IF LIES ARE LACED THROUGHOUT IT ALL - LDS Hymn Parody #34

One of the biggest remaining questions for me regarding the Mormon Church and its members is why so many of them seem to not want to know the truth.  Like in this picture, the minute someone tries to tell them an opposing opinion, they immediately shut off their minds... the ol' la, la, la, I can't hear you response.  But then again, I suppose this response is understandable when you look at the atmosphere created within Mormonism (i.e. when the prophet speaks, the thinking is done, the debate is over).  In this way, the members are more able to rationalize through all of the loose ends and apparent lies to arrive at the conclusion that the Mormon Church is somehow true.  Very clever, these Mormon leaders.

Of course, having been born and raised in the Mormon Church, I can understand where this immediate response to shut off your brain comes from to a certain degree.  Since I just went along for many years (50 to be exact), not really questioning very much and just accepting it all without much thinking or contemplation, I know how deep the brainwashing runs.  If I didn't understand something, I was given the message that we cannot understand everything in this life, but that if we endure to the end, it will all be made known to us and then we will know that it was worth it.  I was also given the message that I must not be worthy enough to understand certain things, so I needed to pray more, study the scriptures more, attend all of the church meetings, etc., and then perhaps it would make more sense.  If there's anything wrong, it couldn't possibly be that the church is wrong, so it must be that you are not worthy enough.  The ol' it's you not them mindset.  Sadly, this works quite well in Mormondom.

This is one of the things that strikes me the hardest when reading the comments posted on my blog by Anonymous in the past few days.  This person is obviously spouting the Mormon Party Line, and it seems to me that there is very little actual thinking going on.  The Mormon leadership should be very proud of this person since he/she is the epitome of The Mormon Way.

And so this leads to my latest hymn parody.  Truly, if lies are laced throughout it all, why don't they want to know?  When I began to discover all the discrepancies between what I had been taught and what was true in reality, I was flabbergasted and very confused - but I was also grateful that I had finally taken the step to finding out the actual truth.  If I am now ridiculed and mocked by TBMs, that is a small price to pay.  But regardless of what they all think, I cannot remain quiet about what I have discovered.  To do so would be to diminish the effect of the actual knowledge that I have gained.  And I refuse to be a compliant sheep anymore.

IF LIES ARE LACED THROUGHOUT IT ALL
Sung to the tune of O Love That Glorifies the Son, #295

If lies are laced throughout it all,
If lies are written on the wall,
Those lies will be its sure downfall.
Why don’t they want to know?
Why don’t they want to know?

Why do they cling to what they’re told
And all of the apostates scold?
There’s lies throughout what they’ve been sold.
Why don’t they want to know?
Why don’t they want to know?

They hide their heads deep in the sand,
And say that they don’t understand
Why we have taken such a stand
Against the Mormon Church,
Against the Mormon Church.

Instead of saying we besmirch
The doctrines of the Mormon Church,
Why don’t they do their own research?
Perhaps they’d find the truth,
Perhaps they’d find the truth.

They ask us why we can’t move on,
To Mormonism we are drawn,
They want us all to just be gone,
To simply go away,
To simply go away.

Apostates who have broken free,
Who all the lies so plainly see,
Our voices cannot silent be,
Or it will be for naught,
Or it will be for naught.

© Diane Tingen, 8/7/2011

I AM A CHILD OF GOD - LDS Hymn Parody #28

Such a nice picture.  Although I consider myself an Agnostic now, I still acknowledge the fact that pictures like this one give people a sense of comfort.  After all, believing in God or a higher power of some sort is very reassuring.  The idea that God is watching over you, and that He is there to answer your prayers, is a very comforting thought.

Unfortunately, though, there is the possibility that whatever comfort is received from believing in God or a higher power may be coming from a false sense of security - because although there are a lot of Christians in the world, as well as many other religions who have a belief in a higher power, that doesn't mean that what they believe is absolutely true. 

After leaving Mormonism, I began to consider the possibility that there may not be a God at all.  Of course, I want there to be a God, someone watching over me, the promise of an Afterlife where I will see and be with my loved ones.  But my wanting that to be the case doesn't make it so.  The reality is that there is a possibility that God does not exist.  It may be that when we die, that is it.  But does that make any difference in the long run?  In some ways, thinking this way has helped me to live life more fully, to consider the fact that since this life may be all there is, I should be doing all I can every day to make my life more fulfilling and this world a better place.

And with those thoughts in mind, I wrote this hymn parody. 

I AM A CHILD OF GOD

LDS Hymn Book, #301

I am a child of God,
Or so the Christians say.
But I don’t know if God exists,
They say I’ve gone astray.

