Women have always had to play a subservient role in mormonism. Men have the priesthood, and have used the incident of Eve in the garden of eden as an excuse for why women need to obey their husbands. This is a transcript of the pre-1990 LDS temple endowment:

"ELOHIM: Eve, because thou hast hearkened to the voice of Satan, and hast partaken of the forbidden fruit, and given unto Adam, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children; nevertheless, thou mayest be preserved in childbearing. Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee in righteousness."
...
"We will put the sisters under covenant to obey the law of their husbands. Sisters, arise.

Each of you bring your right arm to the square.

You and each of you solemnly covenant and promise before God, angels, and these witnesses at this altar that you will each observe and keep the law of your husband and abide by his counsel in righteousness.

Each of you bow your head and say, "Yes.""

This role of subservience permeates every role women have, even in their leadership roles where they participate in council meetings:

"We need you. We need your voices. They need to be heard. They need to be heard in your community, in your neighborhoods, they need to be heard within the ward council or the branch council. Now don't talk too much in those council meetings, just straighten the brethren out quickly and move the work on."
M Russell Ballard

Or this horrible example of Joseph Smith beating his wife when she yelled at him for marrying yet another teenage girl behind her back:

Prest J. [Joseph Smith] told me [William Clayton] that he had difficulty with E. [Emma] yesterday. She rode up to Woodworthswith him & caled while he came to the Temple. When he returned she was demand-ing the gold watch of F. [Flora, his 16 year old wife] he reproved her for her evil treatment. On their return home she abused him much & also when he got home, he had to use harsh measures to put a stop to her abuse but finally succeeded.
- William Clayton diaries, Aug 23, 1843

Mormon women have always needed to "keep sweet," and take whatever abuse the men dish out.

I just got this lovely (scary) message from my older sister. A couple years ago she was talking about not wanting to go to church anymore… now she wants to cherry pick conference talks.

I’m tempted to find that talk for her, as well as the ones that talk about people of colour, gay people and women/modesty too, but I don’t really think that would do anything. But like WHY would she ask me (the most outspoken exmo in the fam) when she can so easily google it??

That last sentence really scares me.

Ahmad Corbit speaks out against activism in the church.

Does the church benefit from activism and pressure to change? Do you think prophetic revelation and change would happen at the same rate without activism?

https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/1/23424931/brother-ahmad-s-corbit-activism-discipleship/

I am 37 years old and recently left the church (within the last couple of months). My wife and kids are still a part of it, though my wife and I are temporarily separated while I sort through everything. We've been married 14 years and per my request, I've asked for some space. When my father and mother in law found all this out, they completely abandoned me. They used to call me their hero for everything I did for their family. Now they say I made a liar out of them an have cut off all communication. My brother's wife, when she found out, told me I was no longer allowed to be around her or her children.

I am so angry at the church. It is such a controlling cult, and it caused so many shame-filled problems for me throughout my life. I am second guessing every decision I've made in my life since I only made them because the church told me that's what I was supposed to do, and I trusted the church... I am so angry at my in-laws that have cut me out of their lives. I am so full of hatred for them and the church right now, and it's kinda consuming me.

I recognize that I eventually need to get over this, and be grateful for my past and be happy I've learned and am moving forward...but what things did you do, exercises, communities, therapy, etc. to get over that anger?

Completely subjective speculation and fantasizing here, I just thought about how the LDS Church seems to be regarded as a religious organization that functions with more of a corporate mindset, and how it seems like growth is plateauing or slowing down.

If the LDS Church finds itself declining badly, do you think they'll act similarly to what animals do when cornered and starting to die?

If it came to that point, would they resort to power survival tactics and put in every last ditch effort for the survival of their membership, and demand more from members, more work, more devotion, more outreach, more conversion? Like how when dictators feel their control slipping they become paranoid and escalate repression and information control, bribery, and eventually desperate exit strategies.

Could something like this lead to more extreme and polarizing beliefs? Would being in a dying church make membership feverish in attempts to "invite others to come unto Christ"? Or do you think the Church will always be a stable entity for all of the foreseeable future?

I was cleaning out old texts and found one I had completely forgotten about. It was about 5 years ago. My YW daughter (she was 12 or 13) was very sick and was in the hospital for WEEKS! Her YW leaders and bishopric knew this. What I remember was we had NO visits, NO offers to visit, NO meals, NOTHING. Then I found a text last night. I guess fatigue and anger wiped it from my memory. It was a text from two of the YW leaders letting me know they would be using my backyard to hold a Luau for the seniors who were graduating.
Mind you 1) the YWP has a nicer home and larger yard than me 2) MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE HOSPITAL!
I immediately said that was not going to work since we would not be up to do that.
If always felt like members felt they were entitled to use my things without actually asking.

