship on Saturdays is just a big red flag right from the start. Bama Football is on Saturday, so I looked for a Sunday church. Plus the fact that Saturday worship is so important that sinning against it meant going to hell. I thought it was a little early for that!

Mormons seemed pretty cool, but the meeting put me to sleep. Funeral home ambience is the closest I can get to an accurate description. If that is the requirement for conviction, I just don’t have the stamina. Wow they cry a lot.

So many people are becoming Muslim these days I thought I’d give that a quick look. I signed up and got a free monogrammed prayer rug for my five a day devotional prayers. Sounded pretty cool, but highly impractical as a teacher. Word got out to the parents that I would drop and pray during class time and later that week I attended the longest school board meeting in the history of school board meetings. A hot topic for sure, was the kids didn’t know what the hell was going on. Two of them stopped, dropped, and rolled, and 9 of them got under the desks for earthquake drill. And I learned too, that we live in a Christian community and carrying a Janbiya to school is a nono. I didn’t know there was a difference being all children of Abraham. But wow! I did manage to keep my job though.

Unification Church sounded pretty cool. I mean, who doesn’t want to be unified? I went to the first meeting and they took my phone and I spent three days in a locked conference room with little food and no contact with the outside world. I learned some cool chants and was able to “send out” and “receive” a fair amount of love and actually got to act it out. The “insertion” part was cool. There was a calm aura all around. The Handkerchiefs, Holy Garments and Holy Water thing was weird. I can’t throw it away! Where do I keep this shit? When I got done for the weekend I felt like I’d been spiritually flattened and needed to check into a rehab somewhere. I still haven’t told my wife where I was.

So I guess the search continues. Next week I check out Assemblies of God to see if I can get rid of this limp, and then I’m doing the Jehovahs Witness. Hoping to get in on the “144,000” thing. I wonder if I get a special poker chip or something to save my spot? I am hesitant to go into a building with no windows though.

33,995 Christian denominations and 37,000,000 others to go. That shouldn’t take too long since they all claim they’re right.

Hubble Captures Distant Images of Temples on Other Planets

According to an anonymous insider, The Vatican along with NASA’s HST division are withholding critical images proving that Mormonism is indeed more than a world religion. God has created “worlds without number” and recent Hubble images have captured LDS temples in other distant solar systems. LDS temple alignment and curious symbolism is literally a “modern day Mormon stargate “. Below are some codings in alignment from specific LDS temple architecture.

LDS officials routinely open these gates using a stellar map and detailed compass aligned with a curious sword that was deposited in the Hill Cumorah in upstate New York and retrieved by the prophet Joseph Smith.

Officials state ” we’ve had the answers for quite some time”, although common members are not currently participating in intergalactic travel because of “unbelief”, Church officials do commonly visit other planets to coordinate the various second coming scenarios soon to unfold.

“There’s only one Jesus, so these things take a little planning “. LDS doctrine teach “Christ’s atonement was for all of gods children, and in the big picture, that is a lot of worlds and a lot of people that need saving”.

Current leadership is also in pursuit of the Erdapfel globe. “We want it back”, for as rumored the globe is not a 15th century creation, but a much older relic of precolombian mesoamerican mormonism.

Religious Evolutionary Atheists

The transition from religion to atheism was incredibly easy for me. Roughly 80% of Mormons who leave the faith become atheist and never align with another belief system. Made me wonder why. I knew that as a Mormon from my own way of thinking, that if I wasn’t LDS, I wouldn’t be anything. After a few years of atheism now think I figured out why. It is probably the most materialistic world view of any other religion.

Mormon theology teaches three basic principles about where we came from, why we are here, where are we going, and also how to get there.

1. Where we came from– LDS doctrine teaches that we existed before the world was created. That we were intelligences of fine spirit matter. Energy. Spirit offspring of god, and that matter has always existed but some is more pure or fine. But matter nonetheless. That the gods organized existing matter to form the worlds. We are eternal beings living in a mortal existence capable of progressing, evolving, if you will, in a cosmos completely filled with matter. There is no empty space, but all is comprised of matter according to the doctrine.

2. Why are we here? Ultimately the goal is to become like god. Man is as god once was. He is part of the same matter that makes up man. Not separate from it. He is governed by the same natural laws that we experience, only he has perfected it. He was once a man, and though multiple progressions or cycles of learning he was able to achieve godhood. That when you die, you don’t go straight to the highest heaven, but you progress to become more through training and experiences and obedience. Essentially Mormonism was directing me on a concise , focused program to progress (evolve) to the highest life form. Just different wording.

