THE EVIDENCE IS THERE - LDS Hymn Parody #113

Here is another LDS Hymn Parody - my 113th.  I'm not sure how many more I'm going to able to write since I've done so many of the familiar ones already.  But I'm going to keep going until I run out of steam. After all, they're just asking for it...

This hymn parody is entitled THE EVIDENCE IS THERE - and it truly is.  Mountains of evidence against the Mormon Church being true.  Facts galore supporting my hypothesis that Mormonism is completely bogus. Again, I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but so be it.  I have cited the evidence over and over in this blog - and it is available in many sources.  Google is a very good start. Accepting anything that you're told to believe without doing your own research is not wise. Critical thinking is tantamount to forming a person's own opinions and basing them on actual facts, not blind faith and a admonition to "just believe."  Really, THE EVIDENCE IS THERE - if Mormons would pay attention to it rather than simply buying the party line.

The original hymn (An Angel from on High) was written by Parley P. Pratt (1807-1857) who was, in my opinion, one of the biggest sleazes in the early days of the Mormon Church as well as one of the biggest perpetrators of the lies that encompass Mormonism.  He was also one of the men who participated in both Polygamy and Polyandry.  In fact, he was murdered in 1857 by Hector McLean, the estranged husband of his 12th wife (Eleanor McLean) (estranged meaning they weren't divorced, so it was a polyandrous marriage). 

There is a lot of information about Parley P. Pratt on the internet.  Some people call him a religious martyr, and Brigham Young apparently thought of him in that category along with Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith, both of whom died in Carthage Jail.  But in my opinion, calling him a religious martyr is ridiculous.  Having been murdered by the estranged husband of a woman he had married and had helped to keep her children from their father does not make him a martyr.  In fact, Hector McLean pressed criminal charges against Parley P. Pratt, saying that he had aided Eleanor in the kidnapping of his children. The result of the subsequent trial (in Arkansas) was an acquittal due to lack of evidence. Shortly after his release, Pratt was shot and stabbed by Hector (on May 13, 1957) on a farm northeast of Van Buren, Arkansas.  Some writings, though, say that Hector was aided in the killing by at least two other men.  They have been otherwise characterized as "a small Arkansas band antagonistic toward Pratt's teachings," which in my opinion is a total fabrication designed by the Mormon faction.

From what I've read, Pratt's death may have also played a part in events that lead up to the Mountain Meadows Massacre a few months later.  There were a number of people in the party who were from Arkansas, and it was rumored that some present had participated in Pratt's murder.  Apparently, in this way members of the Mormon Church rationalized out the horrendous circumstances of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

Interestingly, Parley P. Pratt was the great-great-grandfather of Mitt Romney, and the great-great-great grandfather of Jon Huntsman.  As mentioned above, Pratt practiced plural marriage and had 12 wives, 30 children, and 266 grandchildren.  In 2011, Pratt's living descendants were estimated to number between 30,000 and 50,000.

So much for background.  Here's my 113th LDS Hymn Parody.  My advice to TBMs is that the evidence really is there, so at least look at it - and consider it.  Really, a little bit of critical thinking goes a long way...

THE EVIDENCE IS THERE

Sung to the tune of An Angel from on High - #13

The evidence is there,
The facts are clear to see,
And no amount of prayer
Can change its history.
No, Mormonism is not true,
It was made up by Joseph Smith.
No, Mormonism is not true,
It was made up by Joseph Smith.

When I began to doubt
And question what they say,
I had to check it out,
And all the details weigh.
So as I researched carefully,
The lies were very clear to me.
So as I researched carefully,
The lies were very clear to me.

The lies are laced throughout,
Deception to the core.
There really is no doubt,
That’s why I closed the door.
They say have faith and just believe,
But all the while they do deceive.
They say have faith and just believe,
But all the while they do deceive.

No matter what they say,
It is a stack of lies.
And so I walked away,
With truth no compromise.
On Mormonism closed the door,
Deception I cannot ignore.
On Mormonism closed the door,
Deception I cannot ignore.

© Diane Tingen, 5/6/2015

I WON'T BACK DOWN - Another Tom Petty Song

Every once in a while, I get comments on my blog from TBMs who are "shocked" that I am speaking out against the Mormon Church as I am.  More often than not, though, those comments are posted anonymously so I can't respond to them directly (which I consider to be cowardly - after all, I've got my name all over this blog).  When that happens, I always post a reply comment hoping that they will return to see my response. But I rarely hear from them again, at least not in reply to my response.  

