Where to begin? I was raised in the church from about age 2 on, raised by my grandparents. Grandma was a member a convert at roughly the same time she started taking me, Grandpa was not ( thought she was nuts). I was the typical mormon girl, youth conferences, girls camp,YW class president etc... and I rebelled around my junior/senior years in high school. At age 18 I found myself pregnant by someone I no longer wanted anything to do with but was pressured into marriage to him by the ward bishop. I was told either marry him or give my child up for adoption. Another girl in my YW group at the time had also just found out she was pregnant... the bishops niece at that. Next thing I knew we were both in our own "special" sunday school class, having meetings every other week with a "church counselor" disfellowshipped the whole deal. Apparently however once i married my son's father I was still a horrible person and unworthy, however the niece i was in classes with changed her mind before leaving the hospital and kept her baby...not only was this ok but the RS gave her a baby shower, and she had a calling as a teacher in sunday school less than a year later! The whole situation left me more than a little jaded on the church in general and I just started not going except on the rare occasion. I have had several lapses in the following years where I would go for a few weeks here and there but I am overwhelmed by the judging I have recieved ever since then. After moving to another ward across the state I was called into the bishops office for an interview in which he preceded to tell me he had had a discussion with my former bishop about me and asked what i believed. I have a firm belief in Christ which will never change and upon hearing this I was told that it was 'nice but i want to hear you believe the teachings of the church" I was required to bear my testimony during services the following week to " prove my beliefs" After this meeting I was so totally offended I havent been back.

With that being said, I have had major differences in opinion on MANY topics from what I as a member should believe which have lead me to alot of research and reading, this internet is a WONDERFUL thing isn't it? I cannot believe that I drank the koolaid so to speak for so long! How did I spend years in this organization and not know so many of their teachings? I have had so many feelings of guilt over questioning things! I spent the better part of this evening reading alot of posts on here, I am so glad to know i am not alone in what i am/have gone through and that guilt is slowly going away now , Thank you!

Hi emrldanjyl,

Praise the Lord you're out!

Works based religions can be so judgmental ... and really you and the other young woman were not the only two who messed around, you were the two that were caught because you were carrying the evidence.

Congrats for getting out. I suspect that you now have many facts as well to support your decision.

Peace

_________________
I resigned from the Church of THE Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (Feb 2011)

"For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad." - Luke 8:17

Hey girl, nice to reafirm that you are not alone in discovering many of the intentful deceptions isn't it?...confirming your suspecions is one thing, but finding out that you are not alone is another one entirely! Welcome aboard..

_________________
"When authority masquerades as a power, a simple question will unmask it."

"Just because you think, feel, or believe something is true, doesn't make it true!"

"The doubt of your faith, is not God testing you, but truth trying to emerge and free you."

_________________
God of Poly-Folly Folly

{ If you believe in things that you don't understand, then you suffer ~ Stevie Wonder }
.................. www.­tudou.­com/­programs/­view/­7Q0q-­Vv8sHQ/
.............. http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/7Q0q-Vv8sHQ/
.................. www.tudou.com/programs/view/7Q0q-Vv8sHQ/


God of Poly-Folly Folly

Hi and welcome to the exmormon forums.

Welcome welcome !!