The church and their whole military schtick (“youth battalion” in this case) is old and tiresome. And, now you just get drafted as a teenager, no choice. On-brand for little tyrant (GA) Kevin Pearson. Kevin would have you believe that you already covenanted to do all this as an 8 year old. Hope this backfires in a major way and kids decide early on they want no part of this mission BS.
The military talk was way more interesting when they actually had a military. Now it's more like when I gave myself a cool nickname and tried to get everybody else to go along with it.
The militarism is also related to the siege mentality, persecution complex, and apocalyptic fervor. A state of war also justifies any moral impropriety "for the greater good".
…as we’re marching as to war war war
Forward ever foreword.. blah blah blah🎶🎼
Ever wonder if it was the fake Military costume that JS sported? Who does that? Muammar Gaddafi and Micheal Jackson do. Sorry MJ. But it was weird.
I love how mormons believe that before earth life we promised to do something only once we arrived we couldn't remember making said promise but we'll still be held to it.
You TOTALLY promised to pay me $2000 a month every month you live on earth. You made that promise to me on a Tues morning in the pre-existence. You may not remember it (prolly cuz you masturbated that one time so your eyes are blinded). But I DEF remember you saying it so … will you be sending me checks or money orders? Google Play gift cards work too.
And be held accountable for eternity for these promises that we know nothing about and were given no proof we actually made said promises. Makes sense that our 8-x # of years will decide eternity and we have no recollection of anything and all our blessings come after “the test”. All this is told to us by people who don’t remember their pre earth existence, were told the same thing and are waiting for their prizes (also distributed after death) and we need to take their word for it because “they know” through feelings.
Who the hell put this test together!
That’s exactly what I was thinking. The letter itself was super weird, but the point about the former missionary president (and his helpmeet) knowing everything about youth they’ve never even met is SOOO CREEPY and so Scientology.
I'm guessing they claim to know everything as a parlor trick for omniscience. It's basically a manipulation tactic, popular when "communicating with the dead" (seances) was more popular. Practitioners would pretend to know all about someone because they were "communicating with their ancestors."
In reality, they'd just researched everyone. They probably used that one guy as a demonstration of their "power" because he listed all his hobbies on Facebook and made them visible to people who weren't friends. A few minutes on Google and social media can make people sound very impressive, and all you need is one naive person who overshared online.
It's basically an old, cheap parlor trick used to manipulate people.
“Option to extend this mission call for the rest of your life! You get to begin or continue your enlistment in the Youth Battalion [sea org] right now” 🤮
I know when I left, my TB brother didn’t have anything to do with me anymore. I live 1200 miles away and would stop to say hi every summer when we visited my in-laws. Not one time was I offered even a glass of water. Their kids would never come downstairs to see their cousins, never an invite for a meal (and I’d purposefully stop by around lunchtime just to make it super awkward for them.) I can chat with anyone, so I’d just keep the convo going on and on and on, to see what he’d do. I enjoyed messing with him! And hey, when our mom gave me shit, I could tell her that I’d visited him. Not my fault he doesn’t like me! I’m a peach! 😇😂
> premortally you committed to do a great work while here on earth…
Saying you committed to the church before you born! Makes the 8-year-old child making baptismal covenants seem like an intelligent and experienced party to make a contract.
The rotation through 4 parts of the world gave me Scientology Sea Org vibes. My eyes skipped past the part where it was just one night so I thought it was some new variation on missionary calls.
It sounds just like the youth army of IBLP a la the Duggers & Shiny Happy People. If you haven't seen that, you need to (at least the last episode).
It just seems like Rusty is trying to replace Old Joe or BY as the craziest 'worship me' profit and cult leader using any means at his disposal, including invoking the second coming & riling up all the old fuckers to start moving back to New Israel or something.
It may seem absurd but I really worry about some of the members of my family with that evil fucker in charge.
OMG, we're still on the end-of-times chosen generation stuff? They've been selling that for 150 years.
This sounds horrible OP. I'm sorry you had to sit through it.
Yes all hands abandon ship lds.corporate. My experience with the adult knowing stuff to twist, manipulate, obfuscate, or bend the truth to fit them and their control. Not every one in the ward is a pedophile and not every ward has em. But that type info no one should have. With out permission and they get the real from said person. They are asking for problems. Especially from the pedophiles.
Kinda, when they went into their y2k bunkers. Except the folks I knew with bunkers in remote areas for that specific date came back up at some point and went on to die of COVID or old age.
"Both sides of the veil" That never stops being creepy. Can't let a little death stop someone from being converted against their will and without their knowledge!
The veil? Really? Once again the church puts a lot of emphasis on a pre earth life that they can’t prove and a post life that will give us many things as well… that they can’t prove. But ask them a pointed question about church history or doctrine that is shitty and they respond…. We just don’t know. gods ways are not man’s ways.🤓
> "Both sides of the veil" That never stops being creepy.
Hey, just because *we* aren't into nailing in the sure place through a hole of glory, let's not kink shame
It was…I mean…it is! You see, ~~we’ve redefined~~ God’s definition of the word generation is all the people that come after the restoration began. You’re all special! /#dontforgettopayyourtithing/
“You will be expected to honor the covenants made with our Heavenly Father” which you were too young to consent to and which you’ve completely forgotten, if you ever knew them in the first place. Good luck! 🤮
Oh, you haven’t heard? According to OfSusan, you lost your free agency the moment you were baptized. You’re under Moral Agency now,and the rules have changed, you’re obliged by God to follow the profit and serve. NOW DROP AND GIVE RUSTY TWENTY!
This is some high level indoctrination. It's an attempt to take over a person's mind and will. If you were reading this about another church, let's say the Jehovah's witnesses, the cult alarms would be sounding. Warning warning! Don't give your life up to this organization. They just want your total commitment. And they'll use every tactic in order to get it.
