The "bad feeling" in Mormonism

[@mormonstories]

Watch the entire episode on our KZbin channel! Episode 1912. After learning about Joseph Smith’s peep stone and his polygamy and polyandry Jennifer and Darian got a bad feeling. In Mormonism they teach that this bad feeling means that the information is false. But that is not always the case. The bad feeling is often your moral compass trying to warn you. Join us in this episode as we discuss Jennifer and Darian’s Mormon story from Nashville, Tennessee!

[@valerieanderson132]

1912

[@lyndachele]

Drugs turn off ones moral compass.

[@hopeinHim5160]

@@lyndachele So does Mormon , thought stopping cult think.

[@lyndachele]

@@hopeinHim5160 that's what I mean. It's like a drug addiction.

[@hopeinHim5160]

@@lyndachele Exactly! 💯

[@user-by3me4vr5j]

"Do not turn your moral authority onto anyone else". So appropriate and very well said.

[@squeakhawk01]

That really is the best advice to keep yourself sane in the mormon church.

[@sweetafton5655]

…or over to.

[@beebefoxy]

The church taught me not to trust myself. I still struggle with decision making. I was taught to turn to others or a “higher power” to tell me what to do or tell me what was right and what was wrong. I was taught to shut feelings down and that feelings like sadness, confusion, and fear were bad feelings from Satan or from those trying to deceive me. No wonder it took me so long to listen to myself and override my own cognitive dissonance.

[@user-by3me4vr5j]

So very true. When I told a member of my bishopric that I no longer believed in the church, he told me to pray about it. He had no response when I told him that I had been praying about it for quite a while and this was the answer I received. I continue believing to this day, long after I left the church, that my prayers were answered.

[@hopeinHim5160]

@@user-by3me4vr5j For whatever it may be worth to you, l agree with you. You know it's a cult when you are not allowed to receive any answer but the one they tell you is correct, and you are not allowed to question or criticize fairly. When truth tellers are excommunicated, we have a cult. Blessings to you. 🌹🙏

[@lifematters687]

💯

[@brifrancis234]

Totally agree! The church really does highjack your moral authority on grounds that the "natural man" is an enemy of god and always has been and always will be unless they pay money to the church and follow whatever they say without question.

[@purpl-monkee354]

Gave up god long ago & at times the old idea flies in my ear to pray about it & I swat the 'bug' away.

[@ChrisFBartlett]

The church taught me to “listen to the spirit” when THEY were teaching, but when I went to the temple for the first time and had to strip naked for old men who then touched me, I had a very bad feeling, and literally repeated to myself “Joseph is a prophet, Joseph is a prophet, Joseph is a prophet“ to try and make that bad feeling go away. Something was definitely OFF.

[@robin2065]

What you wrote has really stood out to me, and the fact that so many people have upvoted your comment makes me wonder if you are referring to some Mormon practice or something. I am not Mormon, so I'm reading everything as an outsider. But wait, what happened to you in the temple?? It sounds absolutely horrible, and whatever the case, I am truly sorry you experienced it.

[@helenmcdonnell2585]

​@robin2065 yes, they are made to strip naked in the temple and felt up

[@HalfInsaneJane]

​@@robin2065So it's changed and now they do a drop of oil on your head while fully clothed, but they used to have it where you were rubbed down from head to toe while naked from what I know maybe not hair but yeah.... Not appropriate.

[@douglaswilkinson5700]

This is unbelievable! Strip naked? That's what happened in concentration camps ...

[@sjenson6694]

​@@douglaswilkinson5700They used to pantomime suicide rituals as well and take blood oaths to defend the cult with their life..

[@theupson]

waaaaay over in math instruction, i tell my students "your gut is fantastic for telling you WHEN something is wrong, but much less good at identifying WHAT is wrong"

[@BM__8]

She’s spot on. This is what cults do - they teach you how to abandon yourself.

[@thehigherevolutionary]

That happens in Jehovah's Witnesses and when you leave, it takes eons to learn to trust yourself and your intuition. It's so wild how I watch these interviews and they resonate with my experience in a different cult.

