COME, SEE ALL THE LIES - LDS Hymn Parody #119

Here's another LDS Hymn Parody - my 119th (so far).  I keep thinking that I've reached the end of the road on these parodies, but they keep popping into my head so I keep writing them down.  Of course, with the wealth of material contained within Mormonism itself, as well as all the lies, deceit and deception they put out there, I guess it's really not a surprise that I can keep going.

What surprises me, though, is that there are so many people who still believe it, especially given what's available on the internet these days.  But then it's hard to tell who really believes it and those that are just going along because of personal or family pressures.  We all know people who are sticking with it because they simply can't make the separation, mentally or physically.  The Mormon Church has brainwashed so many people into "just believing," or at least "just going along."  I find that very sad.  So glad I was able to make the break and start living an entirely authentic life.

And so, here is my 119th LDS hymn parody.  The original hymn is "Come, Sing to the Lord," and that sounds very religious (and very Mormon with the whole "latter days" thing).  But I think it's interesting that my hymn parody has taken on more of a "carnival barker" vibe as in "Come, See the Bearded Lady" or "Come, See the Freak Show."  Not that Mormons are freaks, but the fact that they adhere to such an obviously bogus religion with so many strange doctrines within it is freakish all on its own.  Oh well, to each his own, right???  As long as they keep it to themselves... which they don't, so...

Something else that I find interesting is that Joseph Smith bought the papyrus that he supposedly "translated" into the Book of Abraham from a "traveling mummy exhibition." Now that's something you might find at a carnival... oh, the correlations..

COME, SEE ALL THE LIES

Sung to the tune of Come, Sing to the Lord - #10

1. Come, see all the lies the Mormons tell,
And you will see all is not well
Within the Mormon Church.
And though they claim that it is true,
Come see all the lies, and get a clue.

2. The doctrine they teach and all they say,

From BOM to BOA,
Is clearly filled with lies.
And all the facts and evidence
Will show you the lies, there’s no defense.

3. When searching for truth, no compromise,
No cover-ups, not filled with lies,
I simply want the truth.
So to the Mormon Church I say,
Don’t take me to church, just go away.

© Diane Tingen, 9/21/2015

STUCK IN DENIAL - LDS Hymn Parody #116

Looking back, I am amazed at how long I hung in there, even when all the signs were pointing to the fact that the teachings and doctrines of the Mormon Church are completely bogus.  Of course, a large part of the reason for me adopting that stance was the Mormon Church's mantra that basically tells its members that if they are doubting certain teachings and doctrines of Mormonism, they need to be more humble, pray more, read the scriptures more, and attend church more - and then whatever doubts they are having will disappear.  In other words, you are the problem, not Mormonism.

Of course, this warped logic is pounded into every member's head, either consciously or subconsciously, to the point where their brains decide that going along is better than the alternatives.  And so they become STUCK IN DENIAL, grasping at straws and sticking their hands in the sand in order to avoid actually confronting the inherent problem, which is that upon actual examination, it becomes apparent that Mormonism is a total fraud.

One of the places where this Mormon mantra has been captured in scriptural terms via the Book of Mormon is in Moroni 10: 4-5, which says: 

4. And when we shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5.  And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. 

So right there, in scriptural form, everyone is told exactly how it is, in no uncertain terms.  Basically what this scripture is telling us is that if we do not get the manifestation that "these things are true," then it is because (1) we didn't ask with a sincere heart; (2) didn't have real intent; or (3) don't have sufficient faith in Christ.  Of course, this philosophy has parlayed itself into all things Mormon, and not just the Book of Mormon itself. 

Being "Stuck in Denial" is not a pleasant place to be. Denial certainly isn't productive.  Someone who is in denial basically accepts things as they are presented without delving into any foundation, background or basis for those teachings.  They accept whatever explanation is given - or not given - as the gospel truth.  They dare not scratch the surface to reveal anything underneath.  And they naively believe that those telling them "how it is" have no ulterior motives. 

When I finally extricated myself from the grasp of denial, I realized that I had been blindly following a bogus religion for my entire life. Not an easy thing to admit. When I finally was able to muster the strength to actually leave Mormonism behind, I finally felt free not only from the exhausting mental gymnastics I had been playing for so long but from the grasp of DENIAL itself.

So here is my 116th LDS Hymn Parody, dedicated to the state of DENIAL in which every Mormon has to dwell in order to continue to accept the obviously bogus tenets of Mormonism.  