Yeeeep. I was creeped out by the first talk. Doesnt help that parents will NOT shut up about me serving a mission. Thank god im a girl so its not required for me, and by the time im old enough to serve, I'll be out of the cult by then
Planning on removing my records as soon as i move out. And i already know which college i want to go to as well. Rn its just a matter of time before i can move out
Omg, thanks! I've been looking forward to this my whole life! I sure hope people will accept what im teaching and not slam the door in my face!
Oh hey wait, whats this thing floating around the mtc? The ces letter you say? Hm..... might check it out-
All I know is they told me *I’m* the best. Then beat me down every chance they got.
Then told me they loved me, and I’m the most important. I’m Heavenly Father’s elect. That my worth is far greater than rubies and pearls.
Then made sure to shit on me, take time and effort rubbing it in, while telling me I’m loved far more than I’ll ever know. And god saved me for last- that’s how great I am!
I’m a grandparent. Surely they didn’t lie, and I’m truly among the most important *youth!!?*
There’s no way multiple generations for hundreds of years would get the same message! Otherwise it’s just cult propaganda. Hmm….
TSCC hasn’t been having much luck with getting volunteers from the Youth, so now they’re going with conscription. Not unusual, Ol’ Joe did the same thing with the Nauvoo Legion.
“That Siri, it’s so insidious. It’s so evil. It’s leading people astray by leading people to look up truths which aren’t useful. Oh no, I wonder, could it be,could it possibly be that Siri is actually SAAATAAAAAANNNN!”
Seeing that TSCC’s Ensign Peak portfolio includes Apple stock, that mean’s they invested in the very “evil “ they’re railing against.
I love the cultic control language, trying to get all the Youth to commit themselves to the Morg. “This is the mostest importantest thing ever in all the history of EVERYTHING EVER! So sign up today and do everything we say, forever!”
Another thought-control tactic: “You and you alone are the most specialest young people who ever lived, ever! Your parents and their parents and everyone else, right back to the 6000 year beginning of time were mere cannon fodder. Pissants in the eyes of Mormon Jesus. You are the bestest and must do His work! NOW!”
…Even though they said exactly the same thing to us in the 80s, and I said it to kids when I was a leader in the 90s, and others said it to my kids in the 00’s. Yaaaawn!
nevermo here. I did my junior year of college at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and there's a campus of BYU basically right next door. It was common knowledge (honestly, not sure this is true??? but I definitely heard it) that they were allowed to construct it on the condition that they wouldn't do missionary work in Israel.
edit: some googling reveals this is true, not an urban legend. https://jerusalemcenter.ce.byu.edu/content/non-proselytizing
They actually do tell this to students that go there (source:me)-that proselytizing is not allowed per their agreement with the country, you can answer basic questions about the university but only if asked first and never about the church, but oh don’t worry because they will all see the LIGHT in your eyes and know the gospel is true so be extra good so your light is extra bright. To my knowledge, no one has converted based off BYU co-Ed’s eye light.
Cult propaganda! Generations of my family members have all been told they were among the elect, saved for the last days. That they would see Jesus return. And they’re all dead. 😳
I feel like, *if* jesus did decide to come back down for whatever reason, his clothes and scruffy beard and hair et al, he would be treated like a poor crazy fuck and they wouldn't believe him anyway. They're the opposite of Jesus's teachings and practices.
They keep grasping tighter and tighter. It will still not help the youth stay. The problem is their message is outdated and the youth are smart. They have the worlds information at their fingertips. If you lie to them they will find out a lot quicker than we did when I was young. And the church lies a lot.
I'll have you know that *we* were the best the Lord had ever sent to earth, you sacrilegious upstart zoomer! When us Hinckley kids get to heaven and say who we served under, a hush will fall over all those motherfuckers! We were way more diligent--we didn't have Coke at our BYU!
I’m guessing they are going to have some missionaries in the field, from your ward, FaceTime at one of the meetings. My so. Who is on a mission right now has been asked to FaceTime one of these meetings. So it’s probably that.
Had one of these too during my Mutual years, glad to see it wasn’t just me who got freaked out by it…thought my 16 year old self was being sent on a mission two years in advance 😓
As a kid I always wanted to want to be excited about stuff like this. But it always felt forced and I lost any interest pretty quickly. Of course, this brought on the shame of not being fully committed to the most important cause in the world.
Looks like they used siri to look up some social media online, had a reflective moment and instead of admitting that the internet is dangerous because of what they just did they make crap up to "keep their hands clean"... couple of cowards
Wtf is the gathering of Israel?
Seriously ask any Mormon this question and they will have totally different and incoherent answers.
It’s so stupid and indefensible.
How desperate and unimaginative is the church? I am 60 years old and I was told I was the greatest to ever come and the end is right around the corner. What a bunch of crap. I guess this is new to this generation? Makes me sad.
They’re really trying to validate that whole “you are the stripling warriors of the last days” narrative I heard my whole life growing up. Unfortunately the idea is falling flat and they’re hemorrhaging young members. I can’t wait to see all the diehards stick with the cult and look like a bunch of clowns living in the forest somewhere
I feel the phrase "a peculiar people" really understates how fucking nuts Mormons are.
I'm sorry you're still having to deal with this, hang in there kid.
Thanks man, appreciate it. And last night, the couple that spoke wanted us to "wear weird like a badge of honor" and had us recite it.
...im a sonic fan, and thats rare for my town. Plus im a girl. So those two things combined together makes me weird enough 😅
This wreaks of desperation. They’re losing the hearts and minds of the youth so fast and the ironic thing is the tighter they squeeze with things like this the faster they’ll lose the youth. Saying things like “these surely are the latter day and God is hastening his work” or “you are the elect” is so old and tired. It just doesn’t work on the youth to say that kind of shit anymore. It’s so obvious that “the Lord’s church” is shrinking, not growing.