About a year ago, I actually got an email from a TBM 18-year-old boy who begged me to take down my blog, saying that I am slandering the religion that he loves - the "One True Church of God."  He asked me to please stop speaking out against the church, saying that I should respect their right to believe as they wish.  In response, I told him that I can't do that, explaining that I spent 52 years in the church only to discover that it is built on a stack of lies, and that I feel a need to speak my mind, to possibly help others who are either questioning or investigating the Mormon Church.  Over the course of about two weeks, we exchanged a number of emails - with him trying to convince me that I was wrong - and me telling him how he has been duped his entire life, pointing out the bogus doctrine and sordid history of the Mormon Church.  But he just kept arguing with me, telling me that I have been misled.  Sadly, at the time we were exchanging emails, this boy was preparing to go on a mission so that's probably where he is now.  But perhaps one day he'll open his eyes and realize that the Mormon Church is not the "One True Church of God," but rather that it was made up from the get-go by Joseph Smith for his own purposes including wanting to practice polygamy and marry 33 women (which consisted of 10 teenage girls and 11 women who were already married to living husbands).  In fact, he basically invented scriptures to bolster his position on that topic.  Of course, that's only one aspect of the deception because Mormon Doctrine is rife with bogus doctrines and is stained by its sordid history.

When I get these types of messages, I always think of the Tom Petty song - I Won't Back Down. No, I won't back down from my convictions simply because I am "shocking" TBMs or making them uncomfortable. And yes, you could literally "stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won't back down." Of course, most Mormons would prefer it if everyone who leaves their midst would just keep their opinions to themselves.  But IMO, that doesn't help anyone. I need to speak out, to voice my opinions, and to point out the actual facts and evidence that support my position. That is the purpose of this blog, and if only one person is intrigued enough by anything I say on this blog to do research on their own and find the actual truth, then I will feel like all my trouble has been worth it.

I WON’T BACK DOWN

Well I won't back down,

No, I won't back down,
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down.

No I’ll stand my ground,
Won't be turned around,
And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down,
Gonna stand my ground, and I won't back down.

[Chorus:]
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out,
Hey, I will stand my ground
And I won't back down.

Well, I know what's right,
I got just one life,
In a world that keeps on pushin' me around,
But I'll stand my ground, and I won't back down.

[Chorus:]
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out,
Hey, I will stand my ground
And I won't back down.

[Instrumental Interlude]

[Chorus:]
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out,
Hey, I will stand my ground
And I won't back down.

Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out,
Hey, I will stand my ground,
And I won’t back down,
No, I won’t back down.

Tom Petty

COME YE MORMONS, FALL IN LINE - LDS Hymn Parody #112

Once again, I'm sure I sound like a broken record - but that doesn't stop me from reiterating my views over and over again.  Really, the fact that there is so more information out there that refutes what the Mormon Church holds out to be true and yet so many people are still adhering to its doctrines (apparently overlooking all the facts and evidence) that I feel none of it can be said too much.

And so I go on, posting blogs, writing LDS hymn parodies, and parodying various songs, all with the hope that some of it strikes a chord with those who are either fully entrenched in Mormonism or investigating the Mormon Church.

So here is my latest attempt at unveiling the truth about Mormonism, in the form of another LDS Hymn Parody - my 112th.  This one is about the Mormon Church wanting everyone to simply fall in line and not question anything.  Of course, the danger of falling in line, without question, is following blindly, sometimes into dangerous territory (right off the proverbial cliff).

COME YE MORMONS, FALL IN LINE

Sung to the tune of Come,Ye Children of the Lord – #58

Come ye Mormons, fall in line,
Just accept what we define.
Do not question what is said,
We will think for you instead.
Simply follow what we say,
Don’t let facts get in your way.

All we teach is good and true,
Just believe the Mormon view.

Oh, how simple it will be
When you follow mindlessly.
Research on the internet
Not allowed, don’t you forget.
Those who talk of evidence
Saying that it makes no sense,
Speak of facts and say we lie,
But their claims we do decry.

Anti-Mormon, all of it,
Saying we are counterfeit.
Vilify our history,
Bringing up polygamy.
Calling Joseph Smith a con,
As they ramble on and on.
They condemn our prophet dear,
Don’t believe a word you hear.

