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heavenaintaniceplace · 1 year

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i think the whole ‘culturally christian’ debate stems from a deep need to erase all influences of christianity from everything and particularly everyone past present and future. but thats impossible to do so the end goal, the praxis of what using ‘culturally christian’ amounts to is unclear, impossible to do instantly and extremely difficult long term; even if you wanted to it would take about the same amount of time christianity has existed and influenced other things, almost two thousand years. and because christianity impossible to tear down or uproot in the present but theyre still angry and want to lash out and blame someone for the world’s shortcomings, they go for the easy targets which are ex christians online and traumatized people

#ironically being 'culturally christian' has become the new original sin #also instead of like. attacking evangelicals and trad caths. the source of all our problems #no ex christian teens and queer people are easier to reach #this is tumblr after all #and please dont tell us that ex christians 'arent doing our part' to make the post christian utopia #if 'the work' includes harassing people online its not work you doofus youre just a bully #ex christian #ex jw #ex mormon #ex catholic #culturally christian #as always if you say something stupid youre getting blocked

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sky-daddy-hates-me · 2 years

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Today on Christian bullshit :

#this was under a video where a woman exposed the church leader who assualted her when she was a teen #and the members of the church forgive the pastor (?) and hugged him afterwards #absolutely disgusting #absolute bullshit #ex jehovah's witness #ex jw #jehovah's witnesses #religious trauma #cult survivor #exjw #ex christian #ex cult #apostate #possible tw #sa tw #sa tw in tags #ex catholic #ex mormon #no hate like christian love

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the-rad1o-demon · 7 months

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Please share, and donate if you can!!

$375 is way too low right now to be of any use in stopping KOSA, so the more you share, the better, and it's also great if you're able to also donate (only if you're able to do so without worsening whatever monetary and/or safety situation you're in)!!

This bill affects all of us. Both children and adults of the following: the LGBTQ+ community, Black communities, Latinx communities, Native American communities, Asian communities.

It will affect ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, and younger folks still trapped. Same thing for ex-Catholics and children/teens still trapped in the Catholic Church. Same thing for Mormons.

This bill affects everyone, okay? There is no beating around the bush. It has been stated time and again by literal lawmakers that this bill is a censorship bill. Senator Blackburn, co-author of the KOSA bill, said herself it would be used to "protect children from the transgender."

So please help keep the fight going. Because the more of us contribute, the bigger chance we have of winning.

And don't fall for that "oh, what I do won't matter much, other people will do it" line of thought.

Even if you think other people will help: please help anyway. We are running out of time, and when one person falls into this line of thinking, so does everyone else, and then nothing happens. So if you can, please help anyway, because we need all we can get. It's all hands on deck at this point.

So far, chances of KOSA being enacted is 31% according to the site linked below.

We need to get it down to zero. 31% is way too big still.

Also, here's a petition you can sign!! If you can't donate, signing will also be a big help (I also recommend signing even if you do donate).

You can also call your senators' offices!!

(Correct call script document in post this time as opposed to comment section, ha!)

The call scripts linked below were originally for Congressional representatives, but now that the bill is in committee consideration by Senate Commerce, you should call your Senators instead and you can use the scripts for them. Also, when calling your Democrat senators, make sure to add that Senator Blackburn explicitly stated in interview that it would be used to "protect children from the transgender." I think it's pretty clear that this is not meant to protect children. It's just going to harm children further, especially trans children.

(Article below with a video of the interview embedded.)

Please help keep the fight going. If we let up for even a second, the bill might get passed and the fucking conservatives will win this round. Yeah, we can still fight after, but it's going to be so much harder with how much damage KOSA is going to do to social media sites and our ability to communicate online.

We need to stop KOSA now, if we want the best chance at protecting our freedom on the Internet.

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olderthannetfic · 3 months

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Visions of Glory by Thom Harrison is an example of fiction that can be dangerous. It's inspired multiple murders and horrific child abuse. However, this fiction 1) Is presented as factually true on at least a spiritual level, and is considered by a certain segment of Mormons to be an extension of scripture and 2) Is like throwing a lit match onto a pool of gasoline.

Here's a very long video with ex-Mormons discussing the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMAR88PiaZc. (If you just want a laugh, skip to clip 9 at 1:54.)

And one thing about this book that struck me, and the subculture that makes it so dangerous, is how much the thinking sounds like antis. Anti-sex, Manichean thinking, fiction is reality.

--

Yeah, there's definitely some fiction that has a more measurable effect directly on people's behavior. We have to be careful how we depict self harm and suicide, especially for teens, for example. Eating disorder shit tends to also be a problem area. Media that reinforces bad cultural norms is another.

And then you have those fools going "This fantasy thing that is clearly against cultural norms and that wouldn't work in real life anyway is mind controlling The Youth!!!" Sigh.

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malebodyexhibit · 1 year

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On Board and On Brand (a Next Door Boy tale)

You might have heard of the Next Door Boy agency and its services. Everyone lately had been on board with the promise of a new body, but have you heard of the recent scandal with the social media influencers?

The three men you see above are not who they say they are. (Expectedly on brand with Next Door Boy’s services.) The one on the left is a 40something bartender from Provo, Utah. An ex-Mormon who abandoned his wife and kids for the body of a snowboarder turning tricks in hotel rooms. The one on the right is a geriatric who served in Vietnam. A former 70s hippie and veteran now doing Jagger shots in a jacuzzi with his groupies. The one in the center, surprisingly, is a teen who immigrated from Mexico. He comes from wealth and orchestrated this scheme using his parents' money.

