WHY THE DECEPTION? LDS Hymn Parody #47

Short and to the point.  Just like the original LDS hymn/children's song - at least in its length, but obviously not in its point.

WHY THE DECEPTION?
Sung to the tune of Keep the Commandments, #303

Why the deception?  Why the deception?
The lies are apparent, of this I am sure.
Look at the history, look at the history,
Ugly and sordid, Why the deception?
The lies are apparent for sure.

© Diane Tingen, 11/29/2011

WHAT REALLY GRINDS MY GEARS

1.  MORMONISM.  Obviously.
I mean, just read this blog...

2.  LIES.  Being lied to really irritates me.  And what's worse than being lied to is finding out you've been lied to and deceived.  That really grinds my gears!!  Of course, this "pet peeve" is directly correlated to #1 above.

3.  IGNORANCE.  The definition of the word "Ignorance" is lack of knowledge, information or education.  The context in which I am using it is to mean people who lack knowledge or information and yet parrot a position just because they have been told that they should feel a certain way.  People have brains for a reason.  So I really wish they would think for themselves and make up their own minds - and then have the guts to speak up.  And when a position that a person has taken has been shown to be ridiculous, they should have the good sense to admit that they were wrong.  Of course, admitting that a person doesn't know something from the get-go is a good position to take and shows some character.  But unfortunately, ignorant people tend to stick to their guns, no matter what.  Not a good position to take.  And of course, IGNORANCE seems to plague many members of the Mormon Church.  (Another direct correlation to #1 above.)

4.  NARROW-MINDEDNESS.  People who dismiss everything that they don't understand or have been told is WRONG usually do so because they are NARROW-MINDED.  Of course, this characteristic usually goes along with IGNORANCE.  People really should make up their own minds - and they shouldn't adopt an attitude simply because their religion tells them to believe a certain way.  Dismissing entire groups of people because they don't dress "appropriately," are a different race, are gay or lesbian, or whatever, is very petty.  Unfortunately, I think religion does this to a lot of people when it should be teaching people to be tolerant of each other and understanding of other people's differences.  And again, NARROW-MINDEDNESS seems to run rampant with a lot of people who are embroiled in Mormonism.  Yet another direct correlation to #1 above.

5.  JUDGMENTAL PEOPLE.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of JUDGMENTAL people in the world.  And a lot of them are Christian (and Mormon), which is surprising since in the Biblical scriptures they rely on it specifically says to Judge Not, that ye be not judged (Matthew 7:1-5).   That scripture (and directive) seems rather straightforward, so I don't understand why it seems to be lost on a lot of people.  But sadly, so many Christians and Mormons seem to go around passing judgment on everyone and everything.  Yes, another correlation to #1 above.

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE ARE THINGS BESIDES MORMONISM (and related topics) THAT REALLY GRIND MY GEARS... such as...

6.  NEGATIVITY.  People who are always pessimistic are a real downer, and I have a real hard time being around people like that.  Doomsayers.  Nitpickers.  Energy Vampires, sucking the life out of everything.  Always complaining.  Always putting other people down.  Always sure that something horrible is going to happen.  Seemingly never able to just enjoy life and go with the flow.  I was married to a man like that... and that's one of the reasons why he's now my ex-husband...

7.  RUDENESS and INCONSIDERATION.  Some people only think about themselves and seem to have little regard for others in the world - and they also seem to have no concept of the effect of things they do or say on other people.  Of course, those types of attitudes also apply to public transportation.  Lately, since I began taking the train to work, these types of attitudes have really hit me when people take up an entire seat, and when asked to move their stuff (and body) so someone else can sit down, they get all huffy (which has happened to me more than once or twice).  I asked a woman to move over this morning, and you would have thought I was asking her for a kidney!!  She reluctantly moved but left her rather lage purse in the middle of the seat, so that when I sat down, I was hanging off the seat.  So I asked her to move her purse, and again, she got all huffy, said "Well, excuse me" rather loudly, and then got up and moved.  Is it too much to ask that people take one seat on a bus or train?  And not to pile the other half of the seat high with their paraphernalia?  I mean, unless they've bought two seats, they shouldn't be taking up two seats, particularly when there are people standing.  And when I said something to that effect, a lady across the aisle from me butted me and said, "Well, there are still a lot of empty seats."  OK, there were empty seats - but most of them were the backwards seat, and I can't sit in those because of my vertigo problems.  So that left the forward seats, all of which were occupied by at least one person.  But why should I have to explain that?  And why did this women have to butt in a situation that didn't involve her in the first place?  Some people need to learn the concept of minding their own business - not speaking unless (and until) they are spoken to.

8.  LACK OF SAYING "THANK YOU."  It really irritates me when I hold a door open for someone, and they just breeze right through without saying thank you.  Or when I let another car in a long line of cars and the gesture is not recognized (with a nod of a head or the wave of a hand... or something).  Or I hold the elevator door for someone who is coming, and they get on the elevator without saying a word.  It's as if the person feels entitled to nice gestures from the people around them, but they don't have to acknowledge it.  Of course, on the other hand, perhaps I shouldn't feel like I need a "thank you" and should just do random acts of kindmess without expecting anything in return.  Guess I'm not that big of a person.  Perhaps something I should work on...