(Chorus)

Reasoning has got me thinking,
Questioning it all.
Blindly just accepting it,
For that, I will not fall.

Am I a child of God?
The query gives me pause.
There’s nothing wrong with questioning
Religion and its flaws.

(Chorus)

Reasoning, not just accepting
Everything that’s said.
Going down the garden path,
I’ll use my brain instead.

So if there’s not a God,
No higher power there.
Would knowing that destroy your life
And fill you with despair?

(Chorus)

Reasoning and analyzing,
Thinking on my own.
Not believing what I’m told,
I will not be a clone.

I am a woman first,
On me I can rely.
So whether there’s a God or not,
Myself I can’t deny.

(Chorus)

Reasoning, no blind acceptance,
Not belief by force.
Using my free agency,
The best and safest course.

© Diane Tingen, 7/8/2011

THE MORMONS WON'T OPEN THEIR EYES - LDS Hymn Parody #25

The hymn Before Thee, Lord, I Bow My Head reminds me of singing in my Ward Choir, growing up in Fresno, California. My mother was the Choir Director for several years when I was growing up, and I started singing in the Choir when I was only 12 years old.  My mother really liked to sing this particular hymn, probably because of the way it is arranged with the women singing first, and then the men repeating the lines.  So this hymn brings back some very good memories of my mother (who passed away in 1977 when I was only 25 years old).

My parody of this hymn highlights (again) the fact that Mormons (IMO) need to open their eyes and realize that the religion to which they adhere is built on a huge stack of lies. To me, that realization was a deal-breaker. Interestingly, some active Mormons (on various discussion boards) have actually asked me that since all religions have lies laced throughout them, why should Mormonism be any different? And I have replied that although that may be true, that doesn't make the lies acceptable, in any form. To me, accepting lies as the basis for a religion is rationalization at its core. Of course, the apologetic-type websites are the epitome of this mindset. If the Mormon Church is indeed the "one and only true church on the face of the earth," then why does it need so many Mormon Apologists out there? -- such as FAIR (Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research - http://www.fairlds.org) and FARMS (Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies - http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/). It just doesn't make sense to me. And one question seems to remain - if what the Prophet says is the bottom line ("When the Prophet speaks, the debate is over"), then shouldn't that be the only basis needed for belief? Not for me, of course, but for all the TBMs out there...

THE MORMONS WON'T OPEN THEIR EYES

Sung to the tune of Before Thee, Lord, I Bow My Head, #158

The Mormons won't open their eyes,
Though it's not true, no big surprise.
They just believe no matter what,
But in a web of lies they're caught.
Right from the start, it was a ruse.
Why can’t they see there’s no excuse
For the deceit and what they say,
All of the games the Mormons play.

Their Prophet dear named Joseph Smith
Created it, just one big myth.
The Mormon Church is just a fraud,
It’s not inspired, not Word of God.
What happened to integrity?
Why all the lies, dishonesty?
They work to dupe the ones they can,
A horrible, destructive plan.

All negatives they simply hide,
Actual truth, they can’t abide.
Don’t listen to the evidence,
Cause after all, it might make sense.
Believe by faith, and do not stray.
Free agency given away.
Obey it all, let’s get it straight,
The Prophet speaks, no more debate.

And so I try to make them see
The many lies so clear to me
Though it is hard to talk to them
When what I say they just condemn.
Why don’t they think and use their brains?
Simply content to stay in chains.
Their minds are numb, don’t need a sign,
All Mormons walk the party line.

© Diane Tingen, 7/4/2011

THE TRUTH IS THERE FOR YOU TO FIND - LDS Hymn Parody #22

167 years ago today, on June 27, 1844, Joseph Smith was killed by a mob while he was incarcerated in Carthage Jail in Illinois.  Of course, Joseph Smith was the founder and first President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka the Mormon Church).  While I was growing up, and during my entire time as a member of the Mormon Church, I was always told that Joseph Smith was a religious martyr, that he was killed because of religious persecution.  That story is the Mormon Party Line - but that simply is not true.  Joseph Smith was arrested and placed in Carthage Jail because he ordered the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor (and the burning of the building which it was housed) after a story was published exposing Joseph Smith's practice of polygamy and polyandry.  That is why he was in Carthage Jail, and that is why he was killed by a mob while he was incarcerated there.  That does not make him a religious martyr, but rather a criminal (especially when you take into account that Joseph Smith was arrested at least 6 other times, and escaped from jail on at least two occasions).  Of course, it has been pointed out to me by a TBM with whom I have exchanged some messages that since he was never convicted of any crime, he was therefore innocent of all charges - but to me, that is simply rationalizing out the situation, sticking your head in the sand, pretending that reality isn't real, and that everything was completely above board (which it most definitely was not).