STUCK IN DENIAL

Sung to the tune of Faith of Our Fathers – #84

1. Stuck in denial, clinging still

In spite of signals, proof and fact.
Oh, how their minds reject details
When with the truth they interact.
[Chorus]:
Stuck in denial, masquerade,
The Mormon Church, a huge charade.

2. Stuck in denial, nothing learned
When just believing what they say.
And through the truth, you will be free
From all the games the Mormons play.
[Chorus]:
Stuck in denial, masquerade,
The Mormon Church, a huge charade.

3. Stuck in denial nevermore,
Finally saw through the web of lies.
So many years, just went along,
But now there is no compromise.
[Chorus]:
Stuck in denial, masquerade,
The Mormon Church, a huge charade.

© Diane Tingen

7/16/2015

LITTLE FLECKS OF HISTORY - LDS Hymn Parody #103

Little flecks of history. Of course, I'm referring to a phrase used by Gordon B. Hinckley during his interview with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes in 1996. In that interview, President Hinckley basically squelched the segment of the interview dealing with the issue of Blacks being banned from holding the Mormon Priesthood from 1848 until 1978. What's interesting is that the ban on Blacks holding the Priesthood was not instituted by Joseph Smith, but rather by Brigham Young. I didn't know that until I began doing my own independent research. Apparently Gordon B. Hinckley didn't know that either since he agreed with Mike Wallace when he said from 1830 to 1978 Blacks could not become priests in the Mormon Church (or at least he didn't want to bring it up, which may be more likely since that opens a whole other can of worms about the fact that Brigham Young was a huge racist).

Here's an excerpt from that interview:

Mike Wallace: From 1830 to 1978, blacks could not become priests in the Mormon church. Right?

Gordon B. Hinckley: That's correct.

Mike Wallace: Why?

Gordon B. Hinckley: Because the leaders of the church at that time interpreted that doctrine that way.

Mike Wallace: Church policy had it that Blacks had the mark of Cain. Brigham Young said, "Cain slew his brother, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin."

Gordon B. Hinckley: It's behind us. Look, that's behind us. Don't worry about those little flecks of history.

Mike Wallace: Skeptics will suggest, "Well, look, if we're going to expand, we can't keep the blacks out."

Gordon B. Hinckley: Pure speculation. [Laughs.]

Here's a link to the entire interview:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3784251n

And here's a link to a transcript of this interview:
http://lds-mormon.com/60min.shtml

By saying that phrase - "little flecks of history" - Gordon B. Hinckley was essentially saying that history isn't important, that is doesn't matter even though that stance is in direct conflict with the Mormon belief in the Book of Mormon and other scriptures, which they proclaim to be historically based.

After the 1978 “revelation,” the Mormon Church stopped talking about or discussing this issue, seemingly hoping that the issue would disappear, as if it never happened (at least, in my opinion, that was their motivation). I find that to be very troubling. History is an important aspect of the present and the future. Obviously, we should not be buried in the past nor should we be haunted by past occurrences. But since history plays a significant role in how people developed and how places are formed (cities and otherwise), it is vital that we know how things were done, and how events occurred from an historical standpoint. But most Mormons seem to think that since Blacks can hold the Priesthood now, then the fact that they couldn’t do so for 130 years isn’t important.

Of course, Gordon B. Hinckley’s statement to Mike Wallace in the 60 Minutes interview mentioned above is simply ridiculous. When he said, “Don’t worry about those little flecks of history,” he shot all credibility he may have ever had by trying to brush under the rug what happened in the past. The fact that these things occurred and are a part of Mormon Church history is very important, and should be treated as such. What I find interesting is that until something bad comes up, then history is important in the Mormon Church. What the Mormons apparently want to do is alter historical facts to suit their own purposes.

If history isn’t important, then why do people study history at all? The fact that World War II occurred is important from an historical standpoint just as is the fact that the holocaust occurred. If we bury everything from the past, then history is doomed to repeat itself. This has been shown over and over again in many different ways. A man who abuses a woman is very likely to abuse her again and again; and when circumstances present themselves with other women, it is very likely that he will abuse those women as well. This is true of murderers as well, and they are locked up in prison because there is a strong possibility that they will murder again. It is part of their history, and it is important to remember that. So to follow the same lines, since the Mormon Church was a racist organization in the past, it is very likely to be racist now despite the fact that Blacks can now hold the Priesthood. As I said previously, simply because the ban was lifted doesn’t mean that Blacks have joined the Church in droves. They know what occurred historically, and they know racism when they see it.

