#adhd testimony

[elytrafemme]

a few days ago i had the epiphany of like, okay, i’m not kidding anybody here and the only people disagreeing with me are figments of past people who float around in my head. i have BPD. and it would take a major fucking overhaul of my entire life and the way that i have operated for seventeen years to say any different. so instead of me saying BPD with fifteen asterisks specifying i am not technically sure and this is medically recognized but not professionally diagnosed etc etc let me just say i have it.

and then now i’m like oh God but what if i don’t have it

[comradevo]

"You said that of attacks of religious nature, some 60% are directed towards Jews in this country."

FBI Director Christopher Wray: I did, and that's before, or, those statistics are before this conflict began. It's probably gone up since then. I would expect that but we do not have good numbers yet because it's so fresh.

FBI Director Christopher Wray: But the point I was trying to make there which I really think Americans need to understand is how wildly disproportionate - if you could ever use a word like proportionate in something like this - that is. 2.4% of the American public, 60% of religious-based hate crimes. They're getting it from racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists, ISIS-inspired violent extremists, foreign terrorist organizations whether they be Sunni like Al Qaeda or ISIS, or Shia like Hezbollah. This is a group that has the outrageous distinction of being uniquely targeted and they need our help.

[October 31, 2023. Excerpt from testimony of FBI Director Christopher Wray, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and National Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid on threats to the homeland before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.]

[honeysuckle-s]

had an adhd assessment today and the psych was unable to make a dx because i did fine in elementary school (based on the numerical grades alone — not my teacher’s comments) and finished high school. i was in a gifted program but performed about average compared to classmates dude, I was actually underperforming but you can’t tell that from just my grades. oh and he also said that pursuing an autism dx would not be that helpful for me bc i seemed ‘high functioning’

[kerink]

the deadline to submit public comments to the FTC and US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is may 30 2024!

if you have been effected by ADHD medication shortages, please leave your testimony!

[callmethehunter]

Oh dear Anon, you have made my day! These are great questions about my favorite subject in the world: Robert Plant.:D And as far as that goes, I could (and will) go on and on about this forever, I’ve got so much to say!!

I’ve been obsessed with Robert’s music as well as with his personal life for years. I find him to be a multifaceted, highly talented and intelligent person who embodies traits that one would think were mutually exclusive, yet are somehow at home in him. He is without a doubt, totally outrageous and extroverted, he wants to be the center of attention, yet he is also reclusive, a deep thinker who is keenly aware of the world around him while also being introspective and self-aware. In his own words he has said

“It's part of me to get off on those moments where... well, what people would call attention. Obviously, that isn't the be-all and end-all of life, but at the states of creativity that I've reached, well, it helps the lyrics along a little bit.”

“ I’m pleased with how ridiculous I am. I like me. Though I’m not a huge fan. I know when to switch me off.”

I do think he has a very warm heart. He is genuinely interested in other people, in experiencing the most out of any given situation.

In my opinion, he loves the idea and the feeling of falling in love. He gets off more on that than on the longevity. It’s like he’s got ADHD in the aspect of love lol!! I say this because of the number of serious relationships (and not so serious relationships) that he has had in his life. I’m sure he was saddened when they ended, but then he’s moved on to the next great infatuation and adventure. He’s quite capable of starting again, as he has shown multiple times both in his personal and professional life. But I also think it’s a testimony to his heart that he’s been able to continue to be friends with his past loves. “There have been people I've warmed to over the years but, as the situation I'm in is so fleeting and transient, I've always known it's going to be over kind of real quick.”

I mean think about this: after having children with two sisters, Maureen (his exwife) and Shirley, they have been able to raise their children in what looks like a loving extended family. His sons, Logan (with Maureen) and Jesse (with Shirley), are half-brothers as well as first cousins. Just think on that for a moment. In a recent picture, there’s the entire family on vacation: Maureen, Shirley and their children with Robert, as well as Robert and a previous girlfriend, Jessica something or other (don’t remember her name). He’s not confined to societal conventions. He could give a flying fuck. I love that free spirit and he himself has said (and I paraphrase) that he may come across as being a good mate, but in reality he’s out to do whatever the fuck he wants. (And it shows!! )

He says, “...if you do what you think is right for the benefit of everybody and everything and you make decisions, then to go back and regret them afterwards - it's a futile experience and it's not worth thinking about. Because life just unfolds. Provided you do your best and you think you're on the right track, you can only be right or wrong. But to regret it - I don't think there are any huge errors or misdemeanors.”

