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One of you guys out there Emailed this to me today and I want to say thanks. I didn't know if you wanted me to reveal your name of not, so I won't, but I loved this video and laughed my ass off. For anyone else out there, that encounters something great like this, please drop me an Email, so that I can share it here in Mormon Truth.
After all of the literally thousands of hours of research I've spent and all that I've learned and discovered; sometimes it's just nice to hear a knowledgeable outsider and never-Mormon, just dumb it down, applying the "world's common sense" and "logical thinking", to Mormon theology and teachings. The laughter from the audience says it all.
The whole video is great in my opinion and very funny, but if you just want to see the Mormon part, you'll have to wait for it to load and then fast forward to the 7:38 mark.
Here is the link to the blog I was referred to:
Julia Sweeney on TEDTalks
Julia Sweeney is a comedian and playwright, well-known both for her stint on Saturday Night Live (She created the character "Pat.") and for writing and performing the hit Broadway show, "God Said Ha!" (produced also as a film). Here, she performs an excerpt from her new one-woman play, "Letting Go of God." [Recorded February, 2006 in Monterey, CA. Duration: 17:16]
As always, I look forward to everyone's comments,
Samuel the Utahnite
that was great. As I move further away from all religion, I see that mormonism and catholicism and many other religions all have some ridiculous story they tell.
ReplyDeleteI have come to believe that man has invented religion to keep other men in line. I think it is all about control, fear, and hate. NOT love, caring, and a universal feel of helping our fellow man.
Religion has never brought the love and peace and understanding it claims to be about.
I think there is no god, there is nothing but this life, and that is it.
religions push this idea of heaven upon its memeber to keep them afraid. then the leaders claim to be the only ones who can forgive the members when they step across the line into 'sin'.
The leaders of all religions then accept money, power, adoration of the masses as the exchange for forgiveness of sins.
It is all bullshit.
The mormon church does a fantastic job of keeping people in line, but let's face it, so do all other religons.
Great video. I am enjoying my journey out of mormonism, catholicism, and religion in general.
Bonnie
Excellent video.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the day, some people hear the story of Lehi, Christ in America, and the rest mentioned here and something touches their soul. Something reaches into the spirit(or call it soul if you will, or inner being) and those people follow the story more. Then they see Joseph Smith story and 'feel' something, if that's a better word. It is each persons right, God given right, to follow those beliefs and seek out more, or leave it alone and go shopping or something.
You see all religion has its 'incredible' stories, like Lazarus or what Romney mentioned, but people are still free to accept it or to leave it alone. Or other's, like Julia or the writers of south park, can make a comedy sketch out of it. They aren't necessarily 'bad' like Ted Bundy, and even Ted will end up in some kingdom (mormons say).
I'm one who has had a mountain of problems with church so called 'leaders' but it doesn't take away what I believe to be true.
But like I say, we are all free to chose our lifestyle, options, and belief systems, as long as it doesn't hurt others off course.
You are too.
Charlie
Charlie .... You are right in what you say abour religious beliefs ........ Quote "we are all free to chose our lifestyle, options, and belief systems, as long as it doesn't hurt others off course". And this is the issue with Mormonism Hurting Others.... Early Polygamists taught that women are commanded from the Lord to be polygamous wives to ensure their afterlife otherwise if they disobey they are damned and this is what makes peoples stomach churn , especially mine .They were manipulated in the most Deceptive despicable manner . Christianity teaches or should teach Jesus Christs Blood sacrifice for Salvation . Mormon MEN taught marraige to them in polygamy was the only route to salvation ( exhaltation they call it ). They are no different now . They still believe Polygamy is God's Order and that monogomy is wrong and they are just stuck with it because of the law ...
ReplyDeleteThe other issue with Mormonism is that they lie and hide their real beliefs and present themselves as mainstream Christians.But in reality they are not and soon you find out Polygamy and with young teens , 14 year old , 15 year old etc , Marying married women ( Joseph Smith )and Blacks banned from the Temple,slagged off by Early Mormon Prophets and Apostles . It's a sham and to call itself being personally guided by Jesus Christ is an Insult to God .It's man made , man run , and even worse originated by a manipulative con artist.
I've had about 12-14 different missionaries since I've been investiagting and they are all wrong about the facts .They have been misled in their own church curriculum . When I show them the real truth on polygamy ,blacks , head in a hat to translate , Lies of the early church in public etc then they go quiet ! I feel sorry for them and do look after them , they are nice kids but so are we ( Catholic upbringing ) and so are many in other faiths .
Elder Joseph
Elder Joseph,
ReplyDeleteI commend you in putting your views across to these 'nice kids' ie missionaries.
