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This blog documents my life in the Mormon church, my escape from it, and my transition into atheism. This is a place for ex-Mormons to share their thoughts and experiences, to discuss current Mormon issues, and for those people in the church who may be doubting their faith or feeling that something is not quite right. Comments are welcome from all points of view.
The Courthouse (Mormon Style)
If things worked in the world the way that Mormons think they do, then this is how a typical courtroom proceeding would occur...
The prosecuting attorney would address the jury with tears in his eyes, "Ladies and gentlemen, before you is the accused. Now, although I have absolutely no evidence that he is guilty, I just feel it in my heart. And if you just take a moment, I am sure you can feel it too."
The jury begins to nod and voice their agreement.
Judge: "Defendant, you are found guilty."
Defense: "Wait a minute, Judge, doesn't the defense get a chance to present their case?"
Judge: "Over-ruled. The evidence here is overwhelming. Besides, we wouldn't want to confuse the jury, would we?"
Defense: "But, your honor, we have significant evidence that shows he is innocent."
Judge: "Silence, before I hold you in contempt! Evidence does not matter. The prosecuter has already displayed a very emotional outburst and he couldn't have done it unless it really was the truth."
Mormonism only works if you're living in a dream world. If the world worked the way that Mormonism claims it does, then honestly, it would be a pretty fucked up place. Besides, my feelings are telling me that it's all bullshit!
My $10 Testimony
I had been on my mission well over a year. My companion at the time was a scrawny little shit who really thought he was the shit. He was one of those "I can't think for myself because I have to obey every single rule to the absolute letter" missionaries. He was the senior companion and would bark orders. "I said now, and I mean now!" and "I'm the senior companion and what I say, goes!" In all truth, he had an extreme self-esteem problem.
One time, in the middle of the night, I woke up to a faint banging sound. Upon further investigation, I found that Elder Stupid had gotten up to relieve himself and had somehow locked himself in the bathroom! How he did that, I'll never know. If I hadn't woken up, he would have spent all night in the bathroom. Damn it! I should have left him in there.
We were out knocking on doors one day and an older lady refused to hear our message but gave us a donation of $10. Doofus wanted to give it to the church. I wanted to use it to go buy some lunch. We argued over $10 trying to decide what to do with it. As far as I could see, missionaries accepted meals from people all the time, so what was the harm in using it to eat? You know, I don't even remember what we did with it. Doofus probably gave it to the church. But the part that urks me was a comment he made: "You have a $10 testimony".
That's just the wrong thing to say to a missionary who totally believes. It's like calling a black person "nigger". It totally pissed me off. Only because I exercised an extreme amount of self control did I not break his nose with my fist.
Later, with the same companion, we were coming home from his personal errand which entailed leaving our area boundaries. It began snowing fiercely! Within a half hour, everything was blanketed in snow. The roads were extremely slick. I was driving and at one point, the car began to slide completely out of control. We did a 180 and stopped facing the opposite direction on the other side of the road, but not before the back end scraped against a telephone pole, leaving a foot long dent in the rear-passengers side of the car.
To say the least, that scared the shit out of both of us. Doofus wanted to drive, but he was a terrible driver. He couldn't even take a bend in the road without doing a jerking motion every 10 feet or so. So I wasn't about to let him drive. So we proceeded on our way home, being extremely cautious.
A few minutes later, we were going down a slight hill that curved. Mix that with a frictionless road and that spells disaster. Sure enough, as we were going down the hill, the car once again glided completely out of control. A semi with a trailor was going up the hill. We slammed into the truck right on his gas tank. Our small Ford Escort didn't even dent the truck but we went bouncing off and across the street where we slammed head long into another damn telephone pole. The second impact caused the airbags to deploy.
If you survive a car crash due to the airbags, the fumes from those things are enough to suffocate someone! My door was jammed shut but I forced it open to get out of the car. We were both completely unharmed except for a broken middle finger of Doofus. The details are fuzzy now, but I remember trying to give a statement to the police and Doofus pulled me away because the ambulance was leaving. This little pussy took an ambulance, and me with him, to the hospital because his finger hurt.
Because I didn't even have time to show my drivers license to the police, I got cited for driving without a license and speeding (which I absolutely was not). I did not report the crash to my family until my homecoming because I knew my mother would freak out.
By the way, our car was completely totaled.
That month, there were two car wrecks in the mission, and I was involved in both of them!
Not too much later, Doofus was transferred and I got a new companion. This guy was the total opposite of Doofus... he would sleep in every day, listen to all sorts of music, constantly calling people, and abused the absolute hell out of the mission car.
Well, we were on our way home when it started snowing fiercely again. Although we were just a few miles from home, we ended up stuck in traffic for about 8 hours, with traffic at a complete standstill. While we waited, a truck behind us just up and rear ended us, even though it had been sitting behind us for hours. We got the guys information but it turned out he gave us a bunch of bogus info.
That night we slept (or attempted to sleep) in a firestation with about 100 other stranded people. We had no access to a phone and so could not call to tell the DL where we were. We didn't get home until about noon the next day. We both hit the sack and slept until the next morning.
Real Book of Mormon Geography
The Book of Mormon is supposed to be a history of real people living in a real place. For the first 150 years of Mormonism's existence, everyone thought it was a story about a people who left the Middle East and came to South or Central America, and who fought wars clear up into New York state where their history was hidden in a hillside, inscribed on gold plates. Joseph Smith, in 1830, translated those plates, he said, by "the gift and power of God," into English from "Reformed Egyptian Hieroglyphics." Or so the story goes.
However, one needs to look no further than New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio to find the setting of the Book of Mormon. Whoever pieced the Book of Mormon together had a land in mind which was very similar to the Northeast United States and Southeast Canada.
The "proposed map," constructed from internal comparisons in the Book of Mormon.
A map of the Pennsylvania / New York area during Joseph Smith's time.
Throughout the Book of Mormon we read of such features as "The Narrow Neck of Land" which was a days and a half's journey (roughly 30 miles) separating two great seas. We read much of the Hill Onidah, the Hill Ramah, and the city of the City of Angola—all place names in the land of Joseph Smith's youth. We read, in the Book of Mormon of the Land of Desolation named for a warrior named Teancum who helped General Moroni fight in the Land of Desolation. In Smith's era, an Indian Chief named Tecumseh fought and died near the narrow neck of land helping the British in the War of 1812. Today the Canadian city Techumseh (near the narrow neck of land) is named after him. We see the Book of Mormon city Kishkumen located near an area named, on modern maps, as Kiskiminetas. There are more than two dozen Book of Mormon names that are the same as or nearly the same as modern geographical locations. See below.
Items on the left of = are/were actual places in Joseph Smith's time. Items on the right of = are places in the Book of Mormon. * Canadian locations are marked with an asterisk (*) and appear in the Book of Mormon as lying in "The Land Northward"
*Agathe, Saint = Ogath
Alma = Alma, Valley of
Angola = Angola
Antrim = Antum
Antioch = Anti-Anti
Boaz = Boaz
*Conner = Comner
*Ephrem, Saint = Ephraim, Hill
Hellam = Helam
Jacobsburg = Jacobugath
Jerusalem = Jerusalem
Jordan = Jordan
Kishkiminetas = Kishkumen
Lehigh = Lehi
Mantua = Manti
Monroe = Moroni
Minoa = Minon
*Moraviantown = Morianton
*Morin = Moron
Noah Lakes = Noah, Land of
Oneida = Onidah
Oneida Castle = Onidah, Hill
Omer = Omner
*Rama = Ramah
*Ripple Lake = Ripliancum, Waters of
Sodom = Sidom
Shiloh = Shilom
Land of Midian = Land of Midian
*Tecumseh/Tenecum = Teancum
Vernal Holley originally published these maps and findings in his book Book of Mormon Authorship: A Closer Look in the early 1980's.
When I Say I'm Atheist, What Does That Really Mean?
To be honest, I don't really like the term "atheist" because it suggests a state of godlessness. It suggests that the atheist himself or herself is a godless heathen who has no morals, no honor, and no regard for others. Further, at least to Christians, it implies that since I am not on the side of their god, then I must be with Satan.
I don't really care for the term "agnostic" either. Agnostic referrs to a person who believes in some kind of a higher power or being, but just isn't sure what that is. I do not believe in a higher power, or a being that is all knowing and all loving. I do believe that the universe is under some type of direction. That force or power is what causes gravity to work, or causes atoms to combine in certain ways. What it is, I don't know. But I'm pretty sure that it does not have a sense of self. The best way I can describe it is using the Starwars idea of the force. The force puts things in motion and binds the universe. But it is not alive. It does not have consciousness. It is simply the entity that gives life to the universe.
An atheist is a person who doesn't believe in god. Which god? I'm not sure; the Christian god for sure. Many people believe that a belief in god is what gives us our sense of moral direction; therefore, an atheist must have no morals. A misconception.
So that is how I can safely say that I definitely do not believe in the god of the Bible and yet I do see and concur with the evidence pointing to intelligent design. Some people argue that intelligent design proves there is a god. Maybe so. But there are other possibilities to consider. Some are more far fetched than others, but can't be ruled out as a possibility... I'm not going to discuss them now because that is not the subject of this post.
