I need HELP deprogramming from Mormonism!

  • Thread starter Thread starter elliemae8
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
E

elliemae8

Guest
Hello,
I was raised Mormon and left their church when I was around 17. I was not heavily into their beliefs but almost my entire family is still Mormon and I am surrounded by their terminology around holidays and such. I still have the songs and some of their teachings in my head unfortunately. I don’t want my Catholic beliefs to be a weird mix of the two without me realizing it. Is there a way I can double-check that my views are all Catholic, a way to ‘deprogram’ from the previous Mormon ideas? I do not believe Mormonism at all, but am still unclear on some of the differences in some things.

I would love to find some ex-Mormon friends and Catholic friends who could help me grow stronger in my faith. Someone made me really angry today by saying they thought the reason I like Catholicism is ‘because the hierarchies are so similar’ - to me they are not similar at all. One is Christian, one is manmade…:confused: I still get so angry for some reason when Mormonism is brought up; perhaps it is because I feel so many years were stolen from me and I have seen how misled my own family is and how miserable they are in it. Still, they keep going because of the fear they have been taught and continue to think I am ‘lost’. I am so grateful to be Catholic but am in serious need of support - and it’s hard for me to get any support just from going to mass, I need more. Any suggestions?

P.S. - Please, no comments from Mormons trying to bring me back - I am a forever Catholic, thank you:thumbsup:
 
I could also use some help deprogramming Protestant beliefs, because I was a Protestant before becoming Catholic. Many Baptists and Protestants were anti-Catholic so I am getting past those too. I have a few of Madrid’s books but was wondering if there were any other suggestions to align my thoughts more with the Catholic beliefs?
 
I’d start here, the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This book contains everything Catholics believe, so if you have a belief that is contrary to the Catechism’s teaching, seek clarification from your parish priest a knowledgeable member of Catholic Answers.

Hope this helps!

PS - Perhaps this retired blog might help? There is also a group here at Catholic Answers that is specifically for ex-Mormon Catholics, you can search for it if you like.
 
Thank you Zach - I do have my Catechism here as well as my Catholic Bible, and have read them for answers. I will do a search on here for ex-Mormons - thank you for the tips! Any other suggestions are greatly welcomed:D
 
elliemae8 said:
Hello,
I was raised Mormon and left their church when I was around 17. I was not heavily into their beliefs but almost my entire family is still Mormon and I am surrounded by their terminology around holidays and such. I still have the songs and some of their teachings in my head unfortunately. I don’t want my Catholic beliefs to be a weird mix of the two without me realizing it. Is there a way I can double-check that my views are all Catholic, a way to ‘deprogram’ from the previous Mormon ideas? I do not believe Mormonism at all, but am still unclear on some of the differences in some things.

I would love to find some ex-Mormon friends and Catholic friends who could help me grow stronger in my faith. Someone made me really angry today by saying they thought the reason I like Catholicism is ‘because the hierarchies are so similar’ - to me they are not similar at all. One is Christian, one is manmade…:confused: I still get so angry for some reason when Mormonism is brought up; perhaps it is because I feel so many years were stolen from me and I have seen how misled my own family is and how miserable they are in it. Still, they keep going because of the fear they have been taught and continue to think I am ‘lost’. I am so grateful to be Catholic but am in serious need of support - and it’s hard for me to get any support just from going to mass, I need more. Any suggestions?

P.S. - Please, no comments from Mormons trying to bring me back - I am a forever Catholic, thank you:thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Elliemae,
Welcome…Former Mormon here, devout Catholic now.
Im limiting my time on CAF forums for Lent, but feel free to PM me!!

Yes, it does take time to unwind the LDS dogmas. And yes sometimes there is a subconscious mending of the two and its important to separate the two…

There are several of us here who are former Mormons…(again some of them may be limiting their CAF time for Lent)

But you are not alone…
My first thought is try not to let your family get to you. Just smile and tell them you love them even if you have religious differences…

Again PM me !! 👍
 
zach_dunn said:
I’d start here, the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This book contains everything Catholics believe, so if you have a belief that is contrary to the Catechism’s teaching, seek clarification from your parish priest a knowledgeable member of Catholic Answers.

Hope this helps!

PS - Perhaps this retired blog might help? There is also a group here at Catholic Answers that is specifically for ex-Mormon Catholics, you can search for it if you like.
Click to expand...
Welcome and good luck EllieMae. This is an excellent site. I would suggest reading the back issues of This Rock magazine found under the faith tab (to the left of the forums tab). There have been many Mormon articles over the years. You might also look for Mormon topics on the Catholic Answers Live radio program, where you can find and listen to earlier broadcasts. Zach gave you the best reference that anyone could suggest…the CCC. A very useful feature of the CCC is the footnotes that come with any topic. These footnotes reference Scripture and authoritative Church documents. At a minimum, look up the Scriptural passages. You’ll be amazed.
 
Write down the beliefs that you do not want to hold. Actually write them down in one or two sentences. Now that you have written them down and made a list, search for the Catholic answers here on Catholic Answers. Put each belief on a separate piece of paper. Write down the fullness of the truth that Jesus offers through the Catholic Church. Give it a try. I prayed for you.
 
elliemae8 said:
Hello,
I was raised Mormon and left their church when I was around 17. I was not heavily into their beliefs but almost my entire family is still Mormon and I am surrounded by their terminology around holidays and such. I still have the songs and some of their teachings in my head unfortunately. I don’t want my Catholic beliefs to be a weird mix of the two without me realizing it. Is there a way I can double-check that my views are all Catholic, a way to ‘deprogram’ from the previous Mormon ideas? I do not believe Mormonism at all, but am still unclear on some of the differences in some things.