Santiago turned 18 this past year and had recruited the two former adults for a plan he had in mind. While it isn't clear why those two specifically, it is determined they met on an online forum prior to Santiago's scheme. He proposed that he would have them placed in bodies of attractive, athletic young men in order to gain sponsorships from the traveling and sports industries with the gay demographic as their target.

So what happens when you put the minds of older men into young bodies? Absolute horny mayhem. The ex-Mormon, Joseph, was caught blowing guys for money and sometimes just for free. The body of the ex-semipro snowboarder is paraded around the world shirtless and wearing zero underwear. This has naturally caused an outcry from the former-snowboarder who wants his body back.

The hippie, Leonard, had zero inhibitions on strutting in the nude. Having been a nudist in his prior body, Leonard saw no reason to change this mindset. He developed a group of fans who bring the party to him. He's often doing shots with and plowing his college fanbase. The body of the ex-college basketball star now filmed and posted on porn sites strains the relationship between the former college athlete and his parents.

As for Santiago, still retaining his wealth in his new body, happily flaunts his chiseled body and charming smile. He has legally changed his name to Alex and began an open relationship. He remarks that he's finally fitting in with people he always wanted to be a part of. "It feels nice to be an American," he stated after a photoshoot. With his new fame due to his fitness sponsorships, he is considering breaking from the two friends in order to keep his good name intact. On brand with his physical fitness, Alex is launching his new health supplements later this year and has started a training regime for the upcoming sports season.

What of the former bodies? Both previous bodies of Joseph and Leonard (names withheld) are pursing action against the two for violation of conditions set during body transfer, namely the use of substances and illicit sexual acts. The outcome, while not yet determined, will entail the returning of the bodies and financial compensation. Next Door Boy has refused to make a statement for what could be abuse of their services, but usage of their services has increased since this story made headlines.

No action has been taken by the former body of Santiago, who, while seeing the success Alex has, decided to remain living as the Mexican youth until the end of the services. He mentioned Alex approached him about a more permanent condition, and Santiago wasn't opposed to this idea as he reported to me on board his million-dollar yacht.

#male body possession #male takeover #gay male story #male body swap #male body exhibit #possession #body possession #racial change #old to young #a next door boy tale #next door boy

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hopelesslygaysstuff · 4 months

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The fact ur ex Mormon is insane to me the lds church scares the hell out of me and man you’re strong as hell for having to go thru that

Yeahhhh it was rough… the difference in your point of view when ur in the church vs after you’ve been ostracized by the whole community is INSANE.

I just know that they tell sob stories about how I’m like the prodigals son or some shit. I’m definitely a warning story to those poor teens about how “struggling with same-sex attraction” is a sin 😭💀

#answered asks #anon ask

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swampndn · 2 months

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CW: child sexual assault, child abuse, alcoholism

Six years ago today, I finally found my maternal grandfather’s people. I've been thinking a lot about him recently and feeling that grief of all he lost. Then I got the Facebook memory reminder. So I wanna talk about him. Feels like I should.

His name was James, and he was stolen as a toddler and sold to a Mormon family in Utah. He never knew his tribe or where he came from, just that he was Native. When he escaped as a teen, he went to Oklahoma because that's where he knew the Natives were and thought it'd be his best chance. He ended up in Vietnam, survived the Navy, came back to Oklahoma, then met my maternal grandmother (a white woman), and quickly had my mother and uncle shortly after.

My mother's mother was an evil woman. She and her entire racist ass family are. They hated my grandfather because of who he was, so much so that they lied to the courts and said that he was a drunk to take away his kids. It worked. This all happened exactly 1 year before the Indian Child Welfare Act too. Before that, he never drank in his life, but after that loss, he started and, unfortunately, couldn't stop for nearly 15 years.

My mom was then raised and physically/sexually abused by her white family. They constantly told her and my uncle that they should be ashamed of being Native because of their father, and those people did everything they could to make them white. My mom's a deeply complicated person, especially being that she couldn't break the cycle of abuse with my siblings and I. But this post isn't about her. My uncle also experienced the physical abuse, and he developed a drug addiction when he was just 12yo to cope. My grandfather developed alcoholism during this separation period, and his health began to decline.

But! Good news! When my mom ran away from home at 16yo, my father's family took her in. My mom said that she was immediately drawn to my dad because he was Native, connected to his people, and came from an unapologetically Native home. So she finally found some kind of community, and also she was finally able to reconnect with her dad. (And also in the eventual marrying of my father, they ex-communicated my mom. I got a wild story from when I was about 8yo and the first and last time I met them, but that's for a different post for a different day.)

The day she got in contact with my grandfather after being forcibly no contact her entire upbringing was the day he stopped drinking cold turkey. She talks about how after that he was at every single school event and every holiday. My uncle finally got out of there too, and he also reconnected with my grandfather. My dad's family welcomed them both.

My uncle died at 18yo from the lingering effects of his addiction about a year before I was born. It was sudden and unexpected, especially since he, like my grandfather, had stopped using when he reunited with his dad. My mom talks about how involved and happy my uncle was with my sister as a baby. He was James, Jr., but went by Jimmy mainly.

My grandfather had also been heavily involved with us, and he had some kind of prophecy gift. He predicted the sex of all of my mom's kids just by touching her belly, and he knew a bunch of other things too. He used to take my sister and I fishing nearly every weekend, and he got me a Minnie Mouse fishing pole to use. He taught my sister how to ride a bike. I was still too little for a bike, but he got me a tricyle. One Christmas, he rented a helicopter after saving up all year and flew into a neighborhood park dressed like Santa. I do wish I could remember those things firsthand, but I've been told about them and seen lots of pictures.

