Thousands of Mormons Plan to Abandon the Faith This Weekend

[Newsjock]

Source: The Advocate

A Utah attorney is planning to help thousands of Mormons formally leave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after LDS leaders announced a new policy barring children of LGBT people from baptism until they are 18.

Attorney Mark Naugle told Salt Lake City TV station KIVI that he has already heard from an estimated 1,400 people who would like his help filing formal letters of resignation, which are required to officially cut ties with the Mormon Church and remove one's name from the church rolls that list all members worldwide.

Naugle will also attend a demonstration Saturday afternoon that organizers are billing as a "Mass Resignation from Mormonism Event."

At press time, 995 people indicated that they planned to attend the event held at City Creek Park in Salt Lake City, according to the event's Facebook page. Noting that the event is "for anyone ready to resign from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and those who wish to support them," demonstrators plan to gather at the park to finalize and sign paperwork, then march en masse to Salt Lake's Temple Square to deposit the letters in a mailbox near the Church's international headquarters.


Read more: http://www.advocate.com/religion/2015/11/11/watch-thousands-mormons-plan-abandon-faith-weekend

[jtuck004]

1. So everyone that is left is a proud bigot, announced and everything. That's

gonna be handy to know when the little bastards knock on my door.

[edgineered]

11. My favorite responce to proselytizers:

Glad you're here. I've been waiting for your church to change it's policy.

Once they think your apostate butt has been excommunicated they never return.

[Hortensis]

42. No. That's unfair. The Mormon church is very authoritarian,

and its followers are trained from birth to be good followers. For instance, they are not allowed to associate with anyone who becomes apostate, including their own children, a dreadful thing to happen to those cast out too, who lose all their family, friends, and social structure at once. Regarding this new change, their obedience need not have anything at all to do with bigotry, but with living their lives according to "god's" will.

[upaloopa]

52. Well if it is God's will to be anti LGBT it really

isn't God but only a god.
See if God made us he made my brother and sister-in-law gay and he/she doesn't make mistakes so I am told

[Hortensis]

55. Rationality doesn't enter into religion. You know that.

I'm just saying a lot of people are doing their best to obey their gods' instructions. It's not always about bigotry. Some people are true believers. Not fakes but the real thing. Shopping a god more in tune with urban crowd-think is not an option. When their god tells people to disapprove of LGBT, that's what they do. Fortunately, many are glad that rocks are not required and just cutting them from their party lists is adequate.

[upaloopa]

56. I quit my baptized religion when I was old enough

to use my own mind. I wish more people would think like Kant

What Is Enlightenment?
Immanuel Kant



Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-imposed nonage. Nonage is the inability to use one's own understanding without another's guidance. This nonage is self-imposed if its cause lies not in lack of understanding but in indecision and lack of courage to use one's own mind without another's guidance. Dare to know! (Sapere aude.) "Have the courage to use your own understanding," is therefore the motto of the enlightenment.

Much more:
http://www.columbia.edu/acis/ets/CCREAD/etscc/kant.html

[Hortensis]

58. Me too. I'm not only not a person of faith and have never

wanted to be, I can't be. For me religious tolerance does not require respecting people's beliefs, but rather respecting the importance of and commitment to religion for sincerely devout practitioners.

[upaloopa]

59. My brother is a Catholic priest

We come from the same background but went in opposite directions. I don't know why he believes what he does but to me he believes in a superstition. Of course I don't say that to him.

[Hortensis]

60. Umhm. My half sister has a strong bent to fundamentalist

religion and even did a few years as a Jehovah's Witness at one time. We can't talk about anything deeper than our hobbies, and when I do get indications of how she thinks I'm usually more sorry than otherwise.

[Dont call me Shirley]

78. Nonage, the Higher Self...

[jtuck004]

57. Lol. Their religion is bigoted and nasty and hateful at its core. Sold by greasy, smiling snake-oil

salesmen in white shirts.

I would rather have a KKK grand wizard on my porch. At least they are honest about what they do.

[Hortensis]

62. Goodness. You know the saying that religion makes good

people better and bad people worse. Too simplistic, of course, but there's real truth in that. We had lots of Mormons in our neighborhood back in California, and some of them were fine, highly principled people who were raising happy children in very good homes. Others were not so fine, but the strong structure provided by their religion tended to keep them living more decent, stable lives than might have been possible for them otherwise. (Most live virtually their entire lives in church-centric societies, often even employed by other Mormons.)

[jtuck004]

64. " raising happy children in very good homes" < Adhering to a religion of bigoty and hate - how

exactly do they derive good values from being racists , cowards, and homophobes? It would be a miracle.