Naturally, I had believed the "religious martyr" story about Joseph Smith my entire life - until I began to do some research into Mormon Church history in preparation for going on a Mormon Church History Tour in the Summer of 2001.  Since I had never really studied much about church history as I was growing up, and basically relied wholly on what I was told and taught, I did not know a lot of details about the subject - so before going on this trip, I decided to do some reading and research so I would know more when we visited the key places.  But the more I read, studied and researched, the more I began to realize that what I had been taught and told about the history of the Mormon Church was simply not true.  All of this was quite a revelation, and was the beginning of the end for me.  Another big revelation for me was the fact that Joseph Smith had a gun when he was attacked in Carthage Jail, and shot it at his attackers.  So although he claimed to be "going like a lamb to the slaughter," that was not an accurate depiction of the situation either.

On a Facebook group of which I am a member, I heard about a Facebook page named "Sharing the Gospel through Social Media" - and I have gone on there several times in the past few days. This page is dedicated to honoring Joseph Smith on the anniversary of the date of his death.  In reading what is being posted there by TBMs, I can't help but feel incredibly sad for these members of the Mormon Church. They are following the Mormon Party Line completely, without doing any independent research or any critical thinking - just like I did for so many years. In my opinion, taking the stances that they are without looking outside the "authorized reading areas" is simply unwise.  Some of these people are obviously very intelligent, but that intelligence is being shut down when it comes to Mormonism. 

I have posted some comments on that Facebook page, as have some other people, trying to say something that will help to open these people's minds to the point where they will feel the need to research and study on their own, independent from strictly Mormon viewpoints.  IMO, no one should take anyone's word for anything, but rather they should read, research and study on their own in order to discover the actual truth about everything in life.  Last time I went there, though, I discovered that all of my posts and comments have been deleted.  Censorship, anyone?  It amazes me that so many TBMs can say whatever they want about the "truthfulness" of the gospel, and bear their testimonies all day long, but the minute anyone voices an opposing view, they become enraged.  Deleting comments on a page like this is, in my opinion, very childish and immature - and when I made a post to that effect, that one was deleted as well.  I figure it's just a matter of time before my last one is deleted (commenting, again, on the deletions and the lack of tolerance for opposing views).  Oh, well...

I am grateful every day of my life that I finally opened my eyes to the real truth, and it is my hope that many of these people will come to see the light through what others may say and cause some cognitive dissonance so they will research on their own.  It is my feeling that if everyone who discovers the truth and disassociates themselves from Mormonism simply keeps quiet about their discoveries, then what we have gone through and discovered will be of no help to those still caught in the web of lies perpetuated by the Mormon Church.

Truly, the truth is out there if they would just read... or Google it... or do something other than just blindly follow the Mormon Party Line.

THE TRUTH IS THERE FOR YOU TO FIND

Sung to the tune of Abide with Me, Tis Eventide, #165

The truth is there for you to find,
The lies can’t be ignored.

Deception and dishonesty,
It just might strike a chord.
Why don’t you research on your own?
The facts you soon will find.

(Chorus)

Just open up your mind and think,
To lies don’t be confined.
Just open up your mind and think,
The truth you just might find.

The truth is there for you to find,
Been closed off for too long.
Believing things that are not true
Is damaging and wrong.
If you don’t read the evidence,
You might as well be blind.

(Chorus)

Just open up your mind and think,
To lies don’t be confined.
Just open up your mind and think,
The truth you just might find.

The truth is there for you to find,
Employ your common sense.
It doesn’t hurt to use your brain,
It is your best defense.
Don’t simply buy what you are told,
Within the web entwined.

(Chorus)

Just open up your mind and think,
To lies don’t be confined.
Just open up your mind and think,
The truth you just might find.

The truth is there for you to find
In Mormonism’s fraud.
It’s clear if you just study it,
It’s not the Word of God.
So don’t stay with it out of fear,
To misery resigned.

(Chorus)

Just open up your mind and think,
To lies don’t be confined.
Just open up your mind and think,
The truth you just might find.

The truth is there for you to find,
And Google is your friend.
Just research independently
And all your doubts will end.
To “just believe” as Mormons do,
Insanity defined.

(Chorus)

Just open up your mind and think,
To lies don’t be confined.
Just open up your mind and think,
The truth you just might find.

