I miss what the connection of when we were all Mormon 😔 #mormon #exmormon #exmo #lds

[brookebaker]

I understand this feeling. I've had to sit outside the Temple 3 tumes now while my siblings got married. It feels awful. I don't regret leaving the Church but I DO feel angry that the Church that claims to be all about families does this to people.

[Picking.a.name.is.hard]

"Gaslight, GATEKEEP, girlsarentallowedtobebosses"
- The Mormon church apparently

[kendallc]

Really puts into perspective the values of the Church at large. Dividing families? apparently not worse than letting a coffee drinker attend the most special day of your life. I wish you the best on your journey regardless of what your sister chooses to do with hers.

[babymama]

My husbands family is Mormon. He was never that into it. Never went on a mission and then when we got married they wanted us to do the discussions. I was open minded. However, all that happened was we both rejected the church. They couldn’t answer any real questions. We did the terrible sin of looking stuff up ourselves. He was shocked. I was so glad he wasn’t into it.

[thehermi]

Shunning is one the hardest part when you leave. Even questioning the church. Haven’t talked with my siblings or parents in years, their choice. My parents never met my kids.

[rubytuesday]

My family is not mormon, but Jehovah's witness. I left the church at 18. Despite a rough upbringing, I love my family. My mother, father, and two out of my four siblings have not spoken to me since.

[darthkittyous]

I drank a gin in tonic in front of my family for the first time. My mom asked what it was and when I told her she just said, “okay” and went right back to what she was doing. I had a mini panic attack because I thought I was going to get chewed out but everything was fine.

[MetalGoddessJen]

I understand this. I was last of us 5 kids to leave the church. I haven’t really said much to my Mom about it, but the thing that I really think about (she had a heart attack last April, so I think about this a lot since then) is that when she does leave this life for the next, I won’t get to have the honor of dressing her in her temple clothing for burial. It’s not enough to keep me active, and I won’t stay in the church just for that reason when I have so many other valid reasons why I left. But, that one does break my heart a little. I love my Mom dearly, and I know she wouldn’t stop loving me if I told her how I feel, but I just don’t want to know I’ve caused her more heartbreak. If that makes sense.

[lisasisneros]

I feel this so much! I’ve been out for over a decade, but my mom is still Mormon. Even though we’re still on speaking terms, knowing now what it’s like to drop the Mormon mask and be myself, it makes me wish i could know my mom for who she is behind the mask Mormonism creates. There’s this distance that’s always present and it makes me sad.

[catt]

O my gosh I relate to this so much. Lately I have been having doubts about the church being true and want to break away but I am really close to my sister and don’t want me leaving to change the relationship we have because I love her so much. I haven’t told anyone about my doubts

[PhoenixGoddess]

The psychological framework of forever families in the religion is, in hindsight, built in emotional blackmail (tithing $$$$) that gets straight into the making or breaking of families.

So grateful you are being so bold with the truth of your untruthing. I have appreciated your contributions to help others leaving that cult. I’m almost 53 and I didn’t figure it out until I was 45, but I am grateful for every day I have lived my personal truth after leaving.

Cheering you on!! It’s a painful thing to to through.

p.s. “I’m sorry for what I said when I was Mormon”

[pendraggon]

After pretending on my mission, getting married in the temple, pretending while I'm raising a family, pretending when I went into the military... thereafter meeting and experiencing a wide range of individuals I really startef to understand where I should be going. After the military, When I told my Dad, he said "I'm LOSING A Son".
My interactions with all my family are hindered because of the fact that I don't go to church, I don't pretend anymore. I wish it wasn't so.
I'm really not close at all with my three youngest brothers and I I only talk to them when we were at christmas, IF I go to christmas.
It's Sad and I wish it wasn't So, but the CHANGE in Behavior and Hesitancy to Associate is NOT Coming from MY Side.

[niccooper]

This has to be the worst parts. Using family and friends against one another to keep people in. I hope one day your sisters get past mormonism too so you can be together again! ❤

[mnelan]

All your stories are so heartbreaking. I’m really sorry that you had to go through this just to regain your freedom. It’s such a same people use religion as a justification for abuse. Remember, you did the right thing very difficult thing good for you

[lillian_hope]

Definitely relatable and it's hard losing friends too because of it. The opposite is also true though, you draw closer to people who left the church or just aren't part of it. My brother left way before me and it caused tension when i was still fully believing. Now that i've left the church, we've been able to finally connect and understand each other on that topic

[BirdieSinclair]

"i wish the church was true just to have that connection with my sister again" line hit way too close to home. Thank you for sharing your story.

[alyxandriaphippen]

I lost over half of my family when I left the church. I was completely ostracized

[alicecain]

I'm feeling your feelings deeply.
I'm sorry you missed your sister's wedding, but knowing she's your sister, she'll come to realize the church isn't true.
Sooner or later, she'll understand how you wouldn't give up anything as important as her if it wasn't the thing to do.
I hope that came out right/understandably.

[janetmayer]

Leaving the church can be hard. My youngest sister don’t talk to me for several years

[virginiakingsford]

I grew up Mormon. I am one of 4 kids. I am the youngest and whoever are all out now, I was the second out.
My parents are divorced but still Mormon. I got married 10/5/18, he got married 10/7/18. He even asked if he could get married around when I did so his family that was going to come in would only have to book once.
Well, at the time when he asked my honeymoon was already planned. And we were leaving on the 7th- the day of his wedding. I expressed my concern about not being able to go. His response? Well you couldn’t go anyway. You don’t hold a recommend.