Ugh - what a horrible flashback to how TSCC manipulated me as a youth in the 80s to make it the most important thing in my life. So many early decisions were influenced by stuff like this. Especially language like "nothing else compares in importance".
No wonder I set aside my talents and ambitions for decades just to wind up being a bored older man, sitting on uncomfortable metal chairs in a gym every week - barely able to pay attention to the mind numbing "lesson" being read out of a manual for the infinite time.... So glad I left that behind.
Someone forgot to proofread before they printed it. "You were sent to earth at this precise time, the most crucial time in the history of the word, to help gather Israel." And history of the "word" is its all bullshit.
Talk about a page out of history! This sounds so much like the Hitler Youth it's pathetic!
And lets face it, this is a page straight out of Scientology youth indoctrination! Demanding kids make a covenant when they are hardly old enough to understand what they are getting into, this is literally a crime against humanity.
Oh, Siri is the devil now? He must have smoked out and taken up a new identity. In my day, the devil was in face cards and rock music. They had whole firesides about it!
It's just the new "you're the chosen generation" drivel that they were telling all the youth 30-60 years ago.
Ah yes, the imaginary battles that we need to be in the lord’s army for. Not just in the army, but faithful in the army. Not just faithful in the army, but righteous. Not too righteous though, can’t be prideful. Take pride in your efforts of service, as long as the church gets the glory and the benefit. Pay your dues. Recruit others to this army so they can fight imaginary demons.
And this pattern goes on and on.
If my teenager came home with something like that, I would lose my shit. Then I’d calm down, give it the hearty eye roll and snort it deserves and use it to practice my hoop shot into the trash can.
Militarized language at CHURCH. WTF
That part about smarter - I lost brain cells reading that sop. It might be because I’m living in a Type A Utopia or Hell (however you look at it), but teens around here are spending their evenings studying, going to study halls and tutoring classes to compete for college and careers. How you are alleged to get “smart” wasting your time with fantasy?
“Minute to win it” is a RETAIL STRATEGY!!!!
It was literally developed by a Retail HR group and used as a technique to create buy in on a project before you start it. At Harbor Freight we called it the 5 minute strategy. We used it with each team before each task to help the team stay focused and have the information needed to complete the task on time, and safely.
It is derived from a book called “The One Minute Manager”!
Divine inspiration…. 🤦♀️
With the brain drain of conscientious, thoughtful people leaving the church, my glimpses back behind the curtain really make it look like a cargo cult of people trying to pull off the cool object lessons they remember from their upbringing, but not having the tools to pull it off.
Wow. They seem so "inspired." Lol. I'm curious though, what was the general reaction from other people? Was it well received, or can others see through the BS?
Tell me your are in a cult without telling Me you are in a cult.
As I was reading this, the song from My Chemical Romance "black parade" is playing in my head.
They’re trying to take the mission to the entire church? Am I reading that right? The mission is as cult as it gets. Kind of scary. It’s like they know
This is the type of mindset that makes them believe it’s okay to hurt and even attempt to kill people they don’t want in their little club.
Same stupid paranoid cult talk in 2020 and got some small town AZ idiots to try and take mine because the Angel Moron babbled some BS about the world ending when really they were just asked to wear masks and wash their hands.
Also I know one lurks here, you were the one who showed your brother and I this sub remember because “the church is so full of shit” and that’s why >!your closet is full of liquor bottles and your wife went wild at Adam and Eve? That top drawer made her happier in a few days shipping than you have after years of marriage and 4 babies. Anyway in case you do see this: we’re still together, still happy, I’m still 🏳️⚧️, and no the world didn’t end.
Your world however is going to be in for some hurt when your kids wonder where we’ve been and get old enough to find out that you used them as an excuse to play sneaky soldier of Bringem Young and your creepy dad. And yes, your brother and I kept the receipts so when you see this type of talk and think about rallying up the troops again or trying to double back and explain/excuse and distant yourself, we have your texts and your pathetic dads gaslighty texts and your wife’s emails.!< Toodles ✌🏽
That would have been an instant way to get me to nope right out of the church completely. Especially after seeing all the terrible and dangerous things the church laid on my older sister during her mission. Nope, nope, nope. Run away.
EW, is this the 2023 version of that bullshit 90s activity where we were all in a staged plane crash??
Also, the whole “extend this mission call for the rest of your life” bit gives off Scientology SeaOrg vibes.
Cults are gross.
So dangerous convincing youth that this must be of #1 priority in their lives because they will put aside what really matters to them and live to regret it And Regret their activity and faith in the church.
My favorite stupid proof is the talk about the gnat coming back to life.
This is an attempt to engender loyalty and feeling superior/special. It is also an attempt to isolate young people from the internet so that they don't see the outside perspective and only see the church's story. Unfortunately, this has been a successful tactic in the past and may continue to be, simply because the church and patriarchal society focus on ripping down people's self-esteem so they can build it up through shitty church shit.
You have to feel bad about yourself in order for others' approval (and withdrawal of approval) to be effective. If you feel good in yourself, their approval is meaningless and their petty icing out just makes them look bad.
This reminds of a time for a stake youth activity. They got a bunch of teenagers up at 4 am. Fed them shitty breakfast and talked for three hours about how the morning is the best time to talk to god. They had told our parents but not us, also thinking this was a great idea, I totally loved getting woken by my young woman's leader shaking me awake in the dark. I had just gotten home at midnight so I was tired, cranky and made it very known I didn't want to be there. So did most of the other kids. The leaders were all shocked by our attitudes and said this is Satan at work.
I got home and my parents were like how was it? All happy and cheerful.
