Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sagacious Hawk on May 19, 2012 at 9:12pm

She isn't hoping to achieve anything. She was the one approached without knowledge of what the fact that they were going to attempt to convert her. They were the ones pushing for meetings not her. She isn't trying to change anyone's mind and certainly isn't attempting to. She only wanted to spend some time with her husband and share with him something that he cared about, which was hijacked by the motivations of other people who can't keep their nose where it belongs: out of other people's lives.

"They may well have better ways to spend their time also.  Perhaps they have lots of people to see who are genuinely interested and you are monopolizing their time unfairly."

I think they know exactly how they are spending their time. If they were interested in spending it with someone else, they wouldn't have been so pushy in the first place and would have asked upfront if she was considering converting.

The whole point of her post was to ask for advice on how to extract herself from the situation as best as possible. If you are going to give advice then do so, but don't bandy about half-insinuated accusations that she is purposely taking up these people's time in an attempt to deconvert them.

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Permalink Reply by T on May 21, 2012 at 9:04pm

Sagacious Hawk, thank you =)

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Permalink Reply by T on May 21, 2012 at 9:03pm

For Trevor (excuse the replies being out of order): Thank you for your comment. As Sagacious Hawk so correctly backed me up (thank you), I am not hoping to achieve anything except to be able to live my life. And ya, they were very available to come over any time and often. This is what they want to spending their time doing, but to call it unfair of me to monopolize their time would be to assume I was able to chose my actions carefully, which obviously I'm not the best at when on the spot. One of those things in life one needs to practice, like cooking or not killing people. 

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Permalink Reply by Mabel on May 19, 2012 at 6:13pm

Sounds to me like you are caught between a rock and a hard place. I can understand your hesitation to cut them off.

In my experience, these buggers are very persistent. I am technically still a member of the Mormon church, though I am now an atheist. The only option may be to try to tell them politely you have decided to keep your religious views private and do not wish to discuss them any further.

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Permalink Reply by T on May 21, 2012 at 9:05pm

Thank you, Mabel =)

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Permalink Reply by Gabriela Menicucci on May 19, 2012 at 8:02pm

I agree 100% with Mabel, they are very persistant and they don't take NO for an answer. They start by meeting at your home twice per week to talk about the Mormon book and how Jesus went to America, they keep you entertained with their delusions and before you know it you are inside a pool holding your breath while getting baptized.

Believe me they were aware that you were not a member before they approached you. They keep marriage and family records religiously (that's why they are such a good source for genealogy study). Basically the pastor had you profiled and now they made it their mission to get you baptized. They won't stop so easily.

As Trevor said you won't accomplish much by meeting with them, the only thing that will happen is that you will get deeper and deeper.

Talk it out with your husband, and be prepared for when they start pressuring him too.Mormons are very into "marry your own kind ONLY" and how your marriage is NOT valid because it wasn't in the temple.

You are stepping into dangerous ground if your husband REALLY cares a lot about that religion and lifestyle. Be wise and try that this wont bring drama into your marriage.

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Permalink Reply by T on May 21, 2012 at 9:09pm

Thank you and for bringing my awareness to the probably obvious "trick" ways of theirs. I need to stop being so naive. I am vaguely aware of the potential dramas that may come from this issue, but need to continue to be open with my husband as he has been to me and I need not make drama where it wouldn't have been. I always worried about the temple marriage, too seeing as how to get one I would have to be dishonest in my beliefs. He was always aware of my beliefs, but one I forget is to believe him in what he says and stay strong in my beliefs in case I need to stand by them for any reason. Thank you. 

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Permalink Reply by Nate Lundgren on May 21, 2012 at 9:35pm

Classic religious mindset from Trevor, blame the victim and make accusations that make them feel like they made the mistake(s) in abusive situations.  Typical dismissive and rude BS.  Anyway, one surefire way to get rid of them is tell them that you are Muslim. They are not allowed to teach Muslims (that is what I was told/heard as a former member anyway) (but not 100% sure on that) and try to convert them because of the whole, your Muslim family would probably kill you if you converted thing. hehehe of course that is not a good idea to lie to them but if they don't leave you alone.......... hahaha  Take care :)

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Permalink Reply by T on May 21, 2012 at 11:28pm

hahaha thank you 

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Permalink Reply by Trevor on May 22, 2012 at 2:53am

Hi Nate

 

Lets examin that for a second.  She went to their church, and agreed for them coming over, and she is then a victm?!  Strange world you live in!  I can empathise that she didn't have the courage / strength of character to say 'no thanks', there are times when we say yes but mean no because its a situation we feel uncomfortable in.  Granted.  But whats really silly is al this demonising the LDS when she went to their church and then agreed to them coming over!

 

My typical 'religious mind set' is no more than 'take responsibility for your own actions and give the benefit of the doubt to others unless you have good personal reason not to".   Thinking "how dare they talk to me in their church and come over when I say yes" is less than that to my mind.  There is no victim here.

 

T:   I do sympathise that its hard sometimes to get out of something when we have said yes but meant no.  I have done it myself.  I am not actually trying to point the finger at you, I am really just trying to counteract the  "those evil religious people' mentality in this thread.  I think its right to be reasonable whether you are religious or not.  And of course as a christian I have no particular friendship with LDS which I think is a cult. 

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Permalink Reply by Nate Lundgren on May 26, 2012 at 8:31pm

Christians are all in cults too. Look up the meaning of words BEFORE you use them.  Which brand of Christian cult do you belong to?  It's easy for you to condemn others without even looking in the mirror, isn't it?  She is not a victim yet but experience tells me that she will be unless she stands strongly against them. Just like most Christians are victims (willingly or not) of the inhumane ideas and rules of their dogmas and authoritarian power structures.  How many times has someone been held back from joyful or happy moments and controlled by crazy old men exercising unrelenting dominion over women and children as well as men.  Who allows these old men to act like gods over other humans?

People like you allow it so you are a tacit accomplice or blatant supporter of their collective crimes and brainwashing.  Reasonable people reject tyranny and do not cowardly or strongly support it like most religious people have done repeatedly and still do.  Do you understand what real morality or integrity is?  Free your mind from the religious shackles that bind and blind it and you will see clearly what reality is made of.  Until then, enjoy living in the dark ages /sarcasm  May you find peace, fellow human :)

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Permalink Reply by Trevor on May 27, 2012 at 1:54am

Nate, a bit on the meaning of the word cult.

A lot of words have different nuances (semantic range) of meaning and the context in which they are found is decisive for understanding the meaning correctly.

If you read all the definitions of the word 'cult' you will also see that it means:

"a quasi-religious organisation using devious psychological techniques to gain and control adherents" which is in contrast to mainstream and even state religion (UK church and state issue.  Our Queen is the head of the church).

 

Of course it also means: "Something that is fashionable and significant by a group"  Which can have no religious connotations at all.  Also  "intense interest in an idea"  which atheism would come under!  In popular usage it also refers to movies, cars and some rock groups.

 

The context in which I used the word "cult" should show that I meant it in the narrower, first sense above.  I hope thats helpful, its been an issue for me in preiovusly doing a degree in theology which included studying literary, form and redaction criticism in the context of the original documents of the Bible to establish origin and original meaning.

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