Friday, October 31, 2008

LDS Church Refuses to Accept Petition Letter In California

I just received the following in an email from the "Courage Campaign", who recently collected nearly 17,000 signatures, including mine, on a petition letter to the LDS church to ask them to stop their discrimination against gay people:

"That's right. We brought your letter, signed by 16,935 people, to the Los Angeles Mormon Temple, accompanied by several reporters, our own videographer, and Rev. Eric Lee, President of the Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC) of California.

"And the Mormon Church refused to accept your letter to President-Prophet Thomas Monson, asking him to stop the lies, stop the blackmail, and stop dictating public policy to Californians.

"We filmed it all. Like a ping-pong ball, we were bounced back and forth by security guards, a "Yes on 8" coalition member, and a Mormon Church leader who refused to accept your signatures.

"It's clear that the Church and its leaders fear the light of day, the truth, and accountability. Instead, they hide behind security guards and the "Yes on 8" campaign, while intimidating their members into donating as much as $20 milllion to take away fundamental rights from the people of California.

"But we will not stand down.

"You gave us a mandate to hold the Mormon Church accountable. And we will. This weekend, our friends in Salt Lake City will deliver your signatures to the Mormon Church headquarters in Utah.

"We will deliver your signatures to the Mormon Church. You have our word. Now we need to focus on the most important thing we can all do to hold the Mormon Church accountable for their campaign to strip fundamental human rights from millions of Californians:

"Beat them at the ballot box on November 4...

"Thank you for helping us hold the Mormon Church accountable as we work to make 2008 a new era for progressive politics in California."

Rick Jacobs
Chair

Watch this video of Rick Jacobs & Rev. Eric Lee attempting to deliver the letter to the church.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Families and FHE

As I was driving today, I noticed a car with a bumper sticker which said something to the effect of, "No Greater Joy: Family Home Evening".

That got me thinking. Practically the only aspect of the LDS church that is not under ex-Mormon scrutiny is the idea of FHE. Why? Because it's a good thing. They encourage families to set aside a specific time to spend it with each other. That's wonderful. They play games, have a lesson, a treat, and just use that time to be with each other.

As we all know, the LDS church claims to be family oriented, and they are, at least in theory. However, I know someone personally who's husband was so devoted to the church, that he missed the first seven years of his son's life. Due to economic difficulties, the wife lived with her parents. Her husband lived in a different city and would not come be with his family because of his duties as a bishop. It was only until she threatened to divorce him that he got a dose of common sense, resigned from his position, and moved to be with his family. They were in that position for about seven years.

Now, if the church truly was family oriented, what would they have told this husband? Would they have told him to keep at his calling and never see his family, or would they find another bishop and encourage him to go be with his family? The very fact that the church would choose to keep him as a bishop and keep him away from his family says a lot!

And I'm sure that this is not the first time it has happened. In words, the church is family oriented, but in deeds, they don't really care, just as long as you keep conforming and, most importantly, keep paying. I guess they figure that, while family might be important, free labor from them is even better. Families are important, but the only thing that is more important, is... la iglesia (the church).

This is no new concept. The church encourages people from all over the world to join them even at the cost of their entire family. Many people join the church very much against the will of their families, and are disowned. The church then praises these people for their faithfulness. Now, if the church truly was family oriented, then they would only baptize families together.

And then, if the church is so family oriented, why do they separate them into classes of worthy and not worthy? A not worthy family member is not allowed into the temple to witness a marriage of a worthy family member. Many people outside of the LDS religion are absolutely shocked by this. Why would any church forbid family members from witnessing a special ceremony like a wedding?

If Jesus really was running the show, do you think that he would turn away family members? Absolutely not! He would welcome them and love them. If I was a non-member family member in that position, there is no way in hell that I would ever consider joining such a heartless church!

So, it would be really nice if there was even one aspect of Mormonism that didn't backfire in their face. It would be nice if I could talk about families and not have a reason to criticize the church for it. It would be nice if there was just one thing that they were not total hypocrites about.

LDS church, the walk is different than the talk.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Help Us Petition the LDS Church to Stop Forcing Their Doctrines On Everyone

As I have written about before, the LDS church is actively engaged in supporting Prop 8 in California. The church, which is supposed to be politically neutral, is running ads and spending millions of dollars to pass it.

I just received the following information in an email from an aquaintance of mine who is gay:

The Mormon Church is trying to impose its religious doctrine on California and eliminate the fundamental rights of Californians, by actively supporting the campaign to pass Prop 8.

The church has raised over $8 million to fund TV and radio ads that blatantly lie and distort the facts.

I just signed a petition letter from the Courage Campaign to the President-Prophet of the Mormon Church. They are going to deliver the letter on Tuesday.

Can you join me and sign the letter? http://www.couragecampaign.org/StopTheLies

Thanks!

