Windy Sydney

Exactly.

I am sick. SICK!

I just caught up with an online friend who shared a little nugget from her husbands Stake Bishopric meeting.  For the record, as she stated clearly online, she did not post the information with her husband's permission.  She is the one who made the decision to share the information, so all those who want to get him into trouble for this are barking up the wrong tree.  Period.  

This is a copy of the post she made on a message board.  I use this with her permission, and I thank her again for allowing me to use it! 

I had to sleep on this overnight to make sure it was the right thing to post this, because I really don’t want to take a risk of getting my DH in hot water right now. This information comes from Stake Bishopric Meeting (a meeting held once per month where the Stake Presidency counsels all of the bishops and their counselors), and I’m sure the content of those meetings are not meant to be shared unless instructed to do so. For this reason, I’m not even asking DH’s permission, which might sound really bad, but it’s for his own protection. If the priesthood leaders who presume they preside over me ever somehow caught wind that I post on this site, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to find which one is me, I’m sure. So let me make it clear that it’s my decision and my decision alone to pass this along.  

So with that said, as most of you probably know, my DH is the 1st counselor in the bishopric. Btw, he has asked to be released because he feels he needs to be spending his time with his family right now as our children and I make this difficult transition out of the church, but the bishop is dragging his feet, and we both agree that he is stalling because he believes that I’m going to come to my senses. Anyway, he came home last night from Stake Bishopric Meeting in a TERRIBLE mood. When I asked him what was wrong, he at first refused to tell me because he was afraid I would be too angry. A little bit later he went up to bed obviously stewing, so I again asked him to please tell me what was wrong. He started with how he had first attended Round Table where they discussed collecting for Friends of Scouting and doing the re-chartering—both of which my DH is in charge of, and NOT happy about for many reasons that I won’t get into. So with that sour taste in his mouth, he then walks into SBM, only to have the topic of discussion be Proposition 8. Apparently, a letter was sent down to the Stake President, signed by the 1st Presidency, stating the church’s stance. My DH didn’t get to actually read the letter, but copies were passed out to each bishop with instruction that if they hear of any member or their wards opposing the church’s position, they are to be reported to the Stake President immediately. (The worst part for me is that our SP’s own brother whom he claims to love is gay.) The SP went on to state how there were people in our area who were collecting money to oppose the Proposition, and this was unacceptable. Hmmm. So apparently it’s okay for bishops to put collection boxes outside their offices and Stake Presidents to start web sites to collect donations to support Proposition 8, but those who oppose have no right to do the same? My DH was sickened to his core. Everything inside of him is screaming that this is wrong. Not only is he opposed to Proposition 8 himself, but he expressed how he just cannot believe that the church can justify taking such an active stance in government—obviously it goes against even our own Articles of Faith. 

I think he just lost his last bit of faith in the LDS Church. He’s been pondering about whether or not to give the bishop a date that he needs to be released by, and he will now be doing that.  

So far, I have not written a letter or signed the petition to the First Presidency on the Signing For Something web site because of the fact that my DH was in the bishopric and there is enough spotlight on our family right now without me being invited to a disciplinary counsel. I was already warned by my SP that if he finds me spreading my reasons for leaving he will not hesitate to excommunicate me, as his job first and foremost is to protect the church. Trust me, I'm not intimidated by his threat, but I'd rather not put my family through the drama. As I've contemplated whether or not it was the right thing for me to remain silent or not, I've wondered if with all those signatures that they would even really take notice of mine. Now that the SP has made it clear that he is on the lookout, I’m probably asking for it if I sign. I won’t do it without first letting my DH know of my decision, but it’s looking like Signing For Something has just recruited one more signature. 

For those who don't know, SigningForSomething.org is a website that collects letters and signatures for people who are against the church's stance in politics and human rights.  If you would like to add your signature or letter, letting the Mormon church know that they are more than out of line, please do.  The website is collecting new letters and signatures every day, and the response has been amazing.

Now, for the rest of my rant...

The church is telling people how to think, act, and believe.  It is taking the time, money and talents from it's members and using those things to push their own agenda.  

I am amazed at the number of people that have decided this issue is the last straw for them.  This is proof that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn't care about equality.  How can you be a member of a church that would do this to people?

How could anyone be a member of a church that tells them what they can and can't support politically?

How could anyone with a heart not stand up and say something about it?

I hope more people do.

Andee

Check out this idea from my idol, Martha Stewart.

These glasses are filled with a yummy white chocolate milk shake and whipped cream.  The faces can be made two ways... 