9.  CELL PHONES ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.   I mean, really... do they think we want to hear their entire conversation?  their lengthy gabber??  their loud laughter???  Particularly when the conversation is obviously very private.  I would never have the gall to carry on a very long, very loud conversation (or a private one) on a bus or a train, but some people don't seem to think anything of it.  How unbelievably rude.

10.  PEOPLE WHO TAKE UP TWO PARKING SPACES.  Or park very crooked... I mean, were they on drugs when they parked their car?  Or when people park their cars so far over the line that when you arrive to get your car, you can't get in the driver's side and have to crawl through the passengers side.  Wow, that's irritating!!

11.  TAILGATING.  Drivers who tailgate cars at excessive speeds, which is a problem everywhere but was a huge problem when I was living in Georgia.  Seriously, Atlanta has the worse traffic of anywhere I have lived (and I lived in Los Angeles for 30 years).  The drivers in Georgia are absolutely maniacs, and they tailgate like nobody's business.  Traffic is better out here in Colorado... not perfect, but much better.

12.  BEING A PEDESTRIAN.  Not that I don't like to walk - I do.  But I hate it when I'm out walking, and approaching me is a group of 3 or 4 people walking in my direction, taking up the entire sidewalk and not moving over when they see me coming.  Or people walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk, making me have to bob and weave my way through them.  Rules of the road apply to sidewalks as well.  People are supposed to walk on the right side of a sidewalk, just like a car.  And they aren't supposed to take up the entire sidewalk (just as they wouldn't take up the entire freeway).  Somebody needs to clue in a lot of people.  Of course, being a pedestrian who wants to cross an interesection can be a tricky proposition as well.  In Atlanta, there were many situations where I practically got run-down while crossing a street.  And there were several times when people actually honked their horns at me and then began yelling for me to "hurry up."  Very frustrating, especially since it wasn't like I was crossing at a snail's speed.  Being a pedestrian in Atlanta is basically taking your life in your hands.  Being a pedestrian in in Denver is better - not perfect, but much better.  But overall, the world is in too much of a hurry these days (especially in the South - and Southern Hospitality is all but dead at this point).

13.  BICYCLES IN DOWNTOWN DENVER.  I think it's great that so many people ride bicycles in downtown Denver.  They're healthy and in shape, which is great.  BUT... most of them think they can ride their bicycles however and wherever they want.  They think no rules apply to them whatsoever.  They ride their bikes through interesections with pedestrians... with cars... against red lights... against traffic... with cars coming... with trains coming... very dangerous (and annoying).  I really wish they would decide in what category they want to be and stick with it - and not think that all categories apply to them across the board.

14.  APOSTROPHE ABUSE.  I'm not the Puncutation Police or the Grammar Nazi (or the Spelling Czar), but really, some people need to get a clue.  Look at this website and then tell me I'm wrong.  Here's a preview...

Of course, this example is rife with grammar and punctuation problems - and it should read, "Pumps are not taking Debit Cards.  Please fill up gas and pay inside with your Debit Card or use as Credit at pump.  Thank you.  Sorry for inconvenience."

The other common error in punctuation and/or grammar that really grinds my gears is the misuse of IT'S and ITS.  As explained on the Better at English website at this link, it's (with an apostrophe) means it is or it has (as in "It's very hot outside" or "It's been raining for hours now").  On the other hand, Its (without an apostrophe) is the possessive form of the pronoun it, which is used when talking about something belonging to an IT (as in "Colorado is known for its great skiing").  I guess being a legal secretary for over 35 years has made me very conscious of proper grammar and punctuation.  The upside is that it has made me a good proofreader.  The downside is that seeing misusages like this really grind my gears.

15.  TV COMMERCIALS.  I like watching TV, but when commercials come on, most of them really irritate me.  First of all, they are usually way too loud and practically blast me out of my seat.  And a lot of them are completely inane.  I mean, REALLY... some of the advertisers must think that they are playing to a group of 5 year olds, not grown adults who have the power to make or break them based on whether they are able to sell their product to them.  Of course, there are some good TV commercials, especially around Super Bowl time.  But regardless of how good or bad the commercials are, they tend to overplay them to the point where I want to scream.  And that really grinds my gears!!

16.  TV SHOWS.  There are a lot of ridiculous TV shows as well.  Particularly in the situation comedy category.  Right now, they are in the process of advertising the new Fall TV Schedule, and it amazes me just how many ridiculous shows are coming on next month.  The quality of TV shows just never seems to improve from year to year.  Of course, here are some good shows on TV (even in the situation comedy category), but they are far and few between.  Sometimes I think it's better to just watch reruns - like Seinfeld, Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, Sex and the City, MASH, and so on.  Perhaps there should be a moratorium on new TV shows, and they should be required to just play reruns of good old TV shows... on which the public votes... 

17.  MOVIE SEQUELS - AND REMAKES.  Truly, I think there should be a law that before a sequel to a movie can be made, the public should vote on it - and that law should apply to remakes as well.  I mean, did Rocky really need so many sequels?  Or Rambo?  Or Dumb and Dumber... I mean, really? - Dumb and Dumberer?  And did Conan the Barbarian really need a remake?  I mean, they already made a sequel, Conan the Destroyer, and now they thought it was a good idea to remake the movie entirely?  Plus did there really need to be so many Planet of the Apes movies?  Did Ocean's Eleven really need a remake and a sequel?  And I just heard that they're going to do a remake of Dirty Dancing.  Of course, they already did a sequel of Dirty Dancing called Havana Nights, which bombed - so what would possess them to do a remake of the original iconic movie?  I guess Hollywood is running out of ideas, so they keep recycling old movie plots.  Talk about beating a dead horse.  Of course, this rule should also apply to "prequels" (and yes, I'm talking about Star Wars... the first 3 movies were great, but then they do 3 more as "prequels"???  Not a good move).  Seriously, there ought to be a law...