For more information about the issue please visit: http://gaysandthegospel.org/

Thursday, October 23, 2008

MUST READ: Why I Do What I Do

Ok, for all the ignorant LDS folks out there who keep emailing and commenting about how I need to get a life and find a new hobby, this post is for you. I'm going to place this under "Posts of Interest" and hopefully that will serve to help y'all understand why I do what I do.

Mormons, I know that you believe your church is true and that by actively blogging against it I have bought myself a one way ticket non-stop to hell. I know that you revere your leaders as great prophets, seers, and revelators who give god's will to modern man. I know that many of you would die for your true church.

If it's such a great thing, why would I dare turn against it and openly blog my feelings? Mormons, if you really want to know why, then please read my next words carefully and slowly...

I just discovered that it is not true. Whether you believe it or not, there are many, many issues within the church that your great leaders do not want you to know about. They hide these things from you by 1) not telling you about them, 2) telling you which books to read, 3) telling you to avoid and ignore anyone who opposes them, and 4) telling you to rely on your testimony.

Ask yourself this question and answer it honestly... if the church is so true and they have nothing to hide, then why do they restrict what you read and who you talk to? If the true church has nothing to hide, then they should encourage you to ask questions. But instead they just tell you to shut your eyes and blindly follow them. People, that is what cults do.
  • Cults teach their members elitism, meaning that by being a member of the group, you are elite. You are special.
  • Cults often require their members' unquestioning obedience.
  • Cults teach their members that life outside the group is miserable and confusing.
  • Cults are pre-occupied with bringing in new members.
  • Cults are usually profit oriented.
  • Cults require their members to pledge everything they have to the group.
  • Cults require many sacrifices from their members, including time and money.
  • Cults teach their members that they have a special mission to save the world from some evil.
  • Cults teach undying loyalty to their leaders and founders, who have a divine calling. The leader is to be obeyed at all costs and his word is law, even above the laws of the land.

Doesn't that bullet list describe the LDS church to a tee? No doubt you've heard the church called a cult before, but has it ever occurred to you that it might actually be true? If you don't believe what I'm saying, then I will find some independant web sites for you to look at. You will see that cult experts everywhere see the LDS church as one of the biggest cults in America.

Now how about some problems with LDS church history, which the late GBH referred to as "little flicks of history," and addressed them by saying, "so what?"

I'll share the one that really rocked my boat. In 1967 the papyrus scrolls from which Joseph Smith supposedly translated the Book of Abraham were found. The church, anxious to have them examined by professionals, was sure that this would prove Smith to be a true prophet. Back in Smith's day, no one could read or translate Egyptian Hieroglyphics by scholarly means and so there was no one to challenge him. Today however, thanks to the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, we can now translate and understand ancient Egyptian. It wasn't long before the results starting coming in...

The papyrus scrolls are common Egyptian funerary texts and have absolutely nothing to do with Abraham or the "translation" that Joseph Smith provided. In fact, the scrolls are dated to have been written some 2000 years after the time of Abraham. Joseph Smith's lie is finally discovered after over 100 years! There is no way he translated it. He made it up as he went along.

Now, if he made it up and there is solid proof, then that makes one wonder what else did he pretend to translate? Of course, the unofficial apologetics department of the church tries desperately to explain away this problem, but if you care to do a little research, you will see that their desperate attempts are exactly that, desperate.

I have done my research and have come to the conclusion that the LDS church is not true. I guarantee that your precious leaders are very much aware of the things I have talked about here and they will do anything to keep you from hearing about it. If you do hear about them, then they try to convince you that evil and conspiring men have made it up to deceive you.

Now, what would my motivation be to just deceive you? What am I getting out of it? Nothing, except the knowledge that I am exposing their lies and secrets. Seriously, if I am getting nothing out of it then why would I do it unless I was absolutely sure that it's all a fraud?

Seriously LDS people, what do you have to lose by checking out what I'm telling you? If I'm wrong, then you are in the true church and it's all good. If I'm right then you are in a cult and I can show you how to get out. Either way, you will lose nothing. So if I have peaked your curiousity, then I challenge you to objectively question your religion. Weigh what they teach you against facts that you know to be true.

For example: we all know that it is impossible to walk on water. Since Jesus supposedly did it, then that should shed some serious doubt about whether that story is true or not.

I have shown you the shocking similarities between the LDS church and a cult. I have shown you that Joseph Smith has been caught in a huge lie. If you want to know more, then read my past posts where I talk about all sorts of these issues. Interestingly, many of the so-called "lies" about the LDS church come from it's own records. Brigham Young was a racist dictator, according to the Journal of Discourses.

Unlike your leaders, I'm not asking you to take it all just because I said so. I want you to read. I want you to question. I want you to ask. If you give it an honest attempt and find that I'm full of shit, then what have you lost? Nothing, except your time.

