Humor - Anti-mormon Spoof

[Guest Emma Hale Smith]

hi Emma, i only see my ex-husband once a week -- we are divorced. but i so appreciate your kind and thoughtful reply.

I'm so glad! It sounds like you don't let his awful words define you. I'm sure your relationship is complex, but he just sounds plain mean.

what are some of your beliefs, as an LDS agnostic, if i may ask?

I'm not rigidly opposed to the idea of a supreme being, but I don't believe in a god as outlined by any organized religion. There are aspects of the LDS religion that appeal to me, such as eternal progression. But the bottom line is, I have been the perfect Mormon, including the introspective fasting and prayer, and have felt absolutely no spirituality whatsoever. Sometimes this has happened during times of severe agony, with a contrite spirit and a broken heart, and I have felt...nothing. Moroni's promise seems to have failed me.

i am so pleased to see Emma Smith here....:)....she must be an amazing lady and i really would love learning more about her. if she has any place in your historical scholarship i would be delighted for you to share such treasure.

Emma Hale Smith is a hero. Yet, the church, until recently, has treated her as a sort of shadowy figure, at least that's been my experience.

While I was growing up in the church she was described as the love of Joseph's life, but then, by some unspoken code, we didn't talk about her any further.

The reasons for this are complex and fascinating. I would love to discuss her if anyone is interested. If so, I'd start another thread.

thank you again for conversing with me....love, mamacat

You're quite welcome. Anytime. :)

Emma

[Palerider]

Thanks for the information on the Godmakers. When I first saw the film, I did not even think it was that negative. Looking back, the music, the cartooning, the innuendos--yes, it does have the "smell" of being by someone who is personally opposed--as an ex member would be.

I'll just take you at your word about the worst of the worst, since, of late, my critical reading has been more along the lines of writings by Craig Blomberg (How Wide the Divide), and Moehler (President of Fuller Seminary, who offered a public apology for some of the most inept evangelical tactics). :-)

I thought I had heard that Decker was proven to be a fraud....the "story" he portrayed in the book was not true......

<div class='quotemain'>hi Emma, i only see my ex-husband once a week -- we are divorced. but i so appreciate your kind and thoughtful reply.

I'm so glad! It sounds like you don't let his awful words define you. I'm sure your relationship is complex, but he just sounds plain mean.

what are some of your beliefs, as an LDS agnostic, if i may ask?

I'm not rigidly opposed to the idea of a supreme being, but I don't believe in a god as outlined by any organized religion. There are aspects of the LDS religion that appeal to me, such as eternal progression. But the bottom line is, I have been the perfect Mormon, including the introspective fasting and prayer, and have felt absolutely no spirituality whatsoever. Sometimes this has happened during times of severe agony, with a contrite spirit and a broken heart, and I have felt...nothing. Moroni's promise seems to have failed me.

i am so pleased to see Emma Smith here....:)....she must be an amazing lady and i really would love learning more about her. if she has any place in your historical scholarship i would be delighted for you to share such treasure.

Emma Hale Smith is a hero. Yet, the church, until recently, has treated her as a sort of shadowy figure, at least that's been my experience.

While I was growing up in the church she was described as the love of Joseph's life, but then, by some unspoken code, we didn't talk about her any further.

The reasons for this are complex and fascinating. I would love to discuss her if anyone is interested. If so, I'd start another thread.

thank you again for conversing with me....love, mamacat

You're quite welcome. Anytime. :)

Emma

Curious.....perfect mormon......what is that????? I guess I am asking you to explain more.....

[wiley]

Emma Hale Smith is a hero. Yet, the church, until recently, has treated her as a sort of shadowy figure, at least that's been my experience.

While I was growing up in the church she was described as the love of Joseph's life, but then, by some unspoken code, we didn't talk about her any further.

The reasons for this are complex and fascinating. I would love to discuss her if anyone is interested. If so, I'd start another thread.

I'm new here too, and I guess this is my chance to jump out.

I would love to talk about Emma Smith, as well as the women of early church history. I remember hearing things like, "Emma was great, BUT she stayed behind after Joseph died and we hope all is well with her in the eternities." That is just generally speaking, but you get my point.

I love church history (with all its color), and have been recently learning how difficult it was for the women to make some of the choices they had to make, Emma Smith in particular. As I thought about it, it made me admire their strength so much more. I don't know if I could have made some of the same choice if I were in their shoes. I want to learn more. So I hope you will start a new thread. Or maybe I will and hope you will teach me what you know.

By the way, hi everyone.

[CrimsonKairos]

welcome to the party, wiley. B)

[Guest Emma Hale Smith]

Curious.....perfect mormon......what is that????? I guess I am asking you to explain more.....

I can see I walked into that one.

Let me first say that, to me, a "perfect Mormon" is a many-layered thing. I'm willing to disclose how I was a perfect Mormon, but only on the most superficial layers, as it is a very personal experience, and to be blunt, I will not have what was to me an excruciating experience demeaned or mocked.

Having said that, as a "perfect Mormon," I went to church regularly, read and contemplated the scriptures daily, paid my tithing, held and enjoyed a number of callings, took my visiting teaching seriously, married in the temple, (later divorced), and held FHE. I bore my testimony frequently, believing in the maxim "Fake it 'til you Make It." I fasted and prayed often.

If at some point I feel safer on the board (since I've only been here a matter of days), and anyone's interested, I would be glad to disclose some of my more intimate experiences as a believing, then non-believing Mormon.

Emma

[a-train]

'Fake it tell you make it'? Haven't heard of that before.

I remember a testimony I heard my first night in the MTC. An Elder stood up and said something like: 'I don't really have a testimony, I am only here because my parents are basically making me go on a mission.'

In my youth I thought this was a disrespectful thing to say. Perhaps he was looking for some attention or to stir things up a bit, but if he was honest, then I applaud and respect him. I would rather hear the truth than something designed just to give people what they want to hear. This Elder had some struggles, but eventually became a great missionary with a strong testimony of the Gospel.

Let us not think that it would be a sin to confess a lack of testimony in a testimony meeting. Let us all share our true convictions and if anyone chooses to be offended, then let them be accountable.

-a-train

[Guest Emma Hale Smith]

'Fake it tell you make it'? Haven't heard of that before.

. . . .

Let us not think that it would be a sin to confess a lack of testimony in a testimony meeting. Let us all share our true convictions and if anyone chooses to be offended, then let them be accountable.

-a-train

I agree it is a noble thing to do, and in fact I believe it would have been comorting to me if I had heard such a testimony when I was a member.

When bearing my testimony to "Fake it 'til You Make It," I was following the direct counsel of my bishop.

Emma

[wiley]

'Fake it tell you make it'

That's the second time I've heard that today. I'm not sure what it means exactly, and I don't think I like it. It implies not being honest.

I remember a testimony I heard my first night in the MTC. An Elder stood up and said something like: 'I don't really have a testimony, I am only here because my parents are basically making me go on a mission.'

I don't know about the rest of you, but to me, that is a really honorable reason to go on a mission. There is nothing wrong with obeying your parents. I should have done it better myself.