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I was born fourth generation Mormon. I served a mission for the church and spent years defending the faith.
I’m currently in a place where I’ve come to regret the time and energy I’ve spent doing so, after having delved deeper into what I once vehemently believed.
I’m now agnostic, bordering atheist.
I only call myself agnostic for the simple fact that I’m done with that whole religious search.
I now believe in science.

Bligh 4 Apr 23
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38 comments

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0

Try getting rid of the catholic guilt driven into an impressionable mind. Even after 49 years of life it still creeps in. ugh!!

2

I went through much the same thing. Be gentle with yourself, and honor the roads that brought you to your present understanding.

I’m not aiming anything inward. My next plan of action is to spread what I’m now discovering.
Herculean task, to say the least.

2

Congratulations on making it out. It's amazing that you have been able to leave myth behind and embrace science. It's hard to let go of that last little bit of "faith" and move from agnostic to atheist. Enjoy your journey and don't worry about what was.

Thank you very much. I’m glad I have support here. Your words are encouraging.

2

I would hope you could find some good in your time as a mormon, some lessons you learned or behaviors you practiced that are worth keeping, brotherhood or care for your fellow man(I don't know specifics I was never religious). People can't help what they believe, you have to keep learning forever, its not a waste to be wrong, its a waste to stop searching for whats right.

Think of how worse you would feel had you waited another 10 or 20 years.

My sentiments, exactly. Thank you.

2

I was born into the Mormon church. However, I always doubted and stopped tryign to believe when I was around 16.

I am very resentful of all the time in my childhood tht was wasted via church activities.

I know exactly what you mean, my brother. Thank you.

1

Welcome & congrats on making the journey. It can be a tough one. One good thing, you don't have to 'believe' in science. It can be proven & demonstrated, so no faith required! & it keeps filling in those "gaps"! Glad you made it here!

Thank you. This is encouraging bb

2

Good for you, partner! Don't worry about the past, nothing you can do about it now anyway. And remember, science is true whether you believe in it or not.

1

Kudos to you! Try not to waste time regretting past mistakes. We all spend time doing things that we later regret. Just move forward, focus on your future, and be the best version of you!

3

No point in regretting - as it's past, and it was the journey that was likely necessary to bring you to where you are - a good place !

Though I'm not sure I see science as something you "believe" in - like a religion, but more of a state of opening your mind to what actually IS. Happy for you !

2

Welcome to a truly freethinker community.

4

I didn't really know or even comprehend that atheist was a thing. I just eventually realized that the Bible was not consistent and that it contridicted its self. Then I asked myself questions.

Can a God be all powerful and all good when there is suffering in the world?

How was my god any more real or valid than any other god?

Did my god heal or perform miracles that were real while others gods did or did not?

If there were flaws in what I did believe how many more flaws were there in my beliefs that I was unaware of?

Was my relationship with god one sided and internally a self delusion and how could I validate what was real and not real?

Why were promises like "What so ever you shall ask in his name" not true?

Did I actually really, truely believe in my god or did I just want to?

Could it be possible that god was just made up by man and how could I know if it wasn't?

None of these questions made me more religious. I hope that they may help you with of difficulties sorting out what is real and not real.

1

Science trumps mythology.

2

Congratulations on coming to reason. Don't lament the time that's already gone. It's pointless.
Just go forward and make the best of your life.
Focus on your future.

1

You and I have a lot of similiarities in our background, based on this post. I too, regret the time I now feel was spent deceiving others to believe a certain way - a way which meant nothing more to me than "It's what mom & dad said to do".

2

I think you have made a wise choice. I can see that you have a dark complexion. I always wonder why anyone of color would ever choose a religion that discriminates against people of color.

And women, and gays, and children, and ANYONE.

2

Welcome to the Dark Side. In all seriousness, it's not easy to reject what you've been taught your whole life. Religion is great at making you feel bad for leaving it, especially since you're essentially abandoning your current support system. So it's important that you're finding yourself a new support system.

Since you've been defending the religion for a while, would you mind answering some questions I've had? I'm curious about the church as presented by Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Specifically, the way the religion is presented in one of their South Park episodes and also the Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon. Things such as the Garden of Eden really being in Jackson County, Missouri; Joseph Smith conveniently being unable to show the writings to anyone, and the church only recently accepting African-Americans as worthy of their church.

And while I feel these concepts are silly, I cannot throw stones since I grew up believing in a worldwide flood, the sun standing still, and burning bushes. So yeah, a lot of us grew up with stories that are actually quite hard to swallow.

While not directed to me, I can answer most questions you might have on the Mormon faith as well. Most of what you asked about is true. The Mormons do believe that the Garden of Eden is located in Missouri. The scriptures that the Mormons use have printed "testimonies" of witnesses who were allowed to see the original writings, known as the Gold Plates - but naturally none of them are alive to continue in such testimony - and some even left the church all together.
Mormons started allowing African Americans to hold the priesthood in 1978, 40 years ago this June.

3

Good for you.

3

Don’t regret the past. If anything, it was the last that led you down the road to the present, and how freeing logic can actually be.
But seriously. You should frame the bulletproof under-britches. ?

3

Welcome

2

Glad you made it out. That must have been hard when you'd been so entrenched. Good for you!

I think we all regret things in the past or at least wish we’d played it differently. All we can do is move on and take any positives, no matter how small, and move forward.

It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish that matters.

PS. Hope you’ve seen ‘The Book of Mormon’ musical 🙂

7

ah young padawan (you may not get the reference here)
Please do not fall for the misconception that Science is a belief system. It is a method.
You should shift your mindset to trusting reason and rational thinking. Curiosity, observation and questionning is the first step in this method.
Otherwise... welcome! You are amongst good intentioned and open minded people here.

Thank you Jedi Master.

5

Welcome, you live and learned from the experience. I wish more people would

7

Welcome, you will find a lot of support here. Please don't have regrets about time lost. You have a wealth of experience and knowledge that you have access to that will help those who come after you that will need guidance and understanding. That is a precious gift to have.

I admire your courage and determination in leaving a very tight-knit religious community. You have the whole world and universe to explore. Science is a beautiful thing. Enjoy.

Betty Level 8 Apr 23, 2018
6

It's a shock when we awaken. The comfort comes when we become aware.

Simple and elegant. Well said.

9

Try to focus on the good things you did for people, which is never a waste of time. The waste of time in religion is the worship, prayer and ritual reinforcement that keeps you from thinking freely and rationally. Instead of searching for a god, search for the good in all living things.

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