So what am I? I am atheist in terms of any type of supernatural being who is self aware. Everything we know about life and death tells us that such a being could not possibly exist. I am agnostic in that I do believe in a higher power, but can't define exactly what it is. Whatever it is, it gave me life and self awareness.
I am theist in terms of being kind to others and living the golden rule. Do not cause intentional, unnecessary harm to any living thing. Be honest in my dealings. Be respectful of the feelings and opinions of others. I do not believe in god and yet I believe in all these things. You don't have to believe me... my record here shows that very few people do anyway.
Perhaps once having been a believer has contributed to these attributes, I have no doubt. But I would argue that god is not the source of morality. Almost every religion teaches the same principles of honesty, kindness, etc.
While there are no rules to atheism, does not make atheists ruleless. In fact, an atheist is a deep thinker. We have walked away from god because we realized that we are intelligent beings capable of designing and living our own system of rules and self control. Sure, every group has it's extremists, but they are the exception, not the rule. Unfortunately, too often the exceptions are the ones by which everyone else judges us.
An atheist has no rules, but needs no rules. I am an intelligent being who instinctively knows right from wrong. I don't need a god or a church to dictate it for me. I have a brain and I can figure it out myself.
Now let's just say that I'm totally wrong. God does exist and he wrote the Bible. Is it really a characteristic of god to cast me into hell forever, just because I did not believe in him? I was a good person; I served my fellow man; I gave to the beggar; I visited the sick; I lived the golden rule; etc. Would a wise and all-knowing god seriously cast me into hell? Not if he has the attributes that they say he does. He's loving, fair, all knowing, just, and merciful. I think the more likely person to go to hell would be the person who cries low here and low there, but secretly cheats on his wife and is an overall immoral person. That supposed "believer" is more in danger of hell than I am, simply because he is a hypocrite, which Jesus clearly despised. Jesus sat and ate with sinners, but he DESPISED hypocrites.
If god is fair, just, loving, and merciful, then I am not afraid of death. I have nothing to be afraid of. I have a clear conscience and if god truly is omnipotent, then he will recognize that.
Christians, I recognize and respect your belief in god. If it works for you, then great. Please understand that I too am happy with where I stand. Please respect it as well. Don't pray for me. Don't feel sorry for me. I am happy.
Is There A Good Argument For Intelligent Design?
I actually believe that there is.
As per the recommendation of Jessica, I went to YouTube and did a search for "Unlocking the Mystery of Life". I found a video which is about an hour long and is broken up into seven smaller videos about ten minutes long each, which I thoroughly enjoyed watching. For the ease of viewing them, since I do believe they should be viewed, I will place them all here, afterwards I will leave my thoughts...
I hope you enjoyed watching these videos as much as I did. I have been going to school for several years now and I have truly been fascinated by what science has revealed about our world. It is amazingly complex. In fact, it is mind boggling.
I don't disagree that these videos argue an extremely good case for intelligent design. Where did the first cell come from? The first protein? The first strand of DNA? All of these things are amazingly complex and the idea that it happened randomly is far fetched. If you dropped a pile of bricks out of an airplane, what is the chance that they would hit the ground and form a perfectly designed building? Not too great. Even if you did it hundreds of millions of times, I hightly doubt that a building would ever result. A building can only be erected by intelligent design.
Now in the case of the building, we know who designed it... the architect. We know who built it... the carpenter. And although this video argues a damn good argue in favor of intellignet design, it does not attempt to explain what that intelligence is. Could this be used as an argument for the existance of god? Absolutely, and it has been many times.
But the problem with that argument is the argument itself. Intelligent design requires a designer. Let's assume that god is that designer. But god himself is intelligent, so if we follow that argument all the way through, then god must have also had a designer. We can't argue it to a logical conclusion, because there is no logical conclusion. If intelligence requires a designer, and the designer is intelligent, then the designer must also have had an intelligent designer. Where does it begin? Logically, it follows that intelligent design goes back to the beginning of time infinitely. But it had to begin somewhere!
But that whole idea completely shatters the idea of the Christian god. God is believed to have always been; to have existed forever. He was never created or designed but has existed as an all powerful being infinitely. But the argument of intelligent design requires that god too must have an intelligent designer.
An item worthy of mention is the LDS's view on god. Their belief actually fits best with the idea of intelligent design. The LDS god was once a person who had a god and eventually progressed to godhood himself. Each god had a god before him and there is no beginning or end to this process. Maybe Joe WAS on to something afterall!
But sometime, somewhere it had to have happened randomly. That's the only logical explanation as to how the whole chain of events ever got started.
Further, even though I don't disagree with the intelligent design idea, keep in mind what science is. We can hypothesize all day about the origin of life, but we can't test it. We can't test something to see if it was designed. And we can't conduct a test to determine who the designer was. As much as I would love to see such a test conducted, I highly doubt that it ever will be. Remember, science only deals with what can be observed AND tested. We can observe things that strongly suggest intelligent design, but there is no test that can be conducted to prove it, at least none that I am aware of.
I'm not going to hastily disregard the Darwin theory, either. It explains the amazing diversity of life that we enjoy on this earth. Granted, it may not explain everything, but no theory does. Science is a network of theories that are built upon and expound upon each other. The beauty of science is that it changes to fit new data. If something that was once believed to be true is later proven wrong, then new theories are written to explain the new findings. The intelligent design theory builds upon the work of Darwin, not disproves it.
As a student of science myself, I must be willing to take any given evidence and use that evidence to find a logical conclusion, given that the evidence is real and not just the product of some desperate fool trying to prove his point. I must be willing to amend my personal views. I must be willing to admit that I was wrong before. I am willing to do that. Christians are not. They view god as unchanging, therefore any new information that comes available must be wrong.
Any science that suggests the existance of a god, such as this intelligent design theory, they are totally willing to accept. Anything that disproves god, they hastily reject. Sorry, Christians but it doesn't work that way. You don't have the luxury to pick and choose which science you like and which you don't. If you're going to accept some of it, then you must accept all of it. You must either completely reject it, or completely support it.
Now there might come a time when Darwin theory is completely disproven. There might come a time when science actually does discover the nature of god. It might be scientifically shown that someone could walk on water or that they could turn water into wine. Who knows? What we don't know now, we might know later. Science makes new discoveries on a daily basis and who knows what we will have learned in 100 years from now? I would love to be there to see it. On the other hand, science might completely disprove the existance of god. Whatever the evidence and the tests reveal, then that is what I will base my belief upon.
Evolution For Dummies
Now please don't make the mistake of assuming that I'm calling anyone a dummy. I have encountered some very intelligent people here. It was simply a catchy sounding title.
I will attempt to explain the idea of evolution and show why it's actually not such a far fetched idea. I will be using my own words and describing evolution as I understand it to be. I am, by no means, a professional on the subject.
In the 1830's Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands on his journey around the world. The Islands lie about 500 miles off the coast of Ecuador. Darwin observed the local finches, that there were many different species on this island that did not exist anywhere else in the world. Because the nearest land is 500 miles away, these birds could not fly the distance and so were marooned on the island so to speak.
Darwin wondered why there could be so many different species of finches on this island that were not found anywhere else in the world. They were all similar enough that it was clear that they had a common ancestor. Yet they were clearly not the same. Some were large, some were small. Some had large beaks, some had small. They had a variety of different colors. Some nested in bushes, some on the ground, etc. Why?
Darwin concluded that conditions on the island were the only explanation. As different groups of birds moved to different parts of the island, they evolved to fit in with their surrounding environment. How is that possible? Darwin's theory of Natural Selection explains.
The Theory of Natural Selection holds that species evolve to fit their environment. This, of course, is a slow process, but in some extreme cases it can actually happen rather quickly. For example:
Say we have a given area wherein lives a certain type of bug. Some of the bugs are white and some are black. It is about a 50-50 mix. This area also has bug eating predators. The environment is mostly black trees and the bugs live in the trees. What is going to happen according to natural selection?
The black bugs are not going to be eaten early as often as the white bugs due to the nature of the environment. Why? Simply because the black bugs are harder to see by the predators. Soon the white bugs would disappear entirely and because only black bugs are left, they will only have black bugs as offspring. This species of bugs has evolved by natural selection to survive in it's environment. If the trees had been white, then the black population of bugs would have been eliminated.
Imagine this kind of a process happening again and again over a time period of millions of years! It is plausible that some extreme changes could occur. Now say that this species of bugs was forced to move to a different area. This area is white and their only defense now is to hide from their predators in holes. The holes are small so only the smallest of the black bugs are able to fit inside. The rest get eaten. The result is that all of the small bugs are now producing offspring that are smaller as well.
We have gone from a multi-colored, multi-sized species to a small, black species. While this is just an example, it demonstrates that the idea of a species evolving to survive in it's environment is not such a far fetched idea.
Back in the early days of Chemistry, when the periodic table was being formulated by grouping the characteristics of the known elements, scientists found that many "spots" in the table were empty. These empty spots would, in the future, contain newer discovered elements. In fact, these empty spots, based upon their position in the periodic table enabled scientists to predict what elements would fit and even to predict their properties long before they were ever discovered! Pretty cool, huh?
