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Thoughts about testimonial justice when all these letters I'm reading (letters of support for Natasha Helfer during her excommunication) almost all begin with the person's CV of Church callings and qualifications in righteousness.

Because in the LDS Church, you are more likely to be believed if you are (or at least were) in leadership positions. The higher up the better.

I've seen this in the #exmormon community as well, with people stating their previous positions as if that makes their testimony against the Church more credible. (I do not fault them; that is how the system works.)

The Church preaches that all are equal in God's eyes, and then fosters a culture where that is absolutely not true.

#exmo #LDS #Mormon #exJW #exvangelical #ReligiousTrauma

#Mormon #LDS #exmormon #exvangelical #ReligiousTrauma #exmo #exjw
in reply to Mx. Luna Corbden

Mx. Luna Corbden
Mx. Luna Corbden
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I got as far as Beehive President, so I don't get in on any of that caché.
in reply to Mx. Luna Corbden

Mx. Luna Corbden
Mx. Luna Corbden
• •

This ranking system is still quite alive in my head. After reading a letter by a former multiple-times bishop, stake counselor, high councilman, I get to the one that starts out with "Family History Leader" and "Primary Teacher" and my first reaction is *scoff* who the h*ck are you?!

I just have to observe my inner world to see how the whole thing works. You'll never achieve Zion when you keep dividing your people into classes. (And they know this, and that is the point.)

#exmo #exmormon #LDS #Mormon

#Mormon #LDS #exmormon #exmo
in reply to Mx. Luna Corbden

Jonathan Lamothe
Jonathan Lamothe
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@Mx. Luna Corbden I've mentioned past callings, but it's primarily been to cut the "you just weren't dedicated enough" arguments off before they happen, not because they indicate anything of actual value in the real world.
@Mx. Luna Corbden
in reply to Jonathan Lamothe

Mx. Luna Corbden
Mx. Luna Corbden
• •
@me Oh absolutely! And I'm not saying we should stop. They're the ones who set up the hierarchy, they're the ones who encourage status rankings, and I don't fault anyone who works within the toxic systems they established. I will definitely be pointing out people's status for letter excerpts I include in the book. It's just another thing to unpack, and further proof that they don't actually teach "equality."
@Jonathan Lamothe
in reply to Mx. Luna Corbden

NegativeNull
NegativeNull
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The "Bona Fides" are a big deal all over the Mormon/Exmormon world. If you've ever spent time on r/exmo and/or r/lds, every critical post begins with your credentials of how good a Mormon you were, and every "risky" post on on r/lds begins with your credentials. All that to prove you are worthy to participate. Leadership isn't necessary for the above, but it helps. However, even without those, there are the general reqs to list birth/baptism/mission/temple/etc.

Mx. Luna Corbden reshared this.

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