Unfortunately, all of that was short-lived because he died the day after my sister's 5th birthday when I was only 3yo. We knew something was wrong because he wasn't at her party, and in all this time, he never missed a single event. Even though he never drank again, his prior alcoholism was so severe that he passed from cirrhosis of the liver. My mom was pregnant with my younger brother at the time, so he never got to meet him - but my grandfather did let my mom know he was a boy. (This was back when IHS refused to do ultrasounds. You know how it is.)

He died in 1996 never knowing who his people are. There were no clues. No one knew anything until March 29, 2018.

Finding his people was completely by chance. I went on a trip in March 2018 with a now ex-partner to the Mescalero Apache rez in New Mexico to see some of his extended family. We got there in the middle of the night, and the next morning (March 29th), I went outside to see the landscape. I'd never been to New Mexico before, so I was excited to see mountains and the desert. The moment I stepped outside of the motel and saw the land, I felt an overwhelming grief that I immediately burst into tears. The only way I could describe it was the feeling of a mother who was convinced her child was no longer alive for years and years, suddenly finding out that her baby survived. I will never forget what that felt like, and honestly, now it feels even more powerful than before. I can hardly even think about it writing this because tears are happening.

As soon as I was able to be coherent again after all that grief, my first thought was that this is where my grandfather was from. I knew it. I was fully convinced. The rest of that trip I kept looking at all these Apache faces in the tribal gas station, on the road, and just around and wondering if any of them were family. So many looked familiar, but I wasn't going to do or say anything until I got home and could try and find some of my grandfather's records. Hell, I didn't even tell my then-partner about it when it happened because I wanted to be sure. He even asked me why I was crying standing outside the motel door, and I just said that the land was so beautiful that I was moved. Fortunately for me (one of the many bad signs for him) is that he didn't ask any follow-up questions, so I was able to keep it to myself for the time being.

When I got back home, I got ahold of his birth certificate, and I called the Mescalero Apache records office. After a couple weeks, it was confirmed. He even had living family still. Getting that phone call was so emotional, and I still cry about the relief and also the anger that he died not knowing. I know his spirit is at peace now, and every time I've been to New Mexico since 2018, I feel such a comfort. The land told me on March 29, 2018, and today I'm just thinking about how grateful I am that she did.

As I have been thinking a lot about grief, land, healing, legacy, blood memory, the responsibilities of parenthood, and the next seven generations recently (mainly due to a project I've been working on this week), I don't think it's an accident that today was the anniversary of that event while I go into a performance tomorrow about just this very thing: the land grieving and healing and telling us why.

There's not too many pictures of him because he was the one usually taking pictures of us. But here's a candid I have from my toddler days (mid-blink lol).

#healingjourney #personal

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gaymormonmike · 9 months

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MARGINALIZED

My focus recently has been on my marginalization as a gay, divorced, single man in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I had an insight last week as I studied scriptures and pondered and prayed about marginalization in general.

What does it mean if someone is marginalized?

Today, marginalize refers to the act of treating a person or group as though they are insignificant by isolating and/or disempowering them. The term marginalized applies to the person or group that is treated insignificantly, pushed to the margins of society and rendered powerless. Marginalization is the result of discrimination. Discrimination exists in many forms, such as racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, homophobia and xenophobia. Whether or not the discrimination is overt or covert, it marginalizes others and that is unacceptable.

As I thought about that some insights came to mind.

I was a small child marginalized in many ways. I was a Highly Sensitive Person in a family that did not like a HSP boy. I had a father who wanted a boy like his ideal, the man he never was. I grew up early, knowing I was not acceptable, something was wrong in me. I lived in the ghetto of a small Midwestern town. That side of town was regarded as trash. Child abuse was common and just part of life. We did not know any different. I went into a profession, Registered Nurse, dominated by females. Once again, I was marginalized as a "male nurse." When I was 13, I understood I was attracted to my male friends. I knew that was wrong and I felt so different and so alone and so marginalized. After I joined the LDS church, I accepted that my sexual orientation was a sin that would result in eternal punishment, and I fought against it so hard. I got married, had children and grandchildren and tried to be happy. I was on the outer edge, and I was a man divided against himself.

As I think about the members of my ward and the many good people who pursue being good, I wonder how many of them are marginalized in some aspect. Maybe they all fall into some marginalized group.

LBGTQA+ and allies

People of color

People of African American descent with family history of slavery

People of religious groups who may not be in favor for various reasons, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Mormons, Catholics, Jehovah Witnesses, Snake Baptists, Holy Rollers, Whirlimng Dervishes, etc. etc.

People raised in the wrong part of town.

Single parents, Orphans, Adoptees, Adopted parents, childless parents,

Shamed, self-loathers, want to be someone else’s,

People who project onto others, those projected on, those who use transference to defend themselves,

Married people, teen-agers, pre-teenagers,

People who went to schools that were not the best, community colleges, virtual colleges, home schooled, schools dominated by non-white races.

Latino people, pickers, illegal aliens, people with foreign accents that are not desirable,

People with everyday jobs, housekeepers, hotel cleaners, waiters and waitresses, sewer workers, garbage collectors, used car salesman, scammers, phone solicitors.

People with smelly homes, broken down porches with appliances and furniture on them, uncared for yards.

People with dirty children in bare feet and dirty clothes

Appalachians, hillbillys, southerners, racists, bigots, nazis, KKK, Haters,

women, girls,

Fat people, people with glasses, ugly people, people who spit in public,

Bullies, fighters, controllers, get their wayers

Abusers, sexual, emotional, physical abusers, their victims their survivors

Criminals, jail birds, cons, ex-cons, police, fireman, law enforcement

Lawyers, doctors, nurses,

Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, Communists, Fascists, Libertarians

Rich people, people with no worries or cares or need to help.