First, as the Amazing Martha suggests, use melted milk chocolate and paint the faces on the inside of the glasses with a clean paintbrush.  This is fun for kids to do, a nice party activity.

If that sounds too involved for you, or a little too difficult, try getting clear plastic cups and draw the faces on with a sharpie.  

Why didn't I think of that?

Also, check out this no-sew idea for a Halloween Costume.  It uses bubble wrap (who doesn't like playing with bubble wrap?  Some friends of mine and I played with bubble wrap the other night at work.. good times...) to resemble jellyfish arms... awesome idea.

I also love this idea... tulle, and lots of it.  Easy to make, and a huge impact on any party you might be attending.  If I were young enough to dress up and beg for yummies, I would do this!  You could even use black tulle and go as an evil ghost... 

Andee

Mind control cults have always fascinated me.  David Koresh had his people convinced that he was the messiah, and when a stand-off with federeal agents ended up in a siege, the cult members set fire to the compound... even though there were small children inside.

Jim Jones moved his followers to a different country, and they committed mass suicide as well. His followers drank poisioned Kool-Aid and ended their lives... again, children were among the dead.  It's horriffic.

Is the Mormon Church a cult?  Ask any believing Mormon that question and you are likely to offend them.  That goes with all religions, including Scientology... any Xenu fans out there?

Most associate the word cult with things like this:

• Strange clothing
• Weak or emotionally unstable people
• Religious nut cases

Unfortunately, that is just plain untrue.  Cults are full of everyday people like you and me.  They go to our schools, wear the same clothes we do, they live next door, they eat the same food we do.

Do, the leader of the Heaven's Gate group.

When I was in high school, Heaven's Gate, a religious cult run by a leader named Do, committed mass suicide in a California mansion.  Home video from the house-o-dead people was shown on almost every national news show in the country.  Bodies were found on cots and mattresses throughout the rooms of the home, and all but two of them had purple colored shrouds covering their faces.  The cult members even wore the same brand of tennis shoes (Nike).  I remember being really freaked out because the home video showed some of the deceased people lying on bunk beds... I had a bunk bed exactly like theirs in my bedroom.  It freaked me out.

Do convinced his followers that the Hail Bop comet was evidence that they were going to be taken away to another place, and that suicide was the only way to get there in time.  They trusted him completely.  They cut themselves off from family and friends that didn't share their beliefs, they gave everything they owned to their leader, and five of the male members even went as far as to get castrated because their leader told them to.

So, does the Mormon church really fit into the cult mind control mold?  Lets take an objective look at this... what do all of these groups have in common?

• Deception
• Being a part of an elite or exclusive group
• Fear and intimidation
• Love Bombing
• Relationship control
• Information control
• Reporting structure
• Time Control
• Pressure "selling"

Here are many things that people look for when determining if a group is a cult or not:

• A single charismatic leader
• A constant push to be happy and enthusiastic
• Instant friendship
• You are told who you should or should not associate with
• They hide what they teach
• They say they are the only true group, so why go anyhere else?
• Attendance of many, many meetings
• Illogical ideas or beliefs
• Asking for money before you can go to the next level

Well, we all know that the Mormon Church, had an extremely charismatic leader.  Joseph Smith was good.  Real good.  He was convincing people he could do things like find buried treasure on their land, and when he didn't produce any treasure he was arrested for fraud.  Even though he was arrested, people still believed in him and many of the things he said.  Here are more things that show just how charismatic Joseph Smith was:

• He convinced many he was speaking with God, Jesus and angels
• He convinced many that the translated the Book of Mormon from ancient gold plates even though no one even saw the plates personally.  Those who claimed to be witnesses later admitted that they saw the plates with their "spiritual eyes."
• He convinced everyone, even his wife (after lying to her), that he was commanded to practice polygamy or he would be killed by an angel with a flaming sword.
• He convinced a friend to let him marry his 14 year old daughter, Helen Mar Kimball

The biggest one (there are many, many more):

• People still believe he was a prophet of God even though there is no evidence to back up any of his claims.  He is still charismatic... even from the grave.

The Mormon church is run by a man who claims to be a prophet... to keep the church going, a new prophet is selected after the other dies.  While none of the prophets have been anything close to having the charisma that Joseph Smith had, people are still convinced that these men speak with, and for God on the earth.  They will do anything the prophet asks of them, and won't ask questions.

