Imagine, being torn from the sanctuary that is your bed, awakened on a Saturday morning around 8:30 a.m. to find two nervous, yet somehow composed Mormons at your door. As you recount to yourself the fact that is practically daybreak and you were 'heavily occupied' the previous night, you somehow manage to grumble a hello out of the rancid chasm of your alcohol, stained mouth. They promptly greet you without a hello or good morning, as they begin their mundanely memorized tirade.

Before I continue I wish to make clear some things.

1. I give them props for believing in their own convictions 100%

2. I give them props for their audacity to knock on my bloody door that early…

3. However, I do not appreciate the fact my gated community let in solicitors…lazy bastards

4. I do not fancy the idea of waking up and trudging along through a verbal dispute about my eternal damnation and possible salivation. Which all-prior sins may be forgiven at the purchase of one Bible…of course

By the way, whatever happened to them handing out free bibles? Additionally, isn't their opening statement supposed to be, "Good afternoon, may we have a moment of your time to speak to you about the word of god?" Apparently their 'savior' has grown greedy and lazy…(cheap shot I know)

I tried to remain well mannered and respectful of their perceptions of religion. However, at a latter point in the discussion, they inquired as to my own religious affiliation. I defiantly declared myself a Pagan to which they somehow missed the pentacle necklace that I have embracing my neckline. The awe in their eyes was overwhelmingly humorous from my scrutiny into their senseless minds. The taller individual reprimanded me with rebuke that's intended coarseness did not faze me in the least. For this daunting admonishment has been bestowed upon me several of times before. The legendary phrase of choice among religious fanatics, "You're going to burn in hell."

If I am going to hell because I am not a Mormon, then what happens to all the other religious sect followers? What happens to all the Catholics, Methodists, Episcopalians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc.? Your dear god created those didn't he? Or are those just an invention of man or Lucifer, who god created as well?

I smirk at this thought now. If Christians believe in an omnipresent deity, then that divine being is EVERYTHING. He/She is light and dark, good and evil, and all the shades in between. Therefore, being faced with this rebuttal, the shorter man maintained his composure and added that this 'god' is beyond any humans' capability of understanding. I personally believe in the power and divinity within ones own spiritual self, so I did not buy this man's bullshit for one minute.

Obviously we had trouble coming to terms with one another, however it's not that I hated this man, I hated the fact he was oppressing himself on to me, attempting to pray for my salvation. Fuck his god, and fuck my salvation, I couldn't care less about the two. If I was going to burn in hell for not believing the ideas and lies found within some book whose basis and very foundation is the result of bored nuns and priests who had stolen, manipulated, and exploited the religions and people of the past, I would rather matyr myself in the fiery flames of a hell in which an imaginary 'benevolent' god created…

They called myself and my beliefs, "crazy and absurd." I am not one to be politically correct, however Dave Chappelle once said something along these lines, "Do not call a person crazy, it is dismissive. 'I don’t understand you, so you are crazy.' It's total bullshit ignorance."

It's not like I am trying to denounce Christianity, besides they do enough of it themselves. I am not trying to seek vengeance upon the fact that Christians slaughtered millions of Pagans devoid of any mercy and continued to steal their holidays and convert infidels. Need I mention the Muslims and the crusades or the Inquisitions? However I am not one to hold a grudge, I simply wish that within at least my own community religious toleration is evinced in a new form that shall present itself without the caustic sense of exploration within ones own self identity. Joseph Campbell said, "Gods are merely a metaphor for that which transcends all levels of intellectual thought. It's as simple as that."

Now it would be easier if others and I were free of persecution leaving us able to pursue our ecclesial beliefs. For this mere glimpse into a Saturday morning is the reality of the harshness most all-religious sects treat others who are in turn, left to endure. As I said this is not an advertisement for Paganism, far from it. I would not recommend it. This is rant condemning those who attempt to oppress others with their own beliefs, when all I want is to be left the fuck alone!



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Bathory, on 4/17/2008 1:51:14 PM
Total Posts: 12, Joined: 4/1/2008
@ Zerabp

1. The people that came to my door were not missionaries,

"As a Mormon, you are required to work some time for the temple."
Uhh no there is no requirement to do any sort of work for the Church to receive salvation.

The people that came to my door were hardly missionaries. The people that came to my door were merely what appeared to be 18-20 year old KIDS who could not convince a suicidal person to jump out a window. Missionaries are usually organized, these two simply woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

You mention Jehovah witnesses and give me only two options, either i must be lying or i simply misinterpreted what religious creed the two were affiliated with.

1. i can read a bloody name tag that says " John Smith, Mormon"

2. You mention that if these were indeed mormons that i must be lying. however, as i stated these were merely KIDS who could not ascertain shit about fuck, let alone interpret their own religious beliefs.