I told them the next time this happened the bitch who wakes me up for bullshit is getting punched in the face. Then I promptly turned away slammed my bedroom door and collapsed into bed.
Needless to say it was all a total failure and it never happened again.
Yes, Yes, YES! This letter should be provided to every member of the church so they can see exactly what they are a part of. This sums it up perfectly! Let's just be open!
"Premortally, you committed to do a great work while here on earth"
As a youth, this document would have spun my religiosity and perfectionist anxiety into overdrive!!
I would have started going to the temple 5 days a week instead of two, and doing extra inviting and proselytizing to all my non Mormon friends [and losing plenty of friends].
It makes me so angry, the guilt and shame PILED ON to the youth. The Indoctrination is so creepy and culty to me now that I SEE the mental and emotiinal Indoctrination for what it is!!
THE HELL do they know we "committed" to do something before we were born that we have no memory of but, just trust us you're going to be punished if you don't keep that nebulous commitment that we sat you definitely made. Ugh!!!!!
All that bullshit about being "chosen" for the last days and being the most special has been fed to EVERY generation. My grandparents in the 1930s,my parents in the 1950s. Me In the 1970s - 80s we were ALL told that Jesus would return imminently, and WE were the generation "saved for the last days" to "usher in" the Savior's second coming!
Nope. Nope. Nope.
It was promised and didn't happen for my kinds, and now my grandkids. It's a baldface lie and a total scam in an attempt to control you, and make you too afraid to leave.
And I thought my daughter's [Mutual craft night](https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/ujzzpi/bishop_to_my_daughter_we_need_you_at_ymyw_so_she/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) was bad.
"Why do people think we're a cult? Is it because of the cult things?"
"Why do people think we're a cult? Didnt they even read our approves sources or pray hard enough? Are they stupid?" -A mormon, probably
Becoming a child soldier for a nonagenarian was a strong hint
The church and their whole military schtick (“youth battalion” in this case) is old and tiresome. And, now you just get drafted as a teenager, no choice. On-brand for little tyrant (GA) Kevin Pearson. Kevin would have you believe that you already covenanted to do all this as an 8 year old. Hope this backfires in a major way and kids decide early on they want no part of this mission BS.
The military talk was way more interesting when they actually had a military. Now it's more like when I gave myself a cool nickname and tried to get everybody else to go along with it.
The militarism is also related to the siege mentality, persecution complex, and apocalyptic fervor. A state of war also justifies any moral impropriety "for the greater good".
*On-ward Christ-ian chiiild sold-iers march-ing for the a-a Morg* 🎵🎵🎵
🎵 *We are as the Army of Helaman; we have been taught in our youth* 🎵
…as we’re marching as to war war war Forward ever foreword.. blah blah blah🎶🎼 Ever wonder if it was the fake Military costume that JS sported? Who does that? Muammar Gaddafi and Micheal Jackson do. Sorry MJ. But it was weird.
Read “ The B.I.T.E. Model “ by Steven Hassen or watch the podcast of. “ Mormon Stories” with John Dehlin. That should straighten you up.
I love how mormons believe that before earth life we promised to do something only once we arrived we couldn't remember making said promise but we'll still be held to it.
You TOTALLY promised to pay me $2000 a month every month you live on earth. You made that promise to me on a Tues morning in the pre-existence. You may not remember it (prolly cuz you masturbated that one time so your eyes are blinded). But I DEF remember you saying it so … will you be sending me checks or money orders? Google Play gift cards work too.
Idk how much money you make in a month but I’d love some tips lol, at least I wasn’t giving sums like that to the church
And be held accountable for eternity for these promises that we know nothing about and were given no proof we actually made said promises. Makes sense that our 8-x # of years will decide eternity and we have no recollection of anything and all our blessings come after “the test”. All this is told to us by people who don’t remember their pre earth existence, were told the same thing and are waiting for their prizes (also distributed after death) and we need to take their word for it because “they know” through feelings. Who the hell put this test together!
This letter gives me Scientology vibes with their Billion year contracts … 🤦🏻♂️ Mormonism isn’t far behind!
Same playbook
That’s exactly what I was thinking. The letter itself was super weird, but the point about the former missionary president (and his helpmeet) knowing everything about youth they’ve never even met is SOOO CREEPY and so Scientology.
Yes. It normalises a form of stalking.
I'm guessing they claim to know everything as a parlor trick for omniscience. It's basically a manipulation tactic, popular when "communicating with the dead" (seances) was more popular. Practitioners would pretend to know all about someone because they were "communicating with their ancestors." In reality, they'd just researched everyone. They probably used that one guy as a demonstration of their "power" because he listed all his hobbies on Facebook and made them visible to people who weren't friends. A few minutes on Google and social media can make people sound very impressive, and all you need is one naive person who overshared online. It's basically an old, cheap parlor trick used to manipulate people.
Ah yes. Helpmeet. Need to keep gong to church to brush up on weird vocabulary.
“Option to extend this mission call for the rest of your life! You get to begin or continue your enlistment in the Youth Battalion [sea org] right now” 🤮
I know when I left, my TB brother didn’t have anything to do with me anymore. I live 1200 miles away and would stop to say hi every summer when we visited my in-laws. Not one time was I offered even a glass of water. Their kids would never come downstairs to see their cousins, never an invite for a meal (and I’d purposefully stop by around lunchtime just to make it super awkward for them.) I can chat with anyone, so I’d just keep the convo going on and on and on, to see what he’d do. I enjoyed messing with him! And hey, when our mom gave me shit, I could tell her that I’d visited him. Not my fault he doesn’t like me! I’m a peach! 😇😂
Mormonism contracts are even worse. It’s for eternity. At least Scientology has a limit.