I have spoken with many people about this, and most of the ex-Mormons I know tell me that they believed in the church so much that they would have killed or hurt someone if the prophet would have asked them to.  That, my friends, is control... and lots of it.  You don't question the prophet.  You just don't.

Cult leaders also tell their members that they can't trust anyone as much as they can trust them. Some even go as far as to tell their members to stay away from people who don't have the same beliefs... these people are toxic, or evil in some way.  People should be wary of those outside the group.

Is the church guilty of this?  Hell yeah!

The church tells its members not to trust information that doesn't come from them.  Anything negative about Mormonism is "Anti-Mormon" and evil.  The devil himself supposedly puts thoughts into other's minds to bring the church down.  Church members are supposed to stay away from this kind of information, and those who supply it.

It goes further... The church tells it's members that they should marry those of their own faith. If you marry someone that practices another religion you will not get the same blessings in the afterlife that others will.  Only a group practicing mind control could convince a grown person not to marry the person they love simply because the church says so.

Many Mormons take this to an extreme level (not all).  They won't let their kids play with non-Mormon kids in the neighborhood.  When I talked with others who left the church, their children were suddenly friendless.  Their old friends were forbidden from going into their homes.  That is hard for a kid to understand.  What do LDS parents think will happen?  Are non-Mormon kids without morals?  Do they think their little angels are good all the time?  It's ridiculous when you think about it.  It's control.

Deception.  We all know that the church is deciving people every single day.  They change history to make it easier to swallow, and they practice "milk before meat" doctrine... keeping new converts from the controversial stuff until they can "handle it."  The church doesn't tell the truth.  The problems with the Book of Abraham and the translation of the Book of Mormon are proof enough that the church uses this tactic to gain control.

Mormons certainly believe they are part of an elite group.  They are the one true church.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims to have all the answers, and it's members are taught that if they accept the gospel and then turn away from it, they are committing the worst sin in the world.  Also, those with temple recommends are seen as more elite than those without them.

It goes further into levels within Mormonism...  Men are an elite group within the church.  They have the priesthood and more control over those who do not.  Then the priesthood itself is taken into levels... local leadership, stake leadership... all the way up to the prophet himself.  The closer to the top you are, the more elite you are.  Men who reach the top are praised and it's assumed that they are highly spiritual and chosen by God to be in their positions.

Fear and Indoctrination... It's all over the place in the church.  Indoctrination starts when you are a child.  Everyone you know tells you that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that the church is the only true church.  Kids don't get the opportunity to believe anything else, and I speak from experience.  

People in the church are afraid to do a lot of things... They are afraid to drink coffee and tea, afraid to do things their church leadership wouldn't agree of, but the most important thing is that they are afraid to leave.  Believing mormons are scared of the downward spiral that their lives might take if they step away from the rules and regulations the church has given them.  Many people think they will become alcoholics, drug addicts, or even murderers if they leave the church because they think it's the church that gives them morals... it makes no logical sense, but that is something that is accepted. Control.

Love Bombing.  My favorite... I have been the victim of love bombing more times than I could count.  People want to know you, learn about your hobbies and interests, and be best friends with you just to get you to go with them back to church.  It's fake, and insincere... it's manipulation to gain more control.

Relationship Control.  Wow, this happens all over the place in the church.  Girls are taught who they should marry and when.  A return missionary and in the temple.  Nevermind that they might actually be in love with someone else, and that they would live happily for the rest of their lives, it's more important to the church that they marry a fellow member and raise kids within the bounds of Mormonism.

Mormons go to their leaders for marriage and relationship advice.  Sometimes they are sent to an LDS approved counselor.  If one spouse leaves the church and the other stays, bishops and stake presidents have been known to encourage the believing spouse to leave with the children and marry someone else.  This does not happen in all cases, but I have heard plenty examples.

Information Control.  You are told what you should read, and what you shouldn't read.  Anything negative about the church is from Satan, as he is trying to bring the one true church down.  Members are told that they shouldn't trust anything that doesn't come directly from them.  They print their own lesson manuals, and emphasize what should and should not be discussed in the church classes.  

Information is also held back about the history of the church.  Also, people are not supposed to talk about anything inside the Mormon temple, even to other believing members.  Non Mormons find this strange, and so do I, because there is no real reason for it.  Personally, I believe that they want the ceremonies secret because they are just weird.  There are fake names in the temple, secret handshakes, chanting... you name it.  They don't want other people to know how weird it is, or they wouldn't get as many converts. 