18.  VAMPIRE MOVIES AND TV SHOWS.  Enough already.  Seriously.  Please stop it.

Of course, I could go on, but instead, I'll refer you to what is termed as the Web's Largest List of Pet Peeves.  Very long list, and some good (and very funny) stuff.

Based on the foregoing, I guess it would probably be a good idea for me to just lock myself in a room somewhere and not go outside.  Then I wouldn't have to deal with all the idiots in the world.  But then, I wouldn't be able to rant either... at least, about all this stuff... 

By now, you may have figured out that the above picture (What Really Grinds my Gears) is from Family Guy.  Or perhaps not, if you've never watched this extremely funny (and rather irreverent) cartoon series.  During one segment, Peter Griffin began doing a news feature about What Really Grinds My Gears, and naturally, he dissolved into rants about ridiculous subjects.  Absurd, but funny...

But then, Peter Griffin is Peter Griffin, and ranting about absurdities and ridiculous subjects is just what Peter does (and it's very funny in this context).  But Peter Griffin is a cartoon character, and Family Guy is a TV show/cartoon series - not reality.  One would think that modern society could rise above this type of behavior... unfortunately, though, that's not always the case...


http://www.fox.com/familyguy/



IT AMAZES ME WHEN I LOOK BACK...

PEACE OUT

It amazes me when I look back
That I didn’t have a heart attack
From always trying to just conform
To the randomness of Mormondom.
Finally seeing that it makes no sense
Made me face the fact it’s just pretense.
Deceptive doctrines, a stack of lies,
Sordid history they can't disguise.

Mormonism is a dead-end street
Lined with numerous lies and deceit.

You can’t do this, and you can’t do that,
Compliance is clearly where’s it at.
Obedience, no deviation,
Follow every instruction given.
That mindset would have been my demise,
Since no middle ground or compromise
Is acceptable within the lines
Of Mormonism as it entwines
Its web of lies into families,
Blurring its limits and boundaries.

And now, I’m happy just being me,
Not what they expected me to be.
An ExMormon to my very core,
No longer the sheep I was before.

Not content to be lead around,
Astonished by all the lies I found
Laced in Mormonism, through and through,
Very glad I finally got a clue.
Life is too short to be miserable,
And being free is phenomenal.

But I know what the Mormons will say,
That I've thrown eternal life away,
Separated from my family
Is how I'll spend all eternity.
Condescending, as they chastise me,
Saying that happy I cannot be.
Wickedness never was happiness,
And my sins I will have to confess,
My true happiness is a concept
That they simply refuse to accept.

So "Peace Out" has new meaning for me,
And I can say undeniably

That being free to be who I am
And not just following the program
Is a priceless gift, its own reward,
So many options to be explored.
No longer plagued by suffocation,
Or feeling like there's a huge burden
Looming over me, about to fall,
As I bang my head against a wall.

Yes, I’ve taken the apostate route,
And though the Mormons may scream and shout
About the straight and narrow way to God,
I know that Mormonism is a fraud
Invented to exercise control,
A fake religion without a soul.
The truth is out there to be found,
So glad I got out before I drowned.
I am, beyond a shadow of a doubt,
Truly happy now, and so... PEACE OUT!!!

© Diane Tingen, 7/28/2011

HOW SKEWED IS THE DOCTRINE - LDS Hymn Parody #33

Sometimes I feel like I've become like a broken record, and that people who read this blog just think, "yeah, yeah... lies, deception, contradictions, blah, blah, blah..."  Of course, I'm sure that is pretty close to what TBMs who come here think (because some have actually told me so).  In fact, one TBM who came on here told me, "...your claim to intelligent reasoning seems a tad flat. It seems that your reasoning and investigations have developed a partisan approach that many disenchanted Mormons frequently and unintentionally employ. Your flippant discourse is telling."  Like I responded to this person, I am not trying to be "flippant."  I just think people should use their brains and not rely on what others have told them to believe.  And as far as the label of "disenchanted Mormon" goes, I am an ExMormon, having worked my way through the arena of "disenchantment" many years ago, arriving at the point where I saw Mormonism for what it is and opted against being further associated with a supposed religious organization that plays so fast and loose with the truth.

The fact is that Mormon doctrine is filled with lies, and so is its depiction of its history.  Because of that, I think it is important for everyone to examine the history and doctrine more closely, and not to simply accept what it is they are told to believe.  You know, the Mormon Party Line.  Deciding things for yourself is very important as is critical thinking.  When a person accepts what is told to them rather than doing any research or investigation on their own, they are giving up their own power.  If they decide to accept something despite the problems, at least they know the problems and are making a conscoius decision.  After all, some people are able to work their way through the problems and issus to arrive at conclusions that are suitable for themselves despite all the gray areas.  Others (like me) are more into black-and-white thinking and require factual justification for what they believe.  On a couple of the discussion boards that I visit from time to time, I've been told that simply because there are lies laced through Mormonism, including its history, it doesn't mean that it isn't a legitimate religion because all religions are composed of lies.  I don't understand that logic, and I don't see how that makes the lies okay, but at least these people are thinking and not simply relying on what others have told them.