People of privilege who can have everything they want.

People who like snakes and lizards

People with odd looking hair, dyed or long or wild or standing up or part shaved, or all shaved or just different

People who are animals, dogs, cats, deer, pigs

People from Poland, Russia, Mexico, China, Asia, people with slanty eyes, with red dots on their foreheads, Muslims, people with turbans, women covered with burkas,

Blondes, especially female

Single people, unmarried, divorced, windowed,

People addicted to drugs, alcohol, pornography, sex, working out,

Lovers of fame, fortune, liars, thieves, politicians,

Heart breakers, non- committers, seducers, pedophiles, enticers, embracers, touchers, feelers,

Homeless people, beggars, street people, shopping cart people.

Atheists, Agnostics, God haters and profaners,

People who believe they are saved, condemners, better than thouers, people who know it all, prideful people.

Have I left anybody out? Or have I failed to insult you or the group you align yourself with? Or the group you want to forget you ever were a part of? Or the group you are happy to be a part of and do not appreciate being lumped into here?

I also fear that we will compare who has it worse. I say that each situation, whether of our making or by our birth or others’ choices, are legitimate. I have heard or read of thousands who had it worse than me. It did not take away my issues and what I go through. Your trials and tribulations and joys are yours and deserve the same reverence and respect of all others.

These words cannot define or describe the people they may represent. They cannot be equal in their results or effects. First there is the person who experiences these words in their lives. Each is different and unique and deals with a myriad of ways.. Some can turn these experiences into stellar personality adaptations. The environment that you grow up in and the attitudes of those who influence you can change the effect of these situations. They can become a reason to overcome or a reason to despair. Your faith can change how you view life, and its' vagaries can change the outcomes. The options you have or the perceived options you have can change how you react to all situations. The intensity of the experience and its effects on you can vary greatly. It is true that some of these are a result of things you cannot control or change. Others have the potential to be choices that you can control or change. But to some degree we all have traits or situations that others judge, feel superior to or dislike enough to not want to acknowledge your worth or value. If we examine ourselves, we will find we are both victims of and people who sometimes, marginalize others.

My question is how any of us can feel superior or look down on anyone else, when we are all in some way marginalized people?

I am a strong believer in Heavenly Father and Mother and my Savior Jesus Christ. I attest that he made all of us, everyone on the lists above. He loves us fully and completely as we are. He wants us to be better, but He loves us with our faults and offers a way back home to His side. Many of the people I listed above are people that I am either a part of or have judged in my life. I seek to be a better man, a better queer man, a better Christ-like man by realizing that the people at church and in my social sphere that marginalize me are themselves marginalized in some capacity. My goal is to help us all see that and accept that we can love one another because we are different and we have incredible stories and incredible pasts and that we can all become more loving, accepting and affirming.

#queerstake #lds #Mormon #marginalized

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forthegothicheroine · 2 years

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I've have the fortune of never having to read a Beatrice Sparks book, but I still very much appreciate getting a reminder of how awful she is. (The book you mentioned is going on my to-read pile). I wonder if gen Z kids have any awareness of her whole deal, or if Go Ask Alice has been consigned to history.

That's a really good question! I read Go Ask Alice when I was around 12 or so and had been given lots of Barnes & Nobel gift cards for my bat mitzvah. I'd heard it was about a girl who did drugs and died, and that there was controversy over whether it was true or not. I read it, and it didn't make a huge impression on me other than "Well, that was sad." I was pretty clueless about drugs, not being cool enough to get invited to any interesting parties, so it seemed plausible enough.

I don't know if Barnes & Nobel still sells Go Ask Alice, but I doubt they have the balls to sell Jay's Journal.

For those, Gen Z or otherwise, who don't know, Go Ask Alice was supposedly the true diary of a girl who, well, did drugs and died. Jay's Journal was supposedly the true diary of a boy who got into the occult and then died. Both, and other such books, were in fact written by Beatrice Sparks, a freelance writer and certified liar. (Also a Mormon, which I mention only because I've heard ex-Mormons say you can tell it from the language used in Go Ask Alice.) Alice was bullshit written at the height of panic about weed and LSD (for the record, both can be bad for you if you already have mental illnesses, but don't cause them on their own,) and it was pitched to a celebrity whose daughter's suicide may or may not have occurred under the influence.

That's bad and exploitative enough, but Jay's Journal was an act of monstrous cruelty. Sparks took the diary of a real kid who committed suicide, which was sparse but detailed depression, drugs, religious oppression, heartbreak, and intervention by parents that we would today call abuse. Based on him being vaguely into hippie mysticism and having once used a ouija board, she slandered him as an animal-sacrificing satanist who had been possessed by a devil, and his girlfriend as the same. This was a journal that had been sent to him by the boy's mother, who believed in Go Ask Alice and thought that getting the word out about teen depression was important.

A lot of lies get spread around today about teens in danger, often by other teens on places like TikTok, but in the age of google, it is at least a lot easier to look things up if they sound implausible (whether or not people actually do so.) I have no idea what they're teaching kids these days about drugs, especially in states where weed is legal; I was taught that all drugs were super addictive, until I reached my senior year and a health teacher admitted not all of them were. I imagine it varies wildly. I don't know if any conservative schools out there use Go Ask Alice as required reading, but it's possible.

(Hilariously, Go Ask Alice is also one of the most banned and challenged books in high school libraries because there's lots of implausible sex in it.)