I would love to find some ex-Mormon friends and Catholic friends who could help me grow stronger in my faith. Someone made me really angry today by saying they thought the reason I like Catholicism is ‘because the hierarchies are so similar’ - to me they are not similar at all. One is Christian, one is manmade…:confused: I still get so angry for some reason when Mormonism is brought up; perhaps it is because I feel so many years were stolen from me and I have seen how misled my own family is and how miserable they are in it. Still, they keep going because of the fear they have been taught and continue to think I am ‘lost’. I am so grateful to be Catholic but am in serious need of support - and it’s hard for me to get any support just from going to mass, I need more. Any suggestions?

P.S. - Please, no comments from Mormons trying to bring me back - I am a forever Catholic, thank you:thumbsup:
Click to expand...
I was raised for a time in the mormon church and while i was never into mormonism I did have some leftovers like a brief period of meglomania thinking I was a god (God-the true god- slapped me back down to reality). I did when in the beggining of conversion look more deeply into mormonism and one book i found of use was kingdom of the cults by walter martin. He went through their history and theology and refuted every point. Martin is protestant but not the in your face protestant more like general Christianity adn his views about the trinity and the nature of Christ are compleatly orthodox so his work is a good place to start if your looking for side by side comparision of Christianity and mormonism. But an even better way to rid yourself of mormon errors is just reject and forget everything the mormons taught and start over from scratch. As yoda (he may be a hereticbut he did have some wise sayings) once said “you must unlearn what you have learned”.
 
elliemae8 said:
I feel so many years were stolen from me…
Click to expand...
maybe (?) apostle Paul felt somewhat like you do, kind of analogously?? He had been a pharisee or around pharisees all his life, but then he met Christ…
Philippians 3 (NASB)
4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
I don’t know if you would go so far as to say Mormonism is rubbish or that Mormons don’t know Christ, I hope I don’t affend anybody.
 
Marie5890 said:
Yes, it does take time to unwind the LDS dogmas. And yes sometimes there is a subconscious mending of the two and its important to separate the two…
Click to expand...
Hi Marie! Thank you - it is great to see so many converts here - and you are very right about the subconscious mending and needing to separate them. I will PM you!
 
miguel said:
Welcome and good luck EllieMae. This is an excellent site. I would suggest reading the back issues of This Rock magazine found under the faith tab (to the left of the forums tab). There have been many Mormon articles over the years. You might also look for Mormon topics on the Catholic Answers Live radio program, where you can find and listen to earlier broadcasts. Zach gave you the best reference that anyone could suggest…the CCC. A very useful feature of the CCC is the footnotes that come with any topic. These footnotes reference Scripture and authoritative Church documents. At a minimum, look up the Scriptural passages. You’ll be amazed.
Click to expand...
Hi Miguel! Yes, this site is excellent - I have been visiting it for quite awhile now, but just now joining the forums. I didn’t know about the This Rock magazine back issues available on here - I will definitely check those out, as well as the radio program. Thank you so much for your help!
 
atassina said:
Write down the beliefs that you do not want to hold. Actually write them down in one or two sentences. Now that you have written them down and made a list, search for the Catholic answers here on Catholic Answers. Put each belief on a separate piece of paper. Write down the fullness of the truth that Jesus offers through the Catholic Church. Give it a try. I prayed for you.
Click to expand...
Hi Atassina! Those are great ideas, and thank you for your prayer:D
 
jpk1313 said:
But an even better way to rid yourself of mormon errors is just reject and forget everything the mormons taught and start over from scratch. As yoda (he may be a hereticbut he did have some wise sayings) once said “you must unlearn what you have learned”.
Click to expand...
Hi! I think I read Martin’s book too years ago - I might check it out again, although I would love to find stuff like that written by Catholics (I think he is Protestant)…still, he has some good points. I actually like Yoda sayings LOL - great quote! Thanks!😃
 
John7 said:
maybe (?) apostle Paul felt somewhat like you do, kind of analogously?? He had been a pharisee or around pharisees all his life, but then he met Christ…
I don’t know if you would go so far as to say Mormonism is rubbish or that Mormons don’t know Christ, I hope I don’t affend anybody.
Click to expand...
Hi John7! That is a great insight - thank you! 😃
 
Well, I will say (as a Protestant) I think it is important you get involved in a dedicated study of the Word (and your beliefs). Someone before me said something like “write down the things you question” another used Yoda as an example.

I’d offer a similar thought (and maybe a slightly different thought).

I think reflecting on things you believed might be counter-productive. You can’t ignore them, but I would not focus on them. I would study the things your fellow Catholics suggest to lay a proper foundation. As you see things popping up from your Mormon faith that counter your teaching in the CC, pray earnestly. Pray often. Ask for wisdom. Seek advice from trusted friends. Move those things that are false from your thoughts and see how the truth changes you. Don’t focus on the lies and address them with the truths. Focus on the truths and address the lies.

I describe the Bible and Christianity like swimming lessons. If you have never been swimming before, I wouldn’t take you in a boat out into the ocean with you wearing jeans and boots and toss you out and say, learn to swim. See you at shore. I would start you in the shallow end of a pool. We would work up to deep end swimming. Then months later, we might go swimming in the ocean at the beach. Then when you are well trained could I expect you to swim in a survival method out in open waters.
 
Xavierlives said:
I think reflecting on things you believed might be counter-productive. You can’t ignore them, but I would not focus on them. I would study the things your fellow Catholics suggest to lay a proper foundation. …Don’t focus on the lies and address them with the truths. Focus on the truths and address the lies.
.
Click to expand...
Thank you - that is good advice as well. I have been thinking that it may just be better to ‘forget’ everything I knew before and start over with the Catholic teachings.👍
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top