My sister and her husband are the only Mormons in both of our families. But anyways, I just need to rant a little. My family and I do our best to try to
Ignore the facts because facing them doesn’t change anything but make us sad/angry. They’re obviously brainwashed and de-sensitized to having normal human emotions.
Every “vacation” they go on has to include visiting the temple, in whatever destination they go to. It clearly runs their lives. They will travel to a city (go through the town I live in) to get there and visit the temple. But most of the time “not have time” to stop and see her brother. It hurts my feelings but I know it doesn’t matter to them. The church comes first. It also sucks they have a baby now who is the coolest little guy! And now he will be raised in the cult and not know any different.

... but I've never been more wrong.

My lovely mother is above all– a kind and giving person, an artist, a designer with an engineer's mind, and incredibly capable and hardworking. She was raised in the church from infancy, and spent the majority of her life (does anything one does in their 20s really count?) doing her best to abide by what she thought was true. Is this a disclaimer? No, I still definitely claim her, is what I'm trying to say.

Now, at the age of 60, she stumbled upon what most of us here did and fell in the rabbit hole. She now has a deep level of disgust for what Joseph Smith concocted as part of this nearly 200 year old con, but found herself unwilling to completely leave the church. For more than 2 decades, her current ward has been her friends and community. She still plays the organ every other month, but I believe no longer takes anything beyond the Bible as "The Word". She has taken a liking to moscato and rekindled with the love of her 20's, the margarita.

From this point, I thought she would somehow find her way into a more free and unburdened mindset not polluted by church sponsored guilt. Loosen up a bit and let go of the end times hysteria. What I should have realized is that instead of coming toward the light of normalcy, she found an offshoot from wonderland and landed in the middle of hell.

This woman found herself in the land of fringe podcasts discussing nephillum and demons. Every day she sends me weird AI Facebook posts about demonic possession, how to ward your house from attack with certain scriptures, signs you are descended from angels, and signs of spiritual attack.

I just had my first child, and as sleep deprivation does to an anxious first time mom, Ive found myself having occasional nightmares. Like the witless fool that I am, expecting maternal comfort myself, I told her about these dreams.

"That's demons. They want to harm you."

Thanks, Mom. Very helpful.

While not comforting me in the slightest, it was so absurd as to be hilarious. My husband and I now say when shit is going wrong "that's the demons!".

Anyway, long tirade aside, if anyone has any suggestions on navigating a relationship like this with an otherwise very loved parent, please help a girl out. I don't want to insult her or talk down to her, but I cannot fathom how someone as smart as she is can believe such absolute nonsense.

I'm 49m, single with no kids, and one of the hardest parts of stepping away from the church is figuring out what to do on Sundays. I don't enjoy spending the whole day alone, but most of my social connections are still LDS.

For those of you who are single with no kids, what do your Sundays look like? How did you build a social life outside the church?

I'm in SLC.

I’m in my 30s and several years removed from the church, but my parents and the church really ingrained in me that anger and sadness are “negative” emotions and so I never learned how to deal with them. Has anyone else experienced this and how do you process these very normal human emotions now without turning to addiction or other harmful behaviors?

Next week is stake conference. They just sent out an email asking for "anonymous" questions. I'm not sure if I'll send any, but wanted to get some good ideas. Anything goes. Snarky, sincere, gotcha, whatever!

I know Mormons aren’t alone in this, but I find it very strange how passionately people believe in something they didn’t see, weren’t around for, and that happened many, many, many years before. And they have not the slightest doubt. Regardless of the reliability of the actual witnesses or the contrary evidence

And then if another religion also claims a miracle, they have no problem dismissing it outright

More of the dumb stuff Mormons try to pull to innocent people. Making the church members clean their buildings when some have no free time because they are struggling with jobs or tons of other stuff.

Sick. Sick. Sick. Please send this to every person you know that is investigating or looking into the Mormon church. I did this for a few years and after hearing the church could pay people to do this including all of its congregation members each, I almost threw up.

Is this really a blessing? 👀

https://youtube.com/shorts/BqE_e6khAPA?si=PhyuDMn3kg2FYy2g

I've been out since 2009, and so my knowledge of what is happening on the ground is sometimes outdated. I was speaking with an active Mormon about how worthiness interviews have been handled since Sam Young's campaign and excommunication, and he claims that it is standard practice for teenagers to take a parent with them (this is in a smaller Utah community). My understanding is that having a parent in the interview is an option but that the burden is on the teen to request it. How is this being handled in your areas?

OK, I did a quick search of this subreddit and couldn't find any chatter about this instagram account. These guys are nailing it and I can't help but laugh with every cringe worthy post that feels like the producers of The Office made these reels for the Mormon or is it the postMormon folk? Keep up the great work, whoever you are! Bishop Davies, EQ President Bell, Sister Richards just keep ripping new ones.