Of course, in my opinion, the most blatant example of relying simply on what a person is told is LDS missionaries.  True, some of them know the actual truth and preach the gospel in spite of it, either due to family/social pressures or the "gray area" thinking I spoke about above.  But there are many, many missionaries out there who do not know the actual history of the Mormon Church or its actual doctrines.  For instance, most do not know the actual truth behind polygamy, the fact that Joseph Smith had 33 wives, or the fact that polyandry was practiced by Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, and others (in that they married women who were already married to living husbands).  When faced with this fact, they say it didn't happen, and that polygamy started with Brigham Young on the Trek West to help widows and orphans (which is what I was told growing up and believed for way too long).  This false scenario came clearly into view one day when I went on http://www.mormon.org/ and visited the link to chat with missionaries.  During that visit, I chatted with a missionary named Elliott and asked him what could be the justification for polyandry being practiced - and he denied that it had ever been practiced.  When I told him that it is verified on the Mormon Church's own genealogy website, http://www.familysearch.org/, he asked me for a link.  And when I gave it to him, he disappeared for over 5 minutes and then came back and said he was going to have to get back to me about that. 

Elliott was obviously blind-sided - and I can understand that feeling because I bought the official Mormon version of polygamy for many years, until I began doing my own research and discovered the truth behind it all.   I'm sure that if I were to go back on the missionary chat line again and ask about the varying version of the First Vision, mentioning the fact that there are at least 9 different versions that were told at various times, that I would get the same type of answer - "that's simply not true, and if there are variations, it's only because these versions were told to different people at different times who remembered them differently."  Yes, that is what I was told for many years - and unfortunately, I bought that explanation until I began doing my own research on that topic as well as many others.

So my advice is this:  Do your own research.  Do not rely on what you are told.  And do not be a Mormon as depicted in the Book of Mormon Musical who "just believes" despite all the mounting evidence.

And in that vein, here is my latest hymn parody based (again) on this theme...

HOW SKEWED IS THE DOCTRINE
Sung to the tune of How Firm a Foundation, #85

How skewed is the doctrine presented as His Word,
And what Mormons preach is so patently absurd.
What more can I say than to you I have said,
Beware of the Mormons, beware of the Mormons,
Beware of the Mormons, and don’t be misled.

For most of my life, I adhered to what they taught,
But now, looking back, I can see that I was caught.
For I could not see that it’s simply not true.
The lies and deception, the lies and deception,
The lies and deception I finally saw through.

They’ll tell you that it is the one true church of God,
But if you look deeper, you’ll see that it’s a fraud.
Just look at the facts, and it all will be plain.
The truth is apparent, the truth is apparent,
The truth is apparent, no questions remain.

© Diane Tingen, 7/25/2011

DON'T ACCEPT IT - LDS Hymn Parody #32

Being led down the garden path is a very interesting (and descriptive) phrase.  In doing some research on its origin, I found the following two explanations for it:

First, from Cliche Web:

This may have its origin in the story of Adam and Eve in the Bible when Satan convinces them that it's okay to eat from the tree of knowledge. Obviously, they were deceived.

And second, from Wikitionary:

Verb

to lead someone down the garden path

(idiomatic) To deceive, hoodwink

'It was thought that the early origins of the idiom was founded on the tendency for one village to marry off their unsuccessful brides to unknowing bachelors. The superstition of the groom not being able to see his veiled bride until the marriage proclamation had been made was widely practiced. To that end the bride remained veiled throughout the ceremony. When the veil was lifted, the groom would learn that he had been married to a stranger. Many ceremonies took place in private gardens and as such the tendency to deceive with intent had evolved to the idiom of leading someone down the garden path.' 

Regardless of its origin, though, my strong feeling is that this phrase as it is used today (meaning misguided, misled and/or deceived) is very applicable to the Mormon Church in that they attempt to present a very different picture than what is true in reality.  For instance, when someone is "investigating" the church, taking the missionary lessons, there are many things that are never mentioned - such as the very sordid history of the church, the truth behind polygamy and polyandry, the way in which the Book of Mormon was supposedly translated, the actual facts surrounding what Mormons present as the religious martyrdom of its Founder and first Prophet Joseph Smith, the fact that there are at least 9 versions of the First Vision, the facts surrounding the Book of Abraham, etc., etc.  I won't go into detail about all of these matters here, but will refer you instead to the book I have written regarding my issues with Mormonism (which is included on this blog).

Although the Mormon Church paints an enticing picture of its religion, and holds itself out to be "the one and only true church on the face of the earth," the garden path of Mormonism is very definitely a dead-end street that is paved with lies, deception, and contradictions (IMO, of course).

And this is the theme of my latest hymn parody...

DON'T ACCEPT IT
Sung to the tune of Count Your Blessings, #241

When I was a Mormon, I believed it all,
Bought into each detail, whether big or small.
I was so compliant, never questioned it,
Till I finally saw what I could not admit.

(Chorus)

Don’t accept it all on what they say,
Don’t buy into all the games they play.
Don’t accept it, simply do the math,
Don’t just let them lead you down the garden path.