Stay in line and argue not,
In their web, do not get caught.
Just have faith and go along,
We will never steer you wrong.
Mormonism is the way,
Read your scriptures, always pray.
Guard against those who attack,
We will always have your back.

© Diane Tingen, 4/30/2015

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT FEELS - ExMormon Song Parody (Tom Petty)

Here's another ExMormon-themed song parody based on a Tom Petty song - my fifth parody of his songs.  I find it interesting that his songs have provided such inspiration for me.  Of course, like I've said in past posts, I'm a huge Tom Petty fan, so perhaps that's why they speak to me so much.

This one talks about the fact that no one knows how leaving the Mormon Church feels to someone who has left.  For me, I was frightening in the beginning [as I said in one of my other song parodies - The Leaving (was the Hardest Part)], probably because it was the only thing I had known my entire life.  I was 52 years old when I began discovering all the lies, and it took me another 2-1/2 years before I was finally able to walk away.  But when I finally did take the leap, it was truly amazing - so liberating and life-altering.  Definitely worth all I went through getting to that point.  All the researching.  All the contemplation.  All the soul-searching.  All the self-doubt.  All the struggling.  It was worth every single minute of it all to reach the point where I am now - because I am living an authentic life, finally away from a religion that tried to squelch my true personality, stifle my independent thoughts, and turn me into a clone.  That's what Mormonism attempts to do - create a bunch of cookie cutter people who mindlessly go along and "just believe" despite the mountain of facts and evidence against its validity.  I'm so glad to finally be away from that destructive mindset.

So here's my latest song parody.  I think it's funny that I've chosen to parody this one in particular because the chorus in Tom Petty's original song says, "But let me get to the point, let's roll another joint..."  How un-Mormon - and yet, somehow, so apropos...

YOU DON’T KNOW HOW IT FEELS

Sung to the tune of You Don't Know How It Feels by Tom Petty

Let me tell you how I feel
Now that I’ve had the time to heal.
Mormonism left behind,
So many lies are intertwined.

[Chorus]:
But let me get to the point, just why I split the joint,
And I’ll repeat it out loud, because I left and I’m proud.
And you don't know how it feels,
You don't know how it feels… to be free.

Went along, just believed,
Many years was deceived.
I woke up and could see
It’s not true, so clear to me.

[Chorus]:
So I’ll say it again, repeat the why and when,
Just why I walked away, I’ve got so much more to say.
And you don't know how it feels,
You don’t know how it feels… to be free.

I was Mormon, born and raised,
All those years, I wasn’t fazed.
But then I finally saw
It’s filled with lies, the final straw.

[Chorus]:
So I’ll say it again, repeat the why and when,
Just why I walked away, I’ve got so much more to say.
And you don't know how it feels,
You don’t know how it feels,
No, you don’t know how it feels… to be free.

You don't know how it feels,
You don't know how it feels
No, you don’t know how it feels… to be free.

© Diane Tingen, 4/29/2015

CLEARLY IT'S BOGUS DOCTRINE - Song Parody (Tom Petty Classic)

Here's another ExMormon song parody set to a Tom Petty song (my fourth parody of his songs). Of course, I also posted Refugee, but that doesn't count since it's not a song parody but rather my ExMormon Anthem. I don't know what it is about Tom Petty's songs, but they seem to adapt well to ExMormon song parodies. Or maybe it's just that they call out to me.  After all, I am a huge Tom Petty fan. Whatever it is, I'm very grateful to him for providing me with such great inspiration.

This one is obviously self-explanatory. Yes, Mormonism is clearly filled with bogus doctrine (as well as sordid history). Full of lies and deception. A scam - and a total fraud. IMO, it was made up from the get-go by Joseph Smith for various reasons (including being able to do whatever he wanted and say it came from God - you know, like polygamy and polyandry, marrying teenage girls and women who were already married to living husbands). Truly, I don't understand how anyone can stay when they find out the truth behind just that, let alone all the other lies (like the Book of Abraham, for instance).  So many intelligent people, buying the lies and throwing their lives away adhering to a false religion. Very sad.

CLEARLY IT’S BOGUS DOCTRINE

Sung to the tune of Into the Great Wide Open by Tom Petty

I was raised to be a good Mormon clone,
I never doubted it, stayed in the zone,
I just believed it, even when I was grown,
The future was all Mormon.

