Mormon Missions ARE Human Trafficking

[moksha]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qJNAultGtQ

Liza's idea is quite intriguing: Institutional bondage (religious servitude?) of a sales force to recruit more dues-payers. The Church holds the passports and zealously dissuades those providing free labor from leaving. Listen for 5 minutes and see whether this is a worthwhile way of viewing the missions. Imagine if a multi-level marketing enterprise could have free dedicated labor. The Church of Amway could proselytize its products to many households.

[Hagoth]

Listen for 5 minutes and see whether this is a worthwhile way of viewing the missions.

I have listened for SIX minutes and I think she already makes a pretty good case.

[blazerb]

I've listened for 14 seconds and Holland is triggering me. He knows good and well that someone, many someones, are thinking about going home. Unless I was really weird, it is constantly on the mind of many missionaries. This is good. Thanks.

[blazerb]

I broke when she shared her efforts to go home. I'm so glad her life has gotten better. The only reason I finished my mission was the fear of what my world would be if I left early. It's all about the fear.

[Cnsl1]

She brings up some good points.

Probably the biggest reason I went on a mission was because I wanted to be a returned missionary, with all the perks and respect that came with that. It took just a little while being on a mission that my focus changed to being there to serve God by serving people. I worked hard and did what was expected for the most part, but also had fun. All in all, I was very fortunate that I had a good experience. I also didn't have to stay two years as I was in that early 80's group who only served 18 months, which meant quicker "promotions" to leadership positions, I think. I assume an extra 6 months would have been fine, but I really don't know. I never claimed it was the greatest years of my life, but it wasn't awful and I'm sure I learned and matured. Learning another language was helpful.

I know several who did not have great experiences and who had a helluva time leaving early and coming home, as well as carrying too much needless guilt over not finishing. I know parents who were told they would have to personally pay the costs to get their children home. And told to push their child to stay out.

I also saw the types of kids who worked hard to get themselves into missionary leadership positions, as if it were a goal for them. I felt those kinds of "callings" landed in my lap before I could even think about whether or not I'd even want to do such a thing, but when stuff like that happens I see now how that also serves to make that missionary work even harder to maybe justify the idea that they belong there.

I also think missionaries get really good at finding the miracles, or learning how to confirm biases and exaggerate the feelings and promptings they get, while others who are certainly no less spiritual think they are doing something wrong when they're just not getting those same miracles and positive experiences. I think these are the ones who never got the rose colored glasses, or maybe the glasses didn't fit very well. Maybe they see past the nonsense and just want out.

I wore the glasses. I drank the kool-aid. My family sacrificed so I could do what I thought and they thought I was supposed to do. I provided the church with free labor. They gave me a lift to Utah, some language training, a lift to another country, and then a ride back home. They also indoctrinated me into their proselytizing system, and really converted me into another smiling TBM who would give them money for many many years.

But... I also learned a completely new language that I was able to use as my college foreign language requirement. I learned to be more self sufficient and deal with home sickness. I also learned how to study harder and work harder.

So, I probably don't completely agree that missionary work is labor trafficking, but I understand that I am biased because my experience was mostly positive. However, it sure seems weird that the biggest tourist attraction in Hawaii is serviced for the most part by FREE labor. That sure seems like labor trafficking.

I used to want to go back as a senior missionary. That desire went away a long time ago.. even before my faith transition. Ain't no way I'd leave my family, kids, grandkids, to go somewhere and give free labor for a multi billion$$ corporation.

[deacon blues]

the Church had to work long and hard to get me on a mission, and ultimately it was a growing experience.
In retrospect, I wonder if I would have stayed after I learned some of the unsavory aspects of historical Mormonism in my 12th month, if the Church hadn't made coming home early so shameful. I do recall several nights considering whether I should bail, but I decided to stick with it, and the shame of coming home early was probably the most powerful consideration that made me stay.

[Hagoth]

I've listened for 14 seconds and Holland is triggering me. He knows good and well that someone, many someones, are thinking about going home. Unless I was really weird, it is constantly on the mind of many missionaries. This is good. Thanks.

I hate it when he uses his condescending don't-you-dare-taffy-puller voice.

[Hagoth]

Ain't no way I'd leave my family, kids, grandkids, to go somewhere and give free labor for a multi billion$$ corporation.

I believe many retired couples feel the same way but end up going because they get guilted into it, or because they are told that it will bless their children and grandchildren far beyond what they could give them if they stayed. In that sense, it's like a protection racket playing on their love for their kids and grandkids. "Think of all the bad things that could happen to your kids without the blessings they will get from you serving a mission." It's like you are buying an Satan-warding insurance policy for them with your time, money and sweat. Maybe that's were it tips over into trafficking.

[Just This Guy]

Missions usually have a policy that passports are to be held in the mission office. They usually use the excuse that it is for the protection of the missionaries to keep them from getting lost. I get that. I knew too many missionaries in my time that I wouldn't trust not to loose an important document like that, coupled with the overall poor security for many missionary apartments. However, how legal is this? If someone were to call police and report that a mission office was holding someone passport and refusing to return it, could the staff/MP get arrested?

Human trafficking in Mormonism is like its status as a cult. It may not look like it from a distance, but once you look at the definitions and compare it to their actual practices, it sure rings true.

[stuck]

I also think missionaries get really good at finding the miracles, or learning how to confirm biases and exaggerate the feelings and promptings they get, while others who are certainly no less spiritual think they are doing something wrong when they're just not getting those same miracles and positive experiences. I think these are the ones who never got the rose colored glasses, or maybe the glasses didn't fit very well. Maybe they see past the nonsense and just want out.

So, I probably don't completely agree that missionary work is labor trafficking, but I understand that I am biased because my experience was mostly positive. However, it sure seems weird that the biggest tourist attraction in Hawaii is serviced for the most part by FREE labor. That sure seems like labor trafficking.

I was one of those who thought I experienced at least one miracle. My comp and I were working with an older couple and and younger guy (different families). They both had had the discussions and were just waiting for answers to their prayers. We encouraged them to fast and pray for it on a particular fast Sunday. We prayed hard for it and even declined an early dinner appointment because we wanted to fast the full 24 hours. Then on the next day or two, they both called within an hour of each other and said that they had received answers to their prayers and wanted to be baptized. We were astonished and they were all baptized on the same day. This was about 35 years ago and so I'm sure that the older couple have passed. In any event I believe that they went inactive.

Anyway, this experience kept my testimony fairly strong until the essays came out. So I had to figure out how it could have happened. I think maybe because we prepared them for it, that perhaps they were somewhat expecting it. I know for myself that when I have prayed in the past to know if a certain girl was right for me to marry or if a certain career path was right that I could sort of cause myself to have that warm feeling inside (sort of on demand).

But as far as human trafficking goes, it seems like it is especially with how much the church has. My parents had to sell their car to afford to send me on a mission.