And so, here is my latest LDS Hymn Parody - #103 - dedicated to that horrible phrase uttered by a supposed Prophet of God.

LITTLE FLECKS OF HISTORY
Sung to the tune of Jesus, Once of Humble Birth - #196

Little flecks of history,
Shading them, no mystery.
Cover up and whitewash, too,
That is what the Mormons do,
That is what the Mormons do.

If you look at evidence,
You will see there’s no defense
For the way the truth they shade
And the way it’s all portrayed,
And the way it’s all portrayed.

It is clearly filled with lies,
Pure deception, no disguise.
Contradictions are throughout,
Not the truth, there is no doubt,
Not the truth, there is no doubt.

Mormonism, finally free,
Finally able to be me,
Not a Mormon anymore,
On the church, I closed the door,
On the church, I closed the door.

© Diane Tingen, 9/11/2013

REVIEWING MORMON HISTORY - LDS Hymn Parody #84

My latest LDS Hymn Parody (#84) addresses the sordid history of the Mormon Church.  Having been born and raised Mormon, and having stayed in the church for 52 years, it baffles me now how I could have gone along for so long when it is so obviously false.  I thank my lucky stars that I went on that Mormon Church History Tour in the Summer of 2001, and that I decided to do my own research before, during and after the trip, because otherwise, I may have stayed in the Mormon Church my entire life.  Sadly, I used to be very trusting, naive and gullible.  Almost complacent.  Although I had many questions for many years that I put up on my "shelf," it wasn't until I began to discover the actual history of the Mormon Church that I began to question in earnest.  The Summer of 2001 was the turning point for me.

When I started writing these LDS hymn parodies, I never imagined that I would write 84 of them - and since I have other ideas on the back-burner, I'm sure I will eventually write even more than that.  As my daughter put it, I seem to have a knack for blasphemy (said tongue-in-cheek since she's an ExMormon, too).

So here is my 84th LDS Hymn parody, dedicated to Joseph Smith and the hoax he created and perpetuated.  May he NOT rest in peace.

REVIEWING MORMON HISTORY
Sung to the tune of Improve the Shining Moments – # 226

Reviewing Mormon history
From 1830 on
When Joseph Smith created
One big religious con.
He was a practiced swindler,
A charlatan supreme.
Inventing Mormonism
Was really just a scheme.

Review the Book of Mormon,
So clearly plagiarized
By Joseph Smith and Rigdon,
They cleverly disguised
The origins and background
Of “scripture” they revised,
A book by Mr. Spalding,
So easily surmised.

Such sordid and disturbing
Events were taking place.
A fraudulent religion,
What a complete disgrace.
From New York to Ohio,
The Kirtland Banking fraud,
It’s clear that Mormonism
Is not the Word of God.

And then on to Missouri
As Joseph led the way,
Convincing all the members
This is where they would stay.
But people in Missouri
Soon tired of the Saints,
Extermination order
Then followed their complaints.

The Saints out of Missouri,
To Illinois they fled.
Just following their Prophet,
Believing what he said.
In Nauvoo they did prosper,
But shit soon hit the fan
As Joseph Smith’s influence
Grew more throughout the land.

Polygamy created,
Commandment, Joseph said.
His motives were suspicious
As 10 young girls he wed.
And he wed married women
With husbands living still,
Til 33 they numbered,
Just couldn’t get his fill.

The name of Fanny Alger
Is right a-top the list,
Though Cowdery loudly argued
And simply did insist,
That what they had together
Was plainly an affair,
But Joseph was insulted,
Legitimate, he'd swear. 

Polygamy increasing,
The Nauvoo Temple built.
Masonic ceremonies,
Soon introduced full tilt.
Then Joseph Smith declaring
For President he’d run,
Though it was not too likely
That Joseph would have won.

That was in January
Of 1844,
And only six months later,
His death would close the door
On all that he envisioned,
The power that he craved,
Wherever he could get it,
Immoral and depraved.

They say he was a martyr,
In Carthage Jail, he died.
While there, a mob attacked him,
From death, he could not hide.
But martyr does not fit him,
When studying the facts,
He was incarcerated
For some illegal acts.

Would a religious martyr
Destroy a printing press
And then burn down a building?
Surely God would not bless
Such obvious aggression
When truth had been revealed,
Polygamy uncovered
By Joseph Smith concealed.