© Diane Tingen, 6/27/2011

IMO, Mormons need to put on their thinking caps, and use
their critical thinking skills in order to determine for themselves
whether the LDS Church is true.  Relying on what they are told
to believe by their Church leaders and Prophet without doing
any independent research on their own is simply not wise.

MORE CRITICAL THINKING - LDS Hymn Parody #20

Burying your head in the sand.

The meaning of this phrase is:
"Refusal to confront or acknowledge a problem."

See: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/80800.html and http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/hide+head+in+the+sand

So in essence, "burying your head in the sand" is the typical response to people who don't want to face facts.  They would prefer to simply pretend that the facts don't exist.  Kind of like, "If I refuse to accept or acknowledge the situation, then it doesn't exist."  As in accepting the Mormon Party Line without question, study, research or any type of critical thinking whatsoever.

The theme of the last few ExMormon Hymn Parodies I have written have been the fact that in my opinion, Mormons need to do more actual thinking and utilization of their brains.  Basically, in my opinion, they need to stop burying their heads in the sand.  Accepting things that you are taught simply because you're told to believe is not wise.  Neither is blind faith.  Critical thinking needs to enter the picture. 

The song I Believe from the Book of Mormon Musical says in several places, "I'm a Mormon... and Mormons just believe."  To me, that is a frightening stance.  In essence, they are saying, "I believe because I believe."  Or "I believe this or that because I was told to believe it."  Or "I believe because when I think about these things, I get strong feelings that it is true."

But those are not adequate reasons to "believe."  No, what a person needs to be able to say is, "I believe because the evidence points in that direction, and from all indications, it is true."  Unfortunately, though, in Mormonism, the evidence actually points in the opposite direction, away from any type of truth.  But because Mormons "just believe," they accept a lot of the teachings, doctrine and history based on either lack of information or blatant misinformation.

Believing by faith is all fine and good, but when the actual evidence is stacked against the validity of the premise, it is not faith anymore but rather denial. 

And so, here is my latest hymn parody...

MORE CRITICAL THINKING

Sung to the tune of More Holiness Give Me, #131

More critical thinking,
More use of your brain,
More research and study,
More issues remain.
More questions to sort through,
More judgment involved,
More facing the quandaries,
More problems resolved.

More real independence,
More freedom to choose.
More options considered,
More seeing the clues.
More voicing opinions,
More free agency,
More investigation,
More lies they will see.

Less marching in goose-step,
Less toeing the line,
Less blindly obeying,
Less thinking it’s fine.
Less feeling exhausted,
Less doing the dance,
Less worn-out and weary,
Less caught in a trance.

Less mind-numbing teachings,
Less going along,
Less fraudulent doctrine,
Less shading what’s wrong.

Less trapped in denial,
Less scared just to think,
Less Mormons conforming,
Less close to the brink.

Less wading through bullshit,
Less dealing with crap,
Less stuck in the middle,
Less caught in a trap.
Less sorting through garbage,
Less on the defense,
Less going in circles,
Less nervous and tense.

More quiet reflection,
More feeling at peace.
More calm introspection,
More turmoil will cease.
More joyful and happy,
More blissful and free.
More sense of fulfillment,
More time to be me.

© Diane Tingen, 6/22/2011

TYPICAL OSTRICHES...
STICKING THEIR HEADS IN THE SAND,
THINKING THAT IF THEY CAN'T SEE THEIR ATTACKER,
THEN THEIR ATTACKER CAN'T SEE THEM...
OR IN OTHER WORDS...

YOU WON'T NEED YOUR BRAIN AT ALL AGAIN - LDS Hymn Parody #16

Using your brain is a very important function in the world today.  In fact, critical thinking skills are highly regarded.  Thinking, examining and analyzing is imperative in being able to sort through things that are thrown at a person, and in deciding what is good, bad or indifferent. 

Even the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz thought having a brain would be great - "If I only had a brain..."

But in Mormonism, a person actually using his/her brain is frowned upon - and actual critical thinking skills are totally moot and useless.  An exercise in futility.  As the quote goes, "When the Prophet speaks, the debate is over."

In Mormonism, no one really needs a brain - or is expected to use the one with which they were equipped at birth.  Seems rather strange that God (if he does exist) gave everyone a brain yet so many people (especially Mormons) aren't expected to use them at all (and in fact, are discouraged from doing so).

So this hymn parody is my tribute to the futility of critical thinking within Mormonism.

YOU WON’T NEED YOUR BRAIN AT ALL AGAIN
Sung to the tune of God Be with You Till We Meet Again, #152

You won’t need your brain at all again,
Stick to what it is we tell you,
Let our endless blather numb you,
You won’t need your brain at all again.