This strikes me as what would be the case presented by a bunch of christian types, channeling Ben Carson, trying their hardest to find a way to excuse multiple manifestations of hate. Really easy to ignore the effect if they can keep the tragedy they cause away from what they do behind locked doors.

Unlike the liars and hypocrites in the churches. Of which, in 60 odd years, and after visiting a number of churches and different (they think) religions, I have found precisely 1 exception.

[Hortensis]

66. It's not a religion of bigotry and hate - as religions go.

And they do vary strongly. That should be obvious to one who is presumably opposed to bigotry and hate. Let's remember that a tendency to bigotry manifests against religion every bit as much as it does toward skin color and all the other usual targets.

Bias is an inborn personality characteristic that is hard wired into people to various degrees by our genetic code and then affected by environment. NO religion or any other teachings are needed for a person prone to bigotry to be hostile toward outlier groups, i.e., those they see as not "us."

Note that teachings of bigotry mostly fail in people who aren't wired to bias. A person may be taught to believe "orientals" are all bad drivers because they lack peripheral vision (an eye shape thing) but be totally lacking in the hostility that accompanies true bias. (A very nice but clueless coworker once explained their unfortunate "driving problem" to me.)

Thus, people without much tendency to bias are not strongly pushed to it by environmental factors, while those with a definite tendency will become the kind of bigots you are imagining all religious people it be. Some churches draw people with a naturally strong bias and encourage it. Some churches act in the opposite way to minimize it.

Also, it might be helpful to know that people prone to bias usually have problems with a whole range of people who are not "like them," not just one group as we often imagine. A very strongly biased Black Catholic Republican American is going to tend to be hostile toward people who are not Black and Catholic and Republican and American, and also others, motorcycle riders if people "like her" don't ride motorcycles and people who eat sushi if she strongly disapproves of people who eat uncooked fish.

Oh, yes, and bias tends to correlate with conservatism, less and less as liberalism increases. The more conservative the personality, the stronger the tendency to bias -- especially in the subgroup of strong social and/or religious conservatives (there are your "bigotry and hate" culprits!). Those last are the ones who cause most of the man-on-man trouble in the world. Ben Carson seems to be one -- his belief that no Muslim should ever be president is a big clue. I'm guessing not all of his fans are. He draws social and religious conservatives but also some who were attracted by his "niceness" and and "mellowness" and may not have looked any deeper.

[jtuck004]

68. Lol. "manifests against religion " < Poor, poor religionists. Hypocrites packed into

ticky tacky boxes

Their message is phony, as well as anyone who subscribes to it. I don't need it and don't want it around.

When they decide to treat everyone else as equals, maybe, but I give no quarter to people who insist shoving their delusional behavior onto others, no matter how many excuses someone makes for them.

cya

[Hortensis]

69. So you do reject all "religionists," and reject them all equally,

JTuck004?

Would you go so far as to agree with those who say the only good (insert names of any of @10,000 religions on earth here) is a dead (insert names of any of @10,000 religions on earth here)? Or is that going too far?

I'm not at all fond of what aggressive religionists are doing my self, but I was talking about bigotry, which, after all, is something different.

[LiberalLovinLug]

92. Adheriing strictly to a fundementalist religion is the very definition of bigotry.

Some, like ISIS, are overtly, extremely, violently bigoted against even sects withing Islam.

But North American Christianity is full of passive aggressive bigotry. I grew up in that world. They are instructed to be "humble" but they secretly cannot help but to think, because they have seen the light, others that are not a part of their fellowship are "lost". It proves they are smarter and better because they can see the obvious: An invisible giant with a white beard, who has no beginning, just decided one day (and I don't even understand if there can be such a thing as a "one day" in the context of a timeless "no beginning&quot to create a planet of little versions of Himself..for the sole purpose of, as states in the Bible, to glorify Him. Talk about an ego. But I digress.

I've seen it myself. Its the most insidious type of bigotry. A smiling, glazed eyes, zero respect for your secular (worldly and corrupted) viewpoints type.

[Hortensis]

93. And yet I knew Mormons who were open and accepting,

along with too many of type you describe so well, Lug. It takes more than religion to make a bigot. First, it takes a bigot. And if you have a bigot, no religion is needed. Secular society all by itself can fan and direct the hostility.

Notably, to the point I was trying to make, even Democratic Underground itself can provide all the direction and encouragement a person genetically wired to bigotry might need to identify and go after various targets for their hostility.