I think it is appalling
That Mormons everywhere
Accept the gospel doctrine
And simply aren’t aware
Of things within the history
That cry out “It’s not true,”
Exposing Mormonism,
Deceptive, through and through.

Examine Mormon history,
Alarming facts unfold.
So camoflagued and whitewashed,
Some facts are never told
Within a Mormon chapel,
Where ignorance they breed,
Just say it didn't happen,
Denial is their creed.

Of course, the facts of history
Are totally obscured
By Mormons in denial,
Actual truth detoured.
But anyone reviewing
The facts and evidence
Will see red flags a-plenty
If they use common sense.

© Diane Tingen, 2/5/2013

Interesting reading:

http://historyofmormonism.com/

http://www.religioustolerance.org/ldsbom.htm

http://solomonspalding.com/index3.htm

http://www.mormoncurtain.com/topic_spaldingmanuscript.html

Interesting pictures:

 

Three of the earliest Mormons:
Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery, and Joseph Smith

Title page of one of the earliest anti-Mormon publications,
E. D. Howe's Mormonism Unvailed: Or, A Faithful
 Account of that Singular Imposition and Delusion,
 from its Rise to the Present Time (1834), which claimed
 that the Book of Mormon was written by Solomon Spalding.

An anti-Mormon Political Cartoon from the late 19th Century

THERE IS SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL AT LAST - LDS Hymn Parody #80

Looking back over the past few years, I can honestly say that I am happier now than I have ever been.  Leaving Mormonism behind was the best thing I ever did.  I am living an authentic life now, without any of the strife I felt for so many years.  Trying to "have faith" and "just believe" as they told me to do was literally killing me.  This is especially true when I began to question in earnest, after going on a Mormon Church History Tour in the Summer of 2001.  When I began to discover the lies behind the Mormon Curtain as well as the sordid history that is the foundation for it all, I began to realize that I had been struggling for so long because it simply isn't true. 

For so long, I thought it was me - that I was the problem.  Being given the message (whether spoken or implied) that I wasn't righteous enough to understand it all made me feel completely inadequate.  I accepted the challenge to study more, pray more, and be more obedient, and also took to heart the admonition given in the Book of Mormon, Moroni 4-5:

4  And when we shall receive these things, I would exhort you that we would ask God, the Eternal Faith, in the name of Christ,. if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5  And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

Of course, the message a person is given is that if they do not receive the answer that the Book of Mormon, as well as Mormonism itself, is true, then they are at fault - they are not asking with "...a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ..." 
But what I finally realized is that doing all that didn't work because that premise was being applied to the wrong scenario.  What I ultimately discovered is that Mormonism is an elaborate web of lies made up by Joseph Smith and perpetuated since his death by many others who had or have as much riding on keeping everyone in the dark as did Joseph Smith himself.

Naturally, though, the Mormon Church strongly admonishes its members to not do any independent research, to only rely on "faith-promoting materials" that the Mormon Church itself disseminates.  That directive is wrong on so many levels - and at its root is the fact that charging its members with these instructions is one of the defining signs that it is actually a CULT.  The bottom line is that if there was nothing to hide then it would not matter what anyone reads or researches.

Breaking free from Mormonism gave me a new lease on life.  It helped me to shed years of strife that had placed a burden on my shoulders that was at times overwhelming.  Living an authentic life and being true to myself is a tremendous relief.  I hope that others who are still trapped within Mormonism will do their own independent research without fear of reprimand, chastizement and/or punishment - particularly since it is my understanding that a question has been added to Temple Recommend Interview List about doing independent research and looking at what the Mormons consider to be "Anti-Mormon propaganda" contained on various websites (and if answered that a person has looked at this type of material, a temple recommend will most likely be denied).

Mormons are told to "just believe" and to have "faith."  As I've said before, though, having faith is all well and good, but when there is a mountain of evidence against something being true, then continuing to "just believe" is not faith anymore but rather denial.

So here is my 80th LDS Hymn Parody, dedicated to transcending beyond Mormonism and discovering that There is Sunshine in my Soul - AT LAST!!!

THERE IS SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL AT LAST
Sung to the tune of There is Sunshine in My Soul Today - #227

There is sunshine in my soul at last,
A joy I can’t disguise.
So glad that I have broken free
From Mormonism’s lies.