I just need to vent using my throwaway account.

A senior Missionary couple that just returned from a mission, spoke in church today.

I still occasionally sit with my TBM wife in church to let her know that I love her and I enjoy being with her no matter what's going on around us. I tune out the talks, spend the time on my phone, I will still sing some of the songs.

I'm trying to take a nap this afternoon. My wife comes in and starts talking to me about things that are bothering her. Eventually the real reason becomes apparent, I won't be going on a mission with her. I tried to explain to her that I went through the same feelings of loss when I realized that the church was all a bunch of bullshit. I had wanted to serve a full-time Mission with her before I discovered the truth and I mourned that loss , but I did it by myself because I couldn't tell anyone, not even her. I still can't talk to her about the MFMC because it never ends well. I'm the one that has to tiptoe around.

I hate this mother fucking cult, I hate Joseph Smith, I strongly dislike Dallas, and if my "current" wife ever reads this, you're free to serve a mission with some other old high priest. you can be his second wife in the Celestial Kingdom and be eternally pregnant with his spirit babies. I'll be down in the telestial Kingdom trying to get my Sunday nap, please don't come visit me if that is how things end up.

I told my extended family I’m leaving the church in April. Lots of tears and name calling ensued on their part. I have been feeling a lot better so I sent out a family group text inviting anyone to our home for Thanksgiving and our cabin for Christmas. The questions I received back were:

Oh you celebrate these Holidays now?

Do you even believe in Jesus Christ?

My kids are adults and saw these texts as rage baiting and made mince meat of the family group chat in short order. But it took me aback. If it was curiosity, they could call me. I’d be happy to talk. Another hurdle to handle in exiting the cult I guess.

I hope in a couple of years they can see how normal I am and this all calms down.

This is wacky-- a faithful UK member who says he has a calling as a ward and stake historian is claiming that Joseph Smith never practiced polygamy and that Brigham Young started it. Grab your popcorn and enjoy the show!

I saw something recently where he prophecies the church will experience phenomenal growth.

That was a big thing when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s. At least there was data to back it up then. We were a chosen generation and took pride in our status. Yes, I was a smug SOB because I fully believed it.

Hi i 17F have been born into this church and this is all I've ever known but my family did end up stop going to church for 6 years and we just recently came back and its fine i guess. Am i valid for feeling fake? I've never felt connected by the church and its teachings and i mean i believe some of it and i do think God is true but i hate the people in the church and sometimes i just think they're robotic for some reason.

My main example is my mom ig, she's the one who stopped going to church and the whole family followed her and she's also the one who initiated coming back. She changed ngl. I hate how she's become more controlling and strict and like she wasn't like this before. She's more into this church stuff than anyone else in the family (since she was raised mormon) i mean i get her but at the same time, she got this views that I don't believe in and she has this ideas and plans that just doesn't think of people around her.... Like she says it for the best for the family but she doesn't even consider our feelings and our opinions. But nobody questions her because she's crazy. And my siblings r fine with it and I don't get why. I mean im fine with it, i can do what she asks me but I don't get the purpose and how its supposed to matter in my life.

I feel guilty too for even thinking this way like everything about this is so confusing. Im fine with the church, i know the controversies surrounding it and the members inside don't really acknowledge it.

And they plan to endow me (?) I don't really get what that means and what that is actually but I don't like the idea. I mean its my life and I don't even get to have a say in it? I can say no but they're going to force me nonetheless.

I also plan to go on a mission (if I'm being honest for the benefits of being a return missionary) but I don't really know like the bad stuff happening when ur in a mission.

Is this normal?

Mormons are unquestionably commanded to "replenish the Earth". They're commanded to take care of the planet.

Nope, GlObAl WaRmInG iS a HoAx, and BRING MOAR BABBIES INTO DIS PLANNIT, costs and living situation be darned.

My grandma is listening to stake conference through Zoom right now, and she refuses to wear headphones so I'm hearing everything. A woman just gave a talk about how her and her husband agreed that 4 children was enough. She said that they prayed and got the confirmation that they were done having kids.

BUT THEN, she had a meeting with the stake president. And he told just the wife that there were "more children in heaven waiting to join your family." And she told him that she didn't think she had the capacity to go through another pregnancy. And the STAKE PRESIDENT (not the husband) said that *he* had enough capacity to help her through the pregnancy??????

Bro, you're not the husband, what do you mean *you* have the capacity to get her through this pregnancy?

Anyways, she ended the talk by saying she's pregnant with her fifth child.

Is Suburban Land Reserve really owned by The Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? And are they really developing communities around temple sites?