So, to kids and parents and teachers, I guess the lesson here is to verify things where you can. If you see a viral post that sounds outlandish, check for it on Snopes. If people are scared that teens are levitating pencils with their minds due to the powers of the devil, ask why those kids haven't gotten a million dollars from James Randi. Google an author's name if something feels off. Because sometimes outlandish stuff turns out to be true, but sometimes people have a lot to gain by lying.

(And read Unmask Alice by Rick Emerson.)

I'll let Paul F. Thompkins and Danny Lavery have the final words:

youtube

The Stages of Accepting That Go Ask Alice Wasn’t Real

Lines From Go Ask Alice That, In Hindsight, Should Have Tipped Me Off That This Was Not A True Story

#go ask alice #unmask alice #books

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wowbright · 1 year

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Random thoughts about Autoboyography and Mormon stuff, since I'm still thinking about it two weeks later.

Spoilers ahead:

Why did Tanner's ex-mormon mother give her kid such a Mormon name?

Was the only reason the authors gave Sebastian Brother that last name was so they could make the "Brother Brother" joke? (No judgment. Just curious.)

Since Sebastian broke the law of chastity, how was his mission call not delayed? Did his parents not know about him breaking the law of chastity? Did they know but, since his dad was the bishop, his dad had the discretion to keep it quiet and not pursue any disciplinary action?

Or wait I guess if Sebastian is in a singles ward (a possibility, though I don't remember if it was mentioned one way or another), his dad isn't his Bishop.

BUT his parents are so against homosexuality it seems like they would want him disciplined by whoever's his bishop, since in their beliefs that would be the only way for him to fully repent of his "sin" and have any chance of progressing to the celestial kingdom.

Why didn't he get called into the honor code office at BYU? Again, was this a matter of people not knowing, or just the "right" people not knowing?

Did he get called in & kicked out of BYU sometime after the main story ended and before the epilogue began? Will BYU refuse to release his transcripts to another college he might want to attend so that he has to start from zero?

Is it just me or did Sebastian take the news of Tanner sleeping with their friend a little too easily? His response makes sense for a mature secular teen--they weren't dating so really it's none of Sebastian's business who Tanner got involved with. But Sebastian has been drenched in sexual shame. LDS kids get taught that any sexual activity (typically including masturbation) is essentially cheating on your future spouse. In that worldview, it very much would matter to Sebastian who Tanner has slept with. Even if Sebastian logically knows he shouldn't judge Tanner for it, even if he doesn't *want* to judge Tanner, he probably would.

Or maybe he does judge, but we don't see it because Sebastian is so good at painting on his Mormon "everything's fine" face? That feels like stretching the text too far, though.

Did release time seminary get mentioned anywhere in the story? This is neither here nor there, but I assume it's a thing in Provo and something that Tanner would be like, "Well that's crazy." But I don't remember whether it came up.

Very interesting how little Tanner knows about Mormon history. For all she encourages her kids to talk about their emotions and experiences, his mother sure doesn't talk much about hers, at least in this realm. (Again, not judging.) The part where Tanner unquestioningly repeats the line that polygamy happened in order to support widows made me do a double take.

Not really Mormon related: was that out-of-left-field plot twist included for the sole purpose of proving Tanner's bisexuality? I didn't need it proven. I already believed it. (Also, my surprise at Tanner's breadth of sexual experience at his age makes me feel a bit Mormon LOL.)

@redheadgleek Anything to add or detract?

#autoboyography #christina lauren #mormon stuff #wow reads books #lds #queer mormon book club

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linus-wickworth · 1 year

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July 2022 Reading Wrap-Up!

1. Autoboyography by Christina Lauren. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

High school senior Tanner Scott has hidden his bisexuality since his family moved to Utah, but he falls hard for Sebastian, a Mormon mentoring students in a writing seminar Tanner's best friend convinced him to take.

2. History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Griffin's first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him. To make things worse, the only person who truly understands is Jackson.

3. Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman. ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Everyone knows that Nick and Charlie are the perfect couple - that they're inseparable. But now Nick is leaving for university, and Charlie will be left behind at Sixth Form. Everyone's asking if they're staying together, which is a stupid question - they're 'Nick and Charlie' for God's sake! But as the time to say goodbye gets inevitably closer, both Nick and Charlie question whether their love is strong enough to survive being apart. Or are they delaying the inevitable? Because everyone knows that first loves are last forever...

4. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ponyboy can count on his brothers. And on his friends. But no on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up "greasers" like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect - until the night someone takes things too far.

5. When You Call My Name by Tucker Shaw. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's 1990 in New York City. Adam is falling in love for the first time. Ben is leaving home for the last. Drawn by the city's irresistible energy, the boys are swept up into the queer scene, where the potential for life and love seems limitless. But as the shadows of prejudice gather, Ben and Adam discover how their newfound community is facing the looming threat of AIDS, which will touch their lives more closely than they ever could have imagined.

6. Trapped by Michael Northrop. ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Seven high school students are stranded at their New England high school during a week-long blizzard that shuts down the power and heat, freezes the pipes, and leaves them wondering if they will survive.

7. Short Stories (The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates, Harvey's Dream, The Cat from Hell, Mute, Willa) by Stephen King. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A collection of short stories written by King, compiled into Just After Sunset.

8. You'll Be The Death Of Me by Karen McManus. ⭐⭐⭐

Estranged friends Ivy, Mateo, and Cal witness a murder while skipping school, and the only way they can solve it is by revealing what they have been hiding from one another--and themselves.

