By Gosh, By Golly….
My friend, Richard Packham, is a pretty smart guy. And he’s done a lot to help ex-Mormons deal with the Mormons in their life who refuse to deal with the fact they no longer believe. Phew. That’s a mouthful.
Richard’s FAQ says:
“How can I answer questions from Mormons about my leaving the church?”
One of the most difficult aspects of leaving Mormonism is facing the accusatory questioning of Mormon friends and relatives. Many people who have just left Mormonism are at a loss as to how to deal with such questions. Usually the questions are not really requests for information, but rather attempts at emotional manipulation. Mormons usually prefer to pre-judge the cause of someone’s change of belief and assume that they already know the “real” answer to these questions. Here are some of the questions and comments often faced by those who have just left the church, with suggestions as to how one might respond. Many other responses are possible, of course, and an appropriate response would depend on the prior relationship with the questioner and the sincerity of the question.
Anyway, Richard has put together a list of questions and answers for Mormons who question ex-Mormons as to why they would leave. In usual Natalie-fashion, I thought I’d answer the questions in my own way. Make sure you go to HIS site to see the real answers.
Q: Why did you leave the church?
A: Well, I was getting close to Mormon-marrying age, and the temple garments just did NOT look good with my wardrobe and Victoria’s secret underwear. I’d tell you it was because I found the tenets and beliefs without merit and frankly, pretty damn, silly, but I know you wouldn’t accept that.
Q: I really would like to hear about what made you leave the church, but can you tell me about it without saying bad things about the church or our leaders?
A: In other words, you don’t think I really have a reason for leaving, and you don’t want me to be honest. Basically, your question really means, “You are an idiot and can’t possibly have had a genuine, logical reason for leaving. So just LISTEN to me and get your ass back to the Mormon Church.”
Q: Which commandments weren’t you keeping, that Satan was able to tempt you?
A: Thou shalt bleed profusely from your brain, thus rendering you incapable of common sense and reasoning skills.
Q: Have you been reading “anti-Mormon” literature?
A: Reading it? Hell, I’ve been WRITING it. At least I have, according to my many detractors… I just thought it was good fiction.
Q: You know what I mean: have you been reading material written by anti-Mormons?
A: Anti-Mormons, TBM Mormons, Mormons with neck wattle, Never-Been-Mormons, General-Authority-Type Mormons. I’ve read it all. Are you saying I should only read one side? As early as kindergarten we learned the adage, there are TWO sides to every story.
More to come.