Reporting Structure.  Easy one.  The levels of leadership are designed to keep track of people all the time.  Home teachers, visiting teachers and friends stop by each others houses all the time.  If the visiting person sees something they didn't think the leadership would approve of, like an ash tray on the coffee table or a rated R DVD laying by the television, they will more than likely discuss it with you, and then with the local leadership.  People are convinced they are doing this for the other person's good and they rarely see how intrusive and absurd it is.  

If a ward member sees you in the grocery store and you have coffee grinds or tea bags in your shopping cart, it will get back to you.  It happens all the time.  You are constantly being evaluated, even if you don't realize it.  This is why many Mormons feel they need to put on a show of some kind.  They make their appearance, and the appearance of their family and home "perfect."  They don't want anyone thinking that they are less spiritual.  Hell, there are even people who walk up to others, hug them, and feel for temple garments under their clothing.  That is insane, isn't it?  Who the hell cares what kind of underwear people are wearing?  The church does.  Control.

Time Control.  Big one.  There are three hour long meetings every Sunday.  Families are asked to hold Family Home Evening every Monday night to teach all things church and read scriptures.  There are callings that keep people busy all week long.  Young Women's and Young Men's groups meet on Wednesdays and sometimes more.  There is scouting for the boys, priesthood meetings, relief society meetings... their whole lives revolve around the church.  The more time the church asks of it's members, the less time they have to research things and find out the truth.

Pressure Selling.  Missionaries do this.  They are taught in the Missionary Training center how to approach people, how to gain trust, and how to sell the story.  After a few lessons, people are challenged to be baptized into the church.  It's not until after you are already a member that you learn about other doctrine like Kolob, men on the Moon... you name it.

So, is the Mormon Church a cult?  Yes... and here are more examples of why...

• There is a constant push to be happy and of good cheer, even if you are depressed by your situation.  Putting on a happy face is important to keep the spirit around you.
• Instant friendships happen when new converts go to church for the first time.  People can't wait to learn more about them, and it makes the convert feel loved and well liked.  If this convert were to meet the same Mormon walking down the street, most of the time the Mormon couldn't care less.  It's all because they want the convert to stay in church.
• Associate with other Mormons.  Don't associate or learn things from those who have opposing views.

There are many, many more examples... and I could seriously sit here all day and list them.  Unfortuately, I need money and I have to go to work :)  

Andee

I posted about some airplane mishaps a looooong time ago, and I found some new photos to share. These come from Dark Roasted Blend, it's a really cool website, you should check it out :)

Why didn't I think of this?  Why? Now someone else is going to make tons of moo-lah off of this fantastic idea.  I want these.  Bad.  Maybe I should order them... if you want them to, go here.

Oh. My. Gawd.

It looks like someone's decapitated head! People are going to eat that? It's cake? Are you kidding me?  

I hope it's not red velvet cake.

One more if you can stomach it...

This comes from a wedding cake disaster file.  This was the inspiration for the wedding cake:

And this is what the bride and groom got on the wedding day:

Don't believe me?  Go here and read the comments section!  The bride herself shares her story and thoughts about this monster almost making it to her reception...

Wow.  I just re-read what I wrote yesterday and I feel the need to apologize.  The whole thing looks like a drunken rant going nowhere.  In my defense, I had worked an entire shift with only a lunch break.  My mind was mush.  I am surprised I had the ability to form complete sentences... if you consider those sentences... ugh, what a mess... anyhoo...

I have been spending a lot of time thinking about how I want my exit from the church to go.  Do I want to resign? Or, do I want my day in "court?"  I have been having conversations with my Mom about this for months.  She resigned back in March, after a long meeting with her bishop.  She told me that she felt wonderful and free after sending in the letters.  She was happy that she didn't have assigned friends anymore.  That is a hot topic for both of us.  Most of all, she was happy they would stop trying to re-activate her.  Imagine our surprise when she moved to a new town months and months after resigning and finding a Relief Society note on her door one Sunday!  It hasn't happened in a couple weeks, so maybe they finally figured out she was no longer a member.  Who knows...

I know I would enjoy being left alone.  I don't want assigned friends.  I don't want starving little boys being escorted to my apartment door every Sunday to beg me for Fast Offerings. Side rant: It's not enough that they starve all freakin' day, but then they have to march the kids around for hours on an empty stomach to ask for money!  What the Hell is wrong with these people?  Really?  I wouldn't miss seeing their sad, puppy-dog eyes when I open my door to them every month!  They probably smell my dinner cooking and their mouths are watering... Let kids be kids... Rant over.

