Come Join An Interfaithless Gathering On A Southern California Beach

[TheWayoftheFuture]

First, let me tell you who I am. Then I'm going to invite you to an event.

 

Who am I?

 

I am an exmormon. I was Mormon from birth to my mid-30's. I was raised in a very devout family, served a 2 year mission for the church (looking back I realize the mission is to indoctrinate the missionary far more than it is to actually convert anyone), married in a mormon temple and was fully believing and committed until my mid 30's. It was then that I finally started to ask questions like: 

 

How come the leaders don't seem like they have any extra spiritual power than anyone else? 

 

If this is the one true church with the exclusive power to act for God on earth, shouldn't the leaders seem different than everyone else in the world? 

 

How come so many people in Utah are on anti-depressants? 

 

If God blesses us through the priesthood, and only mormons have the priesthood, how come Mormons don't seem to be any different (better people, better health, fewer problems, etc) than any other group of people? 

 

How come I've been hearing the same things repeated over and over and over and over in church my entire life? Does God really want such repetitive and mind-numbing lessons in his one true church? 

 

Why would God have a one true church that was only a minuscule percentage of the world population?

 

Discovering the answers to these questions (and many, many more) caused my belief in Mormonism to collapse. It was hell getting through it, but it was worth it to gain true spiritual freedom. I am now non-religious. Following my departure from mormonism, I started planning events for exmormons. I've organized several events over the past few years. They have been a lot of fun. But mormons aren't unique. People leave other religions for the same fundamental reasons people leave mormonism. Rather than planning an event for just exmormons, why not include people from the other 'ex' communities since we share so much in common? And that is what led me here. 

 

Here is the invitation to the event:

 

You are cordially invited to attend an interfaithless gathering on Saturday, May 31st, 2014 at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Orange County, California from 3:00-10:00pm.

Come mingle with ex-christians, ex-mormons, ex-jews, ex-jehovah's witnesses and more. The purpose of the gathering is to celebrate our shared walk away from our prior religion. Whether our background is Scientology, Judaism, or anything else, we have a lot in common and there is a lot to gain by gathering together. This event is being promoted at various places online. At the last beach event I organized, there was about 40 people in all. I expect more this time. 


What's in it for you?

The beach. Barbecued ribs prepared by me (the ribs will be ready to eat around 6:00pm). The company of awesome people. Leaving religion can be a scary and lonely road. By coming together we realize our strength and build a community outside of our prior religion.


What's the catch?

There is no catch. Come hang out at the beach, eat some food, mingle with interesting people, and enjoy a fire at night. The cook (me) will be buying and barbecuing the ribs and while no one will be required to pay, if you slip a tip into the cook's pocket, he will look the other way. :-)


What do I have to do?

YOU MUST RSVP. We won't know until the morning of the event what spot on the beach we'll be at. On the morning of the event, I will send a private message to everyone who has RSVP'd to let them know what spot on the beach we are at. There are over 200 fire pits on the beach, so you will need to know which one we are at. If you don't RSVP, you won't know. Again, YOU MUST RSVP.


What do I need to bring?

You don't have to bring anything but if you'd like to bring a side dish, non-alcoholic drinks, or dessert to share, that would be great. If you'd like to bring something, please let me know what you'll bring.


What else do I need to know? 

Parking at the beach is $15 cash only. Here is a map to the parking entrance. If driving from the north on the PCH, the parking entrance is at the first street light south of Warner. If driving from the south on PCH, the parking entrance is at the first street light north of Seapoint. You can’t miss it. 

Also, pets and alcohol are not allowed on the beach. 


Why are you doing this?

After I mentally exited from my prior religion (Mormonism), a year passed and I had never met face-to-face with another person who left Mormonism. So I planned an event for exmormons and people showed up. Meeting with others like me opened up a whole new world in my post-religious life. Suddenly, I knew others like me existed in my area and they were normal, good, interesting people and the kind of people I was excited to be in a community with. But Mormonism is not unique. People leave other religions for the same fundamental reasons people leave Mormonism. Regardless of religious background, we have a lot in common and a lot to gain by gathering together. 


The Bottom Line

Saturday, May 31st. Bolsa Chica State Beach. Food. Fun. Fire. Cool people. The beach. RSVP.

[Positivist]

Welcome!!

 

I have a number of ex-Mormon friends, one of whom is here: http://www.iamanexmormon.com/

 

I am an ex-fundamentalist Christian ("ex-fundagelical") and it's so wonderful to get together with my ex-Mormon friends to compare notes.

 

I hope you have a great gathering!!!

[◊ crazyguy123 ◊]

I'd sure like to go, but the location is a LONG distance away. Maybe when the next gathering takes place, I'll be able to go. I do have plans of living closer to that area in the future anyway.

[seeker001]

Sadly, I'm on the east coast, but good luck with your event and thanks for the invite

[Margee]

Welcome to EX-c TWF!

