ExMormon Hymn Book: Beauty

Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts

Thursday, November 29, 2012

OH WINTER NIGHT - Another Alternate Carol

OK, here's another alternate Carol for the Holidays... "Oh Winter Night" (sung to the tune of O Holy Night). Since this Carol isn't in the LDS Hymn Book, it can't be called an LDS Hymn Parody, but I'm adding it here anyway although I'm not going to add it to the listing of actual hymn parodies.

This version was inspired by a comment by someone in the ExMormon Facebook group that I mentioned yesterday (when I posted my version of Silent Night), who said that he would appreciate it if I could write secular words to O Holy Night since it is his favorite and it is "just too damn religious" (with which I have to agree).

To me, there is a huge distinction between being "religious" and "spiritual." My version of this Carol dwells on love and the beauty of nature. A person doesn't have to be spiritual, or even believe in God, to appreciate the beauty in the world and the wonder of nature. Whether the world was created by God or is the result of the "Big Bang" doesn't matter to me. It is awesome and beautiful no matter how it came to be.

OH WINTER NIGHT

Sung to the tune of O Holy Night

Oh Winter Night, the stars are shining brightly,
The falling snow lay in drifts on the ground.
Everything white in its glistening glory,
Majestic scene, picturesque and profound.
In Wintertime, the world is cold and icy,
So beautiful, a frozen wonderland.
Gaze on the world, and view all of its beauty,
In awe, serene, so infinite and grand.
Oh night, oh Winter Night, oh night serene.

Beauty infused in every waking moment,
With glowing hearts we rejoice every day.
Life is a gift so cherish every remnant,
Treasure each breath and don’t ever dismay.
In Wintertime, the world in solemn slumber,
Is draped in snow, magnificent and white.
Sing and rejoice, let's celebrate in Winter,
Behold the world, reflect on every sight,
And fill your heart with joy forevermore.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

SILENT NIGHT, PEACEFUL NIGHT - LDS Hymn Parody #75

Can't believe the 2012 Holiday Season is upon us!! Recently, Jean Bodie posted something in an ExMormom Facebook group about needing alternate words to "Silent Night," because she can't choke out "Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child" anymore. So of course, my brain cells started churning, and below is the result.

Of course, since this "Carol" is in the LDS Hymn Book, I'm including this one in my ExMormon Hymn Book and counting it toward my goal - which, with this one, I have now reached since this is #75. Of course, since I have already have ideas for others to write, I'm going to just keep going until I totally run out of concepts. There are a few other Holiday Songs for which I am going to attempt writing new words, including "O Holy Night" (since someone else in that Facebook group said that he would appreciate it if I could write secular words to that one since it is his favorite and it is "just too damn religious"). So stay tuned for that one... and some others...

And now, without further ado, here is my version of Silent Night (and there's not a virgin in sight)...

SILENT NIGHT
Sung to the tune of Silent Night, #204

Silent night, peaceful night,
All the world, draped in white,
Drifted snow all over the ground,
Such serenity, nary a sound,
Fills my spirit with love,
Fills my spirit with love.

Silent night, peaceful night,
As I gaze, such a sight.

Peacefulness is filling my soul,

Love surrounding me, making me whole.

As I stand here in awe,
As I stand here in awe.

Silent night, peaceful night,
Fills my heart with delight.
Fantasies play out in my mind,
Winter wonderland, beauty defined,
Pure tranquility now,
Pure tranquility now.

Diane Tingen
11/27/2012

When I first began writing LDS Hymn Parodies, I first began by posting them on my other blog (http://mormonismschism.blogspot.com/), and then decided it would be a good idea for them to have their own dedicated place (with special pages in alphabetical order and all), so this blog was created for that purpose.

Having been born and raised in the Mormon Church, I spent my entire life singing hymns, not only in church meetings but also in various Ward and Stake Choirs (and even in the Southern California Mormon Choir). Ward Choir Director was also my calling for awhile. Since I also play the piano (and learned from a Mormon piano teacher), I also learned to play the hymns, and was Pianist in Primary, Sunday School, and Relief Society. Naturally, playing the piano led to learning to play the organ, and then being Ward Organist for a long time.