So yeah... it would be nice to just walk away from the church.  I could throw myself a party the day I send in the letters... I am not a drinker, although you wouldn't guess that from yesterday's post, but I do intend on getting sloshed just for the occasion.  I am counting on all of you to remind me not to blog that night.  Friends don't let friends blog drunk!

My other option is to go out with a bang...

I am mad as hell about being lied to.  The only thing I have done wrong in the eyes of the church is that I have not taken the brethren's word for things, thought on my own, and talked openly and honestly about things I learned.  No one will ever tell me what I should or should not talk about.  Ever.  That is what they want to do.

I would love to tell the men who think they have the right to judge me and my giant stack of historical facts that they can sit around and pat each other on the back as much as they want... it doesn't make them right.  Who the hell are these assholes?  Chosen by God, my ass.  

How long do you think they would have me in that room before they lost their tempers at the lowly woman who dared talk back to them?  Oh, it would be fun to totally lose my mind and show them what I really think of their judgement, but that isn't who I am... I daydream about causing a big scene, but I don't think I could ever go through with it.  I couldn't behave like that. It would be backing up every horrible stereotype they place on people who leave the church.

"See there, Brother Goober?  They all *are* angry and bitter people once they leave the church!"

"Yes, Brother BooBoo, we should pray for that useless, stupid woman."

Since I can't come to the decision, I daydream about sitting down with Monson himself, and asking him some questions.  Well... maybe not Monson.  I can't even look at that guys photo without feeling my blood pressure rise.  He just looks like a pompous windbag.  He reminds me of a buzzard, or that one muppet bird like thing... 

He doesn't look like a man of God to me.  I know people are going to call me all sorts of names and tell me I am being judgie-McJudgerson, but it's just an honest reaction.  It's just Andee's humble opinion.  You can tell that he is trying hard to look peaceful and compassionate in his church photos, and he just can't pull it off.  I wouldn't trust that guy with anything.  Just sayin'.

Maybe I could write a letter... Something respectful and straight from the heart?  A list of honest questions.  Do you think the first presidency would write me back?  Do you think they would pay attention to little ole me?  I have an extremely rough draft of the letter I want to send, I might get around to sharing it by the weekend.  Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Andee

Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam

Change is good, right?

As you can see, WindySydney has another new look to it.  I am not sure why that other layout grew tiresome to me so quickly, but it did.  I really like this one, and I should have my links and photos back up by tomorrow afternoon.  I will have more freedom with this one .  The old one wouldn't allow me to change things around, and it blocked my creativity.  I was put in a box.  I hate being put in a box.  Boxes are bad... unless they are full of chocolates or daisies... anyway...

Yesterday I shared my thoughts about what the church was teaching the children.  Some of it made me feel as if I were six years old again, sitting in a freezing cld classroom, starving, daydreaming about the moment in Sacrament Meeting when I could partake in a yummy (teeny-tiny) square of (hopefully crust-less) WonderBread.  You know, when you are that hungry, that piece of bread tasted soooo freaking good!

As un-funny as the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is, I found myself laughing at the way the lessons were written for the little ones.  

Okay... imagine for a moment you were in my class... the teacher, no doubt, the typical Molly-Mormon Primary Teacher, complete with blue and pink flowered dress with white lace trim. Remember the ultra-modest frocks with the piece on top that makes you look like a pilgrim?  All my teachers would always wear those!  One of them always had this pink lipstick on her teeth. It is amazing if I learned anything from her at all, because I couldn't keep my eyes from the cosmetics on her teeth...

So... imagine, if you will, my teacher, leaning forward in her chair, eyes open wide... as if to emphasize that she is saying something very important, saying:

"Satan was a baaaaad man."

*nods sincerely*

Don't get me wrong, I loved it when they pulled out other kid-loving tricks like the ever popular felt board... I was never once asked to be the class helper who got to place the little cut-outs on the felt board.  I remember learning about Noah's Ark on the felt board.  I was annoyed that a little girl named Melanie got to be the helper again before anyone else had a turn, and I spent the rest of my class time trying to figure out what the poorly illustrated animals were. 

"What is that," I thought to myself, "a llama?  A Tyrannosaurus Rex? A Cricket?"

Who do you have to sleep with to help with the felt board?  Jeez...

We had the tiny chairs to sit in, and they were made of the hardest plastic man could make.  How is it that they think children (or anyone for that matter) can absorb anything in the lesson plan when their asses hurt that bad?  Kids can't sit still to begin with, it's going to be a million times worse if they can't get comfortable.  Could you imagine classrooms with bean bag chairs and loungers?  I could have handled that.  Instead, we dealt with stark white walls and icky beige carpet.  Those colors don't help the learning process... they help put you to sleep... or in a trance... hmm...