 

Sounds to me like you are doing some real good work in bringing people together who have left their religions behind for the support that is so desperately needed. We can be made to feel very alone in this walk. It's good to make new friends. I had the exact same questions about Christianity that you did about Mormonism. It's all the same. Deconverting from something you believed was the truth is a very hard thing to do. I wish you the best on your new journey.

 

I've been to that beach before, many years ago. My cousin who was my best friend lived in the 'Hollywood Hills' and I was lucky enough to have had several trips to California. I sure wish I could visit it the end of May but just can't get to California next month!! LOL  I hope you'll come back here and tell us all about it. Those ribs you're going to cook up, sure sound good! I hope this event turns out wonderful for you!!

 

*hug*

[Blood]

"Interfaithless" -- I love it. 

[mydisplayname]

I would have loved to go, but it would involve travelling just over 10 000 miles as the crow flies.

 

(Parking sounds insane in the US. $15??? That's 3 super-sized big mac mc meals or a bottle of johnny walker red label.) 

[TheWayoftheFuture]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm really looking forward to the event and hopefully some local ex-Christians will find out about in on here and be able to make it. With all the people in Southern California, there's gotta be some who would like to know about it. 

[BendyLine]

I would totally go to this if I wasn't a couple thousand miles away. Hope you have a successful gathering.

[TheWayoftheFuture]

UPDATE:

 

This event is now part of Global Exittor Meetup Day with interfaithless get-together's taking place on the same day in New York City and London. Other cities will hopefully be added as well.

 

The central hub for all the events taking place on May 31st is on Reddit. Click here to go directly to the Global Exittor Meetup Day thread on Reddit.

 

If you are not in Southern California, hopefully one of the other locations will work for you. If not, plan an event in your city! 

[TheWayoftheFuture]

9 days away!

 

The event is going to be fantastic. I've gotten 70 RSVP's so far and am expecting a great turnout. That's a lot of ribs for me to cook! But I'm doing it for you!

 

Come be a part of it. You know you want to. :-)

[christophercomplex]

First, let me tell you who I am. Then I'm going to invite you to an event.

 

Who am I?

 

I am an exmormon. I was Mormon from birth to my mid-30's. I was raised in a very devout family, served a 2 year mission for the church (looking back I realize the mission is to indoctrinate the missionary far more than it is to actually convert anyone), married in a mormon temple and was fully believing and committed until my mid 30's. It was then that I finally started to ask questions like: 

 

How come the leaders don't seem like they have any extra spiritual power than anyone else? 

 

If this is the one true church with the exclusive power to act for God on earth, shouldn't the leaders seem different than everyone else in the world? 

 

How come so many people in Utah are on anti-depressants? 

 

If God blesses us through the priesthood, and only mormons have the priesthood, how come Mormons don't seem to be any different (better people, better health, fewer problems, etc) than any other group of people? 

 

How come I've been hearing the same things repeated over and over and over and over in church my entire life? Does God really want such repetitive and mind-numbing lessons in his one true church? 

 

Why would God have a one true church that was only a minuscule percentage of the world population?

 

Discovering the answers to these questions (and many, many more) caused my belief in Mormonism to collapse. It was hell getting through it, but it was worth it to gain true spiritual freedom. I am now non-religious. Following my departure from mormonism, I started planning events for exmormons. I've organized several events over the past few years. They have been a lot of fun. But mormons aren't unique. People leave other religions for the same fundamental reasons people leave mormonism. Rather than planning an event for just exmormons, why not include people from the other 'ex' communities since we share so much in common? And that is what led me here. 

 

Here is the invitation to the event:

 

You are cordially invited to attend an interfaithless gathering on Saturday, May 31st, 2014 at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Orange County, California from 3:00-10:00pm.

 

Come mingle with ex-christians, ex-mormons, ex-jews, ex-jehovah's witnesses and more. The purpose of the gathering is to celebrate our shared walk away from our prior religion. Whether our background is Scientology, Judaism, or anything else, we have a lot in common and there is a lot to gain by gathering together. This event is being promoted at various places online. At the last beach event I organized, there was about 40 people in all. I expect more this time. 

 

 

What's in it for you?

 

The beach. Barbecued ribs prepared by me (the ribs will be ready to eat around 6:00pm). The company of awesome people. Leaving religion can be a scary and lonely road. By coming together we realize our strength and build a community outside of our prior religion.

 

 

What's the catch?

 

There is no catch. Come hang out at the beach, eat some food, mingle with interesting people, and enjoy a fire at night. The cook (me) will be buying and barbecuing the ribs and while no one will be required to pay, if you slip a tip into the cook's pocket, he will look the other way. :-)

 

 

What do I have to do?

