IT DOESN'T MATTER - LDS Hymn Parody #73

Here's my 73rd LDS hymn parody.  I seem to be on a roll again after a dry spell of a few months.  With this one, I've almost made it to my current goal of writing 75 LDS hymn parodies (although my goal will probably be upped when I reach #75).

This hymn parody is very self-explanatory.  Obviously, it just doesn't matter what the Mormons might say to me anymore.  I know it's not true, and there isn't anything that anyone could say that would change my mind.  In fact, I feel so much more secure in my knowledge of its falsehood now than I ever did of its truthfulness when I was an active Mormon.  Back then, I thought that it was true and I just didn't understand certain things.  I blamed myself for my lack of certainty, and thought that I simply wasn't righteous enough or worthy enough to comprehend it all and didn't have enough faith.  Now, though, I know that's not the case.  I KNOW BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT JOSEPH SMITH MADE THE WHOLE THING UP.  Right from the get-go.  It is very obviously a fraud, a sham, and a hoax hoisted on the world by a con artist named Joseph Smith and perpetutated by others ever since his death.  And for that knowledge, I am very grateful. 

IT DOESN’T MATTER
Sung to the tune of Though Deepening Trials, #122

It doesn’t matter what they say,
I know it’s not the Word of God.
It was made up by Joseph Smith,
The Mormon Church, a total fraud,

The Mormon Church, a total fraud.

They will not look with open eyes,
Follow along and just believe.
Clinging to faith, they say it’s true,
Simply not wise, and so naïve,
Simply not wise, and so naïve.

When I began my questioning,
It was not hard to see the lies.
History shows the sordid facts,
Open your eyes, there’s no disguise.
Open your eyes, there’s no disguise.

© Diane Tingen, 10/17/2012

COME, LET US REVIEW - LDS Hymn Parody #72

Well, it's been quite awhile since I wrote an LDS Hymn Parody - the last one I wrote was back in July.  But with General Conference having taken place this past weekend, it's no wonder that this new hymn parody popped into my head today. 

So here is my 72nd LDS Hymn Parody.  As in so many of my other hymn parodies, the theme of this new one is the deception and lies that Joseph Smith conjured up to form the basis and foundation of the Mormon Church, and the perpetuation of those lies since his time through to the present.  It also touches on another recurring theme - that many TBMs tend to simply accept everything they are told, regardless of any evidence against it all, and "just believe."  Otherwise known as the "Sheep" syndrome.

Recently, though, it has become clear me that more and more people are seeing through the lies and deciding to walk away.  The church leaders try to say that's not the case, and attempt to characterize the Mormon Church as the "fast-growing Christian religion in the world."  In my opinion, it is creative accounting that bolsters the statistics they hold out.  From what I have observed in various places on the internet (including many ExMormon and PostMormon type of groups on Facebook), there are more and more former sheep all the time who have seen the light and have decided that they, like me, can no longer live the lie.  For me, that is very reassuring.  As time goes on, I am certain that more and more Mormons will begin to "review the clues" that are so obvious to me now, and decide that life is too short and precious to continue to associate themselves with a religion that plays so fast and loose with the truth.  At least, I hope so...

COME, LET US REVIEW
Sung to the tune of Come, Let Us Anew #217

Come, let us review
Each obvious clue,
Discussing the lies
That they cover up
And attempt to disguise.
It is filled with deceit,
Many falsehoods replete.
But the Mormons believe,
Without thinking accept
All the lies that they weave.
Without thinking accept
All the lies that they weave.

They follow along
Although it is wrong,
And simply obey,
Their eyes fully shut,
As in darkness they stay.
But if they’d only look
Then they’d see what a crook
Joseph Smith really was.
And they might recognize
All the obvious flaws.
And they might recognize
All the obvious flaws.

The man they revere,
Their prophet and seer,
Created a fraud,
The gospel they teach
Is not the Word of God.
Joseph Smith was a con,
I could go on and on,
Mormonism untrue.
The deception is clear
So I bid it adieu.
The deception is clear
So I bid it adieu.

© Diane Tingen
10/8/2012

YET ANOTHER ANONYMOUS COMMENT

Yes, another ANONYMOUS comment. 

On September 21, 2012, somebody posted this gem on my post entitled "Offended."

You feel that others must think your opinions are important?  Inferiority complex much?

Obviously this person is a TBM (true believing Mormon) because what he/she posted is a typical Mormon response.  How dare I feel that my opinions are important!!  And how dare I voice those opinions!!  Of course, this Anonymous person's view is obviously that I should keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself.  That stance is prevalent in Mormondom  - because in that repressed world, whatever independent thoughts a person might have they are supposed to keep to themselves.  Naturally, when I left the church, I also left that type of mentality behind.

So yes, Anonymous, I do think my opinions are important.  And no, I don't think I'm either inferior - or superior. 

As I stated before in response to Anonymous comments that have been posted on my blog, I find it very interesting that this person posted these comments with an "Anonymous" persona.  If this person has such strong feelings about this subject, then why not include their name and email address so we could communicate directly?  I guess it's easy to berate a person's motives and expound on such subjects anonymously.

And I'll reiterate here some thoughts that I wrote earlier this year when responding to an Anonymous comment that was posted on my blog:

I realize that obvious devout Mormons, and the religion organization to which they belong, would like it much better if I had left the church "quietly."  But that is not what is best for me.  I spent 52 years inside Mormonism, and when I began to discover the truth behind its history (which was prior to, during and after going on a Mormon Church History Tour in July 2001), I was flabbergasted and almost despondent.  Initially, I tried to convince myself that I just didn't understand it all - that perhaps if I studied more, it would become more clear.  So for the next two years, I spent a lot of time researching, studying, and questioning what I had discovered before I realized that what I had felt initially was right, that the Mormon Church is a fraudulent religious organization built on an enormous stack of lies - and I finally decided that I could no longer associate myself with a religious organization that plays so fast and loose with the truth.  At first after leaving, I was very quiet about what I had discovered - but over time, I began to realize that by remaining quiet, I was helping to perpetuate the lies and deceit by not speaking out against it.  My decision to actively speak out against the Mormon Church was not made lightly - but I have never regretted speaking out because I recognize the need to try to help others to see the reality behind the Mormon Curtain.

If Anonymous has taken the time to read through my blog, he/she will understand while I hate Mormonism and all it attempts to do to people, I do not hate Mormons because there are many very good people who are trapped inside its walls, including many of my family members.  I am not "Anti-Mormon" but rather "Anti-Mormomism."  Leaving Mormonism behind and being able to speak out against it has relieved me of years of feeling confused and frustrated by so many doctrines and beliefs that make absolutely no sense, and a portrayal of its history that is filled with lies and is completely white-washed.  Outside of Mormonism, people use their intellectual curiosity freely to do actual independent research, make their own decisions about truthfulness or lack thereof, and choose their own direction.  That is not allowed inside Mormonism, but only outside of its belief system.

In my opinion, Mormonism is the opposite of Christ's teachings since it engages in lying, deceiving, shading the truth, and attempting to get people to believe in a religious organization for its own purposes and financial gain. 

So many times I hear the statement, "You have left the Mormon Church but you just can't leave it alone?"  In that regard, let me relate 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

Since it is my belief that Mormonism is extremely poisonous to its members and potential investigators, I am sharing my thoughts and beliefs with whomever wishes to read them.  And I am not doing so anonymously...