Hi! I'm Kevin. I'm an Apostate.

[EarthyAngel]

I live in Northern California. I grew up in the church, had 4 years of seminary, attended Ricks College, served as a missionary in Europe, got sealed in the temple. Got divorced. No kids. Enjoying that now. (Eternal Family isn't for everyone).

But, I'm an apostate. Now, I'm sure that alone will cause some to hate me right off the bat.

Rest assured. I have a great deal of respect and love for my heritage. I have no doubt that it was part of the grand plan of my life that I had such an intimate relationship with the Church through out the first three decades of my life.

Oh, I have my complaints and criticisms, which will no doubt be taken by some as an attack on the Church or their testimony should I express them, but by-and-large, I think I am pretty fair. I used to hate anti-mormons because they seemed to take delight in lobbing figurative grenades at the Church and its members. I found them very upsetting, not because of what they said, but because of the cruelty which they exhibited.

I certainly don't want to be accused of being one of THEM.

I am now a pagan, mystic, shaman, buddhist, wiccan, gnostic, unitarian-universalist. Yeah, it's a mouthful... but I've been studying spirituality and religion now for 20 years, looking for the common threads throughout time and space in what human beings experience as God, and I haven't found a single religion that is all-encompassing.

So anyway. Here I am.

I'm curious to see how I'll be received.

Kevin

[Dr T]

Welcome Kevin. I'm not LDS-so there's that.

[tomk]

Kevin:

Welcome to the forums.

11 We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.


I hope you enjoy the time you spend here.


Tom

[siouxz72]

welcome kevin! hope you enjoy the site!

[Truegrits]

Hello, Kevin...welcome to the site.

[tubaloth]

You should be fine. Once you even remotely "attack" (and I use that word loosly) then the bombs might come out. usually as long as people play by the rules, they should be fine.

Have you read much of Hugh Nibley's books. I don't think I have even read one completly through. But he does have a couple of interesting books. Two I would recomend looking into.
The Worlds and the Prophets
Also, Enoch the Prophet. I actually have this book, but have only only read parts here and there. I probably should actually sit down and read it.

[Elphaba]

So, just how earthy are you? Is there effluvium?

Elphaba

[rampion]

Hi Kevin,

I'm pretty new here too, and I don't know a lot of the members here yet. I'm glad to meet you, and I hope that you find what you are looking for here. Do you know what you are looking for?

I appreciate your respect and willingness to give us a chance (you said you are curious to see how you will be received here). I do sense a lot of anger in your post, and I wonder what it is that you are angry about. Everybody has more to their story than we will be able to see here. You don't have to answer that, of course, but I just wonder what has you feeling the way you do, and what brings you here. I'm just thinking out loud. And I am sorry for all the hurt that you must have felt sometime and somewhere. I guess that any of us could potentially find ourselves in the same place. If I'm misreading something, I'm sorry for that too.

I have always said that I believe there is truth to be found in all religions. I respect those who believe differently than I do, and I am interested in learning about what you have found. I might not agree with all of it, but that's okay. You don't have to agree with my beliefs either. I am particularly interested in your post because I had a friend who left the church, and she got so mad at me each time that our conversations turned to religion, because I could always find a way to fit her new beliefs alongside mine and for me it all made sense and any areas of conflict there didn't seem to me to be unsurmountable. She told me essentially that she felt I was bad for not giving up my beliefs. She doesn't talk to me anymore. I am still trying to make sense of it, as I never intended to be or thought that I was ever anything but accepting of her. You may not even have much in common with her, other than leaving the church, so maybe my perception of you is colored by my experience with my friend.

Anyway, welcome. I hope that I get the chance to learn more from you and about you.

[EarthyAngel]

Originally Posted by tubaloth

You should be fine. Once you even remotely "attack" (and I use that word loosly) then the bombs might come out. usually as long as people play by the rules, they should be fine.

Have you read much of Hugh Nibley's books. I don't think I have even read one completly through. But he does have a couple of interesting books. Two I would recomend looking into.
The Worlds and the Prophets
Also, Enoch the Prophet. I actually have this book, but have only only read parts here and there. I probably should actually sit down and read it.

I devoured Nibley's writings in my younger days.

It is just a bit too apologetic (meaning biased in favor of what he wishes to see) for my taste, now.

Yeah, I understand how you use "attack" loosely. Many see the "to question" the same as "to attack". Or even "to disagree" as "to attack".

[Honor]

What area of northern Cali are you from? I grew up in the northern bay area. I'll forever miss the redwoods and vineyards. Welcome to the site!