 

YOU MUST RSVP. We won't know until the morning of the event what spot on the beach we'll be at. On the morning of the event, I will send a private message to everyone who has RSVP'd to let them know what spot on the beach we are at. There are over 200 fire pits on the beach, so you will need to know which one we are at. If you don't RSVP, you won't know. Again, YOU MUST RSVP.

 

 

What do I need to bring?

 

You don't have to bring anything but if you'd like to bring a side dish, non-alcoholic drinks, or dessert to share, that would be great. If you'd like to bring something, please let me know what you'll bring.

 

 

What else do I need to know? 

 

Parking at the beach is $15 cash only. Here is a map to the parking entrance. If driving from the north on the PCH, the parking entrance is at the first street light south of Warner. If driving from the south on PCH, the parking entrance is at the first street light north of Seapoint. You can’t miss it. 

 

Also, pets and alcohol are not allowed on the beach. 

 

 

Why are you doing this?

 

After I mentally exited from my prior religion (Mormonism), a year passed and I had never met face-to-face with another person who left Mormonism. So I planned an event for exmormons and people showed up. Meeting with others like me opened up a whole new world in my post-religious life. Suddenly, I knew others like me existed in my area and they were normal, good, interesting people and the kind of people I was excited to be in a community with. But Mormonism is not unique. People leave other religions for the same fundamental reasons people leave Mormonism. Regardless of religious background, we have a lot in common and a lot to gain by gathering together. 

 

 

The Bottom Line

 

Saturday, May 31st. Bolsa Chica State Beach. Food. Fun. Fire. Cool people. The beach. RSVP.

I'm glad for you that you don't have to carry the burden of living to become a god anymore, that must be a load off your mind.

[mydisplayname]

 

I'm glad for you that you don't have to carry the burden of living to become a god anymore, that must be a load off your mind.

 

 

What? Dude just don't go. I don't know what you're going on about.

 

Are Christians allowed to post in ex-christian life? Isn't it just lions den and rants? I didn't wan't a Christian perspective on the topics I've opened up in ex-christian life.

[TheWayoftheFuture]

 

I'm glad for you that you don't have to carry the burden of living to become a god anymore, that must be a load off your mind.

 

 

Thanks. Dumping Mormonism was definitely a load off my mind. Mormonism is very works-driven. Meaning, unless you dot every i and cross every t of every commandment (and they are endless), you are never comfortable. The result? Utah has the highest rate of anti-depressant use in the country. Coincidence? I don't think so. The way Mormonism operates is that it appeals to your vanity on one level (you can become God and create worlds and be to others what God is to you!) but on another level you are beaten down by never being able to measure up. In fact, I've known Mormons who lament that Mormons don't feel "saved" like regular Christians. Instead, they are always stressed that they are not doing enough. 

[TheWayoftheFuture]

 

 

I'm glad for you that you don't have to carry the burden of living to become a god anymore, that must be a load off your mind.

 

 

What? Dude just don't go. I don't know what you're going on about.

 

Are Christians allowed to post in ex-christian life? Isn't it just lions den and rants? I didn't wan't a Christian perspective on the topics I've opened up in ex-christian life.

 

 

I don't think this wasn't a Christian post. Christophercomplex was referring to the Mormon doctrine that people can become God and the relief that must come when Mormons stop believing that's the standard they have to live up to. 

[mydisplayname]

 

 

 

I'm glad for you that you don't have to carry the burden of living to become a god anymore, that must be a load off your mind.

 

 

What? Dude just don't go. I don't know what you're going on about.

 

Are Christians allowed to post in ex-christian life? Isn't it just lions den and rants? I didn't wan't a Christian perspective on the topics I've opened up in ex-christian life.

 

 

I don't think this wasn't a Christian post. Christophercomplex was referring to the Mormon doctrine that people can become God and the relief that must come when Mormons stop believing that's the standard they have to live up to. 

 

 

Sorry Christophercomplex. My bad. It said christian next to your profile and the fact that I've never ever met or spoke to a real life Mormon means I've never heard of this doctrine before. All I know of Mormonism is what I learned from South Park. It's just not a thing in Africa.

 

Really, people can become god? They actually believe that? The insanity.

[TheWayoftheFuture]

Sorry Christophercomplex. My bad. It said christian next to your profile and the fact that I've never ever met or spoke to a real life Mormon means I've never heard of this doctrine before. All I know of Mormonism is what I learned from South Park. It's just not a thing in Africa.

 

Really, people can become god? They actually believe that? The insanity.

 

 

Yes, they really do. It's often denied to the outside world or they claim it's a "mystery" that we don't know much about, but the past leaders were clear and there are tons of living Mormons who believe this. They believe that just as God created the world we live on that they will one day create worlds and populate them with their spirit offspring just like God did for this planet, and that they will be to their spirit children what God is to the people on Earth. 

 

By the way, if all you know is from South Park, you know quite a bit of truth that Mormons don't know about their own church because the church has whitewashed and distorted its history to the Mormon people.