9. A Night Twice As Long by Andrew Simonet. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Three weeks into the blackout, sixteen-year-old Alex and her best friend Anthony trek to the next town looking for answers, but end up breaking Alex's autistic brother out of the school he was placed in by Child Protective Services.

10. Bang by Barry Lyga. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sebastian did something horrible, something no one—not even Sebastian himself—can forgive. At the age of four, he accidentally shot and killed his infant sister with his father’s gun. Now, ten years later, Sebastian has lived with the guilt and horror for his entire life. With his best friend away for the summer, Sebastian has only a new friend--Aneesa--to distract him from his darkest thoughts. But even this relationship cannot blunt the pain of his past. Because Sebastian knows exactly how to rectify his childhood crime and sanctify his past.It took a gun to get him into this. Now he needs a gun to get out.

11. Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rusty-James wants to be as tough a teen as his older brother, Motorcycle Boy, who has always helped him out of tough spots. But one day, when Rusty-James faces danger, Motorcycle Boy is not around.

12. More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the months following his father's suicide, sixteen-year-old Aaron can’t seem to find happiness again, despite the support of his girlfriend, Genevieve, and his overworked mom. Grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist won’t let him forget the pain. But when Aaron meets Thomas, a new kid in the neighborhood, something starts to shift inside him. Aaron can't deny his unexpected feelings for Thomas despite the tensions their friendship has created with Genevieve and his tight-knit crew. Since Aaron can't stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound happiness, he considers taking drastic actions. The Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-altering procedure will straighten him out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

13. The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried by Shaun David Hutchinson. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dino doesn’t mind spending time with the dead. His parents own a funeral home, and death is literally the family business. He’s just not used to them talking back. Until Dino’s ex-best friend July dies suddenly—and then comes back to life. Except not exactly. Somehow July is not quite alive, and not quite dead.

14. Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Suzette returns home to Los Angeles from boarding school and grapples with her bisexual identity when she and her brother Lionel fall in love with the same girl, pushing Lionel's bipolar disorder to spin out of control and forcing Suzette to confront her own demons.

15. Lies by Michael Grant. ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

As conditions worsen in the FAYZ, where supernatural forces have trapped children under the age of fifteen and resources are running out, it becomes tempting to heed the words of a prophet who says that only death will set them free.

16. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender. ⭐⭐1/2

Felix Love, a transgender seventeen-year-old, attempts to get revenge by catfishing his anonymous bully, but lands in a quasi-love triangle with his former enemy and his best friend.

17. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The adventures of Peter Pan, the boy who would not grow up. Peter Pan teaches Wendy and her brothers to fly to Never-Never Land, where they share some exciting adventures with Indians and pirates.

18. Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Paul falls hard for Noah, he thinks he has found his one true love, but when Noah walks out of his life, Paul has to find a way to get him back and make everything right once more.

#books #bookblr #yabooks #july 2022 #queer books #reading wrapup

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the-rad1o-demon · 7 months

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Share, donate, and give politicians the fucking middle finger because we're going all out, darlings!!!

And this bill affects all of us. Both children and adults of the following: the LGBTQ+ community, Black communities, Latinx communities, Native American communities, Asian communities.

It will affect ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, and younger folks still trapped. Same thing for ex-Catholics and children/teens still trapped in the Catholic Church. Same thing for Mormons.

This bill affects everyone, okay? There is no beating around the bush. It has been stated time and again by literal lawmakers that this bill is a censorship bill. Senator Blackburn, co-author of the KOSA bill, said herself it would be used to "protect children from the transgender."

So please help keep the fight going. Because the more of us contribute, the bigger chance we have of winning.

And don't fall for that "oh, what I do won't matter much, other people will do it" line of thought.

Even if you think other people will help: please help anyway. We are running out of time. It's all hands on deck at this point.

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xtruss · 3 months

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The Twisted World of Warren Jeffs: Former FLDS Members Speak Out

Exclusive Interviews With Ex-FLDS Members Offer New Picture of Covert Community.

— By Grace Handy | February 27, 2024

When polygamy was outlawed by the Mormon Church in 1890, splinter groups formed, including the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints, or FLDS, in which members could practice polygamy – or "plural marriage" – discreetly, without persecution.

The FLDS was able to flourish in a remote enclave nestled along the border of Utah and Arizona near Zion National Park in a community called Short Creek.

In the FLDS community, the most important person is the prophet, and members believe that God communicates directly through him. Among the core beliefs of the community is that the more wives a man has, the closer he gets to salvation.

Warren Jeffs watches his attorneys during a motion hearing before his trial, Sept. 13, 2007, in St. George, Utah. Douglas C. Pizac/AFP via Getty Images

From 1986 to 2002, Rulon Jeffs Served as FLDS Prophet and President.

As Rulon Jeffs' health declined, his son Warren Jeffs slowly took control of the FLDS community. Rulon Jeffs died in 2002, and Warren Jeffs succeeded him as prophet.

FLDS members were used to taking direction from Warren Jeffs but, over time, his orders became more restrictive – and, to some, alarming.

Jeffs banned television, movies, popular music, and fictional books. He also executed strict mandates on behavior, dress, and language. Women were told to "keep sweet," suppress emotions and feelings, obey their husbands, and above all, obey Jeffs — the all-knowing prophet.

Briell Decker, Jeffs' 65th wife, told ABC, "'Keep Sweet' meant you could have no emotions except for sweetness. That was the only emotion allowed."

Former FLDS prophet Rulon Jeffs pictured with many young FLDS members. Courtesy of Charlene Jeffs

ABC's new special, "Truth and Lies: The Doomsday Prophet," streaming now on Hulu, features exclusive, never-before-seen interviews with FLDS members filmed inside the community.