But then the questions started flooding my mind,
I started reading everything I could find,
And with the research, I was no longer blind,
The lies were apparent.

[Chorus]:
Clearly it’s bogus doctrine,
That’s why I walked away.
Clearly it’s bogus doctrine,
And that’s why I couldn’t stay.

The Mormons say that their religion is true,
But it’s so obvious they don’t have a clue,
Because they’re staying when they should say adieu,
They keep on believin’.

It’s overwhelming, the deception and lies,
They try to mask it, cover up and disguise,
But when it comes to truth, there's no compromise,
The questions have been answered.

[Chorus]:

Clearly it’s bogus doctrine,
That’s why I walked away.
Clearly it’s bogus doctrine,
So why do the Mormons stay?

Clearly it’s bogus doctrine,
Made up by Joseph Smith.
Clearly it’s bogus doctrine,
It’s nothing but just a myth.

© Diane Tingen, 4/19/2015

REFUGEE - My ExMormom Anthem

So does the word REFUGEE fit a person who has escaped Mormonism?  Oh, yes.  A person who flees for refuge or safety?  Yes again.  A person who flees a power to escape danger or persecution?  For sure.  But does Mormonism really constitute a danger?  Definitely. Mormonism imposes danger on a person's psyche and mental well-being.  It attempts to take away a person's free will.  It takes them on a guilt trip extraordinaire.  It holds people hostage by saying that if they turn their backs on Mormonism that they are throwing away their eternal salvation, thereby ensuring that they will not be part of their eternal family unit.  The chance to have a Forever Family will be denied them. Mormonism gives people the message that if they don't understand certain things, it is their own fault - that they are unworthy and unrighteous.  Routinely, "apostates" face the persecution of being ridiculed and even shunned by members of the Mormon Church as well as their own family members.  I could go on, but I'm sure you get the picture.

So much of this song speaks to me about my Exit from Mormonism.  How I would have liked to known that my father (who was very pious and dogmatic about Mormonism) would have told me, "Listen, it don't matter to me, Diane, you believe what you want to believe."  But of course, I knew that wouldn't happen, that if I had told him I no longer believed in Mormonism and had left the church, instead he would condemn me and tell me I was going to H-E-L-L.  And so I never told him, mainly because he was 90 years old when I left the church and he died two years later.  Sometimes I wish I had told him so we could have had a conversation about my reasons.  But that thought is really quite delusional because that was no way he would have participated in an actual discussion about the topic.  So I kept quiet because I didn't want to destroy the relationship we had (which was fairly easy to do since I lived in California, and he lived in Utah).

So yes, in many ways, I do feel that I was kicked around some.  And for a long time, I did lay there and revel in my abandon.  But like Tom Petty points out, everybody's had to fight to be free.  I finally did fight to be free, and I have never regretted the choice I made to extricate myself from such an unhealthy, stifling environment.  Now I am living an authentic life, and am truly happy.


In October 2010, I attended my first ExMormon Foundation Conference - and during my road trip from Denver to Salt Lake City, I played and sang this song over and over again. When I drove over the border from Wyoming into Utah, I blasted this song and sang it at the top of my lungs.  Felt so good!!

So here's my ExMormon Anthem...

REFUGEE by Tom Petty

We got somethin', we both know it,
We don't talk too much about it,
Ain't no real big secret all the same,
Somehow we get around it.
Listen, it don't really matter to me baby
You believe what you want to believe.

You see, you don't have to live like a refugee
(Don't have to live like a refugee).

Somewhere, somehow, somebody
Must have kicked you around some.
Tell me, why you wanna lay there,
Revel in your abandon.

Honey, it don't make no difference to me, baby
Everybody's had to fight to be free.

You see, you don't have to live like a refugee
(Don't have to live like a refugee)
No baby, you don't have to live like a refugee
(Don't have to live like a refugee)
No!

Baby we ain't the first,
I'm sure a lot of other lovers been burned.
Right now, this ain’t real to you,
But it's one of those things
You gotta feel to be true.

Somewhere, somehow, somebody
Must have kicked you around some.
Who knows, maybe you were kidnapped,
Tied up, taken away and held for ransom.
Honey, it don't really matter to me, baby
Everybody's had to fight to be free.

