The Merriam Webster Dictionary describes Addiction as a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.
In his article When Religion is an Addiction Dr. Bob Minor, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas, states:
Like substance addictions, it (religion) takes over, dominates life, pushes other issues to the background, tells them how and what to feel to prevent them from facing their real feelings about themselves and life, creates a mythology about the world, protects its "stash," and supports their denial that they have a problem. Addiction specialist Anne Wilson Schaef would say, like all addictions, religious addiction is progressive and fatal.
Of course Dr. Minor was referring only to the dangers of religious addiction, and this diary is not intended as a blanket criticism of religious faith. However, where Mormonism is concerned, you must be aware of the threat it poses, not only to its members but society in general.
It is virtually impossible to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and not be totally dependent on it.
The longer you are a Mormon, the more you are obsessed by it, and the more it consumes your life. One becomes so thoroughly entrenched in the religion that devoting just one day per week to church attendance is virtually unheard of. As an LDS member, there is no such thing as personal time, because you are made to feel guilty if you involve yourself in anything other than Church-related activities or don’t live the ideal Mormon lifestyle (The paradox is that no one really does. Thus, Utah has one of highest consumers per capita of anti-depressants). The only acquaintances you can safely make are with other church members.
Addiction to Mormonism is further evidenced in the fact that LDS members are steadfastly loyal to a church which does not tolerate independent thought.
One must act and behave in a manner which is consistent with conduct outlined by the 1st presidency of the church. Members who behave or think autonomously (outside the mainstream of church teachings) are subject to discipline before a Bishop’s Court (Also known as Court of Love (anything but)). If their misdeeds are deemed flagrant and unrepentant, members are subject to excommunication. Through the veiled threat of the "E" word, the church makes every effort to mold its members into zombies who are devoid of all free thought processes. Like junkies, they grow more and more beholding to church leaders (the pushers) for their fix. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. The LDS Church is not without its mavericks, like Sen. Harry Reid, but they represent a miniscule percentage of the majority.
Perhaps Karl Marx said it best when he stated that religion is the opiate of the masses. The false teachings of Mormonism appeal to human frailty in every demographic group. The wealthy, the poor, college graduates and high school dropouts alike can become entrapped in its web of deceit. It erroneously provides easy answers to complex issues; a safety net, the feeling of belonging, and fulfills the basic human need to be nurtured and provided for. It also allows potential converts the convenience of relying on (or blaming) a higher power on happenstance. The embrace of Mormonism like most organized religions can be a cop-out because it obfuscates personal responsibility. Mormons swear allegiance to the prophet of the Church (presently, Thomas S. Monson), who receives his communications directly from God (How can anyone argue with that?).
Like any codependence, I thoroughly believe that Mormonism should be treated in the same manner as drug and alcohol addiction.
Those exiting the church should enter a twelve step program, including weekly meetings, sponsors, etc. It is imperative for LDS evacuees to be deprogrammed before entering the real world. In my experience, departing from the church can be a tortuously long and an involved process. One does not easily rid themselves overnight of what in some instances can be lifelong obsessive-compulsive behavior.
It’s now been about fifteen years since I renounced my membership in the LDS Church, and had my name removed from its records. My exit was not the result of personal vendetta or excommunication. It began with unanswered questions about the tenets of Mormonism. Why were blacks openly discriminated against? Why were gays and lesbians immediately excommunicated when their sexual preference became known to church leaders? As a Mormon, I had struggled with these questions for quite some time, such as the belief that God punished the seed of Cain by turning the color of their skin black. According to church teachings, the Lord’s wrath was passed along to generations of black descendents for thousands of years. Black male church members were denied the priesthood (an elevated position normally open to all male members of the church). Early Mormon prophet Brigham Young once claimed that the only way for a black person to get to heaven was as a slave. After growing outrage from the world community, God’s curse of black people was finally removed in the late 70’s.
After months of soul-searching, I was then forced to come to terms with the painful realization that I had spent a great deal of my life living a faux existence. It was an earth-shattering discovery for me..
Church members, some of whom are well-educated and who seem to have a vast knowledge of science and natural history, apparently have selective ignorance when it comes to racial, ethnic, gay and lesbian prejudice. One need only to view the news to witness this.
Years ago, I worked for a subsidiary of the LDS Church and lived in Salt Lake City Utah. On occasions I worked with the Mormon hierarchy, including church president (and supposed prophet) Spencer W. Kimball. That's when I began to discover the dark side of the church.
I am a regular Diarist here. Last year, I posted an extensive diary about the dangers of Mormonism which you can read here. My document was truthfully written, carefully researched, and came straight from the heart.
I received almost 200 responses, most were very receptive to what I had to say. Some were skeptical. There were also a few very hateful responses (obviously from Mormons). Since then, I have written several diaries addressing the threats of Mormonism. Some here claimed that such diaries about religion had no business being posted here on the DK. I have tried to explain that Mormonism is not just a religion, but a formidable Fortune 500 company which wields an extreme amount of social and political power. It has a history of supporting extreme rightwing causes. LDS Church leader Ezra Taft Benson encouraged members to join the John Birch Society. Many of its members belong to this extremist organization.
With the passage of Proposition 8 and widespread criticism of the Mormon Church’s involvement, perhaps my warnings won’t go unheeded this time.
There is a wonderful website you can visit to learn the truth about the Mormon Church. Coincidentally, the name of the site is Recovering Mormons.
Believe it or not; the purpose of this diary is solely to expose the dangers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and I have only love and compassion for its members, all of whom have been duped (like I was). I have two grown children and five grandchildren who are active Mormons.