an analogy

A exmo friend on mine thinks of his experience with Mormonism as a bus ride. He got on the bus, it took him forward in the right direction, but then he needed to get off again. If he had stayed on, he would have missed his stop, and missed other opportunities in life. He can see the good the church did for him in a certain time of his life, but it stopped doing him good, so he got off the bus.

It's a rather positive view of the church, one that places Mormonism on par with other religions. Just one of many, all going different directions and to different locations, but all good in their own way.

I can see how the analogy fits him, because he was a convert. He voluntarily got on the bus, so it wasn't quite so difficult to get off again.

But I was born on the bus. I grew up having everyone around me tell me that this was the best bus. That, sure, there were other buses out there, but they were all going in the wrong direction, and that really, they were broken down and uncomfortable. And maybe not even really buses at all, but gaping holes in the road disguised as buses, and if I even went near one of them, I'd fall into a pit. So don't even try the other routes. In fact, don't even get off this bus--ever--because it's useless, and stupid. This bus is going the right way, this is the only bus that will take you where you need to go. How could you be so stupid as to even think about getting off?

But I did get off, and realized that all the buses were just fine. Maybe some of the engines clunk-clunked a little, and some of their destinations looked a little odd to me. But each person should have the right to choose voluntarily which bus to get on and at which destination to get off.

So, yeah, the Mormon bus brought me somewhere, but it did some damage in the process, pretending as it was to be the only ride in town. And so now, I can appreciate the bus analogy. I can see myself getting on another bus, and getting back off as it suits me. Then trying out another. Or walking for a while.