Windy Sydney

I have mentioned before that I ordered this ring from the internet (click here to order yours!):


It's a CTL ring, and I love it. I wear it every single day to work just because I can. The way I see it, if people want to wear CTR rings expressing their love of the Mormon Church, I can wear a CTL ring expressing my willingness to leave the church.

Many ask what CTL stands for. To be honest, I am not sure. Here are my takes on it..

Choose the Left (political)
Choose to Leave (hell yeah)
Choose to Live
Choose to Love (love anyone you want)

There are probably millions of other sayings you could connect with the initials on the silver band, but those are my favorites.

One of the things I enjoy about this little trinket, is that the symbol clearly mimics the classic "Choose the Right" logo the church uses. Most people that get a glimpse of the ring immediately assume it's a CTR ring and jump right in with testimonies and news of how wonderful the church is. It makes me an instant friend.

I never correct people when they assume it's a CTR ring. For one, it's not the time or the place (since this happens at work most of the time). Getting into the fact that I am a big fat apostate at my work location isn't exactly model employee behavior. Also, I am representing my company while I am on the clock, and they might just think I am evil, and therefore the company I work for is evil. Sad, but true.

Also, people in Utah are very militant about Mormonism. Any voice that is against the church is immediately insulting. I don't hate Mormons, I just don't like the way the church is run... not to mention the amount of information kept from active members. Insulting people at work isn't model behavior either.

It kills me how friendly people are to me when they glance at my ring. They look me in the eye, smile, and start chit-chatting about anything under the sun. If they really took a harder look at the ring, they would have a completely different opinion of me, wouldn't they?

Isn't this slight proof that Utah Mormons judge people by religion? Isn't it telling that a simple piece of jewelry makes believing members want to be kind to me? How kind would they be if I had no ring at all?

Today an older gentleman saw the ring and assumed it was a CTR ring. He said, "You must be a member of the church..." Technically, I am. So I responded with, "Yes, I am a member."

He then asked me if I was active, and I told him no.

"Why not?"

None of your business, dude!

Lets also mention that explaining the thousands of problems I have with the LDS church would take all day, and I have a job to do.

Things that make you go "hmmmmmmm...."

Andee