Saturday Meme - Glad I'm Not Mormon

This is for all my ex-Mormon buddies out there and for those non-Mormons who've read my blog and realized that they grew up more sane and well-adjusted than any Mormon.

Why are you glad you're not Mormon:

1. Time.  This may not seem to be the ultimate reason.  I mean there's the indoctrination and the fear and the guilt and all the other religious trappings, but for me it's time.  I don't have to spend 4 days a week at the church building and another day visiting people I don't care about to make sure they're living the righteous life.  I don't have to dress in a white shirt and tie all the time and mingle with a bunch of other nitwits in the foyer waiting for yet another meeting to start.  I don't have to drive to the temple and drive other people to the temple and drive to a conference and drive to the stake welfare farm/office/warehouse.  I don't have to, and I'm glad.

2. Fear.  I'm not afraid of the end of the world and God's wrathful judgment.  I'm not afraid of Satan who lurks in every corner, inside every beverage machine, in the heart of every pretty woman, in the hands of every non-Mormon acquaintance waiting to tempt me into eternal misery.  I'm not afraid of the incursions of secular evil.  I'm not afraid of alcohol and caffeine. I'm not afraid that I won't see my family and friends in the afterlife - behind that veil - because they strayed from the path and I did not. 

3. Separation.  I'm glad that I'm not Mormon because I like being part of the world.  I love my education, that which is formal and that which is auto didactic.  I love being involved in politics, volunteering and donating.  I love having friends from different backgrounds and with differing attitudes.  I love my city and my life and exploring new activities with my son.  Mormons are encouraged to separate themselves from life and live in a cocoon of Mormon friends, Mormon experiences, and even Mormon field trips.   Education is never as valuable to a Mormon unless it came from a Mormon school. 

4. Reading.  I understand that my dad relaxed his rules on reading material for the younger kids, but I know I missed a lot of great books when I was a kid.  Not being able to read anything that wasn't approved hurt me.  I believe it to be a sinister form of child abuse.  Now I'm a voracious reader and I have no guilt about anything I read.  When I was a Mormon I carried that guilt when I read books with unholy references or saw movies with questionable content.  Now I feel relaxed and free to experience anything I want. 

5. Money.  I'm glad I don't give ten percent of everything I have to an organization that builds shopping malls and supports and unsustainable way of life for its leaders.   I'm glad I don't donate to the building fund and give my food money to the Fasting fund.  I'm glad I get to keep that money and donate it to worthy causes if I want.

I'm glad I'm not Mormon. 

 - rick, secular

Comments

[Success Warrior]

The Mormons are glad you're not a Mormon too.

[The Angry Young Man]

Dude, where did you find that picture? It's brilliant. I'm stealing it and now must come up with a way to use it for my own wicked purposes.

[a rose is a rose]

those two comments are way too funny.

you're posting of course isn't. it's scary. we all (well most of us) had religion in our childhoods. some nastier than others. i thought i had it tough when i had to sit with my class (i went to catholic school for 1st - 3rd grades) for sunday mass. that, after hearing yours and other stories was NOTHING.

[CV Rick]

S.W., if they're so freaking glad, why do they keep sending me letters and visits from missionaries? They still want to save my eternal soul from damnation no matter how badly I bash, batter, and threaten them.

AYM, I did a google image search for "I'm Glad I'm Not Mormon" and that image was on the first page of results.

Rose, I wish I'd been raised Catholic instead.

[JulieAnn]

Suh-weet! Good stuff....I had a moment to catch up. Been in outer-darkness (no not in a Mormon temple...)

[jane]

The Mormons called; they want their indoctrination back.

[ExJW]

Wow - I think you plagiarized my "Why I'm Glad I'm Not a Jehovah's Witness" list. jk :)

[Regina]

exactly the same as what i feel. especially about reading. my dad is from this worldwide church of god started by some herbert armstrong. and my grandma has a religion that is equally stifling. i am glad i'm not a member of any religion.
cheerios.

[sam sam]

see you at the cross roads freaks..(",)i'm glad to see you burning....hahahaha