(Chorus)

Do not think, do not think,

Do not think, don’t use your brain.

Do not think, do not think,
You won’t need your brain at all again.

You won’t need your brain at all again,
Do not let it all confuse you,
We know best so we’ll protect you,
You won’t need your brain at all again.

(Chorus)

Do not think, do not think,

Do not think, don’t use your brain.

Do not think, do not think,
You won’t need your brain at all again.

You won’t need your brain at all again,
Follow all the Mormon teachings,
Latch onto the mindless feelings,
You won’t need your brain at all again.

(Chorus)

Do not think, do not think,

Do not think, don’t use your brain.

Do not think, do not think,
You won’t need your brain at all again.

We will tell you what to do and say,
We will do all of the thinking,
And if you should feel you're sinking,
Just adapt to it the Mormon Way.

(Chorus)
Just obey, just obey,
Just obey the Mormon Way.
Just obey, just obey,
You'll survive, just live the Mormon Way.

Life is simple if you just don't think,
Just believe in what we're preaching,
There's no use in belly-aching,
Here's some Kool-Aid, now just take a drink.

(Chorus)
Just believe, just believe,
Just believe in what we say,
Just believe, just believe,
Just believe and live the Mormon Way.

© Diane Tingen, 6/16/2011


That's it... drink the Kool-Aid...
It will make you wise. It is delicious to the taste and very desirable.*
*Interesting link...

Of course, this is what they're counting on.  Too long; didn't read.
Also, too complicated, so I'll just rely on what you tell me...

MORMONISM SEUSS-IFIED

A few days ago, I got an email from someone who had found my blog and was writing to thank me for what I have written here, saying that it has helped him to work his way through the mires of Mormonism and gain the strength necessary to remain steadfast in his decision to leave the cult.  Getting that email from this man meant so much to me.  So often, I feel that my writings are more for me than anyone else, but knowing that there are others out there gaining insight from what I have written is very reassuring and fulfilling.

In the email he sent me, this man mentioned that he really liked my poetry, and especially "Mormonism Seuss-ified."  And although it is posted on the poetry page of this blog, I wanted to share it again because it says so much of how I feel about Mormonism and my trek away from its "force and pull."  Besides, I couldn't pass up the chance to post these great Dr. Seuss images I found...

MORMONISM SEUSS-IFIED

I do not like the Mormon Church,
And it’s not true, I’ve done research,
The Book of Mormon, it’s no surprise,
Filled with deception, full of lies.
The Word of Wisdom, what a crock,
Invented by a true shylock
Named Joseph Smith, the prophet dear
To Mormons, who his name revere.

For 50 years, I lived the life,
And I was an “eternal wife.”
Yes, temple marriage was my goal,
Trying to comprehend my role,
A woman in a church of men,
Questioning, again and again,
Praying that answers would be clear,
Wanting my doubts to disappear.

For I was simply not convinced
And what I felt could not be rinsed
Or cleansed in any way at all,
The total lies were its downfall
Within my mind and in my heart,
And knowing that, I had to start
Withdrawing from its force and pull,
No matter how hard or painful.

But Mormonism is a scam,
A fraud, a hoax, complete flim-flam,
A scheme to make its leaders rich,
Just thinking of it makes me twitch.
Sometimes I’d want to scream out loud,
“I hate that stupid cult,” and vowed
That I won’t go there, not again,
No matter what, or who, they send.

I’ve left the cult, won’t go no more,
To that whole thing, I’ve closed the door,
And though I know I won’t go back,
My family thinks that I will crack,
Admit my faults, repentance seek,
Since as they say, I’m very weak
Without the Holy Ghost to guide,
And that is why I think they lied.

Yes, I’m mislead, so full of shit
That I can’t see the truth of it,
According to the ones who know,
The TBMs can’t let it go.
They have to say that I’m condemned,
A heathen now, and can’t defend
What I have done, have left the fold
And now, I’m way out in the cold.

What they can’t see and can’t accept
I’m happy now, a strange concept.
Not possible, they say to me,
As I delude myself fully.
For only if you stay on track
The Mormon Way, can you go back
To live in heaven with the Lord,
Salvation and your just reward.

But please, if Mormonism’s true,
Then go yourself, I beg of you.
Don’t take me there, I will not go,
I’d rather spend my time below
With others who have left the church,
As Mormonism they besmirch,
For they will be a lot more fun,
And to me, that’s more like heaven.