You see, you don't have to live like a refugee

(Don't have to live like a refugee)
No, you don't have to live like a refugee
(Don't have to live like a refugee)
Now you don't have to live like a refugee
(Don't have to live like a refugee).

THE LEAVING - ExMormon Song Parody (Tom Petty Classic)

Here's another ExMormon-themed song parody set to a Tom Petty song.  Yes, the leaving really was the hardest part.  From the point when I started my research (prior to going on a Mormon Church History Tour in the Summer of 2001) to the time when I realized that Mormonism is a total and complete fraud was a relatively short period of time.  But actually leaving?  That took much longer.  After all, I was born and raised Mormon, and spent 52 years as an active member.  So leaving was not an easy thing to do.  I hung on and hung on, thinking that maybe I was misunderstanding.  During that time, I held on firmly to the Mormon Mantra that I wasn't righteous enough to understand the intricacies of it all, that the ways of God are mysterious, and on and on, ad nauseum, blah, blah, blah...

My experience then was very similar to when I went to the Temple for the first time at 22 years old (the day before I got married in the Temple).  The Temple was so different than what I had imagined - full of symbolism, weird gestures, and strange hand signals, all of which was very disturbing at first glance (and second glance... and third glance... well, you get the picture).  But I bought into the Mormon Mantra then as well, tried to accept it on faith, and believed that if hung in there, read the scriptures, studied, prayed, and regularly attended my church meetings that eventually I would understand it all.  Never happened then - and it didn't happen later or during my AHA! moments when I finally realized that Mormonism was made up from the get-go (and began kicking myself for buying into it for so long).

So here's my latest song parody, which I'm posting with a huge thank you to Tom Petty for providing me with such great music as my inspiration.

THE LEAVING (was the Hardest Part)

Sung to the tune of The Waiting by Tom Petty

So happy, makes me feel like heaven right now,
And it feels like something from a dream.
Yeah, I've never known nothing quite like this,
And it feels so good since I finally got away,
It really doesn’t matter what the Mormons say,
But then no one coulda ever told me ‘bout this,
I said yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…

[Chorus]:
The leaving was the hardest part,
Every day I saw one more card,
I took it on faith, I took it to the heart,
The leaving was the hardest part.

Well yeah, I wish I’d found the lies a long time ago,
Too long I just went with the flow.
But then I saw I was out of touch,
I buried my head in the sand too much,
It took me a while to finally disavow
The Mormon ways and live like I wanna live now,
I said, yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…

[Chorus]:
The leaving was the hardest part,
Every day I went one more yard,
I took it on faith, I took it to the heart,
The leaving was the hardest part.

[Bridge:]
Oh, why did I just believe it before I saw the lies?
Why did I just believe it before I saw the lies?
After I realized, it took me quite a while
Before I walked away,
I stayed for much too long.

[Chorus]:

The leaving was the hardest part,
Every day I went one more yard,
I took it on faith, I took it to the heart,
The leaving was the hardest part.
Yeah, the leaving was the hardest part.

© Diane Tingen, 4/10/2015

A MORMON NO MORE (No, Not Me) - Song Parody (ala Tom Petty)

Here's another ExMormon-themed song parody I've written.  This one is set to the tune of a Tom Petty song (as was Even the Mormons, which I posted in December 2014).  As a side note, the video link is to a concert version of this song which Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performed at Red Rocks (near Denver, Colorado) in October 2014 (an incredibly beautiful outdoor amphitheater to which I've been a few times since living in Colorado, but sadly not to this concert).  
Tom Petty is one of my favorite singers from way back in the 80's.  I find it interesting that so many of his songs elicit my inclination toward song parodies of the ExMormon ilk. I'm working on some other Tom Petty based song parodies, too, including: (1) The Leaving (was the Hardest Part), set to the tune of The Waiting; and (2) You Don't Know How it Feels (to be free), set to the tune of You Don't Know How it Feels (to be me).  Others I might post are ones like Refugee and I Won't Back Down, but those are the types that will probably require very few changes in the lyrics because they already fit the ExMormon theme so well.  In fact, when I drove to Salt Lake City in October 2010 for my first ExMormon Foundation Conference, Refugee was my anthem as I crossed over into Utah.

The below song parody is very self-explanatory, so I won't go into a long explanation of its meaning.  Basically, I'm a Mormon No More (aka MoMo NoMo) - and for that, I am very grateful.