All I ask is that you do your research with an open mind and be willing to entertain the idea that the church might not be true. If you are open minded you will find the truth. What do you have to lose?

Oh, if you actually do discover that the church is false and decide to leave, then you actually stand to lose quite a bit. The church will pressure your spouse to divorce you. Your boss will most likely fire you. Your family and friends might just shun you. So yea, by leaving Mormonism, they will see to it that your life becomes miserable so they can rub it in your face and say, "See? Leave the church and look what happens!"

Ten years ago I would never have believed that I would be where I am now. I thought I was happy, but when I was truly honest with myself, I had to admit that I was miserable. I have found true freedom and it is awesome!

Mormons, I'm not your enemy. I am simply a voice for truth. Whatever your truth turns out to be, I wish you all the best.

Folks, it's a cult and it's not true. This is my testimony, and I know it because of research and common sense, and NOT just because of a special feeling.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Kicking Against the Pricks

Whenever I hear this phrase, I see in my imagination some dude in a fight with a cactus. He's kicking the shit out of it, but each time he kicks it, he only does more damage to himself, which is what this symbolic phrase is trying to convey.

If you fight against god, then you're only hurting yourself.

I recently had to endure (remember that term "endure"?) a sacrament meeting for the purpose of attending the blessing of a new born child in my extended family. Usually the blessing is over pretty quickly and then you have to sit through the rest of the meeting.

Well, this one speaker said something that I found to be absolutely hilarious.

He talked about the commandment from downtown SLC to keep the wife at home and have the father bring in all the money. He shared how, at one point, they were both working and didn't know how they would survive by having her quit her job (a problem that many faithful LDS people face). He even admitted that he had a problem with this and didn't see how it could be accomplished.

After giving the matter a lot of thought, he eventually realized that he was kicking against the pricks. This is a commandment from god and I must find a way to comply.

The church leaders give a commandment and he was kicking against the pricks... I don't know if anyone else noticed it, but he was calling the church leaders pricks! Not on purpose of course, but it just hit me as funny that of all the words that could be used to represent the gospel, the chosen word is "pricks".

So whenever I disobey their prophetic council, I am kicking against the pricks who run this crazy church!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Why It's Not Such A Good Idea to Follow the Prophet

Prophetic council:

Get married as soon as humanly possible. It doesn't matter if you don't really know each other. You have the gospel in common and that will carry you through any hardships you might encounter.

Reality:

Marriage is a serious commitment that should not be rushed into. You need to take time to get to know each other. If the two of you are not compatable, then the gospel won't save your marriage. Temple marriages now are at a 50% divorce rate. Mormons, it's time to slow it down.

Prophetic council:

Turn your wife into a baby machine. If her womb is empty for more than three months between pregnancies, then you are being immoral. Don't stop having babies until you physically no longer can.

Reality:

That is just horrible advice! These clowns teach you that popping out babies makes god happy. The reality is that they are just waiting for the next generation of missionaries and tithing payers. The only people who should decide how many kids a couple should have is that couple themselves. It is absolutely no one else's business! If they want a lot of kids, then great! But it should be their decision, not the churches.

Prophetic council:

Aside from popping out kids one after the other, you need to support all of them on just one income. That basically means being dirt poor your entire child-rearing life.

Reality:

Anyone with half a brain can figure out that the more kids you have, the more money you need. So why is it that more people can't see the completely backwards logic coming from LDS leadership... have more kids and make less money.

Prophetic council:

Start a family now... worry about everything else later. God will take care of you.

Reality:

Most likely, a father that has followed the prophet's truly amazing advice will be stuck working a job that barely pays because he didn't get an education first. There are now so many mouths to feed, that he has to work three jobs just to keep the family above water. There is absolutely no time or money to go to school now. Any spare time he might have is given to the church. And even if the wife wanted to work, the cost of child care would completely outweigh her paycheck.

Prophetic council:

Pay US your 10% first. Worry about the other expenses later. God will bless you for the step of faith you took by paying tithing first.

Reality:

I personally know an LDS family that faithfully pays tithing. And yet they are on the verge of losing their home. They are months behind on their bills. The lords promise of unlimited blessings somehow missed them. And that seems to be the case all over Utah as this state leads the nation in home foreclosures and bankruptcies.

Prophetic council:

Pray, pay, and obey.

Reality:

There's nothing wrong with having a religion if you wish to. But why choose a religion that demands your unquestioning obedience? Why choose a religion that would force you to choose them over everything and everyone else? Why choose a religion that can't back up anything it claims or make good on any of it's promises? You know what? If the Mormon priesthood really could heal the sick, then I'd be a stauch believer no matter what any other evidence says. But since there's not even once case of an incurable disease being cured, then why should I believe all of their amazing claims and devote my life to it? Why should I pay tithing when all that follows is financial hardship?

Follow the prophet, my ass!