© Diane Tingen, July 2010

Life is an interesting journey wherein we (hopefully) evolve to our true selves.  This quote by Dr. Seuss is very appropos to where I have arrived at this point in my journey.  Just being myself.  Something I never felt I could do when I was embroiled in Mormonism.  My journey took me through the bowels of Mormonism, but luckily, it also took me on a journey of self-discovery.  During that journey, I was forcefully hit on the head by the actual truth, making me realize that I had wasted far too many years on a religious organization that plays very fast and loose with the truth.

 
When I was a Mormon, I was essentially told to turn off my brain and just accept whatever was told to me.  But I don't believe that's what God wants us to do (if, in fact, there is a God, spoken from my now agnostic point of view).  IMO, we were equipped with brains so that we could think, examine and analyze - and decide what to believe and what not to believe.  To discern for ourselves. 

Just accepting things on face value without digging deeper is simply not wise.  The question of why I did that for so many years is something I am still asking myself.  But regardless of the answer to that question, I know for certain that I am being true to who I really am now - and that is priceless.

And although Dr. Seuss' writings seem as if they are all for children, so much of it is applicable in many ways to people in all stages of their lives.  Just like the quote by Dr. Seuss in this picture says, we all need to "Think left and think right and think low and think high," because "...the Thinks you can think up if you only try" are also priceless.  

FAITH vs. REASON

I've noticed the "vanity cards" that Chuck Lorre has put at the end of his TV shows over the years, but I recently became fascinated by them (during the time when 2-1/2 Men was cancelled for the rest of the 2010-2011 season, and the multiple interviews with Charlie Sheen).  Reading an article about Chuck Lorre in which it was stated that on 2/28/2011, a vanity card appeared at the end of the Mike & Molly episode, addressing rather esoterically the drama surrounding the "situation" led me to actually go to his website (http://www.chucklorre.com/) and read many of these vanity cards.  There's some very interesting thoughts on there, going back to 1999 when he first began writing them during the production of Dharma & Greg.  Most are humorous to a certain degree, and many are filled with some very thought-provoking statements.

On 11/2/1999, the following vanity card (#42) appeared after that evening's episode of Dharma & Greg.  It talks about faith, and in reading it, I began to consider the topic of faith in a broader sense.  Here's the wording from that vanity card:

Thirty thousand feet in the air. Strapped into a seat that doubles as a flotation device. Thinking about faith. Faith in airplanes. In jet engines. In pilots. Faith that the sullen, unshaven guy across the aisle isn't the mindless pawn of a master terrorist with a deep hatred for America, the Great Satan. Then, assuming a safe landing, faith that the cabbie didn't have a fight with his adulterous wife who hides her deceit behind sly jokes about his unremarkable sexual prowess forcing him to soothe his anguish with that fifth of Jim Beam he keeps stashed beneath the seat. And, of course, faith that the doorknob leading out of the public bathroom isn't tainted with a flesh-eating bacteria that came to Earth imbedded in a small, flat meteorite that some unsuspecting child picked up to skip across the surface of a lake. Yes, faith is a wonderful thing. Without it, this world would surely be a fearful place. Once again, thanks for reading my vanity card. Have a nice day.

Faith is a fascinating subject.  At first when I read Chuck Lorre's vanity card, I thought that what he was talking about wasn't really faith.  But actually, the word faith has a much broader meaning than I realized.

Here below is the definition for FAITH from Dictionary.com:

FAITH
- noun
1.  Confidence or trust in a person or thing; faith in another's ability.
2.  Belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.
3.  Belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: the firm faith of the Pilgrims.
4.  Belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.; to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty.
5.  A system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.
6.  The obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.:  Failure to appear would be breaking faith.
7.  The observation of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise, oath, allegiance, etc.: He was the only one who proved his faith during our recent troubles.
8.  Christian Theology.  The trust in God and His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.

Interesting.  So in Chuck Lorre's vanity card, where he talks about having faith in airplanes, jet engines, and pilots, as well as his talk about cabbie's dispositions or issues related to terrorism, are all a form of faith.  The word faith actually has a much broader definition that I realized.

Of course, the reason for my confusion probably has to do with the fact that my main connection with the word FAITH always had to do with Mormonism.  But of course, Mormons are are essentially told to have "blind faith" since they are to follow everything without question -- suspending all reason in the process.  To me, having "blind faith" is not wise in any sense of the word.

I believe that when facts are shown to contradict what you are being told to believe, it is not faith anymore, but rather denial.  That is where I found myself in relation to Mormonism.  Once I discovered the truth about Mormonism, having faith in it anymore became an impossibility.

The following quote by Patrick Overton denotes a form of blind faith:

“When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.”
 

