It is no wonder former Mormons tend to be a bit more outspoken about their lost faith than those of other traditions. Our entire lives we are taught that it is a value to try convince others that our beliefs are true and should be believed by all. Most of us even went on missions, spending every waking hour trying to convince other people that we have interesting and valuable information that other people should hear.
So it is no wonder that this same mentality remains after one loses their faith.
So, in this regard, the Church is training their strongest critics.
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Indeed, packs of Mormons from the US, hunting in twos, sometimes add to the cosmopolitan mix of our local shopping street. They dress with white shirts and ties, making them rather easily recognizable. They like to accost innocent (and I suppose, lost-looking) passers-by, to offer assistance in their salvation. It's soliciting for Jesus.
I have never thought of this. I think you're probably right.
I also think it has to do with how involved the church is is peoples' lives while they are members. Besides the fact that there are rules for every aspect of your life, the sheer number of hours spent is more than the average church- three hours every week for church, two during the week for an activity, time spent preparing for callings, and all that time for personal and family prayer and scripture study. A 'good' member could be spending at least ten hours a week on church- it's probably natural that when they stop believing they feel resentful of the institution to which they gave so much of their time.
@heather, I fully agree with your point. If anything I think that is the more significant factor. In observing different religious traditions the more tightly controlled the members are the greater the backlash upon their becoming disaffected.
Learning of that was actually something which helped me leave the church. Reading of other people from tightly controlled traditions that had a similar reaction when leaving their church as when mormons leave theirs. It made me realize the strong reaction post-mormons had wasn't because the church was true, but because it is just a common psychological principal for leaving tight religious groups.
@ Vincent,
I was once one of those missionaries myself. I served in Toronto. And many of the same skills I learned from the church as a missionary are ones I now use to criticize it.
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