I'm In It For the Money

I'm either full of the devil, or just want money. That's why I publically voice my opinion against the lords only true church. You know, there's so much money in anti-mormon blogging, I'm surprised that not everyone's doing it. In fact, I'm about to retire.

That's what TBM's want you to think. The fact is, I've never received a penny. That's not why I do this. I am pro-truth. Let's take a closer look at who's really in it for the money...

General authorities. I'm pretty sure that nearly every single member of the quorum of the twelve apostles has written at least one book. And with an eager following, it's a guaranteed way to sell a couple million copies.

Not to mention the fact that all the apostles are hotshots in businesses all around the world.

And last but not least, they are in control of the richest cult in America, which has an estimated $7 billion annual income.

And the most hilarious part is that those complete and total hypocrites will come out and teach their following that money is the root of all evil.

Who's the one that really has dollar signs in their eyes?

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Garments: A Social Status in Utah

I went to this meeting (non church related) not too long ago and one of the presenters, who was wearing a white shirt and tie, had his precious temple garments on. How do I know? Coz I could see the mark showing through his shirt as clear as day. I actually felt embarrased for him. I wonder if anyone else noticed?

Garments in the LDS community have become a social status. They are supposed to be discreet, right? A personal reminder between the wearer and their temple experience...

However, almost everywhere you go in SLC, you can spot someone wearing their holy G's. They wear their white shirt and right under you can see this smile shape. You see, most male garment wearers choose the garmet top which has a very low cut, which is in the shape of a smile. I actually thought that this was the only style available until I accidentally bought a crew G top and liked it MUCH better. It was just like wearing a tee shirt.

But anyway, most men prefer the low cut and I would guess it is because they know it shows through the white shirt and everyone can see that this dude is super special. Look around at church... everyone there is proudly sporting their G's for all to see. But in SLC you don't have to be in church to spot it. Just about anywhere you go, you can usually find someone with their white shirt and tie and that discreet little smile shaped garment top showing right through their white shirt.

I really wish I had a picture, but you probably get the idea of what I mean.

So, even though garments are supposed to be hidden, they are now being exposed for everyone to see. They are supposed to be discreet and not on display. But they have become a social status and if everyone can see that you're wearing G's, then they know that you're a super cool, saved, priesthood-holding, righteous, temple worthy Mormon dude.

Garments, the temple; it's all become nothing more than a social status. If it ever was sacred, it has been lost.

Personally, wearing G's was always embarrasing for me. I felt completely embarrased putting them on in a locker room. Now, in the locker room, there are guys all around me who have them on, and I don't, and I don't feel embarrased at all. In fact, I feel normal. I don't feel like a wierdo who has to wear my special, church-approved underwear.

I can't even begin to describe how good it feels to no longer have to submit to Mormonism's 1001 commandments, demands, and expectations!

Monday, October 13, 2008

The Amazing Power of the Holy Ghost

Mormons and their leaders alike will swear that evidence, facts, and even truth don't matter in terms of a testimony. By careful and sincere study and prayer, you can KNOW it's true by a manifestation of the holy spirit. They even say that actually seeing Jesus Christ Himself would not be as convincing as this so-called manifestation. In a recent post, I showed a YouTube video of an apostle claiming that seeing the golden plates would not be enough. Actually receiving a witness of the spirit is the most powerful (in fact, the only) way to know the truth of something.

Now, if that were true, or even if the church leadership believes it is true, then why are they so afraid of apostates and our "evil literature"? If a witness of the spirit is indeed so powerful, why do they claim it is so easy to fall away?

Do you understand the profoundness of this question?

Personally, if I saw Jesus Christ in person I would be a staunch believer no matter what any anti-Christian or anti-Mormon pamphlet said.

Why does the church employ this method? Because it is fool proof. It makes the church true no matter what evidence is provided against it. I can provide facts that prove the church is false all day long, but I can never tell another person what they believe or what their feelings are. Even if we had video evidence of Joseph Smith's adultry, the church would still be true, all because the person "knows" ol' Joe was a true prophet.

In their twisted minds, Joe could be a rapist, murderer, liar, con-man, etc., but he was still a prophet. I've actually had Mormons admit to me that Joseph Smith was guilty of murder and yet, somehow, their image of him is not diminished in the slightest.

And yet, how can a person be a prophet and a murderer at the same time? A rational person will realize that he can't! A Mormon will justify it all day long because they "know" he was a prophet. If we had video evidence of Joe murderering and hacking up the body of some girl, he would still be a prophet. (I'm not saying he did that; I'm just using it as an example)

So this testimony, which is the most powerful evidence a person can ever receive, is infallable. No evidence in the world can refute it. So a Mormon can admit that Joe was a murderer and an adultrer, but it doesn't matter because they got the witness of his divine calling from the spirit.