[@andycarrillo1477]

‘Doubt your doubts’ is the perfect example of gaslighting, a technique Mormons master. When the SEC scandal broke I actually had a TBM tell he was glad that the church had that much spare money to easily afford paying multi-million dollar fines. I was happy to decline a church calling on the spot.

[@tinkeramma]

I spent years doubting my doubts before reconnecting with an old friend I could actively talk about all my struggles with my faith. Being able to discuss this with someone I trust who didn't have anything invested in the outcome was a massive catalyst. My struggles with the church and my faith became a full-blown active faith crisis. Three months after that point, I finally decided to bring up my faith crisis to my TBM husband, only to be met with this "doubt your doubts" rhetoric. Telling him I'd spent *years* doubting my doubts before doubting my faith did nothing except encourage more of the same blaming me for my sudden lack of faith. He even went so far as to say I was turning to evil because nothing good would support how I was feeling. My "sin," this thing I did that was so wrong? I asked for more light and knowledge and followed what came in my heart and my actions. Leaving my faith, my testimony behind was never something I wanted. The choice I made was to stop ignoring my own feelings about how wrong things felt. It was hard to go to a temple recommend interview and honestly explain to my bishop where I am with my faith. I wanted my recommend renewed. I hadn't (and still haven't) done anything wrong. I just don't believe enough of the things required to honestly say yes to all that's asked. My TBM husband blames me for all of it. My friends who have left the church? It surprises me how supportive they've been without pushing me to do more than is comfortable at the moment. They aren't invested in me leaving. One even said that anyone who is pushing me in either direction in this faith journey doesn't NOT have my best interests in mind.

[@Dutchess0909]

❤churches put themselves in between you and your divine self. No more MEN to stop us from our own divine soul self

[@pabloareas2258]

I remember one time, my dad shared something with me that made a lot of sense. He said…. I had an interview with the stake president to renew his temple recommend, and he asked me something that baffled me. He asked, do you support the first presidency and would you follow them blindly as prophets, seers and revelators? and my dad at that moment said…do you realize the insanity you just asked me president? What do you mean? The stake president replied. My dad said I would never support blindly any man made out of flesh even if it’s the prophet of the church, you’re absolutely wrong on that question. Well brother then I won’t be able to put my signature in your temple recommend. That’s ok my father said, until you asked the correct question not a made up question. I rather not having a valid temple recommend than having someone telling me to follow them blindly and ask me to throw myself in a ditch. This people are nuts in the church.

[@dianethulin1700]

I learned to listen to my inner voice in Battered Women’s Support Group. I was very angry with the Mormon Church to teach me to turn it off and leave me vulnerable to violence. PLEASE! If you do nothing else listen to that inner voice. Call it the Holy Ghost if that makes you feel better

[@mysteryheart53]

Ooo you’re clever for calling that inner voice the Holy Ghost now the church can’t disapprove haha 😂

[@squeakhawk01]

🎶 Turn it off, like a light switch, Just go click! It's a cool little Mormon trick! 🎵

[@user-by3me4vr5j]

I can't tell you how many times I did that as a member until I started realizing that my inner voice was actually trying to tell me something and I started listening to that instead of the church leaders. I eventually ended up leaving.

[@funkyfreshtx]

Yes, that feeling that we get is not the Holy Ghost telling us something is wrong, but it’s more of us trying to deviate from our true selves. We need to figure out who our individual self is and a line our life with that truth.

[@hopeinHim5160]

I wish my family understood this. They have turned their moral authority over to their leaders. It is as though they are small children, and they have lost discernment. 💔😞 If l ever try to begin to bring it, up, they shut down and push me away. They leaders have carefully, effectively groomed them . 😢 I cannot tell you in words how terribly saddened l am . I feel that they are lost , only GOD an awaken them. The Church is NOT good!!!!!😰🥺🧐😖

[@HalfInsaneJane]

I just got saved from this and God pulled me out. Whenever I raise my concerns I get the have you prayed about it, God works in mysterious ways schtick but if I approach with my questions as if I wish the church were true which I do in a way (but the True God is so much better) then they are so much more open. Our God is. A God of miracles if he can reach the people of Ninevah he can reach our families.