Beneath what appeared to be an attempt to present an ideal community of content and obedient followers, Jeffs allegedly used his power to pursue twisted exploits.

ABC sat down with Jeffs' daughter, Rachel Blackmore, who alleged her father sexually abused her for years during childhood. "When your parent does something like that, it feels shameful on you, too. And then it kept happening," Blackmore told ABC.

While Jeffs accumulated brides, some of them young teens, underage marriages were common in the broader community.

At the age of 14, Elissa Wall was married off to her 19-year-old first cousin. Wall said she had no choice but to go through with the marriage, which was officiated by Jeffs.

Short Creek today – a small community on the Utah-Arizona border near Zion National Park. ABC News

Ruth Stubbs, another member of the FLDS community, was married off when she was 16. Her husband, Rodney Holm, was 32. He was a police officer in Short Creek and was already married to two other women. Holm was arrested for bigamy and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and spent a year in prison.

Warren Jeffs with seventeen of his wives. Courtesy of Rachel Blackmore

Warren Jeffs' alleged involvement in facilitating marriages between underage girls and adult men led to him being placed on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list in May 2006. Criminal charges had been brought against him in Utah and Arizona.

Jeffs eventually fled Short Creek and went on the lam, hiding out in various cities around the United States per his journals – or "priesthood records" – that were later presented at his trial. While on the run, Jeffs had a compound built in Eldorado, Texas – where he would send hand-picked followers, telling them they were being called to Zion, or "heaven on earth." Jeffs named the compound the YFZ Ranch (or "Yearning for Zion" Ranch).

"People were slowly disappearing [from Short Creek] at that time," said Charlene Jeffs, a former FLDS member who was then married to Warren Jeffs' brother, Lyle. Several of Charlene's children, Ammon, Susie, and Thomas, were called to Zion, she said.

"It was supposed to be an honor to have them called forth. But all it was, was heartache," said Charlene Jeffs, who was exiled from the FLDS community in 2012.

Rachel Blackmore with her father, Warren Jeffs. Blackmore alleges Jeffs sexually abused her during childhood, starting when she was eight years old. Courtesy of Rachel Blackmore with permission

In August 2006, Jeffs' journey on the run came to a halt when his car was pulled over for a routine traffic violation outside of Las Vegas. Then, court proceedings began.

Wall testified against Jeffs in 2007. Wall told ABC it was an empowering experience: "I was forced to face him. I was forced to get on the stand, face him, and say 'you did this' ... I was no longer just an innocent little girl who just did everything out of fear. I had a voice and it was starting to become heard."

Jeffs was found guilty of accomplice to rape for facilitating Wall's underage marriage. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The charges would be overturned on appeal in 2010, and Jeffs was never retried. However, by that point, other evidence against Jeffs was found at the YFZ Ranch after law enforcement raided the ranch, leading to new charges.

The temple entrance at the YFZ Ranch in Eldorado, Texas. FLDS members worked day and night for months building the structure. Courtesy of Angela Goodwin

"[Officers] saw scrapbooks and letters supporting the fact that these girls were being married off at a very young age and were having babies," said Angela Goodwin, a district attorney in Texas.

During the raid, officers found horrific evidence incriminating Jeffs – including an audio recording of him having sexual relations with a 12-year-old. Officials also discovered a pregnant 15-year-old at the ranch who was carrying Jeffs' child.

Former FLDS members allege Jeffs still runs the church from behind bars in Palestine, Texas, and releases revelations that his devout followers adhere to. One revelation from the summer of 2022 has been particularly concerning to former members, especially those with family members still in the religion.

"The revelations say that within five years, the children will be translated to heaven. But the problem is … you have to die first," Roger Hoole, a private attorney involved in many FLDS cases, told ABC.

Amid current concerns about Jeffs' revelations, Short Creek is moving on – and perhaps nothing is more indicative of the vast progress in the community than the election of Donia Jessop as mayor of Hildale, on the Utah border of Short Creek.

Jessop is the first female mayor and first former FLDS member elected to office. Jessop has implemented modernization in the community – for example, she is working with the United Effort Plan to completely transform the former FLDS meetinghouse.

"We want to recreate a place, a community building, where we can come together and celebrate in the things that we've always loved, the programs, the dance, the arts. We want to create a safe haven for the people," Mayor Jessop told ABC.

Former FLDS member and current mayor of Hildale, Donia Jessop. Jessop’s election as mayor in 2018 signified a major shift in the community. ABC News

Another major development in the community was the creation of the Short Creek Dream Center, a place of refuge for people transitioning out of the FLDS – and anyone fleeing oppressive or abusive environments.

The Dream Center, symbolically, was the former home of Warren Jeffs. Briell Decker, one of Jeffs' former wives, was granted the 28,000-square-foot home after escaping the FLDS – and she helped create the Dream Center.

The exterior of the Short Creek Dream Center, former home of Warren Jeffs. The Dream Center is now a safe haven for local people in need. ABC News

Decker, who experienced so much pain and trauma in her early life, says she is proud to now help others at the center.

"I feel like I'm safe. I feel like more lives are being touched than I could have ever possibly imagined," Decker told ABC.

Wall, now an activist and author, moved back to Short Creek several years ago and noticed an emotional shift in the community.

"The most important change that I think Short Creek has undergone in the last decade is healing. As people returned and came back, bringing all of their experiences, for them they were coming home," Wall said.

As veteran journalist Mike Watkiss tells ABC, "This is a story about a culture, a community, that has chronically oppressed women. The women are the victims, and the women have been the forces and instruments of change."