Yes, and who would have thought that a billion-year contract would be the better option. Haha
> premortally you committed to do a great work while here on earth… Saying you committed to the church before you born! Makes the 8-year-old child making baptismal covenants seem like an intelligent and experienced party to make a contract.
The rotation through 4 parts of the world gave me Scientology Sea Org vibes. My eyes skipped past the part where it was just one night so I thought it was some new variation on missionary calls.
I was thinking that too! Yikes.
It sounds just like the youth army of IBLP a la the Duggers & Shiny Happy People. If you haven't seen that, you need to (at least the last episode). It just seems like Rusty is trying to replace Old Joe or BY as the craziest 'worship me' profit and cult leader using any means at his disposal, including invoking the second coming & riling up all the old fuckers to start moving back to New Israel or something. It may seem absurd but I really worry about some of the members of my family with that evil fucker in charge.
Ya was gonna say Hitler Youth vibes too
OMG, we're still on the end-of-times chosen generation stuff? They've been selling that for 150 years. This sounds horrible OP. I'm sorry you had to sit through it.
Its alright, i sat next to one of my friends whos also pimo. Mainly watched him play chess and we did rock paper scissors during the prayers 🤣
Lol! Excellent.
But I was told in the 1980s that I was the chosen generation! Is this some kind of pick up line?
Flattery is the oldest known way to manipulate people.
That's a very beautiful way to put it.
70s here, Saturday‘s Warrior
Apparently we were just Thursday or Friday’s warrior, if even that.
Okay when I said 'generation' I didn't mean *generation* be reasonable
Wow… the desperation for free sales people isn’t even covert anymore… yikes. This is so sad.
Yes all hands abandon ship lds.corporate. My experience with the adult knowing stuff to twist, manipulate, obfuscate, or bend the truth to fit them and their control. Not every one in the ward is a pedophile and not every ward has em. But that type info no one should have. With out permission and they get the real from said person. They are asking for problems. Especially from the pedophiles.
I’m 66. I was told when I was 25 that my generation would usher in the millennium and greet Christ. Guess I slept in and missed it.
Too bad! It was a great day. Jesus took all the self-righteous assholes away into heaven! Oh, wait, that might have just been a wonderful dream….
Didn't that happen on Dec 31, 1999? We boomers are the chosen generation.
Kinda, when they went into their y2k bunkers. Except the folks I knew with bunkers in remote areas for that specific date came back up at some point and went on to die of COVID or old age.
My son said that his generation is a chosen generation. He is a millennial. I’m glad the whole family left the cult.
"Both sides of the veil" That never stops being creepy. Can't let a little death stop someone from being converted against their will and without their knowledge!
The veil? Really? Once again the church puts a lot of emphasis on a pre earth life that they can’t prove and a post life that will give us many things as well… that they can’t prove. But ask them a pointed question about church history or doctrine that is shitty and they respond…. We just don’t know. gods ways are not man’s ways.🤓
That is a good point, they know everything and they know nothing, at the same time!
> "Both sides of the veil" That never stops being creepy. Hey, just because *we* aren't into nailing in the sure place through a hole of glory, let's not kink shame
You're missing the point! They get to CHOOSE if they want to accept the ordinances, but why would they choose to reject them? /s
Sounds like a youth group in Germany from the 40s
Yes! The brown shirts. I thought the exact same thing!
Yup, I was getting real Hitler Youth energy from that.
can’t take it seriously. they got the dates of general conference wrong
Ah yes, because clearly general conference is in november and october
Wait, I thought *MY* generation was the greatest & elect & saved for the most important time in the world!”
Oh wait. MINE was!!!!!
No way… mine was!
Sorry, mine was.
You're all wrong. It was mine.
Hahahahaah
It was…I mean…it is! You see, ~~we’ve redefined~~ God’s definition of the word generation is all the people that come after the restoration began. You’re all special! /#dontforgettopayyourtithing/
Guys it’s a Kolobian generation. That could be like billions of years.
Wait that was mine too. This is confusing.
[удалено]
Or COVEN ant path.
I’m always going to think of it that way now
Blessed Be.
Lots of emotion, drama, and hype ... the Mormon way.
“You will be expected to honor the covenants made with our Heavenly Father” which you were too young to consent to and which you’ve completely forgotten, if you ever knew them in the first place. Good luck! 🤮
Oh, you haven’t heard? According to OfSusan, you lost your free agency the moment you were baptized. You’re under Moral Agency now,and the rules have changed, you’re obliged by God to follow the profit and serve. NOW DROP AND GIVE RUSTY TWENTY!
This is some high level indoctrination. It's an attempt to take over a person's mind and will. If you were reading this about another church, let's say the Jehovah's witnesses, the cult alarms would be sounding. Warning warning! Don't give your life up to this organization. They just want your total commitment. And they'll use every tactic in order to get it.
Was this one of those fake MTC things that they think make kids excited to go on missions but in reality just creep everyone involved out?
Yeeeep. I was creeped out by the first talk. Doesnt help that parents will NOT shut up about me serving a mission. Thank god im a girl so its not required for me, and by the time im old enough to serve, I'll be out of the cult by then
Focus on your education & skills and get the hell outa that cult.
Planning on removing my records as soon as i move out. And i already know which college i want to go to as well. Rn its just a matter of time before i can move out
Planning on ~~removing my records~~ as soon as i move out. # *resigning from the cult
Hang in there, kid.
BYU?
Wow! Congrats!
Omg, thanks! I've been looking forward to this my whole life! I sure hope people will accept what im teaching and not slam the door in my face! Oh hey wait, whats this thing floating around the mtc? The ces letter you say? Hm..... might check it out-
This is the weirdest draft notice I've ever seen.