A MORMON NO MORE (No, Not Me)

Sung to the tune of A Woman in Love (It's Not Me) by Tom Petty

They looked in my eyes, told me to stay,

Said “Don’t even doubt it, that would be crazy.
Why you doing research? You should just believe.”
But I didn’t stop it, that didn’t faze me.

[Chorus:]
I’m a Mormon no more,
I’m a Mormon no more,
When I really looked, it fell to pieces,
But they don't wanna see,
I’m a Mormon no more – oh no, not me.

Well alright, say what you want,
I walked away, never looked back.
I used to be the kind of Mormon
Who just went along, I just didn’t see the problem,
I simply went with the flow.

[Chorus:]
But I’m a Mormon no more,
I’m a Mormon no more,
When I really looked, it fell to pieces,
But they don't wanna see,
I’m a Mormon no more – I just let go.

[Bridge:]
Time after time, day after day,
I would look at it all
And it sounded crazy.
I don’t understand just why I stayed,
I don’t understand what compelled me,
I gave them everything and threw it all away on nothin’

[Chorus:]

But I’m a Mormon no more,
I’m a Mormon no more,
When I really looked, it fell to pieces,
But they don't wanna see,
I’m a Mormon no more – oh no, not me.

© Diane Tingen, 4/9/2015

COUNTERFEIT, A TOTAL SCAM - LDS Hymn Parody #111

Today is Easter Sunday - and it is also the Mormon Church's 185th Semi-Annual General Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the Christian World, Easter is a very sacred day - but in the Mormon World, it is apparently a day to condemn and attack. So far, there have been numerous different Conference speeches that have mentioned "real families" consisting of a marriage of only one man and one woman.  Apparently, L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve stressed the importance of opposing homosexuality, and also said, "We want our voice to be heard against all of the counterfeit and alternative lifestyles that try to replace the family organization that God Himself established."

Wow.  Counterfeit?  Obviously a case of the pot calling the kettle black.  The Mormon Church was founded by a man who, during his tenure as President and Prophet of that bogus organization, married at least 33 women, including 11 teenage girls and 10 women who were already married to living husbands - and he constantly lied about it.  Of course, after that man's death, another man took over his legacy and upped him considerably, marrying 55 women. Just how "Counterfeit" can you get?  Looking at the sordid history of the Mormon Church and examining its "doctrines," it is clear to me that Mormonism is not only counterfeit, but also a scam, a fraud, and a totally bogus religious organization.

The dictionary defines "counterfeit" as:  "an imitation intended to be passed off fraudulently or deceptively as genuine; forgery."  In my opinion, that is exactly what Joseph Smith did when he founded Mormonism - created a bogus organization which he passed off fraudulently and deceptive as genuine.  

The Mormon Church never ceases to amaze me.  "Judge not, lest ye be judged" obviously means nothing to them.  "Live and let live" is also a lost concept.  The Mormon Church's hard-line stance against gay and lesbians has caused massive damage to the psyches of so many gay Mormons, to the point of many committing suicide.  And yet they continue to berate and attempt to demean those individuals.  Not Christ-like at all.

And so, here is my 111th LDS hymn parody, set to the Easter-themed hymn, "He is Risen."

COUNTERFEIT, A TOTAL SCAM

Sung to the tune of He is Risen -#199

Mormonism, Mormonism,
Feel the love in all they say.
They condemn and spout their venom
At "apostates" every day.
Yet they say in solemn voice,
Praise the Lord, let us rejoice.

Christ-like love is touted loudly,
Loving everyone alike.
Yet their words are very empty
As they criticize and strike.
Such self-righteous hypocrites,
Calling others counterfeits.

Mormonism, Mormonism,
Counterfeit, a total scam.
Its true nature, hard to fathom,
But they just don’t give a damn.
As they talk on Easter Day,
It’s not love that they display.

© Diane Tingen, 4/5/2015

DON'T TAKE ME TO CHURCH

Since today is Sunday, I thought it would be fitting to post my latest song parody - "Don't Take Me to Church."

Of course, the original song is amazing.  So deep and thought-provoking.  I've watched some videos online in which Hozier explains his thoughts behind the song, and talks about his disillusionment with his own church and religion in general.  In one of those videos, he explains that he has very strong opinions on the topic, which is obvious from the lyrics he wrote.

