Good Sunday to everyone, as many of you know, today my Mom and I have a meeting with her bishop to discuss some of the questions we have about the things we have learned. I plan on updating my blog tonight when I get home, and sharing everything that happend.
Now for the Bad News,
Unfortunately, due to the commenter that has threatened not only me, but a friend of mine, I will no longer be responding to any comments left. It's not because I don't want to discuss things with the kind people who disagree with the things I have to say, and it's certainly not because I don't want to talk with my friends on the blog! I love having these conversations, and I will miss them. The FBI is on the case, and blogger has been notified of the threats made. They are considered acts of terrorism, and I am cooperating fully with their investigation.
I will never stop posting on my blog, and I will continue to post as normal.
Again, it's not because I don't want to respond, it's because I have been asked not to. If that changes I will let everyone know.
Thanks to everyone that supports me in this endeavor.
Sydney
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Well, it looks like I made it safely to my destination. It's a trip coming back to the place where I grew up and seeing it again. Everything looks so much smaller, so different, and when I see something that brings back a flood of memories, it's the strangest thing... can't describe it.
Thanks again to everyone who assisted me with the commenter, again, I have been asked not to respond personally to any more of these comments, and I am going to do everything I can to assist the investigation.
I will write more later, love you all!
Sydney
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Well guys, it's time for me to travel to my Mom's house to meet with her bishop to ask some questions. I will come back with a full report on what happens, as well as notes I take regarding the questions I asked.
I plan on staying very respectful during this meeting, and I hope to have some answers.
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I would like to thank everyone who helped me come to a decision about the anonymous poster who threatened me and my blog. I even received emails from true believing Mormons who couldn't believe the things the person was saying.
I did notify my local authorities as well as the Internet Crime people at the FBI. I have everything sent to me documented. Hopefully we can all have this resolved soon.
This will be the last time I comment to, or about these posts as it is now in the hands of law enforcement.
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You know, one thing that makes me laugh out loud is when people claiming to be "full of the Lord" and honest members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says something like this on a comment here:
I absolutely love all of the anti-mormon "facts" that exist out there. So informative, so helpful, and they way they enrich peoples lives is truely honorable. I hope that all of the anti-mormons and on the fence folks out there understand one thing, anyone can manipulate "facts" actually there is a whole profession out there dedicated to it, it's called politics. So you can stop missrepresenting your facts as truth and quit lying to people about the Mormon church, it's unhealthy for you and simply not true. Just because you didn't have the faith it took to get over the things about the church you didn't or more likely couldn't understand doesn't give you the right post our sacred ordinances online. Nothing you say or do will stop the progress of the church, in fact people like you drive investigators to the missionaries doorsteps every day. So I am asking you to end your blog, effective immediately, or I will do some research on windy sydney and start posting all of your missdeeds and the real reasons you left the church, which for everyone else out there is 99% due to sin, ie drug or alcohol abuse, or sexual missdeeds. So this is your opportunity to start making good choices, I will check this blog in 36 hours if I find it, I will begin revealing who you really are to the world. Yes I am a mormon and yes I am far from perfect and yes I will follow through on this. Leave the sacred alone or I will become a thorn to you. Don't believe me, just ask the guy who made the movie God Makers what his life was like after he was revealed to be a lying fraud like you. You have 36 hours from now. Start erasing.I didn't have "the faith to get over it?" Are you kidding me? I guess we have one of those people that thinks it's okay for the church to outright lie to the people it's taking money and time from...
I don't want to stop the church, I just want them to tell the truth. Pretty simple. Most people get that.
I don't have any "misdeeds" and I have nothing to hide. I have liven a pretty uneventful life. Graduated from honors from high school, moved to Orlando and learned tons in the hospitality industry, moved to Utah, got a new job. Pretty boring. No drugs, sex, or rock and roll. Good luck with that.
I didn't leave due to sin, misdeeds, or drugs and alcohol. Period. I left because I realized I didn't believe it... the fact that you believe people leave for these reasons pretty much proves that you believe everything the church tells you. Everyone I know left for the same reasons I did... because it wasn't true. It's not my problem if you don't like what I have to say, because it's a free country, and it's my right to say it. If the church can send out thousands upon thousands of missionaries to preach what they believe, I am certainly allowed to have my blog to say what I believe. Deal.
I am definitely not afraid of you, and I certainly don't think you have anything to dig up on me. Seems like your threats are pretty hollow. I wonder what your bishop would think about you doing this? Hmmm....
You can be a thorn, I don't give a damn. I already have plenty of thorns, and I always publish what they have to say because I think it's good to give everyone a voice. However, if you ever threaten my personal being or my blog in any way, I will have no choice but to report your threats to the authorities. Please don't think for a second that I am just blowing smoke, it will happen because you have no right to threaten me or anyone else just because we disagree with you.