But anyone in their right mind can see the very obvious writing on the wall. If Joe was a murderer then he was not a prophet. If Joe was an adultrer then he was not a prophet. If Joe did not translate the scrolls correctly then he was not a prophet.

But none of that matters, folks! The church is true no matter what because of a feeling! Come on Mormons! Wake up and use your brain! Your special feeling is exactly that, a special feeling. It's nothing more. Does a court system work on feelings and completely ignore pertinant evidence? Absolutely not! It just doesn't work that way.

So I will go back to my original question. If this witness is so damn powerful, why are people leaving the church by the dozens, scores, hundreds, thousands? If this witness was really as powerful as they claim it is, then no one would leave and people would be lined up by the thousands to join.

Sorry, Mormons, I hate to burst your bubble, but that is the fact and you know it. I know, I know, you'll accuse of never having gained my testimony; that I was living on borrowed light. You guys just have a convenient excuse for everything, don't you? If the system doesn't work for some people, it's not the system's fault... it's the person's fault.

So this so-called manifestation in all it's awesome power overrides truth, evidence, and facts. And yet, this amazing manifestation, which is more powerful than seeing god with your own eyes, is amazingly delicate. For some reason, it is the most convincing force in the world, and yet it can easily crumble. Church leaders constantly warn their members about falling away.

If the holy ghost gives such a powerful witness, why is it so easy to lose your testimony and leave the church? Why do church leaders constantly encourage their members to stay strong? If the holy ghost really was as powerful as they claim, they wouldn't have to worry about anyone leaving!

Just another common sense example of why the church isn't true.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Priceless

For the first time in my life, I went to a titty bar not long ago (not in Utah, of course). You're probably saying, see you leave the church and resort to sin. But instead of it being a soul damning experience, I found it to be quite liberating.

I was nervous, naturally. I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know how to act. It's not like I'm used to being surrounded by naked girls or anything.

After having our ID's checked, we entered the strip club. Naturally it was dark and the music was loud. This particular club had three stages and each one had a nude, or near-nude, girl dancing around. When I say nude, I mean full blown nude. No nipple pasties, no panties, no nothing to hide!

A guy is supposed to check out girls. Even married men check out other women, and if they say they don't, they are lying. The thing about it though, is a guy is not supposed to get caugh checking the girl out. It's kind of an unspoken rule: don't get caught checking out the girls. They'll think you're a pervert.

What I found liberating about this experience is that I could gaze, gawk, and stare at these completely naked girls and no one gives a shit! No one is judging me. No one is telling me how awful I am. A titty bar actually provides an environment where a man can be a man without feeling guilty for it.

Now you can go sit up right next to the stage and put a dollar out. The dancer will come stand right in front of you and jiggle her tits right in your face! For a buck you can get a pair of tits rubbed in your face! If you stick around and throw out another buck, she will reveal her completely shaven lower half. You can stare at it all you want and no one cares! In fact, while she's spread eagle'd in front of you, she's smiling and chatting at you like it's no big deal.

Get yourself an alcohol buzz and life is great. You can relax, enjoy the girls, enjoy the drinks, enjoy the company of your friends, and you don't have a care in the world. Even if it is just a temporary break from real life, it's a good break. I would recommend it to anyone. Go to a titty bar and just chill out!

I know exactly what a TBM will be thinking when they read this... "Satan has deceived you." Or there's the typical Book of Mormon idea that says the devil will try to make sin look good, and good look like sin. But knowing that Christianity is not true, I have attended that club and even got a lap dance and I have absolutely ZERO guilt. None.

A watered down long island iced tea: $7.00

A lap dance from your favorite girl: $20.00

Feeling absolutely no guilt for any of it: Priceless

Endure to the End

In Mormonism this is what you have to do to be saved... 1) be baptized, 2) obey all the commandments, and 3) endure to the end.

According to the dictionary, "endure" is defined as: "suffering without yielding".

What does that imply? That makes it sound like a pretty horrible journey, does it not? Do I endure a good movie, or do I enjoy a good movie? Do I endure a good meal, or do I enjoy a good meal? Therefore, anything you have to "endure" must be miserable. If you are to endure until you die, then your life must be miserable!

You are expected to suffer your entire life. What makes you suffer? The 1001 commandments that are in place to "test" you and any other challenges which come your way. Your life as a Mormon is supposed to be miserable and god has given you 1001 ways to fail the test!

But isn't being Mormon supposed to be all about being happy? Aren't Mormons the only truly happy people in the world? Here we have a contradiction: how can you be happy and miserable at the same time?

If you have to endure your life, then your life is nothing but a task, a chore. But you only get one life. Why waste it being miserable?

Don't endure your life; enjoy your life. If there is a god, he never meant for us to have to endure to the end; he meant for us to enjoy to the end.