[Skittles]

81. I disagree it makes good people better

it makes them judgemental

[Hortensis]

83. Good one. :)

[mdbl]

82. I always wondered if Joseph Smith played a huge joke on the gullible

by taking the word moron and putting an M in the middle.

[Skittles]

80. LOL

talk about pretzel logic

[LiberalNotLibertine]

74. Actually no.

Not everybody who remains within the church, agrees with the decision. Some may have no opinion too.

Those "little bastards" are both young men and women, who happen to 19 and 20 years old. Cut them a break until they are old enough to understand life and absorb the consequences of the church's actions.

[jtuck004]

76. They are big enough to stand up to bullies, or support and become them, and not hide behind

childish excuses.

[tomm2thumbs]

2. Slate article put it succinctly

"....members in same-sex relationships would be considered “apostates” and their children would be barred from religious life. This exclusion includes baptism, which in the Mormon faith is required for salvation—in other words, the church, at least under its own theology, is forcibly keeping kids from God as punishment for their parents' love."

So much for welcoming the children of the Lord God.

_________

http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2015/11/11/mormon_anti_gay_apostate_policy_forces_thousands_to_leave_the_lds_church.html

[onecent]

3. this cult

needs to be shut down. I have a friend - a 75 year old lady who is wrecking 4 or 5 families with her
fucing stupid devotion to this fucking scam.
She gives 500 a month to a mormon church and she lives with a daughter than cannot feed her own
children...and grandchildren..
cuz most of the grandchildren are in prison or dead.
jesus..i get sick of the mormon shit.

If I offend anyone. TOUGH SHIT..
I've had enough of this and their CRAP.
she doesn't have 500 a month....
god damn assholes.

[avebury]

67. The daughter needs to charge grandma rent

(at least enough to be able to put food on the table). If grandma isn't good with that then she needs to find somewhere else to live.

[Hortensis]

84. "Shut down" a church?! WE. DON'T. DO. THAT.

This goes to the most basic principles of who and what we are.

[FreeState]

4. You can have him help you here if your looking to have your name removed

https://np.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/3s8bwq/lets_go_for_2000_resignations/

also cesletter.com is a great link to send to questioning members.

If anyone here needs help please let me know.

[yardwork]

24. Hi sweetie. Long time no see.

[FreeState]

29. Hi! You too!

I'm barely here so it's nice to see you here when I am! Hope all is well!

[Skittles]

5. it is time to put a stop to the bullshit

yes INDEED

[NonMetro]

6. They need to file a letter of resignation?

Why not just give them the finger and walk away?

But, I guess anyone who believes that nonsense about Joseph Smith would probably think they need to file a letter, I suppose.

[FreeState]

7. If you don't file a letter they won't leave you alone

They will send members to you're house every six months to check on you. You will be on their records and counted as a member until you die. The church uses this to lie about their true membership numbers.

[StevieM]

10. Wow. I just posted almost the exact same reply. (eom)

[ToxMarz]

15. Don't they convert or baptise Jews posthumously.

Who can even imagine what they will do with former LGBT members and their children. Best to never be on their radar.

[StevieM]

18. I think they usually wait until you have been dead for 110 years to baptize you, but I believe that

some overzealous members jumped the gun and started posthumously baptizing victims of the Holocaust.

[NonMetro]

20. Bizarre!

There should be a warning label for those thinking of converting. Still, I guess I'd just stand at the door and give them the finger whenever they came by.

[StevieM]

8. The LDS Church keeps people on the membership rolls unless they formally resign in writing.

That means that they will continue to send missionaries to your door periodically. And they include you when they are stating how many people are in the Church.

[FreeState]

13. +1 :)

Former member here.

[StevieM]

38. I am curious.

How long were you LDS for? What state are you from? Is the rest of your family still in the Church? Do they give you a hard time about not attending? Were they devastated when you formally resigned and accepted the "eternal consequences?"

I saw where you posted that you are hardly ever here anymore, so I hope you come back in the next 30 days and see this message.

[LeftyMom]

9. A few DU members are still paid-up* members of this hate group.

I'm curious to hear if any of them would like to explain how they justify that to themselves. Or the egregious racism** of their holy book, but one thing at a time.

*Literally, because you can't fully participate (you can't attend temple weddings or proxy baptize dead people) unless you're paying up and attending an annual performance interview with a weird old man who asks you if you masturbate

**Did you know some people have dark skin to let everybody know they're wicked, and if they stop being wicked god will make them white? It's in the book of Mormon. Repeatedly. It's a major plot point, because the main body of the text is literally the story of a genocidal race war between