In the area of friendship, however, he is fiercely loyal. He and Bonzo were like brothers till the end, and even still, Robert honors his dear friend. He’s also been able to maintain friendships with so many people from his hometown- people he knew before he was famous. He puts away the trappings of fame and fortune to be the good old Black Country boy, riding horses and playing with goats, walking around in the forests and enjoying nature.

“I think I could sing and shear a few sheep at the same time.” He is the picture of the word “earthiness”. Able to be the rock god on stage as well as the humble farmer on the farm or at the local pub. He’s loyal to his soccer team and to the sport itself which has been a lifelong passion. And I love that in him.

Is he a hedonist? Absolutely, he has tasted every pleasure there is to taste. His every material wish could be a reality in an instant...He has done drugs, had hundreds of one night stands. He is a highly sensual man. IMO the sexiest man that’s ever walked the planet. His sizeable bulge perpetually stands* as a symbol (no pun intended*) of his virility and lust (and I like it!!) He exudes charisma and raw sexual energy. He’s done it all to the highest level, partied and cavorted around the globe. What a life he’s lived!!

But in his lyrics there is also a deep spiritual side of him: I think he is a modern day troubadour and philosopher. His lyrics touch on that, “it is the springtime of my loving” ….“In the light you will find the road” “when all is one and one is all” “Then as it was, then again it will be, though the course may change sometimes, rivers always reach the sea” and I could go on and on with other examples. These are just what popped in my head. “I am a reflection of what I sing. Sometimes I have to get serious because the things Ive been through are serious” He’s had moments where he is the “golden god” as well as tragic moments such as the loss of his 5 year old son and the loss of his dear friend Bonzo. These are definitely reflected in his music.

All in all, in his own words:

“I'm like one of those firecrackers that goes off in your pocket occasionally. I'm not really struggling with it as much as the people around me. But at least I'm not doing too much damage to anybody or to myself. It's just the condition I'm aware of.

And he’s still got a twinkle in his eye.

Thank you for letting me go and on about this man, he holds such a special place in my heart. He is a beautiful and joyous old hippie full of wisdom and talent.. He has created a lasting legacy and I hold the deepest admiration for him, despite his human frailties or shortcomings.

[amezure]

I secretly went to therapy for my depression, ended up being diagnosed with ADHD and autism (and more to come) and got meds. My life literally changed from day one, once I saw the changes I told my family, I doubted it at first... but in the end I didn't want to keep this information just for me, I don't want anyone else to go through the hell I've been through, and they were like "what the heck is ADHD? Autism? What?" I told them various symptoms, I recommended professional talks on youtube, testimonials from other adults living with it, etc... 

And the most beautiful thing happened... -my dad was diagnosed with ADHD at 54 and finally feels at peace, -my mom is getting help with her OCD and anxiety at 52, -and my sister was also diagnosed with ADHD and autism at 28 It's ironic, because I felt totally useless, but being the first person in my family to go to therapy, now I've been able to help my family get the help they so badly needed.

-My father finally had an answer to his behavior in youth and the problems he has had throughout his life that, due to the misinformation of those times, he could not get help for... -Same for my mother, she never got any help because her parents were very closed minded and don't believe in therapy, it was all hard work and complaining was forbidden. -It has helped my sister a lot to have the organized life that she always wanted to have, and also to accept herself as she is. Getting informed, seeing testimonials from other people struggling with this, listening to experienced professionals (not 13 y/o on tiktok), taking this seriously and sharing this information can change lives. And the most important thing is that it's never too late.

[1863-project]

Please reblog for a bigger sample size - this is part of the same project as my earlier polls, which can be seen here! (For extra data, please feel free to mention the character(s) in question in the tags if you've experienced this!)

PLEASE DO NOT ANSWER THE POLL IF YOU ARE NOT ADHD. This is specifically for ADHD people's testimonials.