3. Where are we going? Mormon doctrine teaches that when you die, you continue on in spirit form for a time, then after resurrection you have a body of flesh and bone in its perfect form. Then judgement comes and those that are most worthy progress to the highest level. Not as gods, but ready to become such. To continue on the path. To take your place in the expanding universe. (Hubble Deep Space) This is the LDS version of natural selection or, evolutionary exaltation of the fittest or most worthy. The best get to continue on. The other are not damned to hell, but damned as in a halt to their progress. Unknown if those get another chance.

The sole purpose of this creation and the universe is for all of gods creatures to have joy and find happiness and reach their full potential. It feels to me that Mormons transition to atheism easily or naturally because when no longer believing in god or religion, a evolutionary alignment with an atheist worldview is a switch flip. Making the world a better place and for everyone to find the most happiness and joy. Personal happiness and human potential. Also, Matter/Energy cannot be created or destroyed but can only change forms. It can evolve to a higher form given time. Very materialistic view incorporating different forms of matter and potential life cycles.

Celestial Hell. Heaven can Wait

I married young in the church. It was a mistake from the get go (should’ve listened to my atheist brother) but three kids and 6 years later we divorced. She left for me an old boyfriend and she went party crazy for the next 30 years. At 26 I married again in the church. I was very active and dedicated to the lord. He ran my life. But she was a “raging-bitch-lunatic- foam-at–the-mouth-kinda gal and I just couldn’t take another year. 17 years of mortal hell. I was done. Against the clergies council I filed for divorce. (I helped un-answer many prayers during my departure). Two Mormon women. Sealed to me for time and all eternity. I married a 3rd woman 10 years ago who I love and will be with til the end. She gave being Mormon a try, but since then the two ex-wives have gotten active and have strayed back into the church. I walked away from religion a few years ago with my wife and today we are atheists. Problem is the other two still think I’m going to be their husband in the next life if they stay faithful. They both have even told my current wife “we’re going to be Jim’s trio” in heaven. (Me NOT pictured below)

My wife had a good laugh (while I was having brief thoughts of suicide). We were never temple sealed and thank Prometheus I got out when I did.. Lord Jesus Hear My Prayer!! NO THANK YOU!!! Thought you could all use good laugh today at my expense as I dodge the imaginary bullet of eternal “Big Love”.

Closet Arsonists

Mom died a few years back, and at 80 years old my dad remarried. His new wife is a very devout Mormon and her testimony is so powerful. She said, “I just know what I know. I don’t know why, but I just know this church is the true church, and when I know something I just know it”. Let me tell you something else this big, bright, child of god knows because she learned it at church. She knows that “gay men are closet arsonists”. That’s right. Arsonists! “They may not always start fires, but they want to, and that’s why they’re called “flamers”. LDS Relief Society teaching manuals may not carry the message, but it may even be worse that the faithful can have these ideas and beliefs on their own! Big problem with belief vs fact and reason. So, what do you call a fat pompous know-it-all bigot? Well, sometimes you call her mom. Everyone has someone in their life don’t they?

Peer Reviewed Religion?

Any scientist welcomes criticism of his ideas, theories, and experiments. They expect it to be challenged. Even the late philosopher scientist Karl Popper was hesitant to have anyone believe him. He once taught a university class and I quote ” the aim of criticism is to eliminate our errors”. He not only expected it, he welcomed it! His scientific process went like this P1 >TT >EE > P2. Most science originates with a problem, then the scientist addresses it. That’s problem 1, or P1. Attempting a solution is TT, or tentative theory. EE is eliminate errors which brings us to fix any issues that arose in problem 1, and now we have P2, or problem 2. Little by little you find less and less problems with your going around in circles and come up with a sound solution. Sometimes the process is very slow, but the answers become real and tangible. Also his falsification methodology tried to prove everything false first and foremost. When I have an idea I like to bounce it off a few people I know are straight shooters to validate my ideas. Can we get the same from religion?

The other approach is the authoritarian approach. In the Mormon faith which is my area of de-expertise goes like this. “Do not speak evil against the lords anointed”. Church members that speak out about the hidden histories and falsehood that were propagated by the church are excommunicated. Even criticizing church leaders with known facts about doctrines and practices are excommunicated. Protesting for LGTB community and opposing any church doctrine openly will get you excommunicated. The only book that is fair game in the mormon faith is the inconsistencies in the Bible. Old prophets you can question. Current leadership, not so much. It’s a big problem all churches have- claiming infallibility. They all have the one authoritative source that is taught with that mindset. As if any church that is a “bible church” has a leg to withstand any scrutiny at all. And Popper finishes my day with some good wisdom. “We shouldn’t try to educate experts, but we should try to educate people who can distinguish between a charlatan and an expert. But I think that we have singularly failed even in this”.