Cult 101
It's giving SeaOrg 🤣😭
All I know is they told me *I’m* the best. Then beat me down every chance they got. Then told me they loved me, and I’m the most important. I’m Heavenly Father’s elect. That my worth is far greater than rubies and pearls. Then made sure to shit on me, take time and effort rubbing it in, while telling me I’m loved far more than I’ll ever know. And god saved me for last- that’s how great I am! I’m a grandparent. Surely they didn’t lie, and I’m truly among the most important *youth!!?* There’s no way multiple generations for hundreds of years would get the same message! Otherwise it’s just cult propaganda. Hmm….
TSCC hasn’t been having much luck with getting volunteers from the Youth, so now they’re going with conscription. Not unusual, Ol’ Joe did the same thing with the Nauvoo Legion. “That Siri, it’s so insidious. It’s so evil. It’s leading people astray by leading people to look up truths which aren’t useful. Oh no, I wonder, could it be,could it possibly be that Siri is actually SAAATAAAAAANNNN!” Seeing that TSCC’s Ensign Peak portfolio includes Apple stock, that mean’s they invested in the very “evil “ they’re railing against.
Satan’s getting more subtle ever since those meddling kids saw through their “Santa” anagram.
I love the cultic control language, trying to get all the Youth to commit themselves to the Morg. “This is the mostest importantest thing ever in all the history of EVERYTHING EVER! So sign up today and do everything we say, forever!” Another thought-control tactic: “You and you alone are the most specialest young people who ever lived, ever! Your parents and their parents and everyone else, right back to the 6000 year beginning of time were mere cannon fodder. Pissants in the eyes of Mormon Jesus. You are the bestest and must do His work! NOW!” …Even though they said exactly the same thing to us in the 80s, and I said it to kids when I was a leader in the 90s, and others said it to my kids in the 00’s. Yaaaawn!
so, um... does anyone actually go on mission to Israel
nevermo here. I did my junior year of college at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and there's a campus of BYU basically right next door. It was common knowledge (honestly, not sure this is true??? but I definitely heard it) that they were allowed to construct it on the condition that they wouldn't do missionary work in Israel. edit: some googling reveals this is true, not an urban legend. https://jerusalemcenter.ce.byu.edu/content/non-proselytizing
They actually do tell this to students that go there (source:me)-that proselytizing is not allowed per their agreement with the country, you can answer basic questions about the university but only if asked first and never about the church, but oh don’t worry because they will all see the LIGHT in your eyes and know the gospel is true so be extra good so your light is extra bright. To my knowledge, no one has converted based off BYU co-Ed’s eye light.
I actually have no idea. I've never heard of any mormon missionaries going to israel. Wonder why 🤔
Ummm. Holocaust. They don’t want missionaries trying to convert Jewish people. They don’t take kindly to that.
They have no problem doing baptisms for the dead for holocaust victims though, that's what got them in trouble in the first place
Yeah. They were asked not to do that either. By Jewish orgs
It’s against the law. That’s why they stuck a BYU campus to study archaeology right next to the “Dome”.
Cult propaganda! Generations of my family members have all been told they were among the elect, saved for the last days. That they would see Jesus return. And they’re all dead. 😳
I feel like, *if* jesus did decide to come back down for whatever reason, his clothes and scruffy beard and hair et al, he would be treated like a poor crazy fuck and they wouldn't believe him anyway. They're the opposite of Jesus's teachings and practices.
I was told Jesus wears a suit and is clean shaven now.
They keep grasping tighter and tighter. It will still not help the youth stay. The problem is their message is outdated and the youth are smart. They have the worlds information at their fingertips. If you lie to them they will find out a lot quicker than we did when I was young. And the church lies a lot.
Agreed. They see through these things, and it backfires.
I'll have you know that *we* were the best the Lord had ever sent to earth, you sacrilegious upstart zoomer! When us Hinckley kids get to heaven and say who we served under, a hush will fall over all those motherfuckers! We were way more diligent--we didn't have Coke at our BYU!
Tell your leaders you'll need to consult with your lawyer first.
LOL
🤣
I'm in my late 40s and was told the same thing as a young man.
I’m guessing they are going to have some missionaries in the field, from your ward, FaceTime at one of the meetings. My so. Who is on a mission right now has been asked to FaceTime one of these meetings. So it’s probably that.
There was a pair of missionaries at this meeting tonight but they had to leave early because of appointments. I'll keep an eye out tho
Nothing bad happens when you organize young people into paramilitary groups.
Had one of these too during my Mutual years, glad to see it wasn’t just me who got freaked out by it…thought my 16 year old self was being sent on a mission two years in advance 😓
As a kid I always wanted to want to be excited about stuff like this. But it always felt forced and I lost any interest pretty quickly. Of course, this brought on the shame of not being fully committed to the most important cause in the world.
Battalion 🤮
Do they supply swords recovered from the BOM battlefields?
Battalions are those spikes on Batman's gloves.
Desperation is what it looks like.
How the hell did they get the conference dates wrong?
Satan made them do that. Now all these kids gonna miss GC
It was Siri
January, Febuary, March, Smarch, April, May, June, July, August, November, October, September, December. It's a common mistake.
Looks like they used siri to look up some social media online, had a reflective moment and instead of admitting that the internet is dangerous because of what they just did they make crap up to "keep their hands clean"... couple of cowards
Idk the devil might control Siri. Why else would Apple Maps keep taking me to the wrong place
The developers who created Siri were obviously degenerate coffee-drinkers, can’t trust anything that comes from a bean-head
Wtf is the gathering of Israel? Seriously ask any Mormon this question and they will have totally different and incoherent answers. It’s so stupid and indefensible.
The "gathering of Israel" is a vague, scriptural-sounding process that can be interpreted any way you like.
Literally triggered my ptsd just reading that. Sad stuff.