Hell even if you handed them your 'articles of faith' which i have viewed and determined to be ambiguous, therefore misleading at times, they would just shake their heads up and down while you fed them the articles one by one. Just because they know the surface value and can read a bloody sentence does not justify the fact they have any idea of the value or meaning it embodies.

Besides there's only one mormon religion right? there was never any issues within the creed that was a cause for a division or formulating of a sub genre? I'm not thinking of polygamy or the blacks and the latter day saints movement....

So you have me at the belief that there is only one pure form of Mormonism, hmm, alright things never adapt or change with time or region. I guess I'm a liar then! uh oh!

However you mention your time as a missionary. May we both agree that being persecuted for your beliefs is wrong? IE. people throwing shit at you and spitting. However the difference between you and I is that while you have the balls to go door to door, (it's as if you almost are asking for it) your persecution is almost expected whenever you mention a diverging opinion from someone else's, you obviously know this first hand a lot more than others.

However keep in mind, MY own battle with these kids, missionaries, whatever you may wish to call them, was not due to my ignorance, it was due to the fact they impeded themselves on me. In other words, i did not much care for their manners.

"Feel free to try to tell me what I believe I'll just make a fool out of you or put it into context. Again"

You know what they say about winning an argument online? It's a bit like winning the special olympics, you may have won, yet you are still retarded. On that note, please go ahead, correct my alleged ignorance. i would love to hear what you have to say, especially since you have been involved first hand with such activities.
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ShanusMaximus, on 4/17/2008 3:23:57 PM
Total Posts: 1674, Joined: 1/30/2006
@zerabp

I may have been rather snide...however..

"Kind of but not really, we believe that certain ordinances such as baptism, and giving of the holy ghost(known as confirmation), and "Temple Endowments" must be performed to reach the highest level of glory. These ordinances are performed for and in behalf of the dead."

So it is a sort of "door knocking" in the afterlife.

"Every name received is from a family member who is doing genealogy and every name has its work done unless another living relative in closer relation asks that it not be done.Also permission must be given by the closest living relative."

Okay...so still that dead person could have been of another faith and died believing in that faith. Just because the current relatives may be Mormon...I just think the whole thing is silly. But whatever...

""As a Mormon, you are required to work some time for the temple."

Uhh no there is no requirement to do any sort of work for the Church to receive salvation."

When you go to THE Temple you go there to do work like we have described, yes?

""Lets just say it has pissed off many a religious group."

This is true mostly because of bigotry and ignorance of what we believe such as the ignorance you have shown to wards the subject."

Now wait a second meow....Half of everything Mormons do is some sort of secret.
How can people be knowledgeable about your religion if you keep most of it secret until you convert?
I think some of the distrust and disdain that many people have of your religion, I could argue, is that you will not share knowledge about the religion by edict. So people start making shit up.
Just a theory...
If I were to find out what the symbols on the holy garment were would I find the secret entrance to the Bat Cave?

Just so you know...I do think that Mormons are some of this countries more upstanding and nicest citizens.






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Bathory, on 4/17/2008 3:32:37 PM
Total Posts: 13, Joined: 4/1/2008
"Just so you know...I do think that Mormons are some of this countries more upstanding and nicest citizens."

hell i was going to vote for Mitt Romney! People gave the man a ton of crap over him being a mormon. Frankly i don't give a damn.
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Zerabp, on 4/17/2008 9:55:52 PM
Total Posts: 1299, Joined: 6/15/2006
Well Bathory I ggave you a chance to admit you were wrong however you just proved you were a liar and not just mistaken.

"The people that came to my door were hardly missionaries. The people that came to my door were merely what appeared to be 18-20 year old KIDS who could not convince a suicidal person to jump out a window. Missionaries are usually organized, these two simply woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

Only missionaries go door to door for our church in fact if I were to try to go out and do it myself without being "called" as a missionary I would probably be excommunicated.

"1. i can read a bloody name tag that says " John Smith, Mormon" "

One problem with your excellent Reading ability the name of our church is and always has been "The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Mormon was a term used to label us by our enemies and eventually became adopted as a nickname of the Church. It has never appeared however in any official medium of the church including the name tag which always read the real name of our Church and never have and never will have the name Mormon on it. So you sir a lying snake and a religious bigot on the highest scale.

"2. You mention that if these were indeed mormons that i must be lying. however, as i stated these were merely KIDS who could not ascertain shit about fuck, let alone interpret their own religious beliefs."

I was 19 when I served my mission and new the Church's teaching and doctrines no worse then I know them now. All Mormon missionaries know and believe exactly what I've said in my previous posts and you have shown your colors by not even knowing that we send these young men out prepared.

"Hell even if you handed them your 'articles of faith' which i have viewed and determined to be ambiguous,"

Really? Heres a link tell me in what way any one of these is ambiguous in any way shape or form?
http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,106-1-2-1,00.html
Th
at is from the official church site BTW . Again you show you know nothing and are simply making false accusations.