Mormonism’s founder, namely Joseph Smith,
Made up this religion, it’s just one big myth.
From the Book of Mormon to the D&C,
He created scriptures, it’s so plain to see.

(Chorus)

Don’t accept it all on what they say,
Don’t buy into all the games they play.
Don’t accept it, simply do the math,
Don’t just let them lead you down the garden path.

From the phony doctrines to the history,
Mormonism’s not what it purports to be.
So when I began to research on my own,
It began to seem just like the Twilight Zone.

(Chorus)

Mormonism is a web of lies,
True religion is its fake disguise.
Mormonism, don’t be taken in,
There’s deception underneath the lies they spin.

It is so apparent if you study it,
Just like it unraveled for me, bit by bit,
Look at every element objectively,
And you will be shocked by all the lies you see.

(Chorus)

Mormonism is a total fraud,
Many lies behind its slick façade.
Mormonism, quickly run away,
Don’t accept a single word of what they say.

© Diane Tingen, 7/20/2011

AND THE MORMONS JUST BELIEVE - LDS Hymn Parody #24

JUST BELIEVE.  Ah yes, that's what Mormons do, with almost a child-like naiveté.  They don't seem to care what evidence there is against their beliefs being true - they "just believe" anyway.

The tendency to "just believe" no matter what seems to be embedded in Mormons everywhere, and is (very cleverly) highlighted in a song entitled I Believe from the Book of Mormon Musical.  One of my favorite parts of that song is, "I am a Mormon, and dang it, a Mormon just believes."  IMO, that sums up the Mormon mindset, very succintly.

Another part of that song says, "Now I must be completely devout, I can't have even one shred of doubt."  Of course, that statement is true of Mormons as well - and I think that's one of the major causes of their rigidness.  If they have "even one shred of doubt," they seem to become even more immovable and inflexible, as though they are convinced that if they voice their concerns and doubts, then they will be struck down.  Personally, I think it's very important to be able to voice your concerns and doubts, and have someone reason through your questions with you.  My father, on the other hand, was a very dogmatic, pious Mormon who "just believed."  And when I would voice my concerns and doubts to him, he would tell me "not to feel that way" and to "just believe."  That seemed to be his reply for many things, and those types of responses were always very frustrating for me.

So the below hymn parody is my take on the Mormon tendency to simply "just believe," and I think it is very apropos set to the tune of Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel...

AND THE MORMONS JUST BELIEVE
Sung to the tune of Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel, #252

The church is full of mindless sheep,
Who seem to be naïve.
They simply do as they are told,
And the Mormons just believe.

(Chorus)
Yes, the Mormons just believe, it is true.
They are told the things to say and to do.
They all conform, it is the norm,
And the Mormons just believe.

The world outside may pressure them,
As they try to deceive.
But faithfully, they look away,
Yes, the Mormons just believe.

(Chorus)
And the Mormons just believe all the lies,
As they close their minds to truth in disguise.
It is a crock, that’s not a shock,
But the Mormons just believe.

With heart and soul, they follow close
All counsel they receive.
They’re told to jump, they ask how high,
Yes, the Mormons just believe.

(Chorus)

And the Mormons just believe what they’re told,
Though it’s obvious the lies they are sold.

No matter what, their mouths are shut,

For the Mormons just believe.

The web of lies is very clear,
But they cannot conceive
That all of it was just made up,
No, the Mormons just believe.

(Chorus)

And the Mormons just believe through it all,
Though it’s written very clear on the wall,
A pile of shit, it’s not legit,
But the Mormons just believe.

© Diane Tingen, 7/1/2011

In my opinion, this is a much better idea...

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.

ONWARD, ALL EX MORMONS - LDS Hymn Parody #21

Even though I left the church a little over 7 years ago, it took me several years after that to begin to become vocal about my disaffection from Mormonism.  In fact, I didn't even visit any ExMormon type of websites until late 2008 - and I left the church in 2004.  Looking back at that time frame, I now realize that I could have benefited from the insights of others who had left the church - and not felt so alone in my disaffection.  But I also realize that the reason I did not go on those types of websites back then was because I thought the people there were "angry apostate" types, and weren't necessarily telling the real truth about Mormon history, teachings or doctrine - and since I was conditioned in all my years as a Mormon to avoid those types of situations, I held onto that mindset even after leaving Mormonism.  You know, the whole "Anti-Mormon Propaganda" spiel.  After all, the programming runs deep - and the brainwashing is difficult to counteract.

The first time I ever went on ExMormon.org (and the Recovery from Mormonism discussion board) was in December 2008.  I had gone to my brother's house for Thanksgiving dinner, and after dinner he wanted to show me all the genealogy he had submitted to the Mormon Church's genealogy website, http://www.familysearch.org/.  Our mother had done a lot of genealogy before her death in 1977 (going back into the 1100's or so), and after her death my brother took it over and did quite a bit more, going back even further.  Of course, with the advent of the internet, he eventually submitted all that both he and my mother had done, and he was very proud of his accomplishments.  It was quite interesting to see how far back he had gotten some of our lines, and the fact that our ancestral lines include Dutch, English, French and Swedish blood.  Also, included in our ancestors are Princess Diana and some other royal blood, which I also found interesting.

