Windy Sydney

Know something that annoys me? Something that I bring up at least once a month and complain about constantly? That most of my friendships with believing Mormons seem fake and manipulative.

Do they like me for me?

I doubt it.

Do they like me at all?

Maybe.

Are they trying to get be back to church so they can gain points with God?

Think so.

Every time I have a conversation with one of these friends (some of which read my blog... um... hi, there...) the topic seems to gravitate towards religion, God, church, and death. Death is a big one. If you talk death, and I have talked a lot about death recently, you open the door to wondering if you will ever see your loved ones again. Of course, no one really knows what happens when we die... but they don't see it that way. They have it all figured out. Must be nice.

When I stopped attending church when I was 16, I was instantly popular. Everyone wanted to hang out with me and be my friend because they wanted to get me to agree to attend YW meetings and activities. When I *did* attend, before the inactivity, no one gave a shit.

In the halls in my high school I was approached by a popular cheerleader TBM girl who won every contest she ever entered, Aced every test she ever took, and dated every good looking dreamboat in our teeny-tiny school. She wanted to talk to me? What the hell for? I was just the drama/music geek. We had nothing in common. AT ALL. But suddenly, I was her BFF.

She would leave me notes in my locker inviting me to various church activities, or get-togethers. She would constantly try and find out why I stopped going to church, and I was very honest with her... she just didn't understand. That's fine. Just leave me alone and let me be. Don't try and change me. PLEASE.

As a kid, I remember sitting in countless Sacrament meetings listening to the "every member a missionary" message.

"Befriend non-members and invite them to our services. Tell them about the gospel and share how they can become members of this wonderful church (insert sob here)."

How authentic are my Mormon friendships?

It's something I constantly think about.

Should I?

Andee

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I was busy in the kitchen on my days off:


So full. So. Very. Full.

Andee

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That photo of the temple bed in the Yearning For Zion compound really did a number on me. When I saw it for the first time hours ago, I was sick to my stomach. I couldn't stop thinking about what that bed was for... all the possibilities... and how horrible some of those things are.

I am sad.

I can't comprehend any reason at ALL for a bed to be in a temple. Many people have speculated that the bed could have been for something as simple as a janitor or other temple worker sleeping in the building. That makes no sense to me, but to be honest... none of this makes sense.

If having people go into a sacred building like a temple that are not "worthy," why then would it be okay for the old man taking out the trash to take a nap in a sealing room? That sounds a little disrespectful to me... just sayin'. That excuse for the bed does not add up. Not at all.

So, what else could this thing be for?

Many noticed the hand rails on the sides of the bed... much like a hospital bed. Some assumed the man would lie on the bed while his wives knelt beside him and touched him during the sealing of a new wife. Sure... this is possible... but I don't understand the need for a bed. There are countless other ways to accomplish this feat without the use of a mattress.

The scariest thing, and the first thing that popped into my head, was that the rails on the bed could be used to tie restraints to. I have no proof that this happens/happened in that room, but the image came to me with surprising speed and clarity. I am probably wrong... Gawd... I hope I am wrong.

Here is the thing...

Most members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints look at the polygamous splinter groups as cult members that have nothing at all to do with their church.

They are wrong!!

Heads up, believing Mormons... The polygamous groups are simply practicing what Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and the rest of the leaders practiced!

In one breath, you praise Joseph Smith as a bright young boy who dealt with such persecution (he deserved it, by the way) and in the next breath you say that these groups that practice polygamy have nothing to do with you?

If the United States government didn't force the church to give up the practice of polygamy, we would still be practicing it. As a matter of fact, many members of the church joined polygamous marriages AFTER the manifesto was written. Yep... it's true! They... *gasp* Broke the LAW! Shocking, isn't it?

My ancestors came to America from Sweden to join the church in Zion. There is no doubt that some of these ancestors either practiced polygamy, or were raised to believe it was necessary for their salvation. If the church had no bowed to pressure to conform, I might have been raised like the women in the Yearning For Zion ranch. I might have been married off to a 50-something year old fart when I was 15... or even younger.

I am so ashamed to remember that I once thought I had all the answers. I once thought that Joseph Smith and the church were right and true.

To think that if a different decision was made, that I might really know what happened in that temple bed.

It's so sick.

Andee

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We all remember the Yearning For Zion ranch in Texas that was raided last year after a phone call was placed to authorities claiming an underage girl was being forced into marriage against her will.

The entire media focused on religious freedom versus child abuse. The constant thought was, "Where do we draw the line?"

Well, I am here to say that I am sick after seeing a photo taken inside the Temple on their private ranch. It's not easy to look at. Don't worry, there are no children in the photo, nothing showing abuse, just a single, solitary photo of a bed inside one of the pristine white rooms.


To all those who claim that there was zero sexual intercourse inside this temple, I have one question:

What in the world is this for?

WHY WOULD GOD WANT THIS????

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE???

I am sick.

Andee

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I just found a website that made me do a happy dance.

TasteSpotting.com

This website is a recipe-sharing, photo-sharing, inspiration-giving, blog-linking haven for foodies like me. My words can't do it justice. I won't even try. Instead, let me share a couple photos from the site (hope they don't mind).

Oh, and there are drink recipies, too!


Go and check it out yourself!

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Check out this prom dress that is available at lightinthebox.com:



No.

No.

No.

No.

No.

Yes, you can own this vagina-inspired gown for only $99.99 plus shipping! Be the Belle of the Ball! The talk of the party!