[number-one-shadisper-shipper]

Being a Christian with ADHD be like:

Starts praying and realizes ten minutes later you've been thinking about literally everything else and have not been praying

Doodles during church so you can actually pay attention

Can't get a daily Bible reading/prayer time routine going to save your life

Gets obsessed with new Skillet song and jams out to it on repeat for hours

Knows the name of every obscure minor Bible character but has a hard time explaining basic biblical principles

*reads a really good verse* *starts stimming* OOoohooohOOOOOOoooh YEAH

WHAT SHOULD I HIGHLIGHT EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT BUT IF EVERYTHING IS HIGHLIGHTED NOTHING IS HIGHLIGHTED

*gets asked to share testimony* *forgets everything that has ever happened in my life*

[thoughtfulfoxllama]

I kinda struggle with the "Family Proclamation," but not in the way most people do

"By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families." It's a small thing, and when I see quotes from the Proclamation, it skips this part over. But I can't

I'm left wondering "what's wrong with me." I want to be a good Father, and a good Priesthood Holder (neither of which I had growing up), but I want to be the parent staying home. Me & my wife discuss, and we go back & forth on this issue, but we won't even have kids for a few years. It shouldn't be an issue then, but it is

I love cleaning the house, making dinner, and all those those activities that would've been called "women's work" in the savage ages. I have trouble holding down a job, no matter how much I like it (in fact, I try harder when I dislike it, for some reason). And this leads me to ask "how can God love me as much as other people, when he made them according to his divine design, but makes me against it." It's like when I realized I was attracted to my best friend (who was also AMaB), and wondered why God made me that way

It's kind of a stupid thing to get hung up on. I was able to keep my testimony from the worst slander the Baptists could throw at me (and I mean dig deep for stuff like "Adam-God" or "Blood Atonement"), from my own discovery of bisexuality, from my Liberal politics, from literally being told I couldn't go to the Celestial Kingdom because I didn't want to be sealed to my abusive mother (fun fact, I first met my wife when I was crying about that particular gem), but I struggle with this!? And I still believe the Book of Mormon is true, and Joseph Smith was a Prophet (as well as Brigham & having the Apostolic Authority, reinforced by the Savior visiting Lorenzo Snow). So, is this a case of God wanting me to suffer, or the Church getting it wrong?

And there's ways around it. My wife says we fall under "Disability, death, or other circumstances," which "may necessitate individual adaptation" (I have ADHD, Autism (which is just self diagnosed for now), and Depression). My father says I'm "providing for the necessities by making sure my wife is able to not worry about home." Both, while possibly true, just don't strike with me. But why can't I accept them!?

Whatever the answer, I hold on to the Testimony I have, that men are that they might have joy. Not joy in some far off future, but here and now. That we are called to build Zion, and I will do my part (even if the part of Zion I'm called to is only found in my home. Or even if it's across the world). That the Savior is my perfect example, whether I stay at home, or go abroad

But, I'm hoping for an answer sooner rather than later. Obviously, I'm looking for Work (Amazon is firing me because their Health Leave policy is crap, and they should obviously make a guy who is regularly passing out work but heavy machinery that has killed people before), because damn it, I don't want my kids to survive, but thrive. I'll work as much as I can to save up for them, and for mine & my wife's retirement. But if we ultimately decide, when we have them, that I'll be the parent staying home with the kids, I don't want to be constantly consumed with thoughts that I'm defying God's will

(And I do understand how heartless this may sound to the Queer Mormon Community. I'm in a Straight passing marriage (to someone I'm actually attracted to), and will hopefully have kids one day. In the Church where we're constantly told that's the ideal. I am not trying to be whiny, or take attention from the issue of Queerphobia in the Church, because it is an issue, and people are obviously struggling more than me. I hope it doesn't come across like I'm entitled or trying to say I'm suffering on the same level as some other people. I'm sorry if it does, and I'll do better next time)

[gothsugarbunnidisco]

kitty katastrophe-berkowitz

goth (mall goth)

18 years old, cis girl (she/her), str8, white

mai bday iz december 21

lgbtqia2s+ ally

90z chik born in 2005 <\\3

matching lindsay lohan in freaky friday icons with @garfieldsbones!!

xmas sideblog: @dreaming-of-a-goth-christmas

i luv marilyn manson (especially daisy berkowitz), meh chemical romance, pokèmon, maddie blaustein, wierd al, fnaf, gingerbread men, final destination (esp 3 <33), teh goth subculture, eminem, teh dresden dolls, and kyute boys wit long hair

i self-ship!!!

favorite bandom ships: manznor, gerbert, frerard, petekey, rypete, gabilliam, maniggy

neurodivergent and mentally ill (anxiety, ocd, adhd, trauma from bein bullied)

hyperfixations and other faves: marilyn manson n teh spooky kids, mai chemical romance, dresden dolls, pokémon (mainly teh anime), creepypasta (esp. pokepasta), teh office, ashlee simpson, fall out boy, early 2000z and l8 90z stuff in general, warrior catz, various other bandz and band meow meows (mcr, pre-split patd, slipknot, msi, tai…, etc.), will wood, weird al, fighting foodons, death note, fighting foodonz, fight club (and palahniuk in general), beavis and butthead, placebo, furbyz, ryan ross, william beckett, nine inch nails, ashlee simpson, etc.