In the process of showing me our genealogy on the Mormon Church's genealogy website,  http://www.familysearch.org/, he taught me how to find my way around it.  So a couple of weeks later, I decided to go back on the website and look at Joseph Smith's pedigree chart.  Of course, I had already done quite a bit of research about Joseph Smith and knew about his polygamous ways (as well as the fact that at the time of his death, he was married to 33 women).  In fact, issues related to Polygamy had always bothered me, and during my research, I had discovered some of the truth behind Polygamy, including the fact that Joseph Smith had married 10 teenage girls (including one as young as 14 named Helen Mar Kimball) and the fact that he lied about the practice of polygamy numerous times.  In fact, one of my favorite quotes of Joseph Smith is this one: 

"...What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one. I am the same man, and as innocent as I was fourteen years ago; and I can prove them all perjurers." (History of the Church, vol 6, p. 411) 

This statement was made by Joseph Smith as he was preaching from the stand in Nauvoo on Sunday, May 26, 1844.  This was a month before his death - and at that time, Joseph Smith had 33 plural wives.

Was it okay for him to lie about his practice of polygamy?  No, it wasn't.  In fact, on June 8, 1844, when the Nauvoo Expositor newspaper was printed and distributed, and the story ran publicly exposing the truth about Joseph Smith's practice of polygamy, was it okay for Joseph Smith to order the destruction of the printing press and the burning of the building in which it was housed?  No, definitely not.  Those acts are why he was arrested and why he was incarcerated in Carthage Jail, where he was killed by gunshot from a mob on June 27, 1844.  Of course, when I discovered this, I realized that Joseph Smith was not a martyr, but rather a criminal.  For him to be "praised" and held out as a martyr by the Mormon Church is extremely deceptive.

And after polygamy was outlawed and the Manifesto was issued in 1890, was it okay for other Mormon prophets and apostles to lie about their involvement in polygamy?  No, definitely not.  They agreed to stop polygamy in order for Utah to become a state, but history shows that they continued to practice it until at least 1910.  And when they were questioned about it, they simply lied. 

When I began to look around this genealogy website (created and operated by the Mormon Church), I saw all the women's names who had married Joseph Smith.  Several of the names had links - and when I drilled down below these names, I discovered that they were married to other men when they married Joseph Smith.  This was the beginnings of my discovery of Polyandry, and that aspect of the practice of Polygamy truly stunned me.  Truly, I was flabbergasted, not only due to my discovery of this, but again, because I had never in all my years as a Mormon, heard anything about Polyandry before.  This aspect of my research is discussed in great detail in the book I have written, which is found on this blog.

It was after that when I first went on http://www.exmormon.org/ - and I was guided there by a Google search which included a link to an article on Polyandry written by Bob McCue.  This article was a huge revelation for me, and although I had already left the church due to my many other issues, the information about Polyandry was an additional eye-opener in my disaffection from the Mormon Church.  To think that I was a member of the Mormon Church for 52 years and never knew about Joseph Smith marrying women who were already married to living husbands is mind-boggling to me.  But of course, the reason I didn't know is because the Mormon Church tries very hard to cover up this kind of information.  They say they don't hide it, that the history has always been open to whoever wants to know about it, but the reality is that the majority of members of the Mormon Church do not know about the details of most of what happened in the beginnings of Mormonism because they just don't talk about it.  And usually when they do hear about it, they write it off as "Anti-Mormon Propaganda."

After my first time visiting the website http://www.exmormon.org/, I went on their discussion board - Recovery from Mormonism.  Over the next year or so, I spent a good amount of time reading and commenting on various threads.  Eventually, I found http://www.postmormon.org/ and regularly visited their discussion board as well.  That is where I found out about the annual ExMormon Foundation Conference, and I went to one last year for the first time (October 2010).  It was great meeting a lot of the people with whom I had been exchanging messages on the discussion boards, and I consider many of these people to now be my very good friends. 

After that, I was invited to join a couple of Facebook discussion groups, and I have met some other amazing people on there - Former Mormons, PostMormons, ExMormons, others who are questioning Mormonism, and still others who know for certain that the church is not true but are still going to church because of family pressures (sometimes called Shadow Mormons).  I have become very close "cyber-friends" with many of these people, and am planning on meeting many of them at the next ExMormon Foundation Conference in October 2011. 

 It has been quite a journey over the past 3 years.  Through it all, I have seen myself evolve from what I would consider a Former Mormon woman who kept quiet about what I had discovered, not having reached a point where I felt comfortable expressing my views, to a full-blown ExMormon who is very vocal about what I consider to be a destructive religious organization that deals very fast and loose with the truth.

And so, here is my latest hymn parody... a tribute to ExMormons everywhere...

ONWARD, ALL EXMORMONS

Sung to the tune of Onward, Christian Soldiers, #246

Onward, all ExMormons,
We’re no longer sheep.
Done with just believing,
And the lies so deep.
Blind belief no longer,
Finally got a clue,
And with all our knowledge,
We know it’s not true.

(Chorus)

Onward, all ExMormons,
We’re no longer sheep.
Done with just believing,
And the lies so deep.

With the many issues
Struggling as we did,
It was quite disturbing
To find what they hid.
History very sordid,
Teachings so bizarre,
Done with the denial,
We have come so far.

(Chorus)

Onward, all ExMormons,
We’re no longer sheep.
Done with just believing,
And the lies so deep.

