NOM

Hello everyone! I read the old board for years but posted infrequently under a different user name. I thought I'd start fresh with a new user name.

I'm a lifelong Mormon, served a mission, went to BYU, married in the temple, had several kids, and so on ... My shelf started sagging almost 20 years ago and finally cracked for good about 10 years back. I continue to go to church and somehow along the way became that Elder-of-High-Priest-age whom everyone knows will never be "church broke" (how I hate that term). I now live in a high-percentage Mormon town among all my dedicated and faithful TBM in-laws. My wife knows of my dissatisfaction and has generally handled it well. My older kids probably suspect I no longer believe but don't know for sure.

My biggest issues with the church regard their methods of control and manipulation. Some are cultural, of course, but some are embedded in doctrine and policy. I was raised in the Miracle of Forgiveness era and probably still carry some scars from that. Thanks Spencer!

Despite all that, I feel like my gradual escape from the TBM mindset has done more for my health and happiness that just about anything else I can recall. I look forward to posting more and getting to know all of you better.

Welcome Enough is Enough! If you are from the Miracle of Forgiveness era we are probably about the same age. Such a awful book that did a lot of damage. The control and manipulate has been one of my biggest problems with the church as well. You are ahead of the game in that you recognize it and are more able to deal with it than the average TBM. They don't know what they don't know, therefore, they just keep taking the abuse over and over. I look forward to hearing more from you.

The control and manipulation is definitely something I hate too. It hurts to politely tell someone no.

Welcome back!