Amen 🙂

Free Jeep Rental $50

Cozumel is usually a pretty good idea. We stayed at an all inclusive resort with the dive club, and of course while you’re in they try to get you to the timeshare presentation. Usually I won’t go to these, but we had nothing going on for the day so we figured “what the heck”? Get a free jeep for the next day and just say no to everything in the sales pitch. What could it hurt?

I’m a math guy on just about everything, so I did the calculations and we could buy this timeshare for what we were already paying as regular guests. Not a great deal. It was like the Outlaw Josie Wales and Ten Bears. ” I’m ain’t promising you anything extra”. So we walk with our Jeep coupon and the next day go to the counter. With tax and other fees it was $50. $50 for a free Jeep. Hey! This reminds me of church! We had to pay for something you’re supposed to get free. Being an exmo, going to long boring meetings and was a way of life, and getting pressured to do things you don’t want to do is really the way of life. In the end, what was supposed to be free from jesus cost 10% of your income or no blessings. No exaltation, no temple marriage, no important callings. Nada. It’s the equivalent of buying free tap water. Pretty good scheme.

Many thanks to everyone here for sharing your insight, knowledge, and cynical as hell anti- religious wisdom. WP was a big part of my deconversion.

Sometimes a Stranger is Fiction

I got a flat tire last year on a remote gravel road, and as I was changing my tire an old blue sedan came barreling up the road. I called to my dog but he was so engrossed in a hunt for field mice he wouldn’t hear me. Right as the car approached my dog bolted my way across the road and bam! The car never slowed down or stopped. My dog laid in the ditch. He was dead. I sat there. I think most of you have lost a pet before. No explanation can tell you how devastated I was. I cried. I prayed. God help me. After a little while had passed I collected myself enough to finish my tire, and just as I was about done my dog licked the back of my neck. I was in shock. In complete joy. How? No way! As I held Roger I saw a man hurry across the road and down a steep embankment. I shouted “hey”! I ran to the edge where I last saw him and he was gone. Nothing. I knew what I had seen. I knew my dog was now alive and not a scratch on him. God had sent his holy angel to help me. Thank you Jesus thank you Jesus. God hears our prayers, and in our most desperate times he is here for us. To comfort. To heal. To help.

Should I post this story on Facebook and ask for likes, amens, or shares. I could strengthen testimonies with a story like this. The problem is … it is just a story. Total fabrication. While most church stories contain a wee bit of truth, I’ve seen first hand how they grow bigger and better with time.

The churchers and their preachers embellish nearly everything they say to tug at your emotions then attribute it to god. And I’m not even close to exaggerating here. Just last week god the father and the son and the Holy Spirit visited a friend of mine in the form of three hummingbirds! What the hell do you say to that? If people are looking for miracles, they’ll get them. Or see birds. (Below is the area where none of this occurred)

Dammit Jim

Finally they named a beer after me. They must have talked to an old station manager of mine. I used to hear this 10 times a day when I would go off script and ruin his reputation. But he and I used to have some long talks about religion before he fired me. He was an atheist and I was a (cough cough) Latter Day Saint. My favorite one liner to his comment that “you can’t know this stuff. You can believe it, but you can’t know it”. I told him, the reason you can’t know it is because you don’t believe you can. He’d say “Dammit Jim”. Then he’d go on to tell me what an idiot I was. Bob, you were right. I was an idiot. Rest In Peace old friend.

Now when I see this ridiculous circular reasoning as an outsider of the faith, I remember not so long ago how I was that way. Faith is an unreasonable guide. It commands that you believe a lot of nonsense. Just wish my beer had a better rating.

Why the “What have you done for me lately Church” is hard to leave

As soon as I was old enough to safely go to church my parents brought me before the congregation and I was given an official name and a blessing. A name which would be recorded in the records and make me an official unbaptized member of the LDS. I was about a month old! Hey, thanks for that. Of course I don’t remember this, but those blessings take place the first Sunday of each month just before Fast and Testimony Meeting, where the members share their beliefs with the audience. This was the beginning of the indoctrination of Jim, as for the next hour I would listen to many testimonies that day about how true the church was, and how god played a role in various members lives that week. “I know this church is true” was proclaimed from the pulpit and into every rooms intercom. Even while I was in the mothers lounge, i could hear the testimonies of those who would soon be raising me in the church. Hey! No second opinions allowed either. Whenever a stray Mormon would stand up to bear his soul, and offer how he really felt about the church he would be escorted out. No second opinions needed! This is the true church!

