Missionary Meeting

On Friday I was walking down the street with a friend. I saw a guy in a white shirt with a black tag off to the side walking up the street, and my first thought was "Mormon missionary!" but since I didn't see his companion I then thought he was a nerdy yuppie coming home from work.

Then I saw his tag and his partner. And then they stopped us.

The one who talked for most of the conversation asked if I knew anything about the church. I told them I used to go, and was baptized. He asked if I'd be interested in going back, and I was truthful and said "No; I don't want to waste your time" Half way through our talk we made introductions and shook their hands, like 'should of done this earlier, heh'

After we parted ways, my friend said they had to go wash and/or burn their hand. I thought that was over the top; I mean, it's not like the missionaries are abusing their palm.

Ten Weird Things

I decided to keep it related to religion, since that's the topic of this blog

1. That I was raised both Roman Catholic and Latter Day Saint. They may be both Christian churches, but normally both of those sects don't like marriages outside them.

2. That I was baptised into two churches - LDS and Catholic - while attending both.

3. That I was allowed to stop going to church before I was age of majority. Normally Mormon parents, and some Catholic ones, are really strict when it comes to attendance.

4. That, at least when I was older (post-baptism) I was vocal about not having a testimony. Usually people who doubt aren't open about it (It may also be why #3 was an option for me)

5. That I sometimes didn't wear a dress or skirt to the Mormon church, which is looked down upon (Also possibly contributing to why #3 was allowed) While many women wore those clothes to the Catholic church, especially for the Sunday morning service, wearing pants wasn't shunned.

6. That I never "felt the spirit" even though I came from a long line of True Believers. Maybe some of them secretly doubted; As a kid I often thought "do these people really believe this shit?" so maybe some of it subconsciously rubbed off onto me.

7. That I felt pro-choice and pro-queer, before I was even taught anything about those topics (and when I was, it was that abortion and homosexuality was wrong) Coming from a religious household and where my other family members and few close friends were also religious, I don't know where I could have been exposed to such "radical" ideas.

8. That I was allowed to watch rated-R movies from a young age. Catholics tend shun from that sort of entertainment, but Mormons are explicitly told not to seek it out; but then again, violence is okay so long as there's no sex involved.

9. That my first concert attendance was to see the Beach Boys, who apparently have ties with the devil

10. That there was never any green gelatin at any Mormon event I went to. Isn't that stuff supposed to be a staple?

I admit, by the last few, I was fishing for ideas. Despite going to a "peculiar" church and growing up around equally peculiar people, I can't think of many weird things regarding religion. Then again, growing up in and around it may have made me immune to what others - such as my partner, who was raised in a mainly secular family - see as insanity, or at least sheer idiocy.

Golly, what's this Holy Ghost?

According to this unbiased informational site, the Holy Ghost acts as a witness of heavenly beings through the revelation of the truth. Apparently it can be felt by anyone however it "does not linger with a person unless they've received" it, wich is done when one is baptised. This presents some issues:

• How can one 'feel' the spirit when being converted by missionaries or reading the Book of Mormon, to a convincing degree?
  
• If someone raised in a Mormon family doesn't reach the age of accountability and ability to be baptised until they are 8, why should they be expected to have testimonies and act accordingly before that?
  
• If, after being baptised, one doesn't feel the spirit, is it due to some personal deficit? If so, why would a heavely creator allow this to occur and does this mean they are inperfect?
  

I can't answer the first one since my lineage includes Mormons way back when. I found the last two to be problematic growing up, and the only answer I can come up with is that there is none.


Casper's on a mission

Baptism Bullshit

Since one cannot be baptised as a Mormon until the age of 8, I was not baptised in the Catholic religion until that age as well.

At that point I was pretty agnostic, but thought there couldn't be any harm in being baptised. I thought it would put me in the clear for going to heaven/higher kingdom and it would make my family happy.

The Catholic baptism was more foreign, as the basin was made for an infant. I had seen some Mormon baptisms previous to mine, and children are introduced to the ritual through pictures and stories from a young age. I didn't have the same exposure to the more traditional chrisitan rites; At that point I didn't think Mormons were christian, as I was told that by family who were members (which apparently is inproper doctrune)

This image was a common sight in my chapel.

I was 'dunked' on my 8th birthday, by my full preisthood holding father. I don't have a strong memory of it, as one often does of a memorable experience. I just remember going through the motions and not feeling fully comfortable with it, as with any other church experience.

After one's baptism they give the Holy Ghost to the recipient. I remember closing my eyes and trying to focus, thinking maybe this will be the time everything would be revealed to me; It was not, and I was left with more doubt then before.


More thoughts on the holy ghost and baptism to come....

Baptism, and a book

The first trip I took which lasted more then a day was to a relatives place, for a baptism which occured in their backyard swimming pool.

The only place I had heard of a baptism happening outside of a chapel font was at the shoreline of foreign countries where they did not have proper facilities. While I thought that having a backyard baptism was irreverant, I also thought it was interesting (As much as something of that nature can be)

My parents did not pack a bathing suit - probably something about it being irreligious to swim near an event like this - but my relatives let me borrow some clothes to swim in. It was one of the first times I had been in a pool, let alone wearing normal clothes, so the fabric dragged me down (A good analogy to what religion does) however I had a fun time.

---

I recieved a manuscript for a book called "Ex-Mormon" which I'm in the process of doing a review for, and so far it's a good read. As a result, my entries may be sporatic (I also have a life outside the internet, which involves many non-Christian pursuits (not that my online activites don't involve the same)) You can read part of it here