(Chorus)
Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine
Without Mormonism in my life.
The questioning is gone for good,
Said goodbye to years of strife.

There is music in my soul at last,
A glorious refrain.
For I did research on my own,
And finally used my brain.

(Chorus)
Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine
Without Mormonism in my life.
The questioning is gone for good,
Said goodbye to years of strife.

There is springtime in my soul at last,
The dreariness is gone.
For now, I know that Joseph lied,
And he was just a con.

(Chorus)
Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine
Without Mormonism in my life.
The questioning is gone for good,
Said goodbye to years of strife.

There is gladness in my soul at last,
Such ecstasy and bliss.
For I have seen the false pretense,
That it is all amiss.

(Chorus)
Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine
Without Mormonism in my life.
The questioning is gone for good,
Said goodbye to years of strife.

© Diane Tingen, 12/28/2012

OH, DECEPTION - LDS Hymn Parody #69

OK, I know... I've turned into a broken record (again).  Sometimes I get tired of hearing myself ramble on and on about how the Mormon Church is nothing but a stack of lies - that it is pure deception.  But only sometimes.  The rest of the time I simply want to have my voice be heard - and I hope that by speaking out, people will be compelled to do their own research, to look behind the curtain and finally see the Wizard.  And once they do that, then hopefully they will realize that the deception ala Mormonism runs very deep - and do something about it.

In November 2011, I wrote an LDS Hymn Parody that goes along with this theme.  In that post, I said:

Short and to the point.  Just like the original LDS hymn/children's song -
at least in its length, but obviously not in its point.

WHY THE DECEPTION?
Sung to the tune of Keep the Commandments, #303

Why the deception?  Why the deception?
The lies are apparent, of this I am sure.
Look at the history, look at the history,
Ugly and sordid, why the deception?
The lies are apparent for sure.

© Diane Tingen, 11/29/2011

My latest LDS Hymn Parody expands on this theme.  Actually, this new one is set to one of my favorite LDS Hymns of all time - O My Father.  This hymn (the lyrics to which were written by Eliza R. Snow) is famous for speaking of Mother in Heaven.  Perhaps that's why I always liked it so much.  My feminist side coming out, way back then.

I remember not only singing this hymn in church, but also at funerals.  In fact, I think it was sung at my mother's funeral in 1977... back when I was still very TBM and still just going along.  The research that led me to realize the truth had not yet begun.  I had a lot of questions back then, but rather than doing independent research to obtain the answers, I simply adhered to The Mormon Way by believing what they told me - basically, that if I didn't understand certain things, then it was a failing within me.  The message that was given to me was that in order to get the answer to my questions, I needed to pray more, study the scriptures more, attend meetings regularly, and adhere to the gospel.  You know, the ol' it's you not them mindset.  If there is anything wrong, it couldn't possibly be that the church is wrong, so it must be that you are not worthy enough.  Of course, I was also given the message that we cannot understand everything in this life, but that if we endure to the end, it will all be made known to us and then we will know that it was worth it.  With that rhetoric, the Mormons basically cover all the bases, don't you think?

The truth is apparent to me now, but that clarity wasn't obtained from doing all that "they" said I needed to do.  Instead, the clarity I gained was from opening my mind and doing some actual independent research.  I stopped burying my head in the sand - and also followed a famous "Mormon" scripture (James 1:5) - slightly revised:

So here is my latest LDS Hymn Parody... #69... and counting... 

 

OH, DECEPTION
Sung to the tune of O My Father, #292

Oh, Deception, laced throughout it,
Conjured up by Joseph Smith.
He created Mormonism,
Just a hoax, enormous myth.
He convinced them all to follow
Saying he was called of God.
But in truth, he was a shyster,
And the church is just a fraud.

I was born and raised a Mormon,
All my life, I just believed.
Went along with what they taught me,
But I found, I’d been deceived.

When I looked, it was apparent,
All the lies that Joseph told.
Plagiarized the Book of Mormon,
Not obtained from plates of gold.

Mormonism, pure deception,
Not an ounce of truth within.
It is clear when it is studied
How untrue the tales they spin.
But it’s sad that many listen,
Buy it all and just believe.
Unaware of the deception,
And of all the lies they weave.

If they’d only do some research
On their own, then they might see
All the lies, the clear deception
That’s employed, so visibly.
Common sense is sorely needed,
Nothing in it is from God.
It is not the true religion,
But instead, a blank façade.

© Diane Tingen, 6/13/2012