So it's no wonder that I have so many LDS hymns stuck in my brain. It amazes me just how many hymns I can still sing from memory. Of course, since I've been out of Mormonism now for over 8 years, it irritates me that I know the words to so many Mormon-themed hymns. So one day, I started making up alternative words - and found it very amusing and extremely cathartic. The first hymn I parodied was "I Stand All Amazed," and since then I haven't been able to stop. So I'm gonna just keep going until I can't think of anymore. But since I apparently have the gift for blasphemy (as my daughter recently told me), that probably won't happen anytime soon.

I hope you enjoy my "spin" on some old familiar LDS Hymn favorites. But if you don't, you're probably a TBM and not an ExMormon like me. Oh, well...

MY EXIT FROM MORMONISM

As a preface to my thoughts about Mormonism (and my exit from my lifelong religion), I would like to share the following quote:

"Well, it's either true or false. If it's false, we're engaged in a great fraud. If it's true, it's the most important thing in the world. Now, that's the
whole picture. It is either right or wrong, true or false, fraudulent or true."

President Gordon B. Hinckley,
Interview, "The Mormons,"
PBS Documentary, April 2007

In essence, after researching the roots of Mormonism, which obviously form its foundation, as well as examining its doctrine in depth, I have concluded that it is a great fraud. Having been born and raised in the Mormon Church, and remaining LDS until my early 50's, facing that realization was very difficult and was not done lightly.

SOME BACKGROUND:
In the Summer of 2001, I went on a Mormon Church History Tour. Before going, I decided to do some research so I would know more about what occurred at the key places when we visited them. But that was the beginning of the end for me as I discovered more and more of the sordid history of the Mormon Church. Soon, I began to realize that Joseph Smith made the whole thing up and that the Mormon Church is built on an enormous stack of lies. Sadly, I also began to realize that I had allowed the Mormon Church to pull the wool over my eyes for a very long time. But even with that realization, it took me quite a while longer to finally break away because of how intricately my life was tied up in Mormonism and how long I had been blinded by the lies Mormonism perpetuates (which, of course, is what they are counting on).

But finally, I did break away - and I have now been Mormonism Free for over 8 years. What I have realized during the ensuing years is that my intellectual curiosity was squelched by Mormonism. Being told to "just believe" and "have faith" was very detrimental to my psyche, particularly since so much made little sense. Trying to rationalize through everything had a negative effect on me as well, making me very confused and uncomfortable. Since that time, I have discovered that these types of feelings are called "cognitive dissonance" (a feeling of discomfort when simultaneously holding two or more conflicting ideas, beliefs, values or emotional reactions). Cognitive dissonance is discussed in greater length in a book I have written, which is coming soon to Amazon.com and Kindle. Since leaving Mormonism behind, I have grown so much and have discovered who I really am - and that is a tremendous gift.

As noted above, a book I have written is coming soon to Amazon.com and Kindle. That book (entitled "Finding My Own Voice: The AHA!! Moments of a Former Mormon Woman") chronicles my very long journey through and away from Mormonism and discussed many of the issues that had plagued me for many years. Also, on my other blog - www.mormonismschism.blogspot.com - you will find some poems I have written about my views concerning various aspects of Mormonism as well as discussions relative to the issues that led to my decision to eventually disassociate myself from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

In sharing my opinions and the information I have uncovered, it is my hope that I can in some small way help others by offering some insights into issues that many Mormons undoubtedly face in determining whether or not their faith has been misplaced.

For those of you who are thinking, "Oh, those Ex-Mormons... they can leave the church but they can't leave it alone," I offer this quote:

"Some of you are probably thinking, "Why don't you just leave them (the Mormons) alone?" So I ask you, if you saw a thirsty man drinking water from a well you knew to be poisoned, would you let him continue to drink or would you guide him to a safe well? ~Christopher Miller

While I'm sure that active Mormons (TBMs) and the Mormon Church itself would be much happier if people who have left the church kept their opinions to themselves, I cannot do that. If I can help one person to see the lies that are laced throughout Mormonism, then I will feel that my efforts have not been in vain.