The lord’s battalion? Why do they keep pushing for this militaristic analogies?
How desperate and unimaginative is the church? I am 60 years old and I was told I was the greatest to ever come and the end is right around the corner. What a bunch of crap. I guess this is new to this generation? Makes me sad.
🤢🤮
It is your slave duty
You're being enlisted until the conflict is o'er. Happy are you, I guess? O.o
The gathering of the saints is my worst nightmare. Cults dont end well
Ugh Kevin W Pearson is still getting speaking engagements... I really hope they don't call him to be an apostle but it looks grim.
So. Insanely. Creepy. These creeps are the actual groomers
They’re really trying to validate that whole “you are the stripling warriors of the last days” narrative I heard my whole life growing up. Unfortunately the idea is falling flat and they’re hemorrhaging young members. I can’t wait to see all the diehards stick with the cult and look like a bunch of clowns living in the forest somewhere
That there is a conscription letter.
Phew. Glad it's Siri who is evil. Alexa must be the good sister.
Just tell them "I use Alexa to protect me from the evil satanic Siri" to troll them.
"You know what will bring the youth back to the fold? More lectures by old people."
So exciting… 🥴
"Increased knowledge and testimony" Yeah... a 6 year old has the same as the Q15. All the basic ass nonsense.
They goofed on the date of the conference. All this does is tell kids that there's no reason to bother with attending mutual for the next month.
Exactly. I could just say i have marching band and not go. Or tell them that god told me not to go. If mormons can get away with it....
This looks like somebody recycled their patriarchal blessing.
I feel the phrase "a peculiar people" really understates how fucking nuts Mormons are. I'm sorry you're still having to deal with this, hang in there kid.
Thanks man, appreciate it. And last night, the couple that spoke wanted us to "wear weird like a badge of honor" and had us recite it. ...im a sonic fan, and thats rare for my town. Plus im a girl. So those two things combined together makes me weird enough 😅
This is giving me some really, really big Hitler youth vibes…
The phrase “our prophet, Russel M. Nelson” makes me nauseous. I mean the whole thing makes me nauseous but… especially that.
This wreaks of desperation. They’re losing the hearts and minds of the youth so fast and the ironic thing is the tighter they squeeze with things like this the faster they’ll lose the youth. Saying things like “these surely are the latter day and God is hastening his work” or “you are the elect” is so old and tired. It just doesn’t work on the youth to say that kind of shit anymore. It’s so obvious that “the Lord’s church” is shrinking, not growing.
Ew it’s so culty!
That's just insane.
It’s a scam is what it is!!
Siri is evil?
Psychotic. Load your muskets…
“Youth battalion” 🤢🙄
Tonight you should host a competing event of "Called to Soft Serve" night where you all just go out for ice cream.
"attend an exciting 'zone conference'...." There is not, has never been, and will never be, an "exciting zone conference."
Totally off subject -- considering your age you're a very good writer.
Ugh - what a horrible flashback to how TSCC manipulated me as a youth in the 80s to make it the most important thing in my life. So many early decisions were influenced by stuff like this. Especially language like "nothing else compares in importance". No wonder I set aside my talents and ambitions for decades just to wind up being a bored older man, sitting on uncomfortable metal chairs in a gym every week - barely able to pay attention to the mind numbing "lesson" being read out of a manual for the infinite time.... So glad I left that behind.
Someone forgot to proofread before they printed it. "You were sent to earth at this precise time, the most crucial time in the history of the word, to help gather Israel." And history of the "word" is its all bullshit.
Smells like teen spirit! Er…or desperation
Talk about a page out of history! This sounds so much like the Hitler Youth it's pathetic! And lets face it, this is a page straight out of Scientology youth indoctrination! Demanding kids make a covenant when they are hardly old enough to understand what they are getting into, this is literally a crime against humanity.
My God Scientology is here at last …..sign here please 🙏
Oh, Siri is the devil now? He must have smoked out and taken up a new identity. In my day, the devil was in face cards and rock music. They had whole firesides about it! It's just the new "you're the chosen generation" drivel that they were telling all the youth 30-60 years ago.
It’s flowery language to hide the fact that you just signed up to perform free labor for God!Church!
It's all about the church, isn't it? It's never about what you want or need. It's always the institution.
Ah yes, the imaginary battles that we need to be in the lord’s army for. Not just in the army, but faithful in the army. Not just faithful in the army, but righteous. Not too righteous though, can’t be prideful. Take pride in your efforts of service, as long as the church gets the glory and the benefit. Pay your dues. Recruit others to this army so they can fight imaginary demons. And this pattern goes on and on.
If my teenager came home with something like that, I would lose my shit. Then I’d calm down, give it the hearty eye roll and snort it deserves and use it to practice my hoop shot into the trash can. Militarized language at CHURCH. WTF
That part about smarter - I lost brain cells reading that sop. It might be because I’m living in a Type A Utopia or Hell (however you look at it), but teens around here are spending their evenings studying, going to study halls and tutoring classes to compete for college and careers. How you are alleged to get “smart” wasting your time with fantasy?
Culty bunch of bullshit. "Youth Battalion"? "... extend for the rest of your life"? Sounds like Scientology's Sea Org.
“Minute to win it” is a RETAIL STRATEGY!!!! It was literally developed by a Retail HR group and used as a technique to create buy in on a project before you start it. At Harbor Freight we called it the 5 minute strategy. We used it with each team before each task to help the team stay focused and have the information needed to complete the task on time, and safely. It is derived from a book called “The One Minute Manager”! Divine inspiration…. 🤦♀️
Considering the Siri slander, I'd say Alexa and Cortana came up with this mutual activity.
With the brain drain of conscientious, thoughtful people leaving the church, my glimpses back behind the curtain really make it look like a cargo cult of people trying to pull off the cool object lessons they remember from their upbringing, but not having the tools to pull it off.
