I left the UU church after a couple of years of attending in my 20s. Did not seem to be any god anywhere in the Sunday sermons. Felt like i was back in Poli Sci class at my liberal arts college.

Went to Episcopalian church and am still there.

Become a mainstream protestant. Not evangelical. Clean living, decent support. Shop around though for a church that meets your needs. Very tolerant of differences in beliefs.

Or, yes, you could be UU.

Protestants and UU also basically forbid drinking in group settings.

^^
Ahhh, tolerant loving Christians !

The boy (man) found his own beliefs. It's not for me or you, but it is for him.

Anonymous wrote:Any of us can choose at any time to make kindness to others and helpfulness a priority.

You can do that without the rest.

But I agree. Mormons generally make lovely neighbors and colleagues.

NO they are a cult.

The need to pay more taxes at their Hawaii tourist spot and pay the locals an actual decent wage.

One of my neighbors just converted teen boy, his parents are Catholic. It was and is ugly....last September they tried derailing his college to send him on a mission to China. He went to the first part, thankfully covid made them send him home. First of all, why are missions done in the middle of college. Second, his mother could not watch him be baptized, what are they hiding that's ridiculous. Third, his mother can not watch him be married again WTH. Fourth, pushing marriage instead of an education, keep setting him up with ladies to marry now and raise a family with out a job?

Love those young girls they send on their missions out at night knocking on doors. Who does that with their children? If they want to spread their "godliness" they let the adults do it.

Although we could never be Mormon, DH and i do love the Monday "family home evening" concept and we follow that. Nothing is to be scheduled on Monday nights -- that is family night. (I think Mormons do it once a month but we do it every Monday.)

Op -- you can appropriate whichever aspect of the religion you like and practice that without converting to -- well, anything.

^^
*special* pass

And there is some spacial pass for people like Romney so they don't have to tithe million$ every year. Gotta love it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You cannot get into the Celestial Kingdom (heaven) without a temple recommend, and you cannot get a temple recommend without giving 10% of your *gross* income to the church.

Ergo, you must pay money to get into heaven.

What if you don't earn any money?

Retirees get a pass as long as they're not earning income. I know older LDS people who tithe 10% of their Social Security, retirement accounts, and pensions, but that's not something that's really enforced since most people tithe based on their pre-tax income so in theory they've already tithed that money when they were younger and working. If you're collecting any kind of disability or cash assistance from the government, you're expected to cough up 10%. SAHMs are covered under the household tithe payments. SAHDs are basically nonexistent in the LDS culture, but same principle would apply. Kids who earn pocket cash from babysitting, mowing lawns, etc are supposed to tithe 10% of their earnings and some bishops are real pricks about it.

The exception to this is if a longstanding LDS family has a major unexpected financial emergency, like a child or spouse who develops a very serious illness or dies suddenly. They sometimes get a pass on tithing for awhile if they talk to the bishop.

Anonymous wrote:Whenever something looks perfect it usually is a major facade. There's plenty of playing around in this religion, trust me.

In college I dated a guy who was converting to Mormonism. Believe me, he did not follow their rules !

Whenever something looks perfect it usually is a major facade. There's plenty of playing around in this religion, trust me.

Anonymous wrote:You cannot get into the Celestial Kingdom (heaven) without a temple recommend, and you cannot get a temple recommend without giving 10% of your *gross* income to the church.

Ergo, you must pay money to get into heaven.

What if you don't earn any money?

Joseph Smith and Brigham Young were brilliant! I have *got* to start a religion!

You cannot get into the Celestial Kingdom (heaven) without a temple recommend, and you cannot get a temple recommend without giving 10% of your *gross* income to the church.

Ergo, you must pay money to get into heaven.

Any of us can choose at any time to make kindness to others and helpfulness a priority.

You can do that without the rest.

But I agree. Mormons generally make lovely neighbors and colleagues.

Funny all this is based on stereotypes. I grew up in the LDS church in FL. Stopped practicing at 16 because like most religions I find it misogynistic. To me, and I have attended several other churches over the years, it is not that much different from a lot of other Christian religions other than extra books and the whole crazy start with Joseph Smith. But if you believe in virgin birth how crazy is Joseph Smith and golden plates?