The same is true of evolution. Assume that a certain species has evolved over a million years. It's original ancestor looked a certain way and the species today looks a certain way. Obviously they are different. What would the species look like half way through the million year period? It should have characteristics of both the original ancestor and the species today. Using this type of reasoning, scientists have predicted what a mid-species would have looked like. Amazingly, fossils are later found which do indeed look very much like what the mid-species was predicted to have looked like.
In our bug example, we went from black and white, large and small bugs to just small, black bugs. What is the mid-species? Large and small black bugs. The fossil record is another very strong evidence for evolution. We find bones of animals that no longer exist, but obviously they once did exist.
There is fossil evidence linking birds to dinosaurs. A dinosaur species has been found that actually had feathers!
Personally, I find it amusing that so many people are opposed to science but then they will turn around and say that science proves their point. Anyone who claims that science proves the idea of intelligent design has no idea what science really is. People who claim that science proves the existence of god are purely ignorant. Science will never prove the existence of god, because god can not be observed and tested.
Science accepts Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Anyone who claims anything else is lying or just plain ignorant. Now just because we call it a theory does not mean that we don't understand it. In fact, in every day language, "theory" means an idea. But in science, a theory is an accepted statement that has been verified by numerous studies and scientists. A "hypothesis" is an educated guess based upon what has been observed. A "theory" is a hypothesis that has been tested and found to be true. If a hypothesis is found to be untrue, then it is revised and tested again. This is repeated until a "theory" emerges.
Check out this video which explains evolutionary theory quite well.
As you saw in the video, Darwin concluded that if the earth has undergone tremendous geological changes, then animals too would have to change. If they didn't, they would perish.
If Christians truly believe that science is evil, then they need to throw away their computers, turn the power off in their homes, sell their cars, and outright reject anything else that science has provided.
Why I Don't Believe In God (Continued)
As I mentioned in the beginning of the first "Why I don't believe in God" post, I stated that the idea of Jesus began sounding like a fairy tale. I am going to elaborate on that because it too is a valid reason why I no longer believe.
I vividly remember sitting in Sunday school one day and as we talked about Jesus and the things he did, I couldn't help but feel that it all sounded so silly. Walking on water... it just can't happen. So in this post, I am going to ignore all the evidence and just appeal to your rational brain to use a little common sense.
We know that superheroes aren't real and yet we love to hear stories and watch movies about them. They do great things; use their special powers to fly around, protect the innocent, and fight crime. If you have noticed, lately there have been TONS of superhero movies coming out. Our culture loves them.
But deep inside, we all know that they aren't real. Supernatural beings with hidden identities do not really exist. They don't fly around, they don't protect, and they don't fight crime. There is no such thing as supernatural powers. There just isn't. And yet for some reason, although we know it isn't real, we turn around and give our gods the very same attributes that we give our imaginary superheroes! And for some reason, although they are no different, people think they are. We know that superheroes don't really exist, but our true god does, and the two have very similar attributes. If you really stop and think about it, it makes no sense at all.
But this makes sense: Supernatural beings do not exist. God is supernatural. Therefore, god does not exist.
We are all aware of the saying, "Nothing is certain but death and taxes."
Death, it is inevitable. All things die. Eventually our own sun will run out of fuel and will burn out. That is still millions of years in the future so we don't have to worry about it now. But the fact remains that all things die. Nothing lives forever. And since that is a fact, then god, as he is believed to be, can't exist. There is no such thing as an immortal being.
And just as there is no immortal being, death is final. Once you're dead, you're dead. The Bible tells several stories of the dead being brought back to life, many of them having been dead for several days. That just doesn't happen!
If Jesus (or god) created this world and applied certain laws to it, then why would Jesus come to earth and break his own rules?
Jesus supposedly walked on water. Since that is a feat that is known to be impossible, it couldn't have actually happened.
Jesus supposedly ascended into heaven. Since no one I know can fly around without the aid of a machine, then I know that story is not true.
Jesus supposedly fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Since that is simply an impossible feat, it can't be true.
Jesus supposedly turned water into wine. Since it is scientifically impossible to make wine from just water, I know that "miracle" didn't really happen.
Jesus supposedly brought several people back from the dead. Since that is impossible, I know it's not really true.
Jesus' mother was supposedly a virgin. But since a virgin can't possibly be pregnant, then I know that story is not true.
As you can hopefully see, all you need is a little common sense and it becomes quite apparent that Jesus was not what the Bible claims he was. The miracles and events described defy everything we understand about our world. Superheroes don't exist and neither do their powers.
On top of that, have you ever stopped to think about God's priorities? He will help you find your missing car keys, but does nothing to help starving children in Africa. Are your keys more important than starving children? Apparently so.
If god only provides miracles for the faithful, then why do so-called miracles happen to everyone? In a previous post, I described how I avoided getting a speeding ticket because I listened to my feelings. A Christian would give god credit for that, so what about me? I'm an atheist so god shouldn't do anything for me, right?
And what about people of all different faiths, both Christian and non? How do you account for nearly all of them claiming that miracles happen in their lives? Why does everyone, including atheists, get equal treatment from god?
The most obvious answer is that god isn't there and each person who experiences a "miracle" is just having a stroke of good luck or a coincidence. Believers and non-believers have the same injury and accidental death rates per-capita. It seems clear that god treats everyone equally, whether they believe in him or not! What this actually means, is that there is no god protecting his faithful believers. I know it's hard for a believer to swallow, but it is the truth.
If a belief in god is supposed to enrich your life, why has my life only gotten better since I kicked out god? God is supposed to reward me for faithful belief and punish me for ignoring him. But it seems that the opposite is actually true. I don't make a whole lot of money, but ever since my apostasy, the finances have been getting better and better.
Isn't my life supposed to go to pot? Aren't I supposed to become a scruffy, stinky, loud drunk? If that is the case, why am I pleasant to be around? Why am I helpful and friendly? If you met me in person, you would never guess that I am atheist. In fact, one person actually told me that I am the most Christ-like person they have ever known! How can that possibly be the case?
I read a statistic once, and I can't remember where, that stated that an atheist is more likely to be a good Samaritan than a believer! Now why is that? I believe it is because we aren't carrying around attitudes like "I'm-saved-and-you're-not" and "I'm-better-than-you-because-I-have-god-in-my-life". Because we don't hold ourselves above others, it is easier to love them and help them.
Atheists are down to earth people who take things at their face value. If I find my missing keys, it is because I looked for them; not because god found them for me.
Now why do you believe? It is because if you don't, you will be damned. Why else would you? But now that fear is gone, fear of that angry, vengeful god who can't wait to damn me and yet loves me so much. I don't have to live my life wondering at every turn if god is pleased with me. I don't have to waste my life in fear of some invisible god. Why should I spend my entire life to prove myself to some god, when that god can't even take one split second from his busy schedule and show himself to me? Why is a relationship with god so one-sided?
God is an awful parent. If parents raised their children the way god does, it would go something like this: a child is born and given a letter containing a set of instructions to follow. The parent would NEVER contact the child. The child would have to learn right and wrong from the letter. He'd better interpret it correctly! Now the parent would never contact the child but would watch them through the lens of a high-powered rifle. As soon as the child makes just one mistake, the parent would blow their kids head off with the rifle. Vague instructions (Bible) and no room for error (the child's mistake) equals an extreme punishment (the rifle). Does that sound like a loving parent to you? No. But that's just how god does it!
Believe and obey or fry! That's not a loving father in heaven. That's abuse! It's not how a real father would ever treat children that he loves dearly. Why should I believe in a cruel father especially when there is no evidence at all to prove he is even there. Even if he was real, why would I want to? He is a dictator and a tyrant! Obey or fry! That's your choice. God is a piss-poor example of what a loving father should be.
Now, as far as the belief that I was born into sin: rubbish. I refuse to believe that just because I was born, just because I am alive, that I am evil and deserve to go to hell. Only a father who would want to completely ruin my self esteem would teach me something like that. I refuse to believe that I am evil just because I exist. But if you believe in the Christian god, then you automatically believe that you are scum and deserve to burn in hell forever. I can't and won't believe that. No loving god would send an innocent baby to hell, but the Christian god would! Nope! I refuse to worship a god who tells me right to my face that I am a worthless piece of shit. Sorry. Anyone who tries to tell me that can just kiss my ass!
Prayers and faith have no effect on the outcome of our every day lives. It has been scientifically studied and proven.
And as I stated at the end of my last post, if god created this world, then a scientific study of that world should more clearly reveal the nature of god. But since the opposite is actually true, then the god of the Bible could not have possibly created this earth.
A belief in god just goes against my better judgement...
And that's why I don't believe in god!
Why I Don't Believe In God
I was raised Mormon and I believed it. But there comes a time in everyones life, when they have to stop taking the spoon feeding, and decide for themselves if they truly believe it for themselves. I took a good hard look at the Mormon church and weighed it against my own core self. When I did that, Mormonism and Christianity in general began sounding like a fairy tale. A little research then confirmed what I already felt to be the case... and here is the verdict:
Throughout the history of the earth, mankind has had countless different gods and mythologies. Even if one of them was actually the true god, how can we know which one? I know! The one that says, "I am the ONE!"
