THEY, THE BUILDERS OF THE CENTER - LDS Hymn Parody #14

City Creek Center.

Presently under construction in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Spanning three square blocks in downtown SLC (approx. 23 acres), right across the street from Temple Square.

Opening in March 2012. 

Granted, it is going to be beautiful - and it will add a touch of elegance to the city.  High-end stores and shops.  Trendy boutiques.  Retractable roof.  Restaurants.  Performing Arts Center.  Theatres.  Luxury condos.  Sports and Fitness Center.  Office buildings.  Banks.  Grocery store.  And on and on...

Just look at this website -- http://www.downtownrising.com/ -- which, by the way, is being sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (in other words, "paid for"). 

The fact is, the Mormon Church is building City Creek Center via one of its "real estate arms," City Creek Reserve Inc. (which I find very interesting).  And it has already cost over $5 billion dollars.  That much, and it's not even done yet - so no telling what the cost is going to be by the time it is completed.  Naturally, the suits in SLC are saying that "no tithing monies are being used in the building of the City Creek Mall."  Really?  They expect us to believe that?  Yes, they do.  But in reality, whether or not tithing monies are being used directly to build this Mall, whatever monies are being used are derivative in some manner of tithing monies.  Trying to camoflague the truth.  Typical.

So here is my tribute to City Creek Center -
and my latest hymn parody.

THEY, THE BUILDERS OF THE CENTER
Sung to the tune of They, the Builders of the Nation, #36

They, the builders of the Center,
Spent $5 billion as of now.
Lots of stores to do your shopping,
Nordstrom, Macy's, take a bow.
Building new exclusive condos,
Costs are rising as we speak,
Rising upward, ever upward,
This expensive City Creek.

Though they say no tithing monies
Have been used to build the Mall,
They must think we're really stupid,
Idiots, for that to fall.
They're transforming Salt Lake City,
Modern and extremely chic,
Doesn't fit the "Mormon image,"
This expensive City Creek.


Mormons Inc. is even truer
Than it ever was before.
Its net worth was $30 billion
In the 90's, now much more.
But they try to keep it quiet,
Do not ask and they won't speak
Of their many "wise investments,"
As they're building City Creek.

Such religious implications,
Christian charity they boast.
Pay your tithing, fill the coffers,
Profit is what matters most.
Helping people, so they'll tell you,
Aid the poor whose lives are bleak.
But the poor won't live in condos
At expensive City Creek.

Follow us or you will suffer,
So the Mormons tell us all.
No Celestial glory given
To the heathens who will fall.
But on Sundays, stores will open,
On the Lord's day, every week.
What examples are these Mormons
In their Mall called City Creek.

Word of Wisdom, so important,
Coffee, tea and alcohol
Are considered evil items,
Said to be a huge downfall.
But at City Creek they're selling
All of that, just take a peek,
Word of Wisdom out the window
Everywhere in City Creek.

Grand hypocrisy inflated
What the Mormons daily tout.
God's commandments must be followed
As they preach, and scream, and shout.
But don't point out contradictions
In their teachings, what they speak.
And be sure to never mention
That outrageous City Creek.

© Diane Tingen, 6/14/2011

http://www.downtownrising.com/

DEAR TO THE HEART OF THE MORMONS - LDS Hymn Parody #6

Here's my latest hymn parody - Dear to the Heart of the Mormons (revised from Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd, speaking of all the sheep out there).  With the completion of this hymn parody, I am checking off another one from my original list.  This is one of the hymns I mentioned last week when I began this project, and I think it is definitely apropos to be added to the ExMormon Hymn Book. 

In fact, as I mentioned before, this hymn was one that used to crack up my best friend growing up (who is still very TBM, even now) and I when we were teenagers.  We used to burst into laughter when we were sitting together, singing it in Sacrament Meeting. 

I mean, this hymn (in its original form) is just so dramatic, and the words are so overdone and cheesy.  I really think my new version is a big improvement...

DEAR TO THE HEART OF THE MORMONS
Sung to the tune of Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd, #221

Dear to the heart of the Mormons,
Dear are the sheep they entrap.
Held by the Kool-Aid they’re drinking,
And all the rest of the crap.
But to the anguish of Mormons,
Many are leaving the fold.

All the apostates and ExMos,
Finding the lies they withhold.

(Chorus)

Singling out all the Antis,
Who speak of lies and deceit.
Begging them, “Can’t you be quiet?

Why can’t you be more discreet?”

Dear to the heart of the Mormons,
Touting their lifestyle to all.
Claiming that the Word of Wisdom
Will help us all not to fall.
Saying Joe Smith was a Prophet,
Translating the Word of God.
But they don’t mention his history
Or that he was just a fraud.

(Chorus)

Condemning all of the “Antis,”
Who speak of lies and deceit.
Begging them, “Can’t you be quiet?

Why can’t you be more discreet?”

I was a part of the Mormons
For many years of my life.
I drank the Kool-Aid they offer,
I was an eternal wife.
But when I found the deception,
All of the lies that they tell,
Including the sordid history,
That’s when I bid them farewell.

(Chorus)

That’s when I joined the apostates,
Those who uncovered the lies.
Now unafraid to call bullshit,
Now less naïve and more wise.

© Diane Tingen, 6/2/2011

And one last word about Sheep...
ala Gary Larsen and his Far Side cartoon...

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.