#Warren Jeffs #Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints (FLDS)#Utah | Arizona #Zion National Park | Short Creek #Grace Handy #Rulon Jeffs

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searching-by-neon-light · 5 months

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If I started writing when my finals are over, do you think I could finish my manuscript by next year?

It’s a short film about a group of 4 teens attempting to survive an apocalypse. Ava, a 17 year old ex-track star who had been skipping school for weeks leading up to the catalyst. Gemma, a 12 year old softball player with a confrontational attitude and access to her step-dad’s collection of hunting rifles. Anna, a 16 year old devout Mormon girl with dreams of becoming a fashion photographer. And lastly Kim, a 15 year old (less than devout) Mormon with a laissez-faire attitude and a poorly self-given buzzcut.

The story follows them as they attempt to ditch town and get to Anna’s uncle’s riverside home.

#writing #writers #writers on tumblr

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mirandamckenni1 · 7 months

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youtube

The Reality of Growing Up with PURITY CULTURE in a Sex-Obsessed World Purity culture seems innocent and shiny on the outside, but when you look closer, understanding there are two sides to every coin, it gets dark and dangerous. Kendra and I take an honest look at the intentions of purity culture and how it often backfires and creates more issues including abuse and self hatred. Episodes with the Ex- Mormon Sex Therapist: LDS Sex Therapist Ousted for Views on Masturbation ft. Natasha Helfer https://youtu.be/vLPEna9SHWI?si=TRnvGfp0mK4IXP83 Mormon Sex Therapist's Reaction to Daily P*rn Use Ft. Natasha Helfer https://youtu.be/96BfXtqevTw?si=Bm1msxQY7n7vUJR3 Resources: Sex Education Website: https://ift.tt/C1jfemT Instagram: @natashahelfermft https://ift.tt/DR7utGH Find Kendra on Social! website with merch: https://ift.tt/FJ0zCr6 YouTube: @KendraLeeBryan IG: @thekendrab https://ift.tt/qX6iWdo FB: Kendra Bryan (the bad child) https://ift.tt/sl483Jj TT: @kendraleebryan https://ift.tt/jQ81p6h Support Shelise Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Patreon https://ift.tt/Yu0KQDv Venmo @sheliseann Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness https://ift.tt/RH8SNvu Host Instagram @sheliseann https://ift.tt/JXZaeo2 TikTok @cults.to.consciousness https://ift.tt/W4Kjz2o Twitter @cultstocon https://twitter.com/cultstocon 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:41 Find and follow Kendra! 00:03:50 What is "purity culture"? Kendra's experience 00:07:55 "Stumbling blocks" and Culottes instead of pants 00:09:51 Shelise's "shame shirt" stories 00:16:43 Government programs for "abstinence only" education 00:18:02 Purity balls.....it's a real thing.... 00:21:04 TW: SA- It's demeaning to label a woman as "pure" 00:27:26 Was Kendra taught about menstruation or her anatomy? 00:31:01 Making educated, informed, non-coerced decisions about your sexual choices 00:34:26 Actual data- Does purity culture work? 00:36:54 TW: SA 00:39:54 Purity culture is harmful to the LGBTQ+ community 00:41:17 TW: r*pe-Teen pregnancies are higher in states with abstinence only education 00:50:39 Repression causes more desire 00:51:36 Teaching nuanced consent is SO IMPORTANT 00:55:30 Advice from an Ex Mormon certified Sex Therapist on P*rn 00:58:50 Does purity culture and abstinence only ACTUALLY protect women? 01:06:48 Linda, listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhVZrmShT6Y

#IFTTT #YouTube #Youtube

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minyboy · 7 months

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Mad World (Halloween Monster “Roleplay” 3) Part 17

I sure can't take out the crazy ex-girlfriend in her dreams, but I can make them worse. let's just add random crap all over the place. Some floating demons here, some Cronenbergs all over the place, wearing funny hats of course and oh I don't know, a giant statue of me overlooking everything. More, more, more! Way too much to explain all in detail. Just know it's all gone to shit. And the final touch, the asshole jock. He's looking for you, wanting to get back together, wanting to abuse you, wanting you to abuse him. Ah Hell, add a few more. Things are quite unstable here. The grounds are tearing themselves apart, and the air itself seems to cry out "IT'S FREDDY!" Things are clashing together and Mormons are being very mean to people. Ok, she's having a crazy dream, she should awake soon. She's going to be very upset, a typical woman, taking a dream personally. let's make sure she sees my pretty face when she does. *poof* Oh she's tossing and turning. One sec, can't leave that here, ok. "Wake up dear, you were having a terrible nightmare, it's over. It's all over for you." Oh... that was a scream... ow... stop ruining my ears. At least my eyes will get a break this time. "one two Freddy came for you." Now she won't stop screaming, "It's Freddy, come in quickly, Freddy is real!" "Now now dear, you have to learn to take care of yourself. Here, a gun, a gift from Uncle Freddy, it's loaded and everything!" Good thing the lazy police officers had that lying around, typical. "Oh you not going to shoot me, are you? Whatever did I do to you, bitch?" She's going to shoot me, no doubt here, oh look, the police officers finally woke up and decided to check out what all the screaming is about. "Say hello to the Devil for me, I hear he dances well." *poof* Back to the Dream World bucko. Now for the show, the muddled version, but close enough. She fired alright, right at the cops. Sadly she missed the officers. Sadly they did not. Another teen down, and I'm sure there will be pointless riots in the morning. Four down, two to go.

-Miny Freddy Krueger

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