But if you're Mormon, you can't enjoy. There are too many commitments to fulfill, too many meetings to attend, too many guilt trips over pointless things, too much time given to the church. What do you get in return? Being told that you're supposed to be miserable. You're supposed to be burdened down.

When I talk to Mormons about the huge wave of relief I felt when I left the church, nearly all of them accuse me of not being able to endure to the end. That proves what I have been saying. Mormonism is nothing but work, work, work. In the end, the church itself benefits and you are told that your suffering, on behalf of the church, will guarantee you your salvation. In Mormonism, you can't be saved unless you are miserable.

But how can the fruit of the one and only true church be misery? It's a self contradictory idea. Since it contradicts itself, it can't possibly be true.

I was miserable. How about anyone else?

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Is the LDS Church Really Politically Neutral?


Well, the LDS church is at it again... proving to the world just how hypocritical they really are. This church, which claims to be politically neutral, is once again encouraging it's members on how to vote.

Currently it is legal in California for a gay couple to marry. However, there is currently a bill being discussed which, if passed, would bring an end to that right. Now, I seriously doubt it will pass, but the LDS church is encouraging it's California members to vote for it.

Here is the Fox13 news report: LDS Church Stands behind Calif. Anti-Gay Marriage Ballot

Watch this video and then decide for yourself. Just remember that the church has a history of being racist, anti-feminist, and anti-gay. Just because they believe something, they think they have to force it on everyone.
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How do you like this picture of the Salt Lake City temple through the iron bars?

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Religious Discrimination

America is supposed to be a land of religious tolerance. But according to the video below, atheists are the least trusted minority group in the world, even less so than Muslims. If a person is criticized because of their beliefs, or lack of beliefs, then that is religious discrimination.

As you will see in this video, the annonymous couple were basically shunned by the so-called religious community in which they live. No one would let their kids play with their son and their landlord made them move out.

You see, people live with this delusion... if you hang around an atheist, you might get some on you. You might somehow get infected with something bad. People who shun someone sole because of their religious belief (unless that belief requires them to kill people who are not of that belief) are hypocrites and do not understand the message of Jesus.

The Constitutional right for religious freedom was not written just for Christians, as they would like to think. It was written for everyone. Atheists too.

As the second video demonstrates, people mistakenly believe that since an atheist does not believe in god, then he believes in NOTHING. So not true. Atheists believe in plenty, just not superstition.

Religion is the cause of much hate, prejudice, and violence. People think that their god is the only true god, and since someone else believes in a false god, then the real god wants that someone else to die or go to hell.

You know what phrase really gets under my skin? "God Bless America". What? You think that god only loves Americans and despises everyone else? Why can't god bless other nations as well? Even non-Christian nations? Americans are so arrogant that they literally think god loves America and hates everyone else. But isn't god's love and mercy supposed to be extended to all? See, people think that god built this nation and so it must be his favorite. Give me a break. Did god fight the American Revolution or did patriots? Did god write the Constitution or did the founding fathers?

I once saw a bumper sticker that read: "God Bless the Whole World". While this person still believes in god, at least he's not arrogant enough to think that god should only bless America. I was tempted to pull this person over just so I could meet them and congratulate them for their non-arrogance.





Get over yourselves, you self-righteous, hypocritical, and condescending believers who think you're so much better than a non-believer. Let me tell you something... Jesus sat and ate with sinners, but despised the Pharisees who were pure hypocrites. As an atheist, and therefore a sinner, I've got a better chance at getting into heaven than does anyone who condescends because they think they are saved!

Please remember, people, that atheists are people too. We have the right to not believe if we don't want to. Think about this... most, if not all, of the founding fathers were god fearing men, but they were still wise enough to understand the importance of separation of church and state.

Silly Mormon Ideas

As a TBM, I knew of a few of the issues with Mormonism but I did see them as problems. For example, I knew that the temple ceremony was very similar to the mason ceremony. But it didn't bother me because there was an answer.

The typical Mormon answer to this problem is quite simple. The masons have been around for several thousands of years and they preserved the sacred ceremony from the time of Solomon's temple. It had been handed down over thousands of years and had been slightly corrupted. Joseph Smith restored the original version, so naturally it would be similar to the masons...

This is the answer a Mormon will give and I accepted it perfectly myself. It was an answer to the problem and so there was no need to worry. Many Mormons accept the simple answer and take it on faith, without giving it a second thought. Since the problem was so easily solved, the church must be true.

Any explanation, to a Mormon, is good enough. As long as the end result is that the church is true, then it doesn't really matter what that explanation is.

I once heard a FPR (Faith Promoting Rumor) that an Egyptian mummy had been found and it was entombed wearing temple garments. I can't remember where I heard this crazy story, but I really believed it. A mummy was found wearing all the right marks in all the right places. I accepted it as proof that the church was true without ever verifying any of it.

Nothing like a good FPR and a quick and simple explanation. Mormons suck it up and then spread it around.