But I think it is better just to agree to disagree. Because the comments about 14/15 year old girls marrying are made in 21st century, and even 20th century values systems, where 14 year olds are in school -or playing the harp!!!!
But Joseph Smith actions need to be seen in early 19th century value systems. Heck my own mother married at 14 years 11 months in 1962 to a then 26 year old and had 34 years of happy marriage until my dad died, but back then, although considered young by society, it wasn't uncommon nor illegal -legal age was 14 then in Argentina(you could verify these dates in familysearch.org).
In the 50's teenage marriages where much more common than today(which still happen at 16)and marrying 14 yolds in 1830 something can't be seen as 'uncommon' or even immoral, as it surely is today, criminal today off course. Every issue with early church affairs should be judged by standards of that day and not today's standards which are higher, even for LDS (since dating is only allowed now for over 16's and steady for over 18's). And the sealing to married women likewise -in 18th century standars.
Times and people change and actually progress. But you don't need to believe/accept the church's doctrines. You can ignore them and go to beach or skiing!
Charlie
Also Elder Joseph:
ReplyDeleteNote that the doctine is that a 'man' must enter into the 'celestial' marriage to reach the highest level, not that only women need to marry men to reach that. Its a two way thing. Men marry women for eternity and women marry men for eternity and the
'married sealed' can then reach the highest level to become Gods themselves. You imply that women are forced into polygamous marriage, but what about the guy!!!! forced to marry 32 women for ALL ETERNITY!!!
Common, we have the worst part of the deal here!!
Charlie.
Hey Charlie, I'm just curious about something. When your mom got married at 14 in Argentina, was the guy she married in his late 30s? Did the guy, I'm assuming your dad, already have 20-30 other wives?
ReplyDeleteAlso, did he promise your Mom and family the celestial kingdom in exchange for her hand in marriage?
Also, was he already married to 9-10 other women that were happily married to other men? Did he tell your Mom and her Parents, that he was commanded by Jesus Christ himself to marry her and that it had to happen or they'd have to fear the repercussions and punishment?
Oh yeah and your Mom's new husband would have to keep all of his sexual activity and marriages a secret from his original wife. He would also have to claim publicly, till the day he died, that he was only married to one woman and that he could "prove everyone" accusing him of more than one wife, "a perjurer."
One more thing; your Mom's husband(your dad?) would have been marrying multiple women, child brides, other men's wives, etc, due to the direct threat of God, who had sent his personal, homicidal angel, wielding a flaming sword, to murder him, if he didn't do said things.
One more quick note; in the 1830s and 1840s, it was VERY rare that a 14 year old would marry a 37-39 year old, especially when he already had so many other wives. I'd like for you to show me the proof that this was common.
Now, if you can say yes to all of the above, then we really have something to talk about, but I'm assuming that your answer will be NO, to every question I just asked you and that is what separates what you your Mom did, getting married at 14, verses what Joseph Smith's protocol was, always in the name of God.
Joseph Smith was a sex freak, a pedophile, an adulterer and child-rapist, all in the name of his God, just like Warren Jeffs today and if alive, would be a felon rotting in jail, just like Jeffs is. And you people wonder why we call Mormonism a cult?!!
Here is a link that may help you know the facts that you're currently unaware of:
LDS Mormon Teen Polygamy
Come on Charlie, you don't have to stretch your mind that far to understand what "Praise To The Man" Joe was doing, when you consider the facts, truth and reality!!
Samuel
Charlie .. I can't ignore church doctrines .They tell me I need to believe them and get baptised for salvation . The whole point is that they are hiding the true belief and I'm not suprised . Who on Earth would join if they knew exactly the origin of the church ... NO ONE except a few Polygamous Paedophile freaks like Joseph Smith and the other Nutter Brigham Young and many after him .They are absolutely ridiculous , what on earth were they 'high' on when they gave their sermons on polygamy .Here is one example of many ridiclous babbles of theirs
ReplyDelete“Monogamy, or restrictions by law to ONE WIFE, IS NO PART OF THE ECONOMY OF HEAVEN AMONG MEN. Such a system was commenced by the founders of the Roman empire....Rome became the mistress of the world, and introduced this order of monogamy wherever her sway was acknowledged. Thus this MONOGAMIC ORDER OF MARRIAGE, so esteemed by modern Christians as a HOLY SACRAMENT and DIVINE INSTITUTION, is nothing but a system established by a SET OF ROBBERS...."Brigham Young "(The Deseret News, August 6, 1862)
If I heard someone preaching this to my Female relatives , I'd smack him one in the nose very HARD ! These were animals not prophets and apostles .
Did your Mother know her monogomous marraige was established by a set of robbers .Would you like to have seen your dad marry married women,teens , mother and daughter combinations ?