This specific photo was taken off the website, and was replaced with this poorly photoshopped image:


Stay classy, ladies!

Andee

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Can I just say how messed up it is to send a little kid a note from his/her primary class telling them they love him/her, miss them, and want them to come to church and have fun with the rest of the class?

Especially when this kid has been to church once, and doesn't know any of the other kids who "love" and "miss" him.

Manipulative, much?

Andee

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Here are some lovely examples of sexism from the advertising past. I posted these a loooooong time ago, so some of you are seeing them for the second time.

Hope you enjoy it!

Now, here are some ads that are just plain creepy...

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Let's pretend there is a God up there... (I am not saying there is, I am not saying there isn't).

This God is a loving, caring, compassionate creator. He has the ability to not only watch every move you make, but every move everyone else makes as you go about your life on Earth. He knows your heart, your mind, your dreams, your secrets. He knows about the Snickers bar you stole from the gas station when you were 8, the time you "accidentally" kicked your little brother in the shin when you were playing soccer and the time you cheated on your math test (sorry).

This God loves you anyway.

Does this God need an organization of any kind to facilitate a relationship between the two of you? In order to go to heaven and be with this loving God again, is it truly necessary that I go to another human being that also has faults and secrets and confess mine? What makes this other human better than me? The fact that the human being happens to be a man and not a woman? Why must I confess anything to a human being when I could just say a prayer and talk directly to God, Himself?



Oh sure, many assume it just doesn't work this way. And to those people, I ask, "Why not?"

Why do so many people assume there has to be a go-between?

I don't have a whole lot of "sins." Really. I was a good kid, and I did normal kid stuff. I don't sleep around with random men, I don't steal money from work, and I treat people the way I want to be treated. If I ever have anything I need to confess to God about, I think I will just talk to him about it.

Andee

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I tried to watch General Conference this weekend. Really, I tried. Honest. Swear. Promise. I even had the entire weekend off and that is rare.

The first thing I did on Saturday morning was turn on my computer and television. My right thumb was fighting me when my brain gave it directions to change the channel to KBYU. It hovered over the number keys in protest as if to say, "Wha? You kiddin' me?" Nope. Not kidding. I am serious. Serious and insane.

Why would I waste my time? Because a couple of my believing Mormon buddies kept sending me emails promising that there would be some major revelation... something important I needed to hear. I knew better. There is always much gossip about conference beforehand. There is always some major announcement, event, or revelation that God wants us to hear. Why do people keep falling for that?

I didn't last long.

How do people deal with the sheer dullness that is LDS inc.?

At times I was staring at the television screen consciously reminding myself to pay attention. To let their words sink in. To truly listen. Couldn't do it. I am a grown woman who has a fantastic attention span, honest. I can sit down to watch lectures or read scientific studies with no problem. I do that all the time. I love to learn.

I just zoned out. Almost immediately.

General Conference is boring as HELL.


How is it that some of my believing Mormon friends want their small children to dress up in their Sunday best and watching everything? Are you kidding? A grown adult can't even handle it? You expect a kid to be able to sit down and listen to an old white guy talk about how lovely the spirit is?

Every single talk is recycled. The words change (not much) but the message is the same. Every person up there seems like they are having a competition to see who can talk in the most reverent voice, or use words like "exceedingly." Most of the people up on the stand use more words than are truly necessary. It would be fun to see if you could take out every 4th word and still get the same meaning. The more adjectives they use to describe their topic, the better.



Nearly everyone cries at one point. That is par for the course. If you cry, you must be feeling the spirit, and it is therefore proof that you are truly an apostle/prophet/whatever and the church must be true. Yes, my friends, tears=love of the Lord.

It kind of made me wonder how conference was back when old Briggy was in charge...

Now, Brigham Young was a man who wasn't afraid to make a statement. He would go off on these giant tangents about women's duties or men living on the moon... Hell, he even told everyone that Adam was God!

Brigham Young wanted people to know that he spoke with God. If people didn't like his revelation, he wouldn't change it. If the Lord said it, Briggy said it. It didn't matter how wrong, or strange the revelation was, he went with it.

The leaders of the church have learned from Brigham Young. They know fully well what Brigham Young (and many others) told people at conference... and they know that they were not telling the truth.

Quaker like people do not live on the moon.
Adam is not God.
Blood atonement is bad.

If Monson were to get up and actually reveal something that could be proven wrong, all hell would break loose.

So, instead, we are treated to long talks about tithing and placing faith before knowledge (riiight). We are told that women should only have one piercing in their ears. We are told that Mormon mothers should iron their children's clothing to perfection. We are told the same things, over and over and over again.

There is so much going on in the world today. There are wars, children are starving, men and women are dying horrific deaths all over the place. I believe God would have something important to say. I believe that if you could truly talk to the creator, He would give you more direction than "Your future is as bright as your faith."

Lets also take into account how much time is taken up by the constant meetings at LDS Churches/conference. We could be spending that time with our families, assisting the needy and helping the world around us. Why would God want us to sit like drones for hours each week when there is so much that needs to be done???


So, Monson, I challenge you. I challenge you to actually step up and prove you are a prophet of God. Say something that God has said to you. Tell the Saints something that isn't already common sense or common knowledge. If you are a prophet, act like one. Be a seer.

It kills me how many people believe he is a prophet when he hasn't done one thing to prove it. Good lord people...

THINK.

Andee

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