I have a good friend who also experienced many things that sound exactly like what you are saying. He has told me the stories 2 or 3 times, and as
with you, he is still on the church records as being a member. Kinda sounds like you might just be the friend. He no longer lives in Utah though. My
brother also joined the mormon church when he was 17 because his girlfriend wanted him to, as her father was the head of the local "congregation".
He practiced in the church for 2 years, and witnessed something that he still wont talk about, and hasnt been back since, and has not talked at all to
that family since. In fact, he moved 650 miles to get away from them...
My mother is a Jehova's Witness, and I was raised as one, although I constantly challenged them on many subjects and was basically ignored by the
elders for it. I can say that there isnt anything "diabolical" going on in the church, but they are for the most part (in my experience) good
people. In fact, they do not participate in government because they view it as corrupt and ideologic (spelling?). There have been accusations of child
molestation within the church, and there were some who I suspected of it, although I never experienced any (not as many accusations as say... the
Catholic Church). The reason they do not accept blood transfusions is due to a scripture that talks about the ingestion of human flesh. They believe
that by accepting the blood of another human, you are inherriting their sins, as with transplants. My mom, however, has undergone surgeries for colon
and lung cancer during which she needed a blood transfusion (in 2 of her 17 surgeries). She is not "looked down on" or anything within the church
for it, and they wont kick her out for it or anything, it is really just a preference or guideline. I can see how many people would see the Jehova's
Witnesses as a cult-like church, but in fact, they are not even close. There is no "hidden" ceremonies. There are no monitary donation requirements.
There are no "secret" areas of the church (or Kingdom Hall as they call it). They do, however go to extremes to help each other. Im not sure how to
explain it, but I have seen them build entire houses, from the ground up, for families off of volintary donations, and have it complete in a
weekend... There tends to be a lot of buisness owners in construction, plumbing, roofing, that kind of thing within each congregation...
Just trying to throw in a point of view from someone who has "been there"...
[Edited on 29-12-2003 by Milk]