Belief in a god just doesn't make sense to me. For arguments sake, we'll talk about the Christian god since this god is the subject of many current debates. The earth exists. A fact we all agree upon. But does the existence of the earth prove the existence of the Christian god? Christians claim that their god is responsible for it and that he is the one and only true god. But just because the earth exists, that does not prove the Christian god is responsible. It's like me claiming to have built a certain house... just because the house is there does not prove that I actually built it, even if I claim that I did. I might have built it... but it's mere existance does not 100% guarantee that I am responsible. So it is with the god of the Bible.
Face it. The Bible is an old book. It's got a lot of rather silly teachings in it. Many of them outright contradict each other. How do you account for that seeing as how your god is perfect? Many people like to say stuff like, "We believe the Bible is true because there are actual places and events described in it." That is true and I don't doubt that the Bible has some historical accuracy. But that means nothing as far as it's divinity. Let me explain.
The Work and the Glory is a popular LDS fiction series of novels. We all know that. Even the LDS know that. However, The Work and the Glory is written around real events and real people in LDS history. So someone could argue, however irrational it may be, that because The Work and the Glory describes real people, places, and events, then it must be true.
The Bible is no different. Yes, it can be verified that Jericho and Jerusalem were real places. I don't doubt at all that they were. In fact, Jerusalem still exists today. But how do you know that someone living in Biblical times didn't just sit down and write a fictional story about a real city? Possibly around certain events that might have happened? How can you know with 100% assurance that Moses really was a prophet and not just a creative author? Unless you have a time machine, you really don't.
Now take this seemingly credible story and throw in some really bizarre things... talking donkeys, walking on water, etc. Now throw in some conflicting commandments. All of a sudden, your precious Bible is not as pure and simple as you thought it was. And although it is indeed based upon real places and real events, it just isn't reliable anymore.
IF there is a god, which I highly doubt, I would bet my life that it's not the Christian god. The story is just too bizarre and self-contradicting to make any real sense.
Now, I'm no expert, but let's take a brief look at Roman mythology. We have Zeus the king of the gods. If you've ever read any mythology, the stories exist to explain our world. Why does the sun rise and set? What happens when we die? Roman mythology was actually an ancient religion that was designed to explain our world.
What is the purpose of the Christian god? To explain our world. Where did the earth come from? Where did man come from? Why does evil exist? What happens when we die? Modern religion performs the same function that ancient religion performed: explain our world.
There is only one problem with that now. Science can explain our world WITHOUT the need for a god to be involved. We know why the sun rises and sets (it doesn't involve some dude pulling the sun through the sky behind his chariot). It involves the rotation of the earth. The seasons can be explains by the earth's tilt and it's path around the sun.
The problem for Christians is that our world no longer needs god. We need science.
The very fact that I can write these words and have them read instantly by millions of people around the world is made possible by science. That is a miracle. I could give out my phone number and someone living thousands of miles away could call me and we could have a real-time conversation, again made possible by science. Another miracle. If I wanted to meet that person, I could fly on an airplane and usually, within 48 hours, I could be knocking on that person's front door. In Biblical times, such a journey would have taken months. The credit again goes to science which performed the miracle.
I could pray to god all day long but without a phone I'll never be able to talk to someone a thousand miles away. The real miracles are provided by science EVERY SINGLE DAY and yet no one sees them. They want to give credit to some god for some coincidence that would have happened anyway. Then they turn around and say that science is evil.
In the Bible it was a huge miracle when Moses tapped the rock and water came out. While a fictional story, people don't realize that that happens every single day in our modern world. Water literally comes out of the walls in our homes and yet no one recognizes that as a miracle, which sadly (for Christians at least) is again a product of science.
Miracles happen around us hundreds of times a day! Think of the automobile, fax machines, digital cameras, DVD players, computers, Internet, ex-ray, etc. We are literally surrounded by miracles and, because they are common place, we don't even notice. Yet, if I could take a cell phone back in time 1000 years, I would be remembered through history as nearly a god! The things we can do now, all thanks to science, would have been considered miracles in Biblical times and a normal, average person today can do things that even the most creative author could not even comprehend a thousand years ago.
By Biblical standards, every person living today with even minimal access to any type of technology would be revered as a prophet, if not a god!
So there you have it! That's why I can't believe in god. The Bible is unreliable, not to mention ancient! It has nothing to do with our modern way of living. Nothing. Science performs more miracles than god ever has or ever could. Sorry, god, you're only second best. Now if the Bible contained detailed instructions on how to build a light bulb, then that would be something to investigate. But the Bible has nothing. In fact, science has proven that many Biblical stories are totally untrue.
Now a Christian could argue that all of this technology was inspired by god. That could be the case, I'll admit that. But how does that explain that science works everywhere, not just in Christian nations? In fact, a large majority of modern technology comes from Japan, a non-Christian country. Why would the Christian god inspire all those Buddhist "heathens" with all the secrets of technology? Since you can't answer that question, I'll rest my case. If you can answer it, I would surely like to hear it.
And the most abhorrent thing about Christianity that I can barely stomach is all these fanatical idiots who threaten me with damnation simply for not believing in their version of Jesus. Why are they so worried about what everyone else believes? Why can't they live their lives, believe their beliefs, and leave everyone else alone? As a former colleague of mine used to say, why do they spread their "blanket condemnation" over everyone who doesn't believe EXACTLY what they believe? That doesn't sound like a loving god anyway! It sounds like an angry, jealous, vengeful god. Even if the god of Christianity was real, why would I want to worship him? He is a tyrant and a dictator!
That's why I believe in science, not god. As soon as god comes down from the sky and takes credit for everything, then I'll be a staunch believer. But until then, all bets are off. The bottom line is ultimately this: if god did create the world, then a study of that world (science) should only more clearly reveal the nature of god. But since the opposite is in fact the case, then the god of the Bible could not have created this world.
Archaeological Evidence For the Book of Mormon
Enjoy and please let me know what you think.
I like this quote from the video, "The evidence to support Joseph's writings simply does not exist."
Next I found this video, which is a response by M. Russel Ballard to the lack of any archaeological (or any other type of) evidence supporting the Book of Mormon.
Ballard basically admits that there is not...
He then claims that even if you saw the actual gold plates, it would not effect your testimony either way. You can only know the Book of Mormon is true by special feelings. All the proof in the world (or lack of it) is absolutely irrelevant. What kind of loopy reasoning is that?
The thing that Ballard doesn't realize is that if it was true, then there would be evidence supporting it. Even if that so-called "evidence" is irrelevant, as Ballard claims, it would still be there none the less.
But instead of evidence to support the Book of Mormon, there is actually a mountain of evidence against it. But again, that is all irrelevant according to Ballard because the only way to truly know that it's true is by those special feelings.
Now, if that's the case, why does the church even have an unofficial apologetics department?
Happy Birthday, Mormon411!
I just realized that Mormon411 has been up and running for over a year now! As of today, I have published 147 posts including this one! It has been a very quick and rewarding year! I looked for a "Happy Birthday" graphic with a sexy girl in it but couldn't find one that I really liked. :(
I'd like to thank everyone who has participated. I value your comments whether you agree with me or not, especially the TBM's who have taken the time to answer my tough questions. Although I could never again believe in the LDS gospel, I admire all of you for defending what you believe. Your comments and insites have been appreciated.
One other note to my TBM readers, please know that I am not your enemy. I am simply trying to level the playing field. I believe that both sides of any story should be told so I am doing my small part to present the other side. Don't judge me for it. I encourage you to take my message at face value and give it an honest thought. If you choose to keep believing, at least you will have made a more informed decision. That is all I ask.
Also, please don't buy into the churches propaganda that all who leave are evil, vile sinners. Be open minded and you will see that ex-Mormons are very intelligent people who, believe it or not, leave the church and have very rewarding and fulfilling lives. The idea that people leave because of sin, offended, or just couldn't "endure" anymore is 99% false.
We are smart, intelligent people who left because it didn't add up and because we discovered that the church has been lying to us all our lives. If a church has to cover up it's history and outright lie, then how can it possibly be true?
Here's to many more successful years at Mormon411. I'm not planning on stopping any time soon!
The LDS Church Has No Paid Clergy
Are the leaders of the LDS church truly humble servants of Jesus Christ, or are they money hungry, hardcore business men? Watch this video and then decide for yourself...
Why are there eleven witnesses to the Book of Mormon, when the book itself only predicts that there will be three?
2 Nephi 27:12
Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein.
First there was the testimony of the three. That account is questionable, but is not the subject of this post.
Next, there was the testimony of the additional eight witnesses. Why was this testimony also given? The Book of Mormon clearly said that there would only be three and that no one else would be able to look upon them.
This additional "witness" came about when Joseph Smith was in court for fraud, of course, and the judge was not convinced by Joseph's story. In order to please the judge, Joseph organized the additional witnesses and coerced them into signing the paper, even though none of them ever saw or touched the plates. These additional "false witnesses" were enough to convince the judge to let Joseph off the hook. He probably threatened the "witnesses" with damnation if they did not do what he told them.