rpf (n various other fandoms) fic writer!! plz send meh requests if u want

dni: racists, transphobes, lgbtqia+-phobes in general, br*ndon u*ie supporters, swifties, p*dos, people who use slurs dat they can’t reclaim, people who s*icide-bait, br*an w*rner supporters

find me at @/marilynmatherss on pinterest, @/gothsugarbunnidisco on youtube, @/kitty katastrophe-berkowitz on letterboxd, @/gothsugarbunnidisco on pinterest, ask for mai ao3 and snapchat

UNDER 18 PPLZ *PLZ* BLOCK MEH NSFW TAG. DIS INCLUDEZ UNDER 18 MUTUALS AND FRIENDS. derez nothing 2 bad in there, but liek i just wanna be safe

meh irl big sister is on here, u cn follow her @mostlytins

best friends on here include @teenytinydancer34 @peterpansexual19 @cosmo-junkk @thejeordiewhite @ricflairdrip20 @h0use-of-w0lves @mysweetlittlemuffin @garfieldsbones among others!!

testimonials:

“you’re weird, but, like, sweet weird” - girl in a group wit me in 11th grade physicz class

“you have an utter lack of chill” - mai sister

“Sounds like the cool girl you are” - mai dad when i snt him a link 2 dis blog

“You are NOT a poser you are a goth and an awesome friend” - mai friend karley

“You’re Pete and Ashlee’s secret firstborn” - mai friend mel

[anexperimentallife]

This "if you don't brag about it online, it didn't happen" culture is so weird. I regularly get people accusing me of doing nothing but posting my thoughts online and not actually helping anyone, and it's like...

Dude, I'm not gonna go online and brag and post pictures every time I donate supplies or money, give someone food or a place to stay, serve as a sympathetic ear, help another adult escape their abusive family, encourage someone through a bad situation, stay on the phone with someone when they just need a human voice, let someone ahead of me at the store, overtip a tired server, stand up when someone's being bullied, or do some other random act of kindness. Posting "proof" of all that shit would just feel weird to me. And pointless. The point isn't to show off; the point is that we're all in this together, and everybody should be pitching in to make things better for all of us. It should just be the standard.

I literally owe my life to people who helped me in hard times with no thought of reward--often when I didn't deserve the help. Hell, when our family was in danger of forced separation because paperwork errors wouldn't let our daughter travel with us, y'all pitched in to pay for getting it straightened out.

(Not to mention that even if all I did was post, posting thoughts online can be helpful--a lot of people have posted things that have been helpful to me, and a lot of folks have thanked me for things I've posted, saying my words helped them.)

I mean, I get the theory that posting about ways you've helped people might inspire others to do more good, so I'm not gonna say everyone who does it is seeking glory, but that's just not the way I roll. I don't even like being acknowledged for stuff like that. It all just comes under the heading of doing my job as a human being. Because if we're not taking care of each other, what's the point of anything?

If I could help out completely anonymously, so that not even the people I'm helping knew it was me, that's what I'd do. Not because I'm some saint, but just because a) the attention embarrasses me, and b) I don't want anyone to feel embarrassed or lesser for accepting help.

Honestly, I'd like to do more. But I'm autistic, disabled (spine, joint, and soft tissue inuries, severe arthritis, a traumatic brain injury that affects my memory and focus, and then there are the brain and body effects of long covid on top of that), have adhd, had covid three times, almost died of illness three times in the past five years (once from double pneumonia with secondary lung infections, and twice from covid, which also left me with a two-year foot infection that ended up requiring surgery to get rid of), and other issues, am about 15K USD in debt (from the issue with our daughter), PLUS I'm raising a toddler and supporting two other adults on a fixed income (and still need to somehow come up with around thirty thousand dollars for needed surgeries and scans and dental work and other treatments that got put off because of the aforementioned issue with our daughter), so yeah, there's only so much I can do.

But it's not "nothing." (And I'll allow myself a little bit of chest-puffing by saying it's probably more than most of the people who accuse me of doing nothing do.)

So yeah... "all you do is post online instead of helping people." Oh, you mean because I don't... what, make people "earn" my help by posing for embarrassing pictures or videos, or giving testimonials about how grateful they are? LMAO what a sad, mean, tiny, drab little world you must live in where no one helps anyone without bragging to the world about it.

(Hell, I'll probably delete this later, because tbh this little rant feels a little too much like bragging to me, but I needed to vent.)

[actuallyadhd]

Planner Features to help with Executive Dysfunction

Curious about what kinds of things might help you with your particular executive functioning issues, especially in relation to planning and planners? Come read this week's post!

The best planner for you is the one you will use. All of the “best planner for ADHD” posts out there have testimonials from ADHDers who use this planner or that planner, and they explain why the planner is so great for them. Same with the various planning apps. The thing is, the features that work great for some ADHDers are awful for others, because we’re all individuals. I’ve tried to simplify…

[b-a-pigeon]

I'll make a more involved post with details but just putting out feelers for now—

Is anyone looking for an affordable line or copy editor in the near future? (This is where most of my experience is; I can also do beta reading, developmental editing, sensitivity reading for queer, bi, trans masc, adhd, or autistic characters)

I'm thinking about offering heavily discounted services in exchange for testimonials, you letting me list your book/story as previous work, etc. Send me a DM if you might be interested and I'll get back to you sometime next week with more info :)

[hotcheetohatredwastaken]

15 for BDOR <3

15. Was there anything you had to research for this fic? Do you usually do a lot of research?

So tumblr ate this the first time I answered it, and I'm so mad about that.

Yes, I ended up doing a lot of mental health research for dear Wild. Triggers of flashbacks, what they look like internally vs externally, different types of flashbacks, cptsd, ptsd, DID (no I'm not going to diagnose him with it, but I give him some traits), ADHD vs ADD vs autism (same disclaimer as before), personal attachment disorder, how trauma affects the body and the mind, how trauma affects fight/flight/freeze, "night terrors" for those past childhood, dependency disorders and their presentations, how parental abuse affects kids, how spousal abuse affects kids, the effect of stress on the body and mind both acute and prolonged, repressed trauma and its symptoms, anxiety, insomnia, oppositional defiant disorder, amnesia and recovery from it in general, with a focus on how it can affect personality in particular, etc, etc, etc.

This is not a comprehensive list. For everything mentioned above, I have a few peer-reviewed articles stashed in a folder plus some personal testimonials (Reddit is good for finding those, actually) that I reference every now and then. That's not to say that Wild can be diagnosed with all of the things mentioned above, or that a reader would catch on to a lot of them in their first reading, which is okay with me. I just felt like I needed to get a good grasp on Wild's psyche, so I put in the legwork to understand scientifically how his past might tangibly affect his present in both a realistic and (hopefully) respectful way.

I don't know if this is something I normally do, this is the first long thing I've written Magi XD Guess we'll see if it worked in my favor to do all of the work beforehand this time.

[demoisverysexy]

You're the first person I've ever seen on this site that doesn't call Mormonism a cult and while I'm sure the people who started that had their points and/or their traumas, I'm not sure how it isn't a cult solely bc all I've heard in concise words is that it is.

I know that with Christianity, I've definitely met queer people who "reclaim" it and interpret it the way they want to, as opposed to the way organized religion teaches them. I assume with Mormonism it's a similar sort of self-reclaiming thing?

My ADHD makes it hard for me to read tons of long posts about things, makes doing my own research hard(it also doesn't help that most online searches just spin me back around to the cult thing or are from Mormons that are also conservative), so in advance I apologize if this is like, out of line or too much

Imagine, if you will, that you grew up Mormon outside of Utah. Growing up, Mormonism was never a source of great anguish for you, and that while it was what you grew up with, it was never forced upon you. Much of the learning about Mormonism you did was of your own accord. Also, you're a free thinker who has been encouraged to get involved with the community your whole life, and has mostly been surrounded by non-Mormons. You grew up liberal, and ended up being fairly (in my case, more than fairly) progressive, and you are more open than most Mormons to the stickier bits of Mormon history. You know, for a fact, that you are not a cultist.

And yet you are surrounded by people who insist you are. They look at you with a sort of sad pity and tell you to read the CES letter, or that they hope you leave soon. That they think youre stupid for believing in Golden Books or Jesus being American (we don't believe that) or that Native Americans are all just Jews (we dont believe that either). They listen to people who have had bad experiences with the church, and who insist that the church is a cult, then think that it is a universal truth that applies to the whole church, when in reality those toxic elements are mostly found in Utah, and most of the church is not located in Utah. 

But when you are a cultist (or are called one) no one will believe you if you tell them that you aren't a cultist. Because cultists don't even know that they are cultists, and thus their personal testimonies are suspect. Even the people who claim to be most sympathetic to the "poor deluded cultists" still don't care enough to listen and possibly be wrong about us, because listening to a cultist is dangerous, because they might end up thinking you're not a cultist, or worse, they think you might try to get them into your cult.

But I'm not a cultist. Mormonism isn't a cult. It's just a large religion with a lot of institutional weirdness and conservative beliefs. Some congregations do take this into full cult territory, many more don't. Most are just run-of-the-mill conservative churches with a Mormon splash of paint. Which I'm not a big fan of, but hey. Could be worse.

In some ways, it is frustrating, because often the things they will use to smear Mormons to call us cultists are features that exist in other religions. Islam, for example, has a lot in common with Mormonism (dietary codes that forbid alcohol consumption, extra books of non-biblical scripture with questionable historicity, conservative social beliefs, desert religion, non-biblical prophets, polygamy) but people (on the left specifically) don't bring up those critiques in relation to Islam. I don't know why, but to me I feel that there is perhaps some underlying bigotry there, both towards Mormons and Muslims. On the one hand, Mormons are judged too harshly, and on the other, Muslims are treated as a wholly unproblematic, uncomplicated religion, which to me smacks of infantilism. This problem affects many other religions too, which are given a free pass to be uncomplicatedly good, whereas Mormonism and other Christian denominations are bad by default. The lack of nuance in such an appraisal is astonishing.

I just want to be heard. I want people to listen to Mormons for once, active or inactive, left leaning or not, and actually try to do the work to understand us, at least a little. Not everything that you find when you actually study us with an open mind is good. History, culture, and religion are messy things. But there is a lot of good to be found there, too. I do firmly believe that Mormon perspectives have a lot to offer, in the same way that folks on tumblr have realized that Jewish or Muslim perspectives have a lot to offer. That even if you don't buy everything we have to say, that we are interesting and diverse, and have lots of different opinions about what Mormonism even is, or what it means. In particular, I feel that voices like mine - queer left-leaning Mormon voices - should be privelaged, as we are often the most overlooked in the discussion of what Mormonism is, both inside and outside the church.

But of course, all that is ever said about Mormons, both in left wing and right wing spaces, is that Mormonism is a cult. Evangelicals and atheists alike agree that it is a foregone conclusion, and often end up using the same talking points. And since it is so uncontroversial to say that it is just a cult, that is what people will believe. If everyone is saying it, after all, it must be true.

Now, as to your question on whether or not I am reclaiming Mormonism. I don't think I am. For me, my Mormonism has pretty much always been a personal thing. In fact, one of the core tenets of Mormonism as it is written (but not necessarily taught by the institution as radically as it is presented in the scriptures, for obvious reasons) is the doctrine of personal revealation. In short, it posits that the only way to know spiritual truth is through personal study, prayer, and confirmation from the Holy Spirit. The Book of Mormon even invites you to question it, and is very open about how the only way to know for certain if it is scripture, as it claims to be, is to recieve confirmation from God. More, it even notes that it may have flaws which the writers may not have been aware of, and it is good if you notice them, because it means that you are better than they were. Such openess to imperfection is characteristic of a lot of the scripture unique to Mormonism, and it leaves a lot of room for people with more heterodox views, like me. 

So I don't feel that I am reclaiming Mormonism. It was mine to begin with. Perhaps I am reclaiming it from the church in a sense, but my Mormonism has always centered me and my relationship to God first and foremost. More, I believe my readings of Mormonism, and Christianity more broadly, are more in line with the radical messages of their founders and source texts than the current leaders are. So in a way, conservstive christian instutions are working to reclaim their religions from people who were, in some ways, more progressive than them. It is a disappointing state of affairs.

In any case, I think that both Christianity in general and Mormonism more specifically are far more radical and forward thinking than the majority of their proponents, and that people should give them more serious thought then they have, both inside and outside these institutions. People are far too all or nothing when it comes to religions, especially Christian ones. But to truly appreciate what they have to offer, I believe that you have to set aside any preconceptions and dogmas you may hold so as to more fully appreciate them fkr wbat they are, and what they have to offer.