Joseph Smith, a liar,
Con man all the way,
Charlatan and shyster,
Deception, his forte.
He was not a martyr,
As the Mormons say.
Just a phony Prophet
Feeding on his prey.

(Chorus)

Onward, all ExMormons,
We’re no longer sheep.
Done with just believing,
And the lies so deep.

There are many others
Still within the cult,
Trapped by their denial,
And as a result,
We must try to help them
Sort through all the lies,
Maybe through our efforts
Fraud they’ll recognize.

(Chorus)

Onward, all ExMormons,
We’re no longer sheep.
Done with just believing,
And the lies so deep.

© Diane Tingen, 6/23/2011

OH, WHY DID I BELIEVE IT? LDS Hymn Parody #19

Questions.  So many questions.

Looking for the answers...

And when I finally found those answers, it was like a light bulb going off in my head.

The ultimate AHA moment.

Of course, once I realized that the answers I was looking for were that the Mormon Church is a scam and a fraud, I began to ask myself why I had believed it for so long.  I'm sure part of the answer to that question is the fact that I was essentially born and raised Mormon.  My parents were baptized when I was a baby, so I was programmed from a very early age.   And when it comes right down to it, I'm sure there's a huge amount of brainwashing involved.  Otherwise, why would people adhere to such bizarre beliefs?  Such as believing that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, and that he translated the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham when there is so much evidence indicating that both are elaborate frauds, harvested either from the very vivid imagination of Joseph Smith and/or plagiarized (and very possibly a combination of both).  None of it makes any sense.  Applying common sense to the equation puts it into the realm of fantasy.  And yet, people believe it.  Including me, for a very long time.  Until I researched and studied independently, on my own, away from the "authorized areas."  That's when I discovered the actual truth, and began to feel very betrayed.  To put it plainly, I had been duped.

So that is the premise of my latest hymn parody.

OH, WHY DID I BELIEVE IT?

Sung to the tune of O God, the Eternal Father, #175

Oh, why did I believe it?
It really makes no sense.
And when I stopped to question,
That’s when I took offense
For all the years I suffered
In silence, fear and dread.
The Mormonism drivel
Was not just in my head.

The fact that I discovered
That lies are laced throughout
Its teachings, so deceptive,
Of that, I have no doubt.
If only I had researched
And read more on my own,
I would have found out sooner,
And not felt so alone.

Oh, why did I believe it?
Completely full of lies.
And with the lies uncovered,
There was no compromise.
This obvious deception
Cannot be merely veiled,
My eyes are finally open,
The camouflage has failed.

Oh, why did I believe it
When it is clearly skewed?
The contradictions blatant,
What else could I conclude?
I’ve gone from disenchanted
To some place far beyond,
Much more than disillusioned,
The truth for me has dawned.

But when I finally saw it,
I really felt betrayed,
The fact that I’d been living
Amid this big charade.
The light bulb shining brightly,
I finally knew the truth.
But I was very bitter
That it absorbed my youth.

The bitterness is gone now,
I’m going on with life.
The future’s looking brighter
Without the pain and strife
That Mormonism garnered
Within my heart and soul,
And though I greatly struggled,

I’m finally feeling whole.

© Diane Tingen, 6/21/2011

Oh, now I get it...

JUST USE YOUR BRAIN - LDS Hymn Parody #18

Although I left the Mormon Church a little over 7 years ago, there are many aspects of it that still puzzle me. After doing my own independent research, and discovering that what I once thought was the "one and only true church on the face of the earth" is actually built on a stack of lies, I have continued to find it very puzzling as to why there are so many intelligent people who strongly believe in its tenets. And that is one of my main remaining fascinations with Mormonism and its hold on people. Why do they continue to believe when it is seems to be very clear that it is not true? Why do they simply accept it, right down the line, relying on blind faith rather than actual reasoning? Why do they cite "feelings" as a supposed valid reason for their belief when there is a mountain of evidence against it being true? Why do they assume that "Anti-Mormon Propaganda" is the explanation for whatever negative stance is taken against the Mormon Church when in actuality what is being stated is valid information against Mormonism? Why don't members do their own independent research instead of just going along and deciding to "just believe"?  Very puzzling.

The membership of the Mormon Church is made up of a diverse array of people - and includes a wide spectrum of very educated people with advanced degrees (undergraduate, Master's Degrees, Ph.D's, Juris Doctors, Medical degrees, etc.) and people whose professions include doctors, lawyers, teachers, professors, and so on. So if the church is actually an elaborate web of lies, why do these types of obviously intelligent people continue to believe in it? For me, that is the ultimate question - and it fascinates me.

What it seems to come down to is that these types of people, who are true believers, apply one type of reasoning to their lives in general, and another one to their religion. Although they obviously apply critical thinking skills to situations in their careers and lives in general, the same degree of scrutiny is not applied to their religion. They very simply "just believe" without examining and/or analyzing their belief system. One example of that is a Mormon man who I have exchanged several messages with on Facebook - first in commenting on a friend's thread, and then in several PMs. He is a lawyer, and is obviously very intelligent. He writes very well, and obviously puts a lot of thought into his comments and messages. But he is also a very devout Mormon who does not, by any stretch of the imagination, apply the critical thinking skills that he was taught in law school to his religion. He cites the Mormon Party Line down the line, and defends each and every precept as if his life depends on it. I have asked him why, since he was taught critical thinking skills in law school, he does not give Mormonism the benefits of such skills and look at it with an examining eye.