So, this guy/gal/piece of work thinks that I am a drug abusing sex addict who prays to Stan every night? Please. Lets remember that this person is threatening me either as a person, or my blog (which is as close to me as you can possibly get...) Someone's actions are not matching with their beliefs. Oh, there is more...
When I was a missionary I met so many missinformed people just like you. I don't assume anything for one, and in fact doubts are healthy when one wishes to seek truth. Problem is you and every other anti out there do nothing more than twist words and phrases to conform to your views. And then have the audacity to come back with excuses like, "oh you can get a warm fuzzy feeling from this or that", to try and manipulate people into thinking that praying for truth is an invalid way to find it. I'm not going to try and convince you and you sure won't convince me and in reality you have literally no influence on anyone, you are a nobody and will likely remain as such, that said the reason I am taking the time to write this is because you offended God and myself by placing those sacred things online. If I were you I wouldn't be waisting my time writing your thoughtless replies, and start erasing the stuff you have on here, the clock is ticking. 29 hours to go.Amazing, isn't it? I mean, I did ask you to prove me wrong, and you didn't. Seems like you don't have anything to back up what you are saying. Please, again. Prove me wrong.
I am not trying to influence people, I am just sharing what I believe. You are sharing what you believe, why can't I? Again, it's pretty hypocritical for you to say things like this when you break every single rule and thing you believe in by making these comments. If you are a true believing Mormon you are putting your own religion down by acting this way. I don't give a flying rat's ass what you think of me.
This is proof that many people, regardless of their religion, don't practice what they preach.
The End.
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The other day I was reading on PostMormon.org (my daily scriptures) and I saw a post by my friend hiker r. We were discussing our moral code and how it hasn't changed much since we left the church, and he gave me permission to share his new articles of faith. Thanks again hiker r!!!! You are a pal. I loved these...
My Articles of Faith or Lack Thereof
1. I believe in that it is not possible to have an absolute knowledge of the existence of God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, or in the Holy Ghost; that ceremonies such as baptisms and endowments are meaningless to God, if he/she exists.
2. I believe that that my life is valuable for the people I love and the people that love me; that sexism, racism, and homophobia are affronts to humanity.
3. I believe that it may not be possible to be saved from death so I had best make the best of my earthly existence.
4. I believe that if God exists, he/she will forgive an atheist that lived a good life. God is not petty.
5. I believe that men and women are equal and that authority and respect should be derived from wisdom, love, and service to our others.
6. I believe that apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth do not have authority unless people bestow it upon them.
7. I believe guilt is a tool to control people and get them to conform.
8. I believe the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, magical healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth are tools in the hands of con artists.
9. I believe that God, if he/she exists, does not choose perverts, sexists, homophobes, and racists as prophets.
10. I believe in the obvious; there is one Israel and it is not and never will be in America, that anybody that is not Jewish is a gentile (including Mormons), that Native Americans are not Jews, that the Ten Tribes never existed, that the earth does not need to be restored to its paradisiacal glory because paradisiacal glory is Nature undefiled, and that it is our responsibility to protect the biological integrity of the earth.
11. I claim the privilege of worshipping God or Nature according to the dictates of my own conscience, and allow all men/women the same privilege, let them worship or not worship how, where, or what they may.
12. I believe in being honest, true, nonjudgmental, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men and women; indeed, I value integrity but believe that proselyting religious dogma is basically rude unless the sermon was solicited.
13. I believe that a testimony is a sign of a closed mind; thus I do not want to listen to anybody to bear their testimony one more time.
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I have been home only 3 1/2 hours from work and I am already sick of watching the news. The only thing going on in the world is Governor Elliot Spitzer's little expensive "friend"? Are we not at war? Isn't there a very crucial election coming up? Why are we so obsessed with this news?
Yes, I do think that it should be on the news, but not to the degree it is. Nancy Grace does hours of this... breaking news coverage on Headline News, MSNBC, FOX News, Good Morning America did an interview with this girl's so-called friends who knew nothing about her activity in the escort business. If they didn't know about it, there isn't much of a story, is there? Every news outlet is trying to out do and outsource the others to win the ratings wars. It's kind of pathetic and hard to watch.
The media has gone through this girl's yearbooks, myspace, facebook, and they even found her singing a song and it's now being played on the radio. Yesterday's troubled youth is todays pop star?
When they are not obsessing over Ashley Alexander Dupree, they are obsessing over Governor Spitzer's wife. They talk about how awful it is that she is standing behind her husband after learning about his activities. They even had body language experts reading into her as she stood in the background of her husbands press conferences. I am sure we can all agree on one thing... she isn't the one at fault for any of this... why are we analyzing everything she does? Leave the woman alone! One woman even went so far as to say that Mrs. Spitzer was doing an injustice to her teenage daughters by sticking by her husband. Not for us to judge people.
Hilary Clinton stood by her husband, and she is now running for president... so people making comments that she is hurting her teenage daughters (Chelsea) and being a doormat isn't necessarily true. Obviously there are millions upon millions of people willing to stand by Hilary's judgment when it comes to the office of President...
