ExMormon Hymn Book: Independent Study

Showing posts with label Independent Study. Show all posts

Sunday, July 22, 2012

SO ENTRENCHED IN MORMONISM - LDS Hymn Parody #71

I've been thinking about how many people get so wrapped up in religion that they accept certain things blindly, without really looking at the background or even searching for the actual truth. Blind faith is simply not wise. Accepting religious principles without researching its subject matter is basically giving your own power away and allowing a religious organization to dictate what you believe. As I've said before, having faith is all fine and good, but when a person ignores the actual facts and evidence, then it's not faith anymore but rather denial.

Sadly, that’s how it was for me within Mormonism. Being born and raised Mormon, I just went along for many years, accepting what I was told to believe, not really looking at it with a critical eye or doing any independent research, away from the “accepted parameters.” And even when I did discover something that didn't make sense to me, I tried to accept it anyway. Denial - deep denial. That mindset really irritates me now, and I wish I had become more intellectually curious when I was much younger so that I could have found the actual facts while I was in my youth.

I'm so grateful that I finally began doing my own independent research. Of course, anyone who does that is bound to find the same sort of facts and evidence. But sadly, some people cling to it anyway, trying to rationalize it all out in their minds. I did that for quite a while, but in the end, that was no longer an option for me. The actual truth is what's important to me, and once I knew without any doubt that the Mormon Church is actually a fraud, that was the absolute end.

Entrenched once, but no more... and the biggest reward is living my life authentically.

With that said, here is my 71st LDS Hymn Parody...

SO ENTRENCHED IN MORMONISM

Sung to the tune of O Thou Rock of our Salvation, #258

So entrenched in Mormonism,
They refuse to see the lies.
Close the eyes and just believe it,
Blind acceptance is not wise.
What I found when I did research
Made me finally face the truth.
Wish that I had questioned sooner,
Found the facts while in my youth.

Born and raised in Mormonism,
I believed what I was taught.
It took years for me to see it,
In denial I was caught.
What I found when I did research
Made me finally face the truth.
Wish that I had questioned sooner,
Found the facts while in my youth.

Now I know that Mormonism
Was made up by Joseph Smith.
Not an ounce of truth to speak of,
It is nothing but a myth.
When I found when I did research
Made me finally face the truth.
Wish that I had questioned sooner,
Found the facts while in my youth.

So apparent all their tactics,
How they brainwash and persuade.
Make the members scared to research,
What a price they all have paid.
In the end, I hope they see it,
For the truth will set them free.
Just as it has done in my life,
As I live authentically.

Diane Tingen, 7/22/2012

Thursday, May 17, 2012

THE MORMON LEGACY - LDS Hymn Parody #64

Here's another LDS hymn parody. This one highlights, once again, my opinion that since the Mormon Church has numerous obvious flaws (and in my mind is actually false), Mormons everywhere need to stop burying their heads in the sand, blindly following what the church tells them to believe, and do some actual research so they can find the actual truth. To blindly believe, without researching independently, on your own, is simply not wise. Would anyone buy a car without doing research on its origins and history? No, that would be absurd. Would anyone purchase a house without having an inspection and title report done - and look closely at its foundation to insure they have avoided any potential problems? No, obviously not. And yet so many Mormons just go along, believing what they are told, not doing any independent research - just believing and having faith.

I find this mindset to be appalling. Intellectual curiosity is paramount for a thinking individual. To be told that you can't do any research outside of approved parameters is not only ridiculous but is also one of the signs of a cult. If a religious organization has nothing to hide then it doesn't matter what people look at, what they read, or what they research on their own. I really wish more Mormons would think about that instead of accepting it all blindly. Instead they choose to "just believe" - which, unfortunately, is The Mormon Legacy.

THE MORMON LEGACY

Sung to the tune of How Gentle God’s Commands – Hymn #125

Completely filled with lies,
Created to deceive.
The truth is there for all to find,
Naïve to just believe.

The Mormon Church is false,

Its doctrines are not true.
So clear that it was just made up,
Invented by a few.

The flaws are obvious,
Not hard at all to find.

The sordid history tells the tale,
Not slandered or maligned.

Through research I could see
The lies throughout it all.
Yet others cling to fallacies
Emblazoned on the wall.

They say we must have faith,
That we can’t understand
The ways of God, mysterious,
His ever-mighty hand.

But though that might be true,
That does not testify
To Mormonism’s truthfulness,
The logic is awry.

Not wise to close your eyes,
Submit and just believe
Whatever you are told is true,
The web of lies they weave.

But there is none so blind
As he who will not see
That they’ve been duped by blatant lies,
The Mormon Legacy.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

IS THERE TRUTH IN MORMONISM? LDS Hymn Parody #63

It's been 2-1/2 months since I wrote my last hymn parody. My, how times flies. I guess I've been creatively blocked (most likely by what has been going on in my life, which is a very long story). But since I'm determined to write at least 75 LDS hymn parodies, it's really good to feel the creative juices flowing again.

So here is my latest LDS hymn parody... very self-explanatory, so I won't go into any further explanation...

IS THERE TRUTH IN MORMONISM?
Sung to the tune of Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah – Hymn #83

Is there truth in Mormonism?
Many think it’s filled with lies.
Just look at the sordid history,
Countless questions will arise.
Look for answers, look for answers,
Search until you find the truth,
Find the truth.
Search until you find the truth.

They want you to blindly follow
What they tell you to believe.
If it’s false, the landscape changes,
You should know if they deceive.
Mormonism, Mormonism,
There is more than meets the eye,
Meets the eye.
There is more than meets the eye.

Though they tell you not to research,
Only read what they approve.
You must study independent,
Any doubts you must remove.
Information, information,
If you look, you’ll find the truth,
Find the truth.
If you look, you’ll find the truth.

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.