Joseph Smith wasn't forced by God to marry anyone. He saw how stupid and manipulative everyone was ,and especially when he tested them and asked for their wives ??( test from God apparantly ) and the stupid idiots offered their wives to the Prophet Joseph.
First Hymn today was " We thank thee oh God for a prophet ! I thought of Joseph Smith and I nearly puked ! I didn't sing it .
Elder Joseph
Dear Samuel,
ReplyDeleteI actually enjoy your site because it exposes some of the problems in the current church. But the answers are:
No -he was 26
No -polygamy was banned in the very Catholic country which argentina was then.
Yes - promised to go WITH her to exaltation
No -for all after that, except the 'Mom's husband(your Dad?) I can only assume that he was but haven't done a DNA yet.
I desagree on the 'VERY RARE' part. Proof is in familysearch.org where birth and marriage dates can be seen. Teen bride marriage in the 19th century was the norm, and there where marriages with that age difference; if you where an unmarried 21yold girl in 1830 its equivalent to maybe an unmarried 37yold woman today I guess.
The 'child rapist, pedophile' insults aren't necessary; actually if we accept that Joe married a (few) 14yold and call that pedophilia we are undermining the seriousness of actual 'pedophilia' which is involment with a child who has no motion or concept of sexuality, like simple attraction to the opposite sex -a 14 mostly does and wonders when he/she will kiss someone. Today involvement with a 14yold is underage sex, or statutory rape, or carnal knowledge of a minor aged 12 to 16 in England, or similar (also now in Argentina where laws where changed in the '80's) Pedophilia is much worse and more serious. To call Joe's marriages pedophilia or child rape minimizes the real gravity of the pedophilia crime.
Charlie
Dear Elder Joseph,
ReplyDeleteAgain things should be in the context of the time. That language used by B Young, for starters, is typical of 19th century preachers. You should see some of the baptists language back then.
But things have changed now in the 21st century. And if polygamy is the 'economy' of heaven, it doesn't matter for this life and our time or our family now. Heaven is somewhere else, far from us, and we will only get there after the full 1000 years of millenium (or whatever its called) and maybe then it won't be that hard to accept many wives or stay with the one or just 2. Who knows.
But you can certainly ignore all of this and go shopping instead on sunday (instead of church to hear 'we thank the O....) No one is forcing you to listnen to this doctine.
If you really believe it to be false, then I suggest that you won't be listnening to it at all. Maybe politics is a better field for you.
(By the way I'm voting Hillary and definitely not Romney!!!)
Charlie
Charlie ,
ReplyDeleteIf the language used by Brigham Young was no different from typical 19th Century preachers , then he was no different himself. The whole point of being a prophet or apostle is to rise above such things and bring light to the world .Brigham Young brought darkness , he said Slavery was a divine Institution whereas approx 60 years earlier William Wilberforce ( Evangelical ) had already achieved his Act in British Parliament to abolish slavery . God was already working through men like this , not Imposters like Brigham Young who brought darkness and vile polygamy to these unsuspecting vulnerable women.
Polygamy is back at the return of Jesus Christ and the millenium according to my American misionaries. At first opportunity this church wants to be polygamists !
I'm not going shopping on a Sunday . I have people who need to learn the truth about Mormonism .They have joined on limited controlled information. I like to tell them the Honest version and they thank me for that , and I feel the blessings of being Honest.
And why do you defend a church which lies about itself and sends out missionaries with false information . Have you no integrity or honesty ?
Many people appreciate knowing the tuth and then escape from Mormonism . You don't seem to care about them .I'm glad people like Samuel are around to help.
Elder Joseph
Dear Elder Joseph,
ReplyDeleteI didn't think that I was defending the church, just giving you my own personal opinion on this. The church does defend it's self where it sees fit to do so. Youngs comments are't bothered with.
If that is the way you feel about preaching instead of shopping, its fine, you should then continue to do so.
But Brigham Young may have being very corse and rough for us today, but I'm still not all that convinced about the imposter title. Young was sustained as a prophet by his own people, and that's what matters. I don't want him as leader today, and fortunately he isn't here, nor is Hinkley like him I believe. And fortunately his comments on blacks never made any scripture text like D&C, so we don't have to consider them anymore as relavant 'prophety' material, or words of the prophet to follow, and so on.
Glad Young is gone -and the pedantic Joseph Fielding Smith too, and Benson too, who was probably more racist than all the others combined, and Harold B Lee too who didn't want the church in DC too much because of the large 'negro' population. But luckily we got a Kimball who could change things for the better, and here we are today, in a better church.
All this has nothing to do with 'testimony' and with what one believes in though. You should see the differences in this by now.
Charlie