As I mentioned earlier, it was always freezing in our ward building.  If you know me well, you understand that I am not a girly-girl.  I am not a tomboy, just somewhere in the middle.  How is it that you expect a little girl's feet to stay warm, in the dead of winter, when the only things on her feet are white tights and mary janes?

My toes felt as if they would freeze solid, and that is when I would invent a little dance in my head for my feet.  I would sit in my chair, on my hands (my fingers were cold, too!) and my legs would dangle.  I would point my toes to the left, then to the right, and then jiggle my feet like crazy.  I would add steps as I went on... in my head, I would be thinking, "left, right, left, left again, right-cha-cha-cha."  I am surprised the teachers didn't ask me if I had to go "potty."  It must have looked like I was trying to "hold it."

They knew I wasn't paying attention... they knew many kids were not paying attention.  That is why some of my teachers and leaders bribed us with treasures...

One teacher promised us real toys if we participated in class.  We earned tokens if we answered a question correctly and we got to choose from a bag full of stuff you might normally find in the toy section of a small grocery store.  Jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, and my personal favorite... popsicle molds.

One weekend my brother and I stayed at my grandparent's house and I brought along my new popsicle stuff.  I couldn't wait to turn myself into a frozen dessert chef.  I froze everything I could get my hands on, including watermelon chunks with lemonade, small pieces of Hershey's Kisses inside orange juice, and I can tell you from experience never to try to freeze carbonated drinks.  The inside of their poor freezer was covered in drops of frozen root bear and Dr. Pepper.  I never cleaned the thing, either.

Grandpa stopped freaking out about the mess when he found out I got the popsicle stuff because I paid attention in church.  He didn't care that his kitchen was a mess if it meant that I was becoming a good Mormon girl.  Grandma cleaned it all anyway, it's not like my grandpa had to lift a finger...

Another thing about staying at Grandpa and Grandma's was that my mother, an absolute saint, would often let me "forget" my Sunday clothes.  He only made me go a couple times.  I had to wear my cousins dress a couple times... and I would like to add that she is five years younger than me.  Yeah... if little kids were able to make the Worst Dressed List, I would have made the cut.

The girls in my Grandpa's ward were rotten.  They certainly knew that I was the outsider and they quickly shunned me when they realized I didn't carry my own scriptures (complete with Molly-Mormon frilly-flowered scripture cozy).  They were little snots.  We assembled for testimony meeting after my super-fun class and their mothers would thank the Lord Himself for their sweet children.  The girls would also take their turn on the microphone giving the standard: 

"IwouldliketobearmytestimonyIknowthechurchistrueIknowJosephSmithwasatrueprophet..." How lovely, even as a kid I would see the hypocritical crap.

I know most of the teachers really tried.  It's hard as hell to get a group of little kids to listen to stories about translations and scary stuff like Holy Ghosts.  It doesn't help any that they tell you that God knows every little thing they do... even when you didn't pay tithing on the five bucks your Grandma and Grandpa left for you in your birthday card.  Cheat on a test?  Yeah, you will burn Hell, kid.  That aint Freddy Kreuger in your dreams... that's the "CREATOR!"

As hard as it is to get through to kids this age, it's done.  It happened to me.  I "knew" Joseph Smith was a "true" prophet before I even truly understood what it meant to be a prophet.  I knew that challenging anyone over it would result in bad things.

Yes, my internet friends, imagine again the Molly-Mormon looking at you with her eyes open wide with her frilly white-laced dress staring at you..

"It would result in baaaaad things."

Excuse me, Sister Young? You have... um... ya know... somethin'... right... nevermind.  Sometimes staring at lipstick covered teeth is more entertaining than getting brainwashed... right?

I "knew" that Jesus wanted me for a Sunbeam, and I "knew" I was a child of God.  Not because I actually felt it in my heart, or believed it in my soul.  Only because everyone I knew told me so.

Andee

Pumpkin Flower Pots

Stacked Pumpkin Creatures

Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin Pie

Detail Pumpkins

Creepy Fence

Pumpkin Villiage

Spider Webs

Autumn Leaves

Spiders

Lanterns (this one seems tough!)

Raccoon

Snake

Porcupines... this look is achieved by using white holiday lights...

Owls

My Personal favorite... Cats!