If I were ever cheated on, I would be out the door in a heartbeat, but that is a choice only I should be able to make. I would lose all trust for that man, and most of all, I wouldn't know if my health was being put at risk.
It all boils down to the fact that I still think prostitution should be legal. I know that is going to upset tons of people reading this blog, and I don't care. If prostitution were legal, there could be laws put in place to protect these women (and some men). What would happen if a call girl was beaten and raped by her client? She can't go to the police, can she? She has to deal with it on her own, and that ass-wipe is still out there hurting other women.
People often say that it's a victim-less crime, the escort makes the money, and the John gets what he is after. I half-way agree with that. Some of these men and women working as prostitutes are doing so because they have no other way. They need the money, and that can vary from needing the money for college tuition, to needing the money for a drug addiction. If there were laws out there in place for prostitutes, they could be tested for disease, addiction, and tested to make sure they were making the decision for themselves and not for someone else putting them up to it.
Prostitution isn't going to go away. There will always be stories just like this one, there will always be men and women out there putting their lives at risk. It would be better to help them than to turn our backs on them and put them in jail over and over.
No, I have never sold sex for money (thats for all you people out there convinced I am the devil's child). I just think this could be handled in a better way.
Just my two cents.
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Today I was asked about my religion at my new job. I knew it was only a matter of time, and I just told the girl that I didn't believe in organized religion, and that I was happy with my belief system the way it was. She took that as an invitation to share her thoughts and feelings about her belief system with me.
Damnit.
No, I don't want to meet up with missionaries. No, thank you. No, really it's okay... I don't want to order a free Book of Mormon. No, please don't call my apartment before you go to church on Sunday and offer me a ride. Please just leave me alone about the whole religion thing.
Why is it that some people can't take a hint?
Every time we ran into each other in the break room today she would bring religion up in the conversation. EVERY. TIME.
I don't know a lot of things. I am the first to admit that. I don't know if I believe in God or Jesus. I don't know if the Bible is true. I don't know if there is a place called heaven, or an afterlife. I don't know if I will ever see my Dad again. I don't know! And guess what? I am perfectly fine with that!!!!
I haven't been to church in over a year, and I haven't killed anyone for the money in their wallet or killed a man just to watch him die. I haven't tried drugs. I don't sleep around. I haven't turned into some horrible evil version of my former self. I am the same person. The TBM Mormon's in my life don't get that, and they won't give me a chance to show that to them. I have been written off as a Satan-loving apostate who doesn't know whats best for her.
I don't need a religion to give me a moral code or rules of ethics. I don't need anyone telling me how I should live my life because I am doing fine by myself, thank you very much. It's very arrogant to believe that you are the only right person, and I don't think I am. However, some of the TBMs in my life believe they are the only ones who can be right... and the only thing leading them to believe that is the warm-fuzzies they feel.
I am the crazy one.
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I don't agree with Baptism for the dead, and I never have. I remember having a conversation with my grandpa, who is still a true-blue believer in the Mormon faith about this very topic when I was in high school. I think it's morally wrong.
My grandpa was quick to tell me that the people who were baptized by proxy in the temple have the choice whether or not to accept the gospel in heaven. He told me that their eternal salvation depended on someone getting dunked in their name.
Why do I have such a problem with this? Because it takes away that person's religious freedom. Being baptized into a religion is a decision that person should make, no one has the right to make that decision for them. Many Jews who died in the Holocaust were baptized into the Mormon faith... I find that simply amazing. How dare they? These people were killed because they were Jewish and you have the nerve to baptize them into another faith?
The Mormon church (after being threatened with lawsuits) promised to stop baptizing holocaust victims, but it has been continuing. Here are some articles on the subject...
http://nowscape.com/mormon/hitler_temple_2.htm
http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/hitlertemplework.htm
http://www.mormoncurtain.com/topic_judaism.html
http://mormoninquiry.typepad.com/mormon_inquiry/2005/02/some_mormons_ju.html
http://www.mormoncurtain.com/topic_helenradkey.html
http://home.teleport.com/~packham/romney.htm
I guess what I don't understand is how God would need work done on Earth to let a good person into heaven. I sincerely doubt God gives a damn... if you lived a good life, treated people as you wanted to be treated, and helped others you shouldn't be kept in any kind of limbo because you thought the Mormon Religion was a bunch of crap! I mean come on... it's God! He/She/It knows how you lived your life and why kind of person you are, he doesn't need some silly ceremony done on earth before he can let you through the pearly gates!
God will understand why people can't believe in Mormonism. God gave us brains to use, and I am now using mine.
I remember hearing the quote, "The thinking has been done for you," on one or two television shows devoted to the Mormon topic. The thinking has not been done for me. I do my own thinking, everyone should be allowed to do their own thinking, and assuming you have the right to say that to someone is wrong.
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