They never got their hooks in me but half of my immediate family succumbed. We had four brothers, my mother, and my father. Two brothers went on missions -- one became a bishop -- and my mother taught genealogy at the Mesa AZ Temple. Myself, my other brother and my father all graduated college and escaped. I don't know how my parents stayed married for 54 years until they died.
My brothers and I all grew up in the Strip Country of extreme northern AZ and southern UT. I have relatives in Bundyville and Colorado City. It's amazing how much pressure the LDS church can put on small towns and the people that live there. I'm glad to not see it any more myself. Lol.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Hi, both of my siblings and their husbands, parents, maternal and paternal grandparents(all 4 temple workers) ex and all my friends were in the LDS church when I left and still are. I left before my kids were expected to get baptized. I was a Primary President, wife of the Ward Mission leader, I married in the temple, served a mini mission, married a return missionary just like my sisters and graduated seminary. I met my ex in the singles ward. It truely was VERY hard to walk away from the culture I knew and get pleaded with to stay. I had my first alcoholic drink, coffee and tea at 31!! Now at 38 I feel like I am so free. I used to cry myself to sleep because I was worried for my soul for not having a “testimony”! It took the thought provoking questions from a coworker for me to finally realize what I believe now.
SaritaMcMama
Level 2
June 7, 2018
1
Have you succeeded in rescuing any family members-- or otherwise-- from the FLDS? IMHO they're even worse than the LDS, who at least live in the free world and have the option of leaving.
Happyatheist
Level 4
May 25, 2018
0
No. I left that world 40 years ago. The Mormon part of my immediate family is mainstream LDS and they don't have many social contacts. I hear a few stories but that's all.
For instance, that guy who got himself shot in Oregon, Lavoy Finicum, I played high school basketball with. But I hadn't talked to him since then.
Main stream LDS are more subtle that's all, and while not officially shunning you they will they will endeavour to make your life miserable and to isolate you from family, label you as a vexatious person, encourage a still active spouse to leave you and marry a worthy LDS person so as to facilitate going to the CK.
@LenHazell53 How Christian of them.
I've heard a lot of stories like this and much worse from people born in to the ssc congradulations on getting out when you did.
LenHazell53
Level 9
May 19, 2018
1
They got their hooks in me around age 21. It took me 10 years to get out and even longer to get over it.
NancyW
Level 2
May 19, 2018
4
I was 14 when they first roped me in, street preaching.
By the time I left they had been told to stop recruiting kids, at least in the UK.
@LenHazell53 Haha. I was out on a trail ride on my horse and ran into a couple of very easy to spot missionaries. I let them give their speil, then said, "Thanks but no thanks but I'm an atheist and very happy to be so." Their answer? "We'll pray for you." I again said, "Thanks, but no thanks", as I rode away. Weird people and so sad for them they live in abject ignorance and fear for their salvation.
@Happyatheist
"Thanks, but no thanks"
Freaks them out, that one. I had one guy scream at me "Well you can't stop me!"
@Happyatheist I have a Athiest friend that says to that specific comment. “And I will think for you!”
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Posted by LenHazell53Saw this on reddit, sums things up quite well I thought