That type of faith is baseless, having no foundation in any kind of reality.  To me, it is unreasonable to have faith in that form.

On the other hand, the following quote by Galileo Galilei makes a lot more sense to me: 

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forego their use."

This is  exactly how I feel about Faith vs. Reason.  Why would God give us a brain if he didn't intend for us to use it?  It simply does not compute for me.  Why does the Mormon Church even have any educational institutions (like BYU) if they don't want people to learn to use their brains?  What a paradox.

The following is an excerpt from an article entitled "Is Blind Faith Immoral?  On Faith vs. Reason" by Robert Kaiser, which is contained on the Religious Tolerance website, http://www.religioustolerance.org/: 

Many people, like this author, require a firmer basis for their beliefs than a blind appeal to authority. In fact, one can go further, and point out that it may well be immoral to have beliefs without a logical basis. Theodore Schick, Jr. and Lewis Vaughn discuss why this is so:

'Everybody's entitled to their own opinion' goes the platitude, meaning that everybody has the right to believe whatever they want. But is that really true? Are there no limits on what is permissible to believe? Or, as in the case of actions, are some beliefs immoral? Surprisingly, perhaps, many have argued that just as we have a moral duty not to perform certain sorts of actions, so we have a moral duty not to have certain sorts of beliefs. No one has expressed this point of view more forcefully than the distinguished mathematician W. K. Clifford: 'It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence.'

Others of similar stature have echoed this sentiment. Biologist Thomas Henry Huxley, for example, declared, 'It is wrong for a man to say that he is certain of the objective truth of any proposition unless he can produce evidence which logically justifies that certainty.' And Brand Blanshard has proclaimed that where great human goods and ills are involved, the distortion of belief from any sort of avoidable cause is immoral, and the more immoral the greater the stakes.

These men think it wrong for belief to outstrip the evidence because our actions are guided by our beliefs, and if our beliefs are mistaken, our actions may be misguided, As Blanshard indicated, the more important the decision, the greater our duty to align our beliefs with the evidence, and the greater the crime if we don't. Where not much hangs on the belief, it might be thought that what one believes has little importance. But Clifford claims that even in trivial matters we have a duty to proportion our belief to the evidence:

'Every time we let ourselves believe for unworthy reasons, we weaken our powers of self-control, of doubting, of judicially and fairly weighing evidence. We all suffer severely enough from the maintenance and support of false beliefs and the fatally wrong actions which they lead to.... But a greater and wider evil arises when the credulous character is maintained and supported, when a habit of believing for unworthy reasons is fostered and made permanent.'

According to Clifford, responsible believing is a skill that can be maintained only through constant practice. And since responsible believing is a prerequisite for responsible acting, we have a duty to foster this skill.

["How to Think About Weird Things: Critical Thinking for a New Age (second edition)", p.102, Theodore Schick, Jr. and Lewis Vaughn, Mayfield Publishing Co., 1999]

While this line of reasoning goes against what most religious people believe, I am firmly persuaded by the logic. Thus, we should not believe in God without reason. It seems, then, that we would be obligated to search for reasonable arguments to believe in God. Finding such reason we would be obliged to believe in God; lacking such reason we would be obliged to dismiss God's existence as a unproven hypothesis.

What Mr. Kaiser states here makes a lot of sense to me.  Finding a basis for belief through the use of such means as thought, research and analysis is a very reasonable approach for any person in arriving at a conclusion.  Simply believing because you are told to believe something is not reasonable to me.  It defies all logic. 

_________________________________

Naturally, in the end, my mind always turns to humor -- my defense mechanism, I suppose.  Can't be totally serious for too long.  So in a humorous vein, I also have to share these other great quotes about faith:

"Faith is what you have in things that don't exist."  Homer Simpson

"It ain't supposed to make sense; it's faith.  Faith is something that you believe that nobody in his right mind would believe."  Archie Bunker

BUT THAT'S UNAUTHORIZED!!!

Unauthorized questions.
Unauthorized curiosity.
Unauthorized thinking.
Unauthorized reasoning. 
Unauthorized research.
Unauthorized analysis. 
Unauthorized interpretation.

When our leaders speak,
the thinking has been done.

When the prophet speaks,
the debate is over.  Period.

It is so incredibly bizarre to me that all of the above is actually the Mormon mindset.  Of course, what is more bizarre is that I went along with it for so many years.  Looking back, though, I realize that I was struggling for a very long time, not content to simply accept what I was told.  After all, I have a brain, and I like to use it.  It's very useful is figuring out what to do in any given situation.  Except Mormonism.  Being a Mormon doesn't require a brain.