Joseph Smith lied, while under oath, to the court. This is purgery. He drummed up false evidence to secure his own release. Now wouldn't you think that a true prophet of god would have a little bit more character to himself? Instead of do the right thing, he lied, lied, lied. This man had no morals and no principles.
Talk about a wolf in sheeps clothing!
An Apostate Enters the Celestial Kingdom!
"Damn it, Jasper! You can't keep doing that!" God says with obvious frustration to the centenial standing guard at the gates of heaven yesterday.
"How was I supposed to know?" answers Jasper. "I just challenged him with one of the tokens and asked him 'what is that?' He knew the answer so I let him in."
"Damn it, Joseph, this isn't working! We should have known this would happen!"
What happened? An apostate made it into the celestial kingdom. Well, he once was a worthy Mormon who went through the temple and learned all the secret handshakes, gestures, and passwords. He later left the church. But seeing as how the temple itself teaches that these handshakes, gestures, and passwords are all that is needed to pass the centenials that stand at guard, anyone who knows them will be allowed to pass.
Who knows how many apostates are running around in heaven right now when they should have gone directly to outer darkness?
"Damn it, Joe! I told you this wasn't a good idea, but you kept pestering me about it!"
"I'm sorry, God, but even prophets aren't perfect. Just look at Jonah!"
Would you use a 2,000 year old road map to navigate a modern city? Then why use a 2,000 year old religion to navigate modern life?
Posts of Interest
Is Leaving the LDS Church Really the Easy Path?
What Do I Believe?
The 101 Mormon Commandments
The Gospel In A Tower
Waterfalls and False Prophets
Wife #19, or A Life In Bondage
The Empty Cross: Why Jesus Didn't Exist
I Am Offended
A Balloon With A Hole In It
Ten Questions Every LDS Person Should Be Asking
MUST READ: Why I Do What I Do
Endure to the End
Mormon Apologetics and Accountability
The Horrible World of an Apostate
The Huge Mormon Lie
Who Are The Mormons?
Changing Mormon Stories
The Skeptics Society
Let's Talk About The Forbidden
How To Resign From Mormonism
mormonnomore.com
Fellow ex-Mormon Bloggers
Mormon Doubter
Ask an Ex-Mormon
LDS Revelations
Skeptical Thayne
Surviving the Peppersons
The Ministry of RaptorJesus
The Post-Mormon Perspective
Atheist Blogs and Websites
I Was A BYU Atheist
The Out Campaign
The Citizen Atheist
Evolution Websites
Evolution Education Resource Center
Pro-Mormon Web Sites/Blogs
LDS Church Official Web Site
Provo LDS Girl
The Society for the Prevention of Anti-Mormonism (SPAMLDS)
A Well Behaved Mormon Woman
Fanatical Christian Websites
CPR Ezra 8:23 by Child of God
Quotes & Thoughts
New Rule: Churches don't get to offer their commentary on political matters until they start paying taxes!
"...reading the Bible is what has made me an Atheist." ~ The Citizen Atheist
Faith is just gullibility. ~ The Atheist Experience
Don't teach creationism in my school and I won't preach evolution in your church!
In your fiction book, your fiction god did a fiction miracle and that's all the proof you need!
"It's called FAITH because it is not KNOWLEDGE" ~ Christopher Hitchens
"...faith, by definition, is believing in things without evidence and, personally, I don't do that because I'm not an idiot." ~Kate Smurthwaite
"If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people." ~House
"Developing a critical mind and having your own view of the world takes education, reflection and time. Having faith is much easier. People prefer to be deceived." ~Michael Shermer
"It's hard to free fools from the chains they revere." ~ Voltaire
"Just because you don't understand something, it doesn't mean it's wrong." Arthur, Sword in the Stone
A diety who remains silent and invisible should not be angry or surprised when its existance is doubted.
Intelligent Design: Because it's so much easier to just invent an answer.
99% of people who DENY evolution can't even DEFINE it!
If money is the root of all evil, why do churches want it?
The Bible was written by the same people who said the earth was flat.
When you don't see the truth, it's easy to accept the illusion.
What most anti-evolution supporters don't realize is that to nearly anyone educated in biological sciences, an anti-evolution world view today is almost equal to holding a position that the Earth is flat, and the sun revolves around the Earth.
There once was a time when all people believed in God and the church ruled. This time was called the Dark Ages.
"Does religion work? It brings some of us solace, impels some to do good (and others to fly planes into buildings), and buttresses the same moral truths embraced by atheists, but does it help us better understand our world or our universe? Hardly." ~ USA Today
Mormonism is enforced religion.
"What's so merciful about a god who punishes Adam and Eve and all of their descendants over a stupid piece of fruit?" ~ Khalid Thalib
"If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for a reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed" ~ Albert Einstein
Isn't it ironic that both you and your god hate the same things?
"Santa Claus never asked for 10% and I still got everything I wanted. And I wasn't good all the time either. I paid the Mormon church 10% and got zip." ~ Let Go
"For god was such a cowardly chicken shit, that he had to send someone else to do the hard stuff." Mormon411
"The good thing about Atheists is they wont knock on your door and they wont blow you up!" ~ Bumper Sticker
"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." ~ Stephen Roberts
"You believe in a book that has talking animals, wizards, witches, demons, sticks turning into snakes, food falling from the sky, people walking on water, and all sorts of magical, absurd and primitive stories, and you say that we are the ones that need help?" ~ Dan Barker, Losing Faith in Faith
"Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet." ~ Napoleon Bonaparte
"Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned." ~ Unknown
"To the simple mind everything can be explained with one three letter word." ~ Michael Pain
"The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion." ~John Adams, 2nd President of the United States
A watered down long island iced tea: $7.00. A lap dance from your favorite girl: $20.00. Feeling absolutely no guilt for any of it: Priceless!
"I have a hard time with historians, because historians idolize the truth." ~ Boyd K. Packer
"...if God told us to brush our teeth with mud I would do it." ~ Anon TBM
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
"Just as you can always tell sea water because it tastes salty, you can always recognize enlightenment because it tastes like freedom." ~ The Buddah
"What have I got to lose? My family? No. They are already gone. They were gone as soon as I was gone from their "family oriented" church." ~ ex-Mormon
"He (Joseph Smith) may get drunk every day of his life, sleep with his neighbor's wife every night, run horses and gamble... but the doctrine he has produced will save you and me and the whole world." ~ Will Jarvis
"My most painful Mormon experience was learning that having faith in something does not necessarily make it true." ~ Anon
"The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction." ~Richard Dawkins
"If a faith will not bear to be investigated; if its preachers and professors are afraid to have it examined, their foundation must be very weak." ~George Albert Smith
Prayer: How to do nothing and still think you're helping.
"Being an atheist means you've been able to see through the social pressure, black balling, guilt trips, propaganda, threats against your eternal soul, etc. and be a rational person in an otherwise irrational age. We think that's something to be proud of." ~The Arrogant Atheist
"Every member a missionary? Every member a revenue generator" ~Brian, ex-Mormon
"I love god. He's so deliciously evil!" ~Stewie Griffin
"We met in a little place called the MTC... If you don't know what the MTC is, then you're not cool." ~April Fenn, LDS church member
"This is our most devastating problem... retention." ~Sister "Nana" Barker, LDS Missionary
"Each of us has to face the matter—either the Church is true, or it is a fraud. There is no middle ground. It is the Church and kingdom of God, or it is nothing." ~Gordon B. Hinckley
What's the difference between a teenager and a Mormon? Eventually the teenager will realize that he doesn't know everything.
"How we treat others is a measure of what we think of ourselves" ~Sharon Bower
Atheists have morals too.
If complexity necessitates a creator, wouldn't our creator also need a creator?
Santa Clause is to children as Jesus Christ is to adults.
"If you are truly searching for the truth, then you must be prepared to admit that you don't already have it." ~Myself as a former LDS missionary
"It's impossible to reach good conclusions with bad information...We're all entitled to our own opinions, but none of us can afford to be wrong in our facts." ~Mort Crim
"...it's not a lie if you believe it." ~George Castanza
Mormon411 Needs Your Help
Do you feel that you have something important that you would like to share in order to further the cause of our ex-Mormon movement? If you have written a thought, article, or story that you would like heard, please submit it to Mormon411 and I will publish it here. I will give you full credit for it OR let you remain anonymous if you wish. Please send your submissions to mormon411(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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titikshya91
12-Year-Old With Cancer Fears He Will Never Leave The Hospital Alive While His Parents Struggle To Save Him
More than 6 years of painful injections, frequent headaches and nausea from taking strong has made Omm believe that he will never be able to beat cancer.
"Omm fears meeting people again after becoming confined to the four walls of the hospital for so long, but he misses school terribly. The fact that he scribbles on his old school notebooks and keeps them close to him at all times is proof of this. But when we tell him that he can beat this dreadful disease, he dismisses it. He knows that we are very poor and cannot afford his treatment,"- Jhunurani Naik, mother
'Once he was so confident he would beat this dreadful disease'
Omm (12) was first diagnosed with severe blood cancer in 2013, when he was just 6 years old. A meticulous, well-liked student and a teacher's pet, everybody in his school was worried when he had stopped attending classes all of a sudden. Omm learnt of his condition from his father, who fought back his tears while telling him. But surprisingly, Omm took the news quite well. Even when he was extremely weak, he would be brimming with confidence. In the middle of his treatment, Omm went to meet his classmates and teachers and told them that he would be back soon. At that point, he was so positive that he would beat cancer. And he did, until it came back for him.