In fact, in one of my comments, I asked him, "...you're obviously a very intelligent man, evident not only from your writings but also from the fact that you have a law degree and a clerkship at the USDC. I'm sure in law school you learned how to analyze and dissect information... to scrutinize ideas and concepts. I'm curious as to why you haven't applied that scrutiny to Mormonism, particularly since from the evidence, it appears to have been a hoax from the get-go."

And this was his reply: "@Diane: Well, someone did their homework. There are two answers to your question: When it comes to my unquantifiable testimony, I can’t scrutinize it adequately. If you can’t tell, I’m obsessed with having good information and properly identifying what assumptions are being made to make a premise hold or fail. Regardless of what you believe, there are some real complexities to the human experience that simply can’t be analyzed rationally because the occurrences that happen would otherwise be irrational, except that they really happen. What that means for me is there is information that is unavailable. There’s stuff that I can’t sort out in my head. And in all the teachings of the Church, etc., I have found a certain degree of comfort that all these unquantifiable happenings accurately translate into a testimony. Now, that means nothing to you. I get it. But it means something to me, and it’s very persuasive. Second, if you want to examine truth apologetically, I am intellectually convinced the Church is true. That’s not to say there are no holes. But taking everything together and looking at all the evidence, my judgment is that the preponderance of the evidence swings toward a conclusion of truth. Now, the important part is that although we can disagree on the result, we cannot, however, disagree on the presentations of the evidence. And a big problem in the critical arguments against the Church is that they are premised on bad assumptions. For every issue you can raise, there is a bad assumption (I think). For example: Why did God change his mind about black people? There are multiple major false assumptions in that statement. And so applying “my scrutiny,” I take a step back, analyze the question, dissect it, and realize that the question is a bad one because it improperly begs a variety of questions. Once I can identify the fallacious portions, the analysis is actually really easy. So the question is: can you see the false assumptions? Something that magnifies the problems of this critical analysis is that Mormon culture really, really gets in the way. If we take Brigham Young at his word that most Mormons are going to hell, then we can’t very well rely on the idiosyncrasies of the membership to accurately reflect doctrine. And if we are critically analyzing practice instead of doctrine, the conclusion is wholly illusory. Problem is that many of these idiosyncrasies take on a life of its own. I think a perfect example is the Salt Lake City Council and how close they were to throwing the gay-rights ordinance to curb before the church stepped in and said it should pass. The same thing has happened on immigration, etc. Church members have misinterpreted the church’s (conservative) actions in one sphere, and become zealots for a false cause in another. As far as affirmative apologetics, there is a lot. But since I’m in the court system, let me give one example that resounds quite strongly for me: The three witnesses. Now, I’m aware of the holes (generally based on false assumptions and contexts). But the uncontroverted evidence is that each died with a dying declaration that what he said about the Book of Mormon was true. And that includes Whitmer, whom never came back to the church. Sure – they generally disliked (if not hated) Joseph Smith at some point, and even thought of him as a fallen prophet. But they never denied their experiences and affirmed what they had previously seen with their dying breath. As a policy matter, such evidence is very reliable. And the critics have been completely unable to explain it away. Being part of a team that sits, listens, and weighs evidence, I can’t objectively conclude anything else except to say there’s probably something to it."

Interesting response - very well thought out and expressed. The fact is that this man is obviously very intelligent, but the way in which he analyzes information about the Mormon Church seems to always end up putting him on the side of belief, even though there are (it seems to me) some very flawed methods in his "analysis." Circular Reasoning. Beginning from the pre-conceived notion that the church is true, and framing everything that he "analyzes" to that end. After this, we exchanged a few PMs, and his take on it all continues to puzzle me.

So although I've put Mormonism behind me, I still like discussing it and blogging about it, mainly because I am puzzled by why so many obviously intelligent people buy it, lock, stock and barrel. But I am convinced that if these people would just use their brains and their critical thinking skills instead of simply accepting the Mormon Party Line, they might actually see the lies, deceptions, cover-ups and contradictions embodied within Mormonism.

And this is the theme of my latest hymn parody.

JUST USE YOUR BRAIN

Sung to the tune of Do What is Right, #237

Just use your brain,
Your reasoning powers,
Inquiry with your own mind just makes sense.
Don’t follow blindly and simply accept it,
Don’t be a sheep, let your thinking commence.

(Chorus)

Just use your brain,
Let your reasoning powers
Tell you what’s right and what you should believe.
It makes more sense to use critical thinking,
Blindly obeying, don’t be that naïve.

Just use your brain,
Your rose-colored glasses
Simply obscure what reality shouts.
If you believe it without proper study,
All you are doing is squelching your doubts.

(Chorus)

Just use your brain
Let your reasoning powers
Tell you what’s right and what you should believe.
It makes more sense to use critical thinking,
Blindly obeying, don’t be that naïve.

Just use your brain,
Don’t just shelve your issues,
There is no wisdom in stifling yourself.
Don’t stuff it down, and then suffer in silence,
As you place more and more there on your shelf.

(Chorus)

Just use your brain
Let your reasoning powers
Tell you what’s right and what you should believe.
It makes more sense to use critical thinking,
Blindly obeying, don’t be that naïve.

© Diane Tingen, 6/19/2011