The following is an article written by N. Eldon Tanner entitled “The Debate Is Over” from the Ensign, August 1979 (as the First Presidency Message that month).

Recently, at the Churchwide fireside meeting held for the women of the Church, Young Women President Elaine Cannon made the following statement:  "When the Prophet speaks, … the debate is over" (Ensign, Nov. 1978, p. 108).

I was impressed by that simple statement, which carries such deep spiritual meaning for all of us. Wherever I go, my message to the people is: Follow the prophet. Why else has the Lord placed prophets on the earth throughout the dispensations of time? In his infinite wisdom, and as part of the plan of life and salvation for his children, God has given us the blueprint to follow, the leadership to direct us and keep us on course, and the Church organization to help us lay the foundation and develop the skills, or make the preparation necessary, to lead us back to our eternal home.

It is foolish to suppose that men can be left to their own devices and accomplish what God intended for them. That is just as unreasonable as it would be to leave a newborn babe on its own and expect it to learn to walk and talk and feed and clothe itself without assistance from those responsible for its care and training. A child so neglected and left alone would soon perish.

So it is with us. Without a knowledge and understanding of the gospel, or God’s plan for his children, we cannot live according to the law which is necessary for our salvation; and therefore, those who neglect their spiritual training or fail to heed the warning voice of the prophets will suffer a spiritual death.

It is difficult to understand why there are so many people who fight against the counsel of the prophet and for the preservation of the very things that will bring them misery and even death. As one example, let us consider the Word of Wisdom. Soon after the restoration of the gospel and organization of the Church, the Lord gave a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith which we call the Word of Wisdom. It warned that tea, coffee, alcohol, and tobacco, among other things, were not good for man, and should not be used by the Saints.

Now this was quite revolutionary at that time, for the use of these things was not considered detrimental to health. For many years after the revelation was given, people thought the Mormons peculiar because they abstained from these seemingly harmless substances. Then scientists began to discover many harmful effects of tobacco, and today we are made increasingly aware of the health hazards caused by the use of tobacco, tea, coffee, and alcohol, with additional warnings about the risks involved for the unborn children of pregnant women.

Latter-day Saints should be able to accept the words of the prophets without having to wait for science to prove the validity of their words. We are most fortunate to have a living prophet at the head of the Church to guide us, and all who heed his counsel will be partakers of the promised blessings which will not be enjoyed by those who fail to accept his messages.

Today there are many issues under debate as controversies rage all around us. It should be evident to all that we need divine direction, as men and women who argue their causes seem to be unable to come to workable or peaceable solutions. It is sad indeed that the world does not know or accept the fact that in our midst is a prophet through whom God can direct the solution of world problems.

True Latter-day Saints have no such dilemma. They know that the messages of the prophet have come from the Lord and have the concurrence of all the General Authorities, who are men of vision and integrity, and who themselves try to keep in tune with deity. They are not, as some would suggest, following blindly and acting without their own agency to speak and think for themselves. Through prayer to our Heavenly Father each of us can have the assurance that the course we choose has his divine approval.

Why should there be any debate over the moral issues which are confounding the world today? From the beginning God has made his position very clear in regard to marriage, divorce, family life and love of children, immorality, chastity, virtue, and the high and holy role of women. Through his prophet today he reiterates the Old and New Testament teachings which are clear on these matters.

History and experience have proven that whenever and wherever there is departure from following the word of the Lord, calamity occurs. Civilizations have fallen; there has been general and individual destruction; there have been weeping and wailing and great sorrow; there have been famine and pestilence. Only Satan and his cohorts have been left to rejoice. He is the author of the debates on moral issues. He has sworn to thwart the purposes of God. He it is who deceives and lays in wait to promote his cunning schemes, promising the riches of this world as a reward to those who follow him.

To gain these riches many engage in the debates on moral issues. The alcohol and tobacco industries and dealers in pornography are accumulating great wealth at the expense of the people and to the detriment of their health. With all the evidence of child pornography, it is deplorable that any parent would allow any child to be so exploited. Some children are being neglected and abused because their mothers are seeking worldly pleasures and careers outside the home. Many fathers are more concerned with their financial success than with the welfare of their wives and children.

We must turn all this about. We cannot serve God and mammon. Whose side are we on? When the prophet speaks, the debate is over.

________________________________

Really?  When I read that article, it absolutely blew my mind that I ever bought into such narrow-minded, dogmatic drivel.  Not thinking, but rather just accepting everything that is said by a supposed Propet of God of a religion that is built on lies, deception, cover-ups and contradictions.  Not me.  Not now.  Not ever.