I know one Mormon with a hilarious conspiracy theory! He thinks that Satan has influenced all the lawmakers to require car seats for children in order to limit the size of families! If you have 15 kids, you can't fit them all in a mini-van if they all have to be in car seats! Damn that Satan! What a sneaky fellow!

I used to actually think that I would never have to die. I had heard lots of rumors of people getting their patriarchial blessings stating that Jesus would return during their lifetimes. Lots of Mormons have heard this and so they really think the end is near. But anyway, I used to believe that as soon as Jesus appeared, I would be "twinkled" (as the Mormons like to call it), which means that I would be instantly transformed into an immortal being. Of course, I realize now that it is completely absurd. Jesus isn't coming. I wonder what their excuse will be in 100 years from now when all those people who have been promised that they will be alive when Jesus comes are dead and still no Jesus.

Let's see...I'm trying to think of any other silly ideas I used to have in my Mormon mind...

Ah, the idea that invisible Nephite soldiers guard the temple night and day! Actual soldiers with swords and armor stand at the temple doors and protect it. Absurd...

The missing tribe of people who live somewhere in the north. And they are still missing, even though we have all sorts of technology. There is a whole civilization of people out there somewhere to the north. And eventually they will show up.

The three Nephites... Some people might not know what that is all about. In the Book of Mormon, there were three Nephites who, when asked by Jesus what they wanted, chose to become immortal and stay on earth to prepare it for the second coming. (See 3 Nephi, chapter 28). You will occassionally hear a Mormon telling a story about how some stranger helped them and it was probably one of the three Nephites. The Nephites wander around doing good deeds but no one ever really sees them. They show up here and there and then disappear again. If you got help from one of the three Nephites, then you are really cool! It kind of makes you wonder where they were during the great battle in which all the Nephites were wiped out!?!? They just kind of sat back and watched everyone get slaughtered, not even bothering to help out. You sure could do a lot of damage if you were immortal!

So as you can see, Mormonism is full of rumors and nonsense. If the true church has been restored, then why do the three Nephites still hide? Why don't they come out and publically testify about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon? After all, that is why Jesus let them live forever! If that ever happened, people would join the church by the thousands, which, again, was their purpose for being granted immortality. So where are they? Why don't they speak in General Conference?

Speaking of GC, it is starting tomorrow (today actually as it is just after 2 in the morning). I'll be watching for the three Nephites! If they actually show up, I'll literally crawl to the bishop's office and beg to be forgiven for my evilness! If they don't show up, then it will be just another amazing lack of anything real in the goofy Mormon religion.

Mormons, you don't have the priesthood. You don't have the ability to bring people back from the dead or to even heal them. If you stop and think about it, you'll realize that you've never actually seen anything that proves beyond a reasonable doubt that your so-called priesthood is real.

There were no golden plates. Pretty convenient for good old Joe how they are just completely non-existant and no one really ever saw them. I know, I know, Moroni took them into heaven... Like I said, pretty convenient.

As a TBM, I did used to wonder why we don't really see miracles anymore. They happened all the time in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. They happened all the time in Joseph Smith's time. But for some reason, we never see any now. We read and hear about them all time but how come we never actually get to see one ourselves?

It's all bunch of brainwashing and absurd ideas. None of it has any backing or evidence of any kind. But for some reason, they hear a story and suck it up. I know someone who was visited by the three Nephites! I got a blessing and now am all better! I paid tithing and a miracle happened. It's all just folklore, superstition, and the lack of any real mental processing...

I'm signing off for now.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Utah Sucks (Continued)

I'm not done with my Utah bitching session...

In Salt Lake City, you had better staunchly watch the speed limit whenever you are going down a hill (or driving anywhere for that matter). Utah cops love to hide at the bottom of hills and turn victims of gravity into criminals. There is an overpass which I frequently use. I have literally seen dozens and dozens of people pulled over at the bottom of this overpass. Almost every time I drive over it, sure enough there is a cop hiding there with his little radar gun.

And if you get pulled over in Utah, you are going to get nailed to the wall. A Utah cop has absolutely no concept of a warning. I had a friend who's car was impounded just because his friend was driving it without a license. My friend was even with him and could have easily driven the car home, but no... the cops had to impound it. I spent a whole day helping my friend drive everywhere to deal with the runaround of getting the car back.

In Idaho, just north of here, it is a totally different story. I was with a friend one time and I had just gotten my drivers license. He didn't have his license yet but wanted to drive. So I let him drive. He got a little too comfortable with the speed and a cop pulled us over. My friend was caught speeding without a drivers license in an uninsured vehicle. In Utah, we would probably have ended up in jail. In Idaho, we walked away with a warning.

Further, in Utah it is an all day hastle (and sometimes even longer) to get your damn car registered. First you have to get two inspections, safety and emissions. That costs about $50. And it doesn't matter if your car is 20 years old or 5 minutes old... everyone has to get inspected.