[@hopeinHim5160]

@@HalfInsaneJane Thank you for that encouragement. Blessings to you in your new walk in life with God. May you breathe freely and in peace with no guilt trips imposed knowing that you made the best decision ever. 🙏✝️❤️‍🔥🕊️📖🦋🌷

[@nancylyon-gray3499]

I am so glad for these clips. If someone had said, "Get in the car" when I was young, I would have obeyed. SCARY. Thank you for joining the rest of us who can see the truth!

[@emptynesters2520]

This was an AMAZING interview!!👌🏻👏🏻

[@peteranastasia1808]

Spot on, advice. I made the mistake in early life of not listening to my inner intuition because it was overridden and suppressed by family, society, religion, and various institutions. Later I learned my inner intuition was my divine intelligence and access to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It took some time to learn to trust myself, but once I did, I trust nothing else including the government, politicians, doctors and so called religious and spiritual authority. Divine Authority or Voice of the Holy Spirit or Inner Guide is within by whatever word label you call this Divine Intelligence. When operating out of Wisdom and Compassion it never fails like fallible human authorities. 🌀 ✨☀️✨🌘🌞🌒✨☀️✨

[@d0omslug]

Definitely going to check out the full interview.

[@patriciahisoire5753]

Evangelicals do the same thing. Calling it lack of faith. Preaching prosperity is a crime against humanity! Nobody can live up that except the Preachers begging for your money!

[@ChrisS-dt3vq]

I left the church and My Mother said, BUT all of these older men are wiser, they know better, they know more than we do. Yip! I have rarely been right.

[@speakeasy2525]

As a female Mormon person, you get so thoroughly indoctrinated from infancy to ignore your own inner voice that eventually you can't hear it anymore. And, when you leave the Church, authenticity is the hardest thing to reclaim--if you ever can--while navigating such tremendous grief. That whole "natural man is an enemy to God" nonsense (where women are specifically excluded from the language but expected to include themselves in the shame) demands that you hold suspect and reject any instinct you experience which does not perfectly align with what the men in charge are feeding you to stay in power. It is insidious.

[@kaykeiffer3944]

Wow powerful 👏👍 for years I did exactly that until I woke up

[@MichaelTercero]

❤❤❤ What an amazing episode❤❤❤ so much acquired wisdom from this couple.

[@farnaddarnell3926]

This is very important. Control by fear and guilt are the foundations of all organized religions. Thanks for sharing this knowledge.

[@virginianielsen3480]

And let me tell you, as someone who had SEVERE anxiety growing up, everything “felt bad” and made me feel like I was not only a failure but a terrible person. Obsessive prayer and scripture study would give me some level of relief in the moment- since I couldn’t feel guilty about it- but everything else really seemed like a horrible emergency because of the way the feeling of the spirit was taught in church. Took me years to unlearn all of that.

[@joshkeeton9616]

“Turn it off, like a light switch, go click” - BOM Musical

[@Gideonslc]

I love this perspective.

[@mr.champlinssciencechannel906]

Could not have said it better myself. Being an exmo I had to fight hard to figure out what I thought was right and wrong and now I tell people I will never turn my moral agency over to another person or organization ever again.

[@evanhill9890]

Well put. Misreading emotions as prompting, slanted a certain way. This is easy to test. It is so easy to have spiritual confirmation of a beautiful Paul Dunn story while feeling the spirit deny the validity of claims that Joseph Smith married teens who were less than thrilled to marry him. Add to this spiritual answers to prayer as a substitute for evidence and encouragement to gain testimony by sharing testimony (aka bearing false witness, aka lying) and you have a major mind muck.