"After two years of treatment, he was declared cancer-free in 2015. He was so happy that he could finally go back to school and lead a normal life. He had just started focusing better on his studies and following a routine when he was down with high fever again. We prayed for it to not be cancer again, but who can stop fate? From 2017, his life has revolved around hospitals and suffering again."-Fakir Mohan
Photo taken when Omm was about to leave the hospital in 2015, after being declared cancer-free for the first time
Along with Omm's smile and energy, his parents' hopes have waned too
The Omm that Jhunurani and Fakir Mohan know never stayed quiet for more than 5 minutes. He'd never stay idle – he was always either helping his father on the farm or his mother in the kitchen. Today, Omm is the complete opposite- his parents can't make him smile despite their best efforts.
These parents will be forced to sell their hut and live on the roads without your help
The family was completely dependent on farming for income – and this varies depending on the harvest. Some months, they get as less as Rs 3,000 too. Now with no land or any money left, Fakir Mohan has nothing to save his son Omm. Omm has braved the gruelling chemotherapy so far, and it's the only thing keeping him going. He needs your help to get timely treatment and fight cancer.
Your kind contribution will ensure that Omm is able to get better and live a normal life
Click here to save Omm
Cancer has been ravaging this little boy's life for the past 6 years now
12-year-old Omm will never know a life without suffering if he doesn't get urgent help
UPI: givetofakirmohannaya@yesbankltd (Copy to clipboard)
Virtual account name: Fakir Mohan Nayak - Milaap

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text:
Plastic Bag Maker Sues County Over Ban
By Howard Fine
The nation's largest plastic bag maker has filed suit against Los Angeles County trying to overturn an ordinance that bans plastic bags and requires retailers to charge for paper bags.
The suit by South Carolina-based Hilex Poly Co. and several California plaintiffs, filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims the charge on paper bags violates the requirement under state Proposition 26 that fees and taxes be approved by a two-thirds vote of the people.
The Board of Supervisors earlier this year passed an ordinance banning the use of plastic carry-out bags and imposing a 10-cent charge on each paper bag requested by customers. The law took effect July 1 and applies to grocery stores in unincorporated areas, which stretch from Marina del Rey to the Mojave Desert.
Environmental groups had pressed for the law in an attempt to reduce litter and the numbers of plastic and paper bags ending up in landfills. The charge on paper bags is designed to encourage shoppers to bring reusable bags.
Hilex is seeking to overturn the entire law by striking down the portion requiring a charge for paper bags. The lawsuit does not contend that the ban on plastic bags itself violates state law.
"This charge is not only illegal, but it's a hidden tax, exactly what Proposition 26 was meant to stop," said Mark Daniels, vice president of sustainability and environmental policy for Hilex. "This law…sidesteps the electoral process and unfairly punishes consumers."
Plastic Bag Makers Look to Sack County Ban
Bag Company Command Packaging Got Early Jump on Recycled Plastic
L.A. City Council Approves Plastic Shopping Bag Ban
Metals Company Might Be Reforging Growth Plan
Retained Ban Proves Boon, Bane to Bag Makers
Plastic Bag Makers Double Up on State Measures
Malibu to Ban Plastic Bags


text:
Nancy Jo Sales
NJS
Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon,
IndieBound, and Hachette Books
See readers' photos @nothingpersonalbynancyjosales
Listen to the Spotify playlist for Nothing Personal
See videos about Nothing Personal
Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway
Hear Podcast
BBC World Service Business Daily
Guys We Fucked with Corinne Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson
A Single Serving with Shani Silver
Everything is Fine with Kim France and Jennifer Romolini
Five Things with Lisa Birnbach
Commonwealth Club with Myisha Battle
Girl Boner with August McLaughlin
Damsels in the DMs with Aash Patel and Lauren Harris
Divorced Not Dead with Caroline Stanbury
Praise for Nothing Personal
"A hero's quest, a work of reporting and sociology, and a story about the ways misogyny can misshape a woman's life… If you're single and swiping, Nothing Personal will make you feel seen."
— Jennifer Weiner, Air Mail Weekly
"Against all odds, this unsparing, must-read portrait of modern dating and sex is also a love story."
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Sales's funny, fresh approach will resonate with many single readers, as well as anyone concerned about the ways technology enables capitalism to invade personal lives."
— Publisher's Weekly
"Nothing Personal intertwines intelligent investigation into what Sales calls 'the corporate takeover of dating' with a raw, funny, extremely personal ride through her own experience of looking for love in midlife."
— The Sunday Times Style
"Relatable, hilarious, heart-breaking and eye-opening."
"In this warm, witty and rigorously honest account, Sales takes us behind the scenes of her work as a journalist and filmmaker and her own experiences with Tinder. Her personal narrative is illuminated by often chilling research."
— Marion Winik, WYPR
"In Nothing Personal, Nancy Jo Sales holds nothing back! This book isn't just about dating in the digital age, it's about learning to love yourself for who you are, no matter what age or size."
— Tyra Banks
"It's a vulnerable, in-depth look at her own life, career…the subject of online dating in the internet age and exactly how and why sexism, racism and transphobia propagate on dating apps."
— Slate
"Even if it were nothing about internet dating, it's a thrilling read. And then to come upon the level of research and the personal story about dating and sexuality and menopause is so life-giving. Trust me on this, if you read the first page or two you'll be hooked."
— Anne Lamott, author of Dusk Night Dawn
"Sales hilariously and poignantly opens up about dating younger men, sending or being sent nudes, and how dating apps reinforce the sexual oppression of women."
— Marie Claire
"An investigative memoir that sheds light on the misogyny, ageism, racism, and emotional and sexual dissatisfaction that plagues modern dating culture."
— Toronto Sun
"The great Nancy Jo Sales pulls off such a blistering, truly heartbreaking book about looking for love, it should come wrapped in fire-proofing!"
— E. Jean Carroll
"A really brave book…an absolute must-read."
— Kim France, founding editor of Lucky magazine
"It's part memoir, part investigative journalism, all deeply, excruciatingly relatable."
— Glamour
"Incredibly juicy…impossible to put down."
— Rebecca Jennings, Vox
"The book's mix of gonzo journalism and critical analysis follows Sales's descent into the bloodless heart of the dating-industrial complex…unflinchingly honest, whip-smart."
— Andi Zeisler, Bitch Media
"I love the work [Nancy Jo Sales] is doing. Keep up the good fight, Nancy Jo."
— Kara Swisher
"A memoir of swiping right for love from a journalist who crafts page-turners."
"The combination of Sales's long-term interest and her personal experiences mean she is able to offer original, thoughtful insights."
— Financial Times
"Sales writes with humor and ethos [about] a culture that undermines the real purpose of dating—finding love."
— Norway's D2 magazine
"Nancy Jo Sales puts everything on the table as she investigates the dizzying impact of dating apps in both our culture and her own life. This is a hot and heavy book-hot as in sexy, as in timely, as in fully, unapologetically alive; heavy as in deeply researched, as in saturated with heartache, as in worth its weight in gold."
— Gayle Brandeis, author of The Book of Dead Birds
"With her trademark combination of wry wit and razor-sharp observation, Nancy Jo Sales dissects the systemic misogyny woven into the fabric of the capitalist online-dating machine. A devastating portrait of how sexual violence and gender inequality are intertwined in many girls' earliest formative experiences and how their impact echoes down generations."
— Laura Bates, author of Men Who Hate Women
"A refreshingly honest look into the world of online dating, revealing the myriad ways tech companies are encouraging the same old misogyny but masquerading it as empowerment."
— Anita Sarkeesian, executive director of Feminist Frequency
"Nancy Jo Sales writes about the ever-changing tides of modern romance with humility and humor that reminds us how human we all are. She explores how this growing surplus of available romantic options commodifies sex and hookups, turning courtship into utility."
— Ryan Eggold
"Nancy Jo Sales has been a leading chronicler of our digital culture, its joys and pathologies. Sales is a gift — her journey is powerful and raw, and her humor amidst it all makes it difficult to put the book down. Brava, this is a masterpiece."
— Danielle Citron, author of Hate Crimes in Cyberspace
"For those of us questioning what courtship even means in the age of dating apps, Nancy Jo Sales is a guide and a much-needed voice of reason who has swiped, sexted, and survived. Nothing Personal will be remembered for translating the world of twenty-first-century sex and romance."
— Marisa Meltzer, author of This Is Big
"Groundbreaking...I love Nancy Jo's honesty and her connection with her own brain, heart, and soul. It's so unbelievably refreshing to read the words of a woman that are so based in truth, her truth. I love this book so much. I didn't want to put it down."
— Peri Gilpin
"Nancy Jo Sales has written an unflinching confession and thoroughly researched exposé of how big tech has affected the way we relate now. Amid so much hot sex, I found myself chilled to the bone."
— Iris Smyles, author of Dating Tips for the Unemployed
"An adrenaline-fueled romp through the world of online dating. At once hilarious and disturbing, Sales recounts not only how this technology shapes our experiences of love and dating, but also how it transformed her."
— Breanne Fahs, author of Burn It Down!
"Through a personal narration that opens your mind to the world of relationships biased by a culture manipulated by technology, Nothing Personal explores an unimagined reality for some and the lived dating experience for many. Throughout the narrative, this book will keep you going down the rabbit hole."
— Dr. Ayanna Howard, Dean of Ohio State University's College of Engineering
"Nancy Jo Sales is officially the world expert of dating apps. For years, she's been a rare voice exposing the underbelly of hookup tech. The retaliation by Tinder to her earlier work didn't stop her from penetrating the industry harder. Now, she's reincarnated as a user taking us on the harrowing journey of her own hookups while telling us the ugly truth about the misogyny these companies perpetuate."
— Carrie Goldberg, author of Nobody's Victim
"A wonderful, wonderful book. Nancy Jo Sales has always been a brilliant chronicler of the sexual mores of our time. But Nothing Personal manages the enjoyable feat of reading like a touching memoir, a well-researched and balanced feminist treatise, and a frequently funny journey through funny/sad love stories like Sex in the City for the smartphone era. Like most smartphone excesses, dating app romances can be awful, but Sales is a great literary Virgil."
— Dimitry Elias Léger, author of God Loves Haiti
© 2022 Nancy Jo Sales


Let our parenting coordinator help you reach a swift resolution in your case. Parent Coordination is a child-focused process designed to help parents understand a child's needs while making decisions within the scope of a court order. The goal is to ensure that parents are able to implement their parenting plan, maintain compliance, and resolve any conflicts in a timely manner.


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Trowers & Hamlins signs up to the Care Leaver Covenant
Yetunde Dania
International law firm Trowers & Hamlins has become an official legal partner of the Care Leaver Covenant, a programme developed under the Department for Education's "Keep on Caring" policy, aiming to improve outcomes for care leavers.
The announcement comes as National Care Leavers' Week (26 October – 1 November), which aims to highlight the successes of care-experienced young people and campaign for extra support for those leaving the care system.
The firm will support the Covenant with their legal responsibilities on a pro-bono basis, having already developed a 12-page 'Toolkit' to equip councils with the ability to offer dedicated support for care leavers at the procurement phase. The toolkit combines guidance on language, advertisement and contract management as well as giving examples of best practice from councils that are leading in their support for vulnerable groups.
The Care Leaver Covenant tackles the disadvantages that young people aged 16-25 face when leaving care and helps them to live independently. Working with a range of organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors, who sign up to the Covenant, tangible opportunities for care leavers are created, including employment, education and training, safety and security, health, financial independence and independent living.
Partner Yetunde Dania, who has been a member of the Advisory Board for the Covenant since its inception in mid-2018, said:
"We at Trowers take pride in our commitment to making diversity and inclusion a priority and the work carried out by the covenant is something that we as a firm are extremely passionate about.
"My passion for this organisation is born out of a desire to be part of something that will have a positive impact on the lives of some of those leaving our care system and help to provide them with opportunities that otherwise they may not have, encouraging social mobility and support where it's needed. As a firm, we can help to make a difference."
Matthew Gordon, Chief Executive of Spectra, delivery partner of the Care Leaver Covenant added:
"We are delighted to have Trowers supporting us. They are well known for their prominent standing in the social and private housing sectors, which places them in a unique position to extend the reach of our work at the Covenant.
"We want to ensure care leavers have the same opportunities as all young people so that they can lead healthy, happy and successful lives.
"Trowers have played a pivotal role in in supporting the Covenant to produce the social value toolkit and I look forward to continuing to work together on further projects."
This week, on Thursday 29 October, the Covenant is holding The Empathy Summit, where it will call on education and business leaders to be more empathetic towards care leavers and provide specific opportunities for them. Examples include businesses offering recruitment schemes tailored towards care leavers and education establishments delivering specially designed support packages featuring, for example, extended accommodation during holiday periods.
For further information about The Empathy Summit or to register for free tickets, go to https://mycovenant.org.uk/empathy-summit-event/
Most care leavers will lack the social networks to support them in leading independent, fulfilling lives and the Covenant seeks to address these challenges by promoting five key outcomes so that care leavers:
Are better prepared to live independently;
Have improved access to employment, education and training;
Experience stability in their lives and feel safe and secure;
Have improved access to health support; and
Achieve financial stability.
Care leaver facts and stats
There are around 70,000 young people in care in the UK. Roughly ¾ predominantly in foster care and ¼ in Local Authority residential care.
Around 10,000 leave care each year, becoming care leavers.
Around 40% of care leavers aged 19-21 are NEET.
Only about 7% of care leavers begin university degrees.
Roughly 25% of the male and female prison population are care experienced.
Roughly 25% of the homeless population are care experienced.
The Care Leaver Covenant in action:
More than 200 organisations signed up to the Covenant, including Trowers & Hamlins, Barclays, Reed, Superdry, Amazon, ENGIE, PGL and Compass Group.
1,000 plus opportunities created for care leavers.
152 councils with Children Services departments to support the Covenant.
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Webinar: Top tips for ongoing procurements


Cydnee Berry (AKA Jalesa Berry) is a California-born promo model that left her West Coast life to live and work in Atlanta, GA. I recently met Cydnee online and talked with her about her experiences working at events in a somewhat foreign city and how she plans to use the experience to build a successful entertainment career. Follow her success story on her website.
When and why did you start doing promotions?
I started doing them when I moved to Atlanta in 2008. At the time, I wanted to network and meet people. I was only 18 and I had just moved here. I saw promotional events around my college campus – girls doing Red Bull and Coca-Cola – and they were having so much fun. I wanted in.
Why did you come to Atlanta?
I moved to Atlanta to go to Clark Atlanta University and major in theater arts and communication. Although it was far, it was a good choice because it is a well-known historically black University. I was somewhat familiar with the area because some of my family members also went to college in Atlanta. I wanted to experience life outside of California.
Now that you're in Atlanta, what is the most surprising thing you've learned about the city because of your promo work?
I have learned that although there is such a thing as southern hospitality, it's more of a myth. Yes, you can meet a lot of nice people, but many of the big cities are made of people not from the South. It is actually a huge melting pot of people from all over the country. Promotions in Atlanta are just like promotions in every other city, because of that mixture. If you want true Southern hospitality you have to go to a smaller city.
In your professional opinion, what's the biggest difference between California and Atlanta?
In California, it's a good mixture of who you know and what you know. In Atlanta, it's a lot more who you know. It is unfortunately not fair, but it's how it is. Someone can apply and they can be a friend of a friend and they get the gig, even if they aren't qualified. Because of that, many of the professional relationships aren't sincere because people are just trying to network for jobs.
One thing I would definitely suggest is using social networking, because you will need to network. Talk to the promo people that you see at college campuses or at clubs. Work as hard as you can, and don't be afraid to be spontaneous.
Outside of promotions, what do you do?
I am an actress, model, and writer and soon to be business owner. I am also taking courses online with Walden University for an MBA in International Management and studying for my TOEFEL certificate.
I see myself as successful actress – and by that I mean an actress, producer and writer- and a very successful business owner. I see myself living in Southern California with 2 ½ kids, the half is because I will be pregnant. I'm going to own my own home and plan to have a restaurant business with my brother.
You mentioned earlier that you are in grad school studying international business, how has promo work affected your studies and career goals?
I have learned that every business needs self-promotion, and everything I've done as a promo girl has taught me how to better do that. I have also gained self- confidence. I now know that if you can promote another brand with your face, you can promote your own brand with your face. That's why I have established my online brand and am actively promoting myself, including building my own website.
You're an actress, model and business student- that makes you the ultimate promo professional… is there any promo job you wouldn't do?
I'd never want to do a promotion where I'd have to spend too much time in nature, and I'm not a fan of activations (setup and break down). I'm not lazy or anything, but the humidity out here can be killer and I don't like being out in the woods. I just like to be comfortable, you know? Keep me in a city!
What is the weirdest event you've ever worked at?
I had to do face-painting one time, and it was only weird because of the designs the kids were requesting. It was hard to tell the kids no, and it was also weird explaining it to their parents that it was not appropriate.
There was also a beer promotion where people were taking too many free samples. Having to cut them off was really difficult and awkward.
As a promo model, you sometimes get some really cute gear- what's your favorite freebie so far?
I did a gig as a go-go dancer and they gave us spanx to where under our skirts. They are so cute and I still wear them.
Have you had any event stalkers?
If I do, I've never paid attention to it. Although there was this one guy that said he's seen me a lot of time around town at events. It made me feel a little weird because it was like he knew me and I didn't know him.
What type of event gig is on your to do list?
I want to work with Coca-Cola. They seem like a lot of fun. I'm all about the fun… but I'm open to any gigs.
Are Goody Bags at Events a Good Idea?


You need a valid passport with a minimum validity of six months from the day you enter Morocco. Europeans do not need a visa.
The legally permitted maximum stay is 90 days.
The country's currency is the Dirham. The exchange is approximately 1 € = 10.5DH.
The easiest way to get cash is to change some money in the Moroccan airport. In some hotels, and probably in some cities you can also pay by credit card.
Morocco's official languages are: National, classic Arabic and Berber.
The unofficial languages of Morocco are: Moroccan Arabic dialect of classical Arabic. Berber languages (Tarifit, Tamazight and Tachelhit) used daily in the mountain and desert regions of Morocco. French is the language of commerce, higher education is taught in French.
The Spanish: Northern regions speak some Spanish because in the past it formed part of the Spanish Protectorate of Morocco.
Classical Arabic is the language by law but the law also accepted French and sometimes Spanish. Most of the language spoken by the population is Arabic Moroccan gradually influenced by the so-called cultural language. Actually, there is diglossia and even triglossia sometimes because the vast majority of the population understand and speak French. Berber areas, in three dialects of Berber languages (Tarifit in the north, Tamazight in the Middle Atlas and desert and Tachelhit the great atlas and the Atlantic coast) use their language daily.
No vaccinations are needed. In the big city pharmacies you can find the same medication as in Europe, in rural areas with difficult access to health services, medicines are often not available.
Because of its geography, Atlantic coast, Mediterranean coast, low mountain, high mountain, plains and desert, Morocco has many variables in its climate.
Generally it has a warm climate except December, January and February which are the coldest months of the year.
In the desert during the August temperatures reach up to 50 °.
Travelers from other countries should only drink bottled water. Green tea is the national drink and it is prepared with mint. Part of the tradition is a ritual to welcome the newcomer. They call it the Berber whiskey and it is known to be well prepared by his turban foam.
The national dishes are the Tagine: a meat and vegetable stew and couscous: cracked wheat steamed carefully, a delicious stew of vegetables and meat. The main secret of all the kitchens is a special selection of the wide variety of spices that exist in Moroccan cuisine.
Bread is unconditional since it is present at every meal.
In rural areas, every family has a stone oven where they carefully cook bread to eat fresh every day. The Harira is the Ramadan soup, nutritious mixture of pasta, rice, lentils, vegetables and spices with a strong coriander flavour.
Morocco utilizes daylight saving time.
Morocco starts Daylight Saving Time on Sunday March 27, 2016 at 2:00 AM local standard time.
Morocco temporarily ends Daylight Saving Time before Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, on Sunday June 4, 2016 at 3:00 AM local daylight time.
Morocco resumes Daylight Saving Time on Sunday July 9, 2016 at 2:00 AM local standard time.
Morocco ends Daylight Saving Time on Sunday October 30, 2016 at 3:00 AM local daylight time.
Sunglasses, sunscreen cream , protective anti mosquito cream, lip balm, soap, tissues, ibuprofen, aspirin, laxatives, astringents (just in case), comfortable shoes, sandals, jacket for cold nights, batteries for devices that require them (in Africa batteries are of very poor quality).
At the time of purchasing something we must not forget that Morocco is still developing so everything is a little cheaper than in Europe. Even today it is marketed formerly with bartering, exchanging objects or food.
The souks are markets where you can buy almost anything, an explosion of scents and colours. It is also usual to haggle, to buy you have to negotiate the price with the seller with skill and trying not to abuse them. The idea is to start with a little less than the price you would pay for the desired object, start the negotiation with the seller to finally agree with a fair price for both.
Some typical products include orange blossom water, rosewater, argan oil, musk, dates, couscous, harissa (hot sauce), carpets, printed scarves, turbans, silver accessories, djellabas, slippers, fossils and quartz extracted in the country, Arab and Berber handicrafts, ceramics, textiles, musical instruments (djarbuca, gnawa castanets…), variety of spices such as saffron, cardamom and cumin… so valuable in ancient times they were used as currency exchange in the trans-Saharan routes.
Marathon of the Sands: One of the toughest marathons in the world, this journey begins in Ouarzazate and ends in the desert in late March and early April.
Roses Festival, Kelaat M'gouna: in the valley of roses, festivals are held each May for 3 days, with live Berber music. Early May. Gnawa Festival in Essaouira: African tribal music festival-Moroccan. In the middle of June.
Festival of Gnawa in Khamlia: meeting the people of the desert towns where the tribes of Gnawas invite you to eat and perform dances and rituals of protection. Mid July.
National Festival of Popular Arts in Marrakech: recognized since 2005 by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Takes place in the best areas of the city such as the Menara Gardens, Palm, El Badi Palace… Mid July.
Art and Music Festival of Asilah: where you can enjoy the colourful murals the artists decorate on the white houses of the medina. In late July.
Festival of the Wedding, Imilchil: curious celebration with live music and songs where Berber women and men unite in a showy ritual. Mid-September.
Festival of the date, Erfoud: the people of the region meet in one of the most fascinating places in Morocco, Merzouga dunes, to enjoy traditional competition of dromedaries. Late October.
International Film Festival of Marrakech: Between November and December.
Ramadan: the month of purification. The whole country comes to this tradition for about 30 days a year. It's a religious celebration when people stop eating and drinking from before sunrise until sunset. At the end the month is celebrated with the festival of Aït Seguir.
Festival of the Lamb: Approximately 40 days after Ramadan, every family sacrifices a lamb as an offer to God, as Abraham did in his time.


: I have already given my son Prevnar and Menjugate. I know OHIP doesn't cover them, but the benefits far outweigh the costs or side effects. Luckily for me too, my husband's drug plan picked up the tab. I spoke to a friend of ours who is a doctor and he said that the only reason these vaccinations have not been made mandatory under OHIP is because of their high costs. He strongly recommended giving them.


The article discusses how networking solutions and security providers can offer converged infrastructure solutions to the Middle East market.
Discusses the elements of a complete information security solution. Characteristics of an effective system for securing the integrity of information; Strategies that can be used to enhance physical security; Forms of computer network attacks.
The article offers information on an online video on context-aware information technology (IT) security.
A calendar of events for computer network security from September 2014 to December 2014 is presented which includes SANS Crystal City 2014, Gartner CIO & IT Executive Summit, and CSA EMEA Congress.
An obituary for Richard Poirier, past editor of the journal, is presented.
An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses various articles published within the issue on topics including the annual Security 7 award winners, incidence response planning, and the emergence of virtualization security controls.


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Software helps business owners with leads generation, sending email campaigns, sales opportunities, chasing payments and tasks management.
Last year Smarty Software has been shortlisted in a prestigious listing by the Real Business Magazine as one of the most disruptive UK companies in 2017 'The Future 50' and nominated for CRM of the Year 2018 alongside SugarCRM and HubSpot by Computing Network.
For full list of founders please visit our Crunch profile here.
We understand that entrepreneurs have to wear many hats, but it does not mean they need to be an expert in marketing, accounting and sales. Let Smarty help you run and grow your business!
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BUSINESS TOOLS Track sales, analyse staff performance, and monitor company expenditure - even while you sleep.
This research comes after GoDaddy and Redshift last year found that 60 per cent of the UK's very small businesses – those with five employees or less – didn't even have a website. UK businesses must not only make sure they keep on top of digital trends in order to keep on top of competitors in the country, but also help to position the UK as global leaders in the business world.
Research from tech.co and realbusiness.co, reports that entrepreneurs and small business owners work, on average, around 60+ hours per week. AutoMate conducted research and found that entrepreneurs could save about 15-20 hours of work each week by incorporating automation software into their business. By automating tasks such as sending recurring invoices, payment reminders, creating email campaigns and more, entrepreneurs will have more free time in their day.
The UK government strategy (Digital Skills Strategy 2017) includes new commitments, including a plan by Lloyds Banking Group to give face-to-face digital skills training to 2.5 million individuals, charities and small and medium businesses by 2020.
All that creates unparalleled opportunity to tap into digital marketing in small business industry.
So, while there are other automation software out on the market, many of these focus in specifically on one aspect of business and can be very expensive, costing hundreds of pounds a month. Smarty noticed this lack of integration and capitalised on it by designing a new platform that covers many different operations of running a business, at a low cost (averaging £50-100 a month) that small business owners and entrepreneurs can afford.
So TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE CLOUD WITH SMARTY!
Thank you for supporting our campaign and pleding your support. We have created a range of useful rewards to support start-ups, micro and small business owners.
1. Workshop - worth £250 - get it for just £180. A full day workshop in central London helping you supercharge your business skills such as accounting, bookkeeping, marketing and management.
2. 1-Hour A Day Marketing Programme - Smarty Software's marketing team have created a comprehensive marketing programme which we will share with you to help you grow your business 25% in just 3 months.
3. Freebies - We decided to compile a list of "freebies" for you to try out! Our list ranges from different business automation software systems to online courses that you might find helpful.


text:
Holurothrips is a genus of thrips in the family Phlaeothripidae.

Species
 Holurothrips collessi
 Holurothrips manipurensis
 Holurothrips morikawai
 Holurothrips ornatus

References

Phlaeothripidae
Thrips
Thrips genera

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia