Do children BiC make harder yards Post-Mo?

[Born Free]

I have compared my experience with recovering from Mormonism with a friend who joined as a convert when he was about 20YO. He definately seems to make easier yards of it than me.

So the question arose, prompted along by Aaron, that there might be a pattern to this.

Fo the sake of this exercise, I propose that parents converting before you were 8YO equates to BiC as you probably felt you had no choice or ability to resist or question your parents decision. I keep open the possibility that others may feel that this age cut-off should be raised.

Daryl

[david]

This is an interesting question. On the one hand, the convert, especially a post-adolescent convert, might tend to see their conversion and membership experience as a project, which can be discontinued when it becomes less compelling/interesting/necessary. Because they were privy to a world where moism didn't have a role to play, I can see that it wouldn't be as threatening to re-enter that world.

Whereas for the BIC, leaving means rejecting the only paradigm you have known. This was for me extremely anxiety-producing. It took many years to feel comfortable in the "gentile" world, and also to come to terms with the fact that my personal history, as it related to the church, was largely moot. That is, none of my mo-friends were still my friends (with one exception), my TBM relatives did not respect me, I was pretty much a non-entity for any church member I had ever known. It was like moving to another country and giving up your previous existence. You have only your memories and even many of those are not so great.

Also the BIC is likely to have extended TBM family who shun them and remind them of their apostacy whenever possible, whereas the convert is likely to be welcomed back.

On the other hand, the BIC has an advantage: that being a member wasn't their choice. Unless of course they experienced a "conversion" at some point, which I think is a necessary event if one is to remain a faithful member.