[@nolinpowe]

This is literally what caused me to leave the church. I remember I went to Sacrament one Sunday and I was sitting there feeling so sick and so mentally and physically uncomfortable that I left 20 minutes before Sacrament ended. Simply because of the fact that I did not feel comfortable being there anymore. I was always stared at, judged & even criticized for not doing my part as a Mormon, I even went to different wards and I realized that, being in a religion where you are shamed & degraded for doing your best, isn't of God, it's of people and that's when I knew I had to leave

[@cartergomez5390]

I felt that fear in the Catholic Church and they are so closely related, it’s scary 😱

[@douglaswilkinson5700]

The Church of today does not do that. E.g. We have an official LGBT ministry that receives $10,000 per year for outreach, education, projects, etc.

[@laurelmacquarrie1559]

They teach you that feeling uncomfortable or anxious is "the spirit" as you cry your way through a testimony and don't even realize that you are being taught to disconnect from true feelings and misinterpret then entirely.

[@joelnoblett8227]

I have joined the Saints nearly 2 years ago. I never feel they try to control me. They do say weird things occasionally but that usually is not the main view. I know some of the history is very bad and do not agree with their choices on some matters. I was not brainwashed to believe anything it was how I felt on a personal level. I understand why people are angry however I found peace here. It is a case by case situation so no comment on your views and experiences.

[@carmencarlson7913]

Can't agree more!

[@willowandfriends2892]

Cognitive dissonance, look into it.

[@sengacampbell2749]

Or they turn it into “The spirit is warning you,” or it’s Satan putting those fears in us.

[@user-kx7yp8fr5i]

Hmmmm, every religion demands some type of relinquishing of one's own moral compass....a matter of degree

[@heidiWava]

It's interesting. I learned to listen to "the spirit"/your inner.. the feelings that something isn't right, from the church & scriptures.. But yes- also struggled (prob still do sometimes) with "authority" & shoulds/shouldn't's [whether from church, parents, spouse, or other voices (from) teachings in the world & other ideas & things you hear in life..]. so many ideas & voices.. even in psychology, etc.

[@katinthecorner]

Disgust is a true emotion and is valid for a very instinctual reason most of the time. Biase can create that feeling also, but either way the feeling should trigger further investigation of the cause of the feeling. On the other hand, charisma emitted by others also evokes a feeling that should be investigated. I've learned to stop and investigate all strong emotions as a part of self awareness and caution. Unfortunately religion often attempts to manipulate people using those evoked emotions.

[@maam-yj8ph]

I think a lot of Mormons who are converts feel this way going through the temple for the first time.

[@papadopp3870]

BUC Mormons feel the same way.

[@PsychOnTheRocks]

Very powerful 👏🏻

[@gailhawkins2210]

Always, Always. Follow your instincts.

[@user-nr3qc5oi3j]

HOW MANY KARENS HAVE TO LEAVE THE FAITH BEFORE THE CHURCH REALIZES THERE'S A PROBLEM?!! I'm getting tired of buying all my essential oils from ex-mo's, you guys.

[@mysteryheart53]

Haha for real

[@michelehunter7865]

That’s called programming.

[@daleyglobal]

It’s the plan for sure foundation it’s built off of

[@sjenson6694]

I got the same feeling listening to the crap at church that I feel listening to trump rant about how he's a victim and his plans to pause the constitution.. a scam is a scam..

[@mac9245]

Internal dialog has value

[@daleyglobal]

The cult absolutely teaches you to turn away from yourself first and always !!!!! Opposite of life and Jesus

[@davidlawrence273]

No thanks the natural man is not what I want to be I want to be like Jesus ! Isn’t that what we are all supposed to be striving to become more like him?

[@annavela6026]

It’s your intention speaking to you which Mormonism does not encourage a woman to listen to it. My opinion & we all know what opinions are like. I grew up a Mormon.

[@robertgray323]

The seeing stone in the hat ? Kind of crazy ?

[@juliewall5117]

Turn to God!

[@truthspeaker711]

Mind control.

[@donnacolin2453]

What they are missing is that they have totally thrown out God with Mormonism. Wha a shame.

[@AS72831]

What a shame you think it’s a shame. Perhaps you could consider your misplaced comment and try to have an ounce of understanding as to why.