Here's a quote from an article that appeared in Rolling Stone:  "Growing up, I always saw the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church.  The history speaks for itself and I grew up incredibly frustrated and angry.  I essentially just put that into my words."

You can read more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Me_to_Church

I'm completely amazed by the lyrics to this song.  Like I said, they have such depth and are so thought-provoking.  Here is a link where you can read all the lyrics:
http://www.metrolyrics.com/take-me-to-church-lyrics-hozier.html

Shortly after I started hearing this amazing song on the radio, my mind began to echo with the line, "Don't Take Me to Church," catapulting me back to my "end of Mormon days." Yes, after discovering the lies behind Mormonism, its sordid history, and the final realization that it is completely bogus, I finally walked away, having been complacent for far too long.  Not content to just go along for one more second.  Comfortably numb no longer.

So I ended up writing this song parody, which was a challenge since the song is so unique. And now sometimes when I heard this song on the radio, I sing my own lyrics.  I hope Hozier will forgive me for commandeering his incredible song for my own purposes.

DON’T TAKE ME TO CHURCH

Sung to the tune of Take Me to Church by Hozier

My mind was electric,
Even though I felt pathetic,
I finally studied Mormon history,
I should've looked so much sooner.

Bogus doctrines, clearly phony,

Final straw to hit me.
Every Sunday now a blessing,
Not so depressing,
“Just believe it,” I heard them say it.

My church offered no consolation
Once deception was apparent,
The only question that’s remaining
Is why I was believing.
I was Mormon, but I left it,
So glad I saw the light.
Dead end.  Dead end.  Dead end.

[Chorus – 2x]:
Don't take me to church,
I finally got away after wasting my life
On nothing but lies, but the deception is clear,
Finally faced reality,
Good God, would you leave me alone.

If I'm a heathen, then so be it,
I’m now in the sunlight.
The term apostate is their word,
And their boundaries are too blurred,
They go on blindly,
To put it mildly.

Something phony for the main course,
They should get off their high horse.
What you got at the table?
Nothing more than myth and fable.
What you showed us,
That is bogus.
That is full of lies.

[Chorus – 2x]:
Don’t take me to church,
I finally got away after wasting my life
On nothing but lies, but the deception is clear,
Finally faced reality,
Good God, would you leave me alone.

[Bridge]:

I know for a fact that it’s bogus throughout,
I have researched it completely and found all the lies.
When removed from the madness of what they dispense,
Only then I am happy,
Only then I am free.
Amen.  Amen.  Amen.

[Chorus – 2x]:
Don’t take me to church,
I finally got away after wasting my life
On nothing but lies, but the deception is clear,
Finally faced reality,
Good God, would you leave me alone.

© Diane Tingen

3/8/2015

BECAUSE I FOUND THE TRUTH AT LAST - LDS Hymn Parody #110

Here's my 110th LDS Hymn Parody.  110 has been my goal for quite some time, and there for a while, I didn't think I was going to make it - but I did!!  I'm not sure why I haven't parodied this hymn before this except that the music for it is not on the list of LDS hymns on their website because of "copyright issues." But, naturally, with the internet as expansive as it is today, I was able to find the music on YouTube, and there is a link to that version below.

Of course, the words to this parody expound on a recurring theme in many of my writings, the fact that Mormonism is replete with lies and deception.  Sadly, I went along my entire life, believing what I was taught, and it wasn't until much later in my life (beginning when I was 52) that I did actual research on my own and discovered that I had been duped all along.  Yes, I was complacent, and I regret that now.  But on the other hand, at least I'm not spending my entire life trapped behind the Mormon Curtain.

BECAUSE I FOUND THE TRUTH AT LAST

Sung to the tune of Because I Have Been Given Much - #219

Because I found the truth at last, I had to leave.
Because of all the lies, the fact that they deceive,
I had to turn and walk away,
So very clear I could not stay,
I’m done with all the games they play.

Because the Mormon Church is filled with many lies,
The truth behind it all they think they can disguise.
But if you look, you might agree,
And though it was a shock to me,
So glad that I am finally free.

Because I finally did some research on my own,
And finally saw the lies I should have always known.
Too many years, I went along,
And now I know that I was wrong
To be complacent for so long.

© Diane Tingen

1/23/2015