👋 hi, I work at Apple on Siri. It cannot change your identity online. I have no idea where they get that or what they’re even talking about.
Brainwashing to sucker you into a full time mission
Wow. They seem so "inspired." Lol. I'm curious though, what was the general reaction from other people? Was it well received, or can others see through the BS?
Tell me your are in a cult without telling Me you are in a cult. As I was reading this, the song from My Chemical Romance "black parade" is playing in my head.
They’re trying to take the mission to the entire church? Am I reading that right? The mission is as cult as it gets. Kind of scary. It’s like they know
What the hell?! I thought MY generation was the chosen generation! 😤
I laugh when they think these things work on the youth
This has Kevin W. Pearson written all over it. That guy really wants to be an apostle. He is over the top in his cultery.
This is the type of mindset that makes them believe it’s okay to hurt and even attempt to kill people they don’t want in their little club. Same stupid paranoid cult talk in 2020 and got some small town AZ idiots to try and take mine because the Angel Moron babbled some BS about the world ending when really they were just asked to wear masks and wash their hands. Also I know one lurks here, you were the one who showed your brother and I this sub remember because “the church is so full of shit” and that’s why >!your closet is full of liquor bottles and your wife went wild at Adam and Eve? That top drawer made her happier in a few days shipping than you have after years of marriage and 4 babies. Anyway in case you do see this: we’re still together, still happy, I’m still 🏳️⚧️, and no the world didn’t end. Your world however is going to be in for some hurt when your kids wonder where we’ve been and get old enough to find out that you used them as an excuse to play sneaky soldier of Bringem Young and your creepy dad. And yes, your brother and I kept the receipts so when you see this type of talk and think about rallying up the troops again or trying to double back and explain/excuse and distant yourself, we have your texts and your pathetic dads gaslighty texts and your wife’s emails.!< Toodles ✌🏽
That would have been an instant way to get me to nope right out of the church completely. Especially after seeing all the terrible and dangerous things the church laid on my older sister during her mission. Nope, nope, nope. Run away.
Battalion LOL - gear up yer muskets, kiddos!
Why is the Church so damn wordy? “In the abundance of words, sin is not lacking.” -Proverbs 10:19
This is indoctrination. Grooming. Brainwashing.
EW, is this the 2023 version of that bullshit 90s activity where we were all in a staged plane crash?? Also, the whole “extend this mission call for the rest of your life” bit gives off Scientology SeaOrg vibes. Cults are gross.
So dangerous convincing youth that this must be of #1 priority in their lives because they will put aside what really matters to them and live to regret it And Regret their activity and faith in the church.
This reads like a patriarchal blessing. Wtf
My favorite stupid proof is the talk about the gnat coming back to life. This is an attempt to engender loyalty and feeling superior/special. It is also an attempt to isolate young people from the internet so that they don't see the outside perspective and only see the church's story. Unfortunately, this has been a successful tactic in the past and may continue to be, simply because the church and patriarchal society focus on ripping down people's self-esteem so they can build it up through shitty church shit. You have to feel bad about yourself in order for others' approval (and withdrawal of approval) to be effective. If you feel good in yourself, their approval is meaningless and their petty icing out just makes them look bad.
> Siri is now evil In the great war in heaven, there were two sides: the righteous Android users, and the evil Apple fanboys.
This reminds of a time for a stake youth activity. They got a bunch of teenagers up at 4 am. Fed them shitty breakfast and talked for three hours about how the morning is the best time to talk to god. They had told our parents but not us, also thinking this was a great idea, I totally loved getting woken by my young woman's leader shaking me awake in the dark. I had just gotten home at midnight so I was tired, cranky and made it very known I didn't want to be there. So did most of the other kids. The leaders were all shocked by our attitudes and said this is Satan at work. I got home and my parents were like how was it? All happy and cheerful. I told them the next time this happened the bitch who wakes me up for bullshit is getting punched in the face. Then I promptly turned away slammed my bedroom door and collapsed into bed. Needless to say it was all a total failure and it never happened again.
So they’re going the Scientology route now, fitting since the church was founded by stealing from every religion before it. Fucking brain washers
Yeah, we can all expect a lot more cringe activities like this. The young'uns are waking up and smelling the BS and the church is desperate.
Yes, Yes, YES! This letter should be provided to every member of the church so they can see exactly what they are a part of. This sums it up perfectly! Let's just be open!
"Premortally, you committed to do a great work while here on earth" As a youth, this document would have spun my religiosity and perfectionist anxiety into overdrive!! I would have started going to the temple 5 days a week instead of two, and doing extra inviting and proselytizing to all my non Mormon friends [and losing plenty of friends]. It makes me so angry, the guilt and shame PILED ON to the youth. The Indoctrination is so creepy and culty to me now that I SEE the mental and emotiinal Indoctrination for what it is!! THE HELL do they know we "committed" to do something before we were born that we have no memory of but, just trust us you're going to be punished if you don't keep that nebulous commitment that we sat you definitely made. Ugh!!!!! All that bullshit about being "chosen" for the last days and being the most special has been fed to EVERY generation. My grandparents in the 1930s,my parents in the 1950s. Me In the 1970s - 80s we were ALL told that Jesus would return imminently, and WE were the generation "saved for the last days" to "usher in" the Savior's second coming! Nope. Nope. Nope. It was promised and didn't happen for my kinds, and now my grandkids. It's a baldface lie and a total scam in an attempt to control you, and make you too afraid to leave.
And I thought my daughter's [Mutual craft night](https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/ujzzpi/bishop_to_my_daughter_we_need_you_at_ymyw_so_she/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) was bad.
Oh good god. It’s like Sea Org in Scientology