Well, it's been quite some time, hasn't it? Since my last post, I have been struggling to figure out who I am. For a while, and possibly even still, I had some gender dysphoria and swung rapidly between male and female, and considered going through HRT a lot. I'm now in a different phase where I'm almost completely lost to myself. My mind is a raging storm of chaos and emotion that seems to be tearing me apart on the inside. Needless to say, some of my views on life have changed. Some have changed more significantly than others, but I still am strong in my faith, and, if anything, a little more Christlike in that I am not so quick to judge anymore. As such, I am sorry if I have offended anyone in this thread, and ask that you would forgive me.
I seem to have missed someone's post somewhere, and it must have gotten deleted. As such, I don't know how to answer most of what is said before MageGrayWolf posted the "Why I'm No Longer Mormon" video. Let me answer that video now. I will be answering the issues as I remember them, so bear with me.
Temples. I believe she said that if we're all about family, then why can't our whole family enter the temple to watch the marriage? Marriage in the temple is eternal, and is the only way to truly be with your family forever. What a small price to pay for such a great thing. Also, if not anything else, at least think of the difference in atmosphere between a place where the couple being married, the temple workers, and adults who are worthy are the only ones present, and one where kids are crying, running around, eating snacks, etc. The first is peaceful and the spirit can dwell there fully, while the second is more chaotic, and the spirit is not as strong. I also don't see what is cultish about what goes on in the temple. I've done temple work on numerous occasions. None of it at all seems cultish. Baptisms for the dead, or proxy baptisms, aren't cultish at all. I'll even explain what happens if you want me to.
Sexism. She couldn't be more wrong. Women have a divine role and are highly respected. For a man to be worthy to hold the priesthood, he must show proper respect to women, girls, and children. If he does not, he is cut off from the priesthood. This is why viewing pornography is a serious sin. Beyond that, it is the women who will choose whether they want to continue living with their spouses in the afterlife. Many men will arrive and find with great sorrow that their former wife no longer wants to be with him. At this point, it won't be some whimsical reason like "I'm just not attracted to him." The reason will be something more along the lines of "He had no respect for me" or "he was abusive". Men who are disrespectful to their wives will receive their just consequences in heaven.
The role of women is not to just have babies. The girl almost sounds like we believe that women are only good for having children, and that's it. This simply is not the case. Yes, women have the divine role to raise and nurture their children, but that's expected of mothers everywhere. The idea of a stay-at-home mom is inconceivable now. It often takes both parents to work one or more full- or part-time jobs to maintain a living. Both parents, not just women, are expected to raise their children in righteousness. This does not mean that either parent is a failure if the child is not righteous. Children have their own agency.
Brainwashihg. I can see how she thinks this, but logic leads me to say she's wrong. You might as well say the government is brainwashing kids in elementary school, too. In fact, that's more likely to affect a child's behavior because school happens 5 times a week, while church only happens once a week. Let me tell you, I've been through primary (which is where this "brainwashing" probably occurs according to the girl), and I'm still a normal person. Really, primary is about teaching children the very basics of the gospel. Other religions have similar things to this. When I was in alabama, I went to a daycare/school that was either Methodist, Lutheran, or Baptist (I can't remember which). They did the same things daily as what is done weekly in primary.
As for her view of what the afterlife will be, where men will get their own planets and have tons of wives to have sex with, I know exactly where that comes from, or at least one source of it. I saw it in that video E1337 posted. It's false doctrine. Now, those who had plural wives will have what wives choose to remain, but no more, no less. We don't believe we'll have 40 virgins or something to satisfy us. Now, as for the planet thing, that's also somewhat false. Yes, we will be as our Heavenly Father, but that's about all we know.
If there's anything I missed, please tell me. Also tell me if there's anything that needs clarified.
