Catwashed: Tales of a Brainwashed Mormon

Cats only have a few purposes in life as far as I am concerned. They were created for Youtube videos, internet memes, and to add humor to paper goods, such as: wrapping paper, gift cards, and disposable plates. My mom has a strong distaste for felines that was pounded into my head from infancy. Comments like, "there's opposition in all things. Dogs are good; cats are bad," and, "cats are not allowed in my home because they are gross," were common brainwashing statements strewn throughout my youth. Her hisses against cats worked though--all three of us Poppe children hate cats and I don't think any of us have a single credible reason to. Brainwashing your children is a real thing, and I am the product of it.

Here are some cats, fulfilling their real purpose in life.

My father did the same thing with Ford vehicles. We all knew from the youngest age that dad would only purchase a Ford, and if we wanted something different at the age of 16 his compromise would be a Huffy 10 speed. To this day I cringe when I have to drive something that isn't a descendant of Henry's original assembly line. Again, I have no reason to dislike any vehicle without a blue oval on the grill; I just have been conditioned to hold Ford automobiles above the rest.

As has been made clear, I am the victim of parental brainwashing. I am all too familiar with the confusion of having an opinion and no evidence to back it up. I hate cats. I love Fords. And I'm a Mormon. One of those statements is not like the others though, and it is the last one. I'm a Mormon, and I wasn't tricked into this religion by my scheming parents. Let's examine a few differences between my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and my opinions about cats and Fords.

Reasons I Hate Cats:
1. My mom told me to and after years of that mantra I gave up and got on board.
2....?
3. They leave hair on my legs when they touch me and I do not like that.

Reasons I Love Fords:
1. My dad told me to, and after years of that mantra I turned 16 and wanted independence in the form of four wheels so I complied with his guidelines.
2. They look nice...

Reasons I am a Mormon:
1. First and foremost, I do have to acknowledge that I was raised in this religion, so that does play a role in my beliefs.

2. Matthew 7:16 states, "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" What are the fruits of the LDS church and the commandments and beliefs we follow? Do good things come of our faith or bad?  A turning point in my reasons for attending church happened when I was a teenager. I never had friends who were members of the church when I was growing up because Latter-day Saints are a rare breed in the Midwest. I loved my friends, but I had different standards. I found myself in an uncomfortable situation at the age of 16 that painfully showed the gap between our values. I was in a hotel room with some friends who were all underage drinking and I couldn't walk away for the first time in my life. I was in another state and couldn't go home without leaving three other people stranded in Nebraska. I was frustrated, and for the first time I recognized the blessings of being obedient even when it was hard. I spent the whole night alone in my own corner of the hotel room, abstaining from the alcohol I was being pressured into drinking. I recognized in that moment that I was grateful for the way that I was raised and for the expectations and standards my parents held me to. The trial of my faith proved to me that standing up to my friends and not compromising on my beliefs made me happier. The fruits of obedience were evident and continued to be throughout my high school career. The fruits of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as restored through Joseph Smith, are everywhere. People frequently tell me that Mormons are happy. Mormons serve their community. Mormons seem put together. It isn't a coincidence. Those strawberries and bananas were enough to convince me that the church taught correct doctrine and was worth living true to. For me, the fruits of the gospel were the biggest indicators of the truthfulness of the church as I was developing a testimony that stood apart from my parents'.

3. At the end of the day my parents' nurturing and the good things I feel at church aren't enough to keep me here. I feel a lot of good things when I'm perusing the shoe aisles of Nordstrom Rack, but I would never worship there. Our Father in Heaven has promised us many things. One of those things is that if we read the Book of Mormon and pray about its truthfulness, we will get an answer. I don't go to church because I love the culture or because I don't want to disappoint my parents by being absent. I follow the commandments and live true to the covenants I have made with my Heavenly Father because something older than any of us stirs within me when I am living the gospel. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. He died for all of us and lives again for us too. I know these things because I studied and prayed and worked and expected an answer. I did something that anyone else is entitled to do. I continue to do these things because faith needs nurturing. I talk to the father of my spirit daily and the impossible to replicate peace I feel tells me it is true.  I invite you to pray. Pray about anything and see what happens as you develop that relationship with God. As you get more comfortable praying, start to ask questions and examine how you feel. Answer come to those who are humble enough to receive them.

I don't know why I hate cats. I don't know why I love Fords. But I do know why I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And it definitely isn't because I was brainwashed.