Mormonism Schism: HOW GREAT THE SWINDLE AND THE LIES

Sunday, July 8, 2012

HOW GREAT THE SWINDLE AND THE LIES - LDS Hymn Parody #70

Here's another LDS Hymn Parody - my 70th so far. It's hard for me to believe I've written that many, but once I got started I haven't been able to stop. Writing these LDS Hymn Parodies is very cathartic for me - perhaps because I've always loved music and used to be very involved in music when I was an active Mormon. Over the years, I held callings as the Ward Organist, Choir Director, Relief Society Music Director and Pianist, Primary Chorister and Pianist, as well as singing solos and duets in Sacrament Meeting and in the Choir.

I grew up singing LDS hymns, and was obviously indoctrinated in many ways because of that. With so many LDS hymns still swimming around in my head, it's nice to have new lyrics to sing to them.

So here is my 70th LDS Hymn Parody. Very self-explanatory, so I won't go into a big description of its contents. I hope you enjoy reading them (and singing them) as much as I enjoy writing them...

HOW GREAT THE SWINDLE AND THE LIES
Sung to the tune of How Great the Wisdom and the Love - #195

How great the swindle and the lies
That fill the Mormon Church.
So clear to me when I began
To do my own research.

It’s clear that Joseph made it up,
Just spun a web of lies.
And yet the members go along
Though logic it decries.

The history of the Mormon Church
Is sordid through and through.
And when I finally looked at it,
I knew it wasn’t true.

Why don’t the Mormons question it?
Why do they close their eyes
As blindly they accept it all?
It simply is not wise.

But sadly there are many who
Refuse to look beyond
What they are told to just believe,
Not knowing they’ve been conned.

I hope that more will see the lies,
And realize the truth.
To live their lives authentically
While they are in their youth.

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MY EXIT FROM MORMONISM

As a preface to my thoughts about Mormonism (and my exit from my lifelong religion), I would like to share the following quote:

"Well, it's either true or false. If it's false, we're engaged in a great fraud. If it's true, it's the most important thing in the world. Now, that's the whole picture. It is either right or wrong, true or false, fraudulent or true."

President Gordon B. Hinckley,
Interview, "The Mormons,"
PBS Documentary, April 2007

In essence, after researching the roots of Mormonism, which obviously form its foundation, as well as examining its doctrine in depth, I have concluded that it is a great fraud. Having been born and raised in the Mormon Church, and remaining LDS until my early 50's, facing that realization was very difficult and was not done lightly.

SOME BACKGROUND:
In the Summer of 2001, I went on a Mormon Church History Tour. Before going, I decided to do some research so I would know more about what occurred at the key places when we visited them. But that was the beginning of the end for me as I discovered more and more of the sordid history of the Mormon Church. Soon, I began to realize that Joseph Smith made the whole thing up and that the Mormon Church is built on an enormous stack of lies. Sadly, I also began to realize that I had allowed the Mormon Church to pull the wool over my eyes for a very long time. But even with that realization, it took me quite a while longer to finally break away because of how intricately my life was tied up in Mormonism and how long I had been blinded by the lies Mormonism perpetuates (which, of course, is what they are counting on).

But finally, I did break away - and I have now been Mormonism Free since 2004. What I have realized during the ensuing years is that my intellectual curiosity was squelched by Mormonism. Being told to "have faith" and "just believe" was very detrimental to my psyche, particularly since so much made little sense. Trying to rationalize through everything had a negative effect on me as well, making me very confused and uncomfortable. Since that time, I have discovered that these types of feelings are called "cognitive dissonance" (a feeling of discomfort when simultaneously holding two or more conflicting ideas, beliefs, values or emotional reactions). Cognitive dissonance is discussed in greater length in a book I have written which is now available on Kindle. Since leaving Mormonism behind, I have grown so much and have discovered who I really am - and that is a tremendous gift.

As mentioned above, a book I have written is now available on Kindle. My book (entitled "Closing the Door on Mormonism: The AHA!! Moments that Triggered my Awakening") chronicles my very long journey through and away from Mormonism and discussed many of the issues that had plagued me for many years. It also contains some poems that I have written about my views concerning various aspects of Mormonism as well as discussions relative to the issues that led to my decision to eventually disassociate myself from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

In sharing my opinions and the information I have uncovered, it is my hope that I can in some small way help others by offering some insights into issues that many Mormons undoubtedly face in determining whether or not their faith has been misplaced.

For those of you who are thinking, "Oh, those Ex-Mormons - they can leave the church but they just can't seem to leave it alone," I offer this quote:

"Some of you are probably thinking, 'Why don't you just leave them (the Mormons) alone?' So I ask you, if you saw a thirsty man drinking water from a well you knew to be poisoned, would you let him continue to drink or would you guide him to a safe well?" ~Christopher Miller

While I'm sure that active Mormons (TBMs) and the Mormon Church itself would be much happier if people who have left the church kept their opinions to themselves, I cannot do that. If I can help one person to see the lies that are laced throughout Mormonism, then I will feel that my efforts have not been in vain.

As you will note, I have written many LDS Hymn Parodies (to date, 111 and counting), all of which are posted on my other blog - http://exmormonhymnbook.blogspot.com/
On that blog, you will also find an alphabetical listing of all the hymn parodies I have written.

Favorite Quotes

"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off." ~Gloria Steinem
"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” ~Abraham Lincoln
"Some things that are true are not very useful." Boyd K. Packer
"I have a hard time with historians, because historians idolize the truth." ~Boyd K. Packer
"It's impossible to reach good conclusions with bad information... We're all entitled to our own opinions, but none of us can afford to be wrong in our facts." ~Mort Crim
"...just remember, it's not a lie if you believe it." ~George Costanza (Seinfeld)