Why I Am No Longer Mormon
In order to keep this Board neutral we have introduced both views. For instance we have a Testimony Thread where people state why they are Members of the Church so conversely we have this Thread for them to share why they are no longer Members of the Church. This is being done in all the Religion Based Boards and is not unique to this section.
In this Thread you can state why you are no longer a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or why you no longer participate as an active Member. Others may also state why they chose not to join after hearing the Missionary Discussions.
Name: Silho
Country:
Comments: I used to be a member of the church but have since moved on with my life and I feel far better about my life now than I have ever been. The main turning point for me was the history of the church, how it was started and continued. I researched many things about the life of Joseph Smith and tried to see how I would feel about his actions if he were alive today. As I did I realized that Joseph Smith behaved no different than how Warren Jeffs was behaving at the time. We accuse Warren Jeffs of polygamous relationships but what did Joseph do? We accuse Warren Jeffs of running and hiding but what did Joseph do? Don't tell me he went to the jail willingly - [he] ran! He only came back after Emma called him a coward and even when he was in prison he took in a gun. How can you be a martyr if you are fighting back armed?
Silho:
Overall it was all nice on the outside but like a shiny red apple with worms on the inside is the same it just wasn't all it appeared to be. There were a lot of double standards. Putting family first but taking up all your time with meetings and everything about the church that didn't involve your family. The hidden doctrines that are supposed to be too deep to teach on Sundays yet they make up the core beliefs that Joseph Smith taught openly. There are many other things but those two are the main ones.
The family that stays together doesn't always pray together
."I suddenly didn't think faith was a virtue," he says. "I stopped thinking God would require me to have it." Kylee was shocked and dismayed. The church-dominated future she had imagined for them vanished. He wanted to talk of his reasons; she wanted him to shut up about them. Ref. Source 1
I am still a member of 51 years. Served as a bishop, high counselor etc. Married in the temple and so are my daughters and my oldest granddaughter since 2 months.
I attend about 3 times a year. I like to go at Christmas time. Enjoy the Christmas hymns etc. We left mainly because of two topics.
1. Absolutely no friendshipping. The home teachers came because they had to. We were never invited by anybody. We are really just normal people. We have on our travels stopped over on a Sunday at a church and then continued on our way. Nobody ever introduced themselves. Visitors welcome, you got to be kidding.
2. Doctrinal issues. This was not the same church anymore that I joined in 1962 So many things have changed that I cannot explain with : Current day revelation.
So, we decided to just believe what the early brethren believed. My wife feels betrayed by the church, I do not, just that the cart is off the tracks.
Name: Slack
Country:
Comments: I grew up as a member taking everything for granted as being 'good to do'. As I got wiser I saw where I could be 'good' without having to be aligned to or confined to one way of thinking. I believe there is a higher purpose but to say there is only one true higher purpose through Mormonism is in itself not true for me.
I heard the Mormons many times before. I listened to their message but it did not make sense to me. I asked many times how they can believe in these things when there is no physical proof and they will always come with the same answer: prayer and the ghost will tell me in my heart. I'm not one for feelings so I guess I will never know the answer.