At home it would continue. Exposed to everything mormon. Pictures of jesus and prophets and primary songs. Family home evenings every Monday for twice weekly indoctrination. Family prayer morning and night along with personal prayer. They even taught me what to say. How thoughtful.

Progression of church member Jim

Baby blessing –check

Baptism at 8. -check

Priesthood at 12 -check

Early morning Seminary 4 years. Check

Higher priesthood at 19-check

Temple endowments -check

Mission -check

Marry in the temple- check

Children -check

Memorize countless scriptures and songs – check

Endure to the end– hmm. Not so fast.

Pay Pray and Obey

Keep paying

Questions. Not allowed

Endure to the end, endure to the end

Learn the things you weren’t supposed to learn.

Be bold enough to question

Church court and discipline

Attend in shame.

Fade away. Resign the church. Lose all your friends. All!

In the Mormon faith you are taught if you don’t endure to the end, keep the commandments and keep paying your tithes til the day you die you won’t be saved. You can lose your salvation. Everything done to the children is focused on member retention. Keep you engaged. Don’t give you time to think. Here is how they did it to me

Scoutmaster 15 years. That’s an extra day at the church every week

Early morning Seminary teacher entire school year 8 years total

Home teacher to multiple families each month 30 years

Young men’s presidency 6 years

Adult Sunday school teacher 4 years

Ward missionary 4 years

Finance clerk 2 years

Membership clerk 2 years

Elders quorum presidency 8 years

Multiple tours in some of these callings. Oh!, and work a full time job to support my family.

I was also a pretty good speaker so I would give talks frequently on Sunday.

Frequent temple attendance

Temple initiatory worker 4 years

Veil worker 4 years

By the time I was 50, I had done about 75 years of service callings in the church. This is fairly typical, but not good enough. Pray pay and obey til you die if it will account as nothing.

It’s no wonder it is so hard to see the fallacy of your ways when it is all you know. Variety makes things right.

Don’t forget to look around you. Be humble. You might be wrong

Suicidal and Mormon

I guess appearing to be perfect is taking its toll in Utah. Mormons are prescribed antidepressants at twice the national rate, and teen suicide is on another record pace this year and 5th highest in the country, climbing each year. Why so sad when you have all this truth and worthiness? I can tell you the pressure in the community is always in the judgment seat. There is a conflict in the mind about reality and what you’re told you believe, and sexuality is governed to a very unhealthy level using guilt and shame as a tool to exact clean living. Also they apply high expectations that are infrequently met regarding teen love and masterbation, declaring those as sins next to murder in severity. Grow up with that guilt trip! I’m surprised any of those kids make it into their 20’s.

I grew up in this culture and the pressures to go on a mission, marry early and in the temple and start pumping out kids is huge. If you fail? Families and congregations are disappointed and judgmental. Whenever I’d move to a new ward, the bishop would call you in for an interview to see what kind of Mormon he was dealing with. One of the first questions was “did you serve a full time mission”? From there they can judge the depth of your commitment and what kind of callings you could perform. I’ll tell you, the day I walked away was a collective sigh of relief to me and my wife and kids. It is no wonder to me what’s wrong in Utah, although health official are stumped as to what’s going on because no one discusses the elephant in the room. You want to know what’s going on? Ask anyone that was courageous enough to get out.

Jesús Viene

(Jesus is Coming) According to a coworker of mine, almost every local, national, or world event is opening another seal, or relates to 1 of 4 horseman or a prophetic fulfillment. I believe him a lot because of the TBN podcasts he listens to all the time. And I mean all the time. So he really knows. He’s actually super smart, and he wrote a letter to president Obama, and now Trump. Still waiting to hear back but his warning about the coming apocalypse needs to be heard by the higher ups. Why does he do this? Two reasons. God spoke to him. The train blared its horn right when he said amen to a prayer he was offering. That was a sign. And 2, he’s worried about us. He’s not worried for himself because he is going to he taken up. Miss the whole thing. But really, what a nice guy.

Off The Wall Here

I went through this as a kid. Finally some awareness to a horrible practice in the Mormon church. Please take a minute to read some of these testimonials highlighted at the bottom of the article. Sign the petition if you feel inclined. Although I no longer am affiliated with the mormons, I think it’s important to protect these innocent kids until they have the ability to get out of this mess. https://invisiblescubit.wordpress.com/2017/12/07/petition-already-protecting-children/ This is an embarrassing part of my childhood and important to get this out there. Thanks everyone. I think you’d be surprised how long this has been going on. Happened to me in the 70’s.