"Besides there's only one mormon religion right? there was never any issues within the creed that was a cause for a division or formulating of a sub genre? I'm not thinking of polygamy or the blacks and the latter day saints movement...."

Actually there are three large separations. Mine the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints now renamed The Community of Christ, and The Fundementalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. All of which will identify themselves as Mormons as this name is the one that is well known despite our faith never being called it in any official capacity.

"So you have me at the belief that there is only one pure form of Mormonism, hmm, alright things never adapt or change with time or region. I guess I'm a liar then! uh oh!"

Non I'm telling you that your view of "Mormonism is fallacious and the fact that you include your fallacious understanding of the church it's name and its operations prove you a false and deceitful person. While I believe that our Faith has "more truth" neither I nor anyone else in the faith believes we have a monopoly on it. In fact we are taught from an early age to accept all truth whether secular or spiritual regardless of it's source. Truth is universal in our view not subjective, meaning if something is true it is true for everyone, like evolution, or the laws of gravity.

"You know what they say about winning an argument online? It's a bit like winning the special olympics, you may have won, yet you are still retarded."

And you know who they are right? People who lose arguments online of course.

So again either your lying which I'm starting to lean more towards or they were a couple of pricks trying to give my faith a bad name.

As for going door to door is asking for it, I agree but we also believe in sharing the truth and knowledge we have gained and hoping to save who in our view are our spirit brothers and sisters from being cast outside the presence of our Father. It is a labor of love trust me if you hate a person you'll just skip their door.

On to shanus...

"So it is a sort of "door knocking" in the afterlife.:"

Yes actually is sort of is.

"Okay...so still that dead person could have been of another faith and died believing in that faith. Just because the current relatives may be Mormon...I just think the whole thing is silly. But whatever..."

That's what I'm saying their names do not go on the records of our church as being members the ordinances are done so that if they wish to accept it which it will still be a choice they can. If they wish not to accept it which according to our belief will happen quite often they can. They are provided that choice.

"When you go to THE Temple you go there to do work like we have described, yes?"

No some people are "called" ( a calling is entirely voluntary and is not required for salvation, no action is taken towards an individual who declines a calling unless it's because they have serious sins they have not repented of) as temple workers and process the names though all they are doing is entering the information. If the name are at the temple then all the previous processes mentioned in my first comment have already been done, in other words there is no need to pray over which names have the ordinances performed for them or not.In other words its just normal data entry.

"Now wait a second meow....Half of everything Mormons do is some sort of secret.
How can people be knowledgeable about your religion if you keep most of it secret until you convert?"

Nothing we do at all is secret, some of the ordinances performed in the temple are sacred and we believe the bible when it says " Cast not thy pearls before swine." So only worthy members, and I stress the worthy part, may attend to those ceremonies. However all our meeting outside the temple are open to the public and all are in fact encouraged to attend. It is a common misconception perpetrated by our critics that we do a lot of secretive things. The fact is despite the temple ceremony being sacred and us not supposed to go into specifics outside of the temple (even with other temple worthy members). In other words we just don't talk about the things pertaining to the temple outside of it. I'd like to point out that in old Testament times only High priests were allowed past the courtyard of the temple (ours courtyards are also open to the public) yet we allow any worthy members to enter and participate. Technically God has Slackened the rules so that further light and knowledge can be gained by all ready to receive. As for your comment I would like to say that it is offensive we hold the temple rite very sacred and would love to share them with everyone the point is most are not ready to understand the symbolism contained in them. As for the garments if you found out what the symbols meant they would simply serve as a reminder is some things you should and should not be doing.. They are there to act as a string around the finger so to say. We do not believe they have any supernatural power (well most of us that is every religion has its nuts). The temple is simply a place to escape from the world and concentrate on spiritual things and a place to ponder, pray, and rest from your worries and your cares if only for a short time. Its like Disneyland without the lines.

"hell i was going to vote for Mitt Romney! People gave the man a ton of crap over him being a mormon. Frankly i don't give a damn."

Isn't a pagan conservative an oxymoron" JK. I'll again give you the benefit of the doubt Bathory if their name tags said Mormon then know that this is proof they weren't.






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Bathory, on 4/18/2008 1:02:06 PM
Total Posts: 14, Joined: 4/1/2008
as far as the name tag goes it had their name so and so and the LDS insignia, i simply do not care to write the whole thing down. Anyone could look that up. apologies...

second of all IF i was lying i wouldn't try and half ass it, i would have refereed to google, or the LDS website.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_missionary

or even just have watched these videos:

http://my.break.com/content/view.aspx?ContentID=432389

h
ttp://youtu
be.com/watch?v=sV-a1vmZ6y8

i was going to vote for mitt romney because frankly due to the fact that pagans pay taxes like anyone else and ill be damned (like im not already in other's eyes) if clinton wins and throws my money in a huge bloody mess in the name of her healthcare plan.

when i get back from relay for life tomorrow ill gladly continue this.



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