It seems that on at least a monthly basis my feelings about and my decision to leave the Mormon church are re-affirmed. Last night I read that a gay couple were detained by LD$ Inc. security while the cops were cops were brought in for walking on church grounds or by church grounds and kissing on the cheek. I went to the Salt Lake Tribune to check this story out further it was there and already has more than 1,000 comments. I liked the one best about how right after a couple gets "sealed" married for non-momo's they go out the front door and take pictures of themselves mostly kissing.
The total disdain the Mormon Church for gays and lesbians is so over the top I think they hate gays more than I hate them.
Once I realized that I have no aversions to homosexuality it was just another nail in the proverbial coffin that solidified me resigning from and having my name removed from all church records.
I don't think on this site would have a problem with the Mormon Church being referred to as a cult. Its a cult in the worst since of the term having been part of for 26 years I have first hand knowledge. It's the unspoken code that lives amongst the members, they all know that they expected to conduct themselves and teach and raise their children in a certain way that clearly defines them to everyone as Mormons. Missions and missionary work are a huge part of the church, I myself declined to serve a mission and thankfully my parents never pushed it hell they didn't even ask if I was planning on going or not. For that I am grateful. Anyway as a twenty something year old I joined a few of my friends from High School and moved into a house owned by a Mormon Bishop he owned 3 houses on one corner two were designated as "boys" houses and one for girls. One of the first times of meeting the other guys and girls this girl named Sarah asked me where I served my mission, for people of that age who are in college and looking for potential husbands that question is like question number one. When I told I went to college for 2 years and got my Associates degree instead of going on me mission she went into attack mode. "Don't you believe"? she snapped. At that time I was very much influenced by my closest friends who still are close friends. I had doubts and things I didn't like about the church back then but went along with the game to stay in favor with my peers. I gave her an answer that said I believe but I wasn't comfortable telling total strangers how to live their lives. I remember my face got real hot and I felt like I was being interrogated. I wanted to leave to avoid the whole situation it was very uncomfortable.
This is how the white shirt gestapo operates when you reach the age of 8 you are baptized, at 12 boys become deacons and the interrogations begin you are brought before the Bishop and asked all kinds of embarrassing questions about chastity, masturbation, petting, pornography, you are asked if you swear, have experimented with booze or drugs. You are asked about how often you pray attend church, read the Book of Mormon, obey your parents. All this begins for boys and girls at a very young age parents are not allowed to sit in on the "interview" you are left before a Bishop a man who is respected and everyone trusts especially your parents.
I lied through my teeth every time I had to be interviewed by my Bishop and kept playing the game of good little Mormon boy.
Latter I will write a post about my memories of being baptized and my one and only experience of performing a ritual known as baptism's for the dead.