Then you have to correct anything that did not pass inspection. Lights, windshield wipers (if your windshield has a crack longer than 12 inches, you must replace the windshield), horn, window tint can't be too dark, etc. That could end up costing any obscene amount.

Once you get your car repaired it has to be reinspected. If you pass, you are given certificates which you must have in order to register your car.

You take these certificates to the DMV where you wait for hours for your turn to talk to a representative. By the time you pay for registration, property tax (you pay property tax every year on a vehicle that is younger than 10 years), and all the other crap they tack on, you've just spend another couple hundred dollars and at least one full day, if not more depending on how long repairs took.

In Idaho, you can register a damn car frame as long as it has a VIN number. There are no stupid inspections and absurd laws that you have to conform with. You just go to the DMV, wait in line for a few minutes, pay your $25 or $30 and you're done.

The bottom line is that Utah is a state which has its eyes on your wallet.

If your car is broken into in Salt Lake City, the police will not even dust for prints to try and find out who did it. In Utah, cops only care about one thing... speeders. If you're going to rob a bank, just make sure you drive away slowly and you'll be just fine. But seriously, cops in SLC are lazy and do not care about public safety. All they want is speeders.

Oh, and catch this... if you get a speeding ticket for just 5 miles over the speed limit, your fine will be no less than $100. I got pulled over on the freeway one time for crossing a solid line of paint, something which thousands of people do every day. I got pulled over and slammed with a $100 ticket just for driving on Utah's precious paint. And the cop who pulled me over was a complete ass, like they all are.

The thing about that was I had just received an unsolicited call from some organization trying to raise money for better training for police officers (which I call revenue officers). I had made a pledge, but ended up giving the money to the state to pay the price for daring to drive on their paint. I figured that our fine SLC revenue officers are trained well enough so I never sent the pledge.

The thing is, I would support the local police 100% if they weren't so damn lazy and just interested in speeders. Our neighborhood is contantly being hit by those cowardly graffitti bastards. What are the police doing to stop them? Nothing, not a damn thing!

The only time the police are heroic is when the media is watching. Other than that, they are just lazy bastards who don't really care if your car just got broken into or stolen. We reported gun fire one time and it took them a damn half hour to show up. They just don't care. Utah is just interested in speeders because it means a quick and easy $100. Utah is a state that just wants to suck your wallet dry.

Utah Sucks

The entire world looks at Utah and just laughs! The laws and the people are just crazy.

In Utah, one can not go to a bar without paying a state-required membership. Show me one other state that has a goofy law like that! Recently this issue has been under debate and it could change... but this is a state run by Mormons and I doubt that it will.

Here is the pathetic argument that those in favor of memberships give: "If we remove memberships, what kind of message are we sending to our children?" Um, the message that adults are adults and can have a fucking beer if they want to! It's not like bars have an open door policy to anyone. They check ID's just like any other state. So it's not like kids are just going to wander in and have their virgin eyes burnt out!

Further, if you want to go to a titty bar in Utah, it's not really a bar because the state will not allow conscenting adults to look at a naked girl and have an alcoholic drink at the same time. You can go to a private club and have a drink, but the girl dancers are required to wear nipple pasties and thong underwear. Now I ask you, is that not a self-defeating concept? I can go to a titty bar but I can't see any tits.

Alcohol but no nude dancers...

Nude dancers but no alcohol...

Utah is a fucking day care. This is a state where the rights of conscenting adults are stripped away by the fucking Mormons. They preach high and low that they believe in free will but when it comes right down to it, they will take away any choice that they believe is "sinful". You know, there are non-Mormons in Utah! There are nevermo's in Utah. They shouldn't have to be forced to live the Mormon standard if they don't want to!

Guess what, Mormons! The world looks at you cooky nuts and laughs. If you're so offended by titty bars, THEN DON'T GO! But if the rest of us want to, we shouldn't have to drive to another state just to enjoy a drink and see a naked girl.

This is exactly the reason that no one wants a Mormon president. They would jump in and take away all our freedoms in the name of their standard. They truly can leave the world, but not leave the world alone. Then they wonder why people like me talk "negative" about their perfect church.

Utah sucks and no matter how much the church denies it, the church runs this state. They are extremely politically involved, including encouraging members on how to vote for certain issues...

Fox13 news did a report on this very debate just last night. Here is a link to that story. You have to watch an ad first... Utah Liquor Laws

How did you like that one guys comment, "When they go into that environment..." What the hell is he talking about? No bar just lets a kid wander in... but that's Utah for you. People are so afraid that they are going to hell if their kids even see an alcoholic drink. Utah needs to lighten the fuck up!

Kudos to the guy who said, "It's a parenting issue, not an enforcement issue..."

Amen and amen!