Religion betrayed me
You asked me why I won’t come back and join you in church?
My answer is, Religion betrayed me.
How do you mean?
I was taught from childhood to follow my leaders.
I was told that I would never be led astray from the truth.
I was told that even if I was told to do something and it was wrong I would be blessed by doing it.
I believed in my religion.
I promoted my religion.
I lived my religion.
I was told that the most sacred place in this world was the temple of the most high, I was promised great blessings if I followed the teachings of the church.
When I turned 19, I was allowed into the most sacred place on this earth, the Mormon temple.
I walked into the Temple in Salt Lake City, the icon for the most holy place on earth.
There I was ritually washed and anointed to become a God.
I was taught a special way to pray called the true order of prayer.
I was told that I was to liken myself as if I were Adam.
I participated in a prayer circle and told this was the proper way to pray.
I searched the scriptures of the church and found a template to build my own altar.
This I did, and began to pray as I was taught.
I experienced an awakening and communed with the heavens.
I was at peace.
A movement began, instituted by the highest leaders of the Mormon church.
It was called a witch hunt by Salt Lake media.
Hundreds of people were called to stand before their local leaders and justify their beliefs.
I was called to stand before 15 men.
I was was told that I must stop praying in the manner I was taught in the Mormon temple.
I was told that if I did not comply I would be disciplined.
I declined to follow these 15 men who represented the Mormon church.
Two days later, two men dressed in suits came to my door and presented me with a letter that stated I had been formally been excommunicated for apostasy.
The definition of apostasy from ads.org is, “When individuals or groups of people turn away from the principles of the gospel, they are in a state of apostasy.”
I followed the teachings taught by the church in the Temple.
Betrayal is defined by Wikipedia as, “Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations.”
I no longer subscribe to religion.
I commune with the heavens in my own way now.
I have found true peace.
It is true that I was betrayed by religion, but that experience has brought me to a place that was not possible before.
When others seek to draw me back into their world I smile and say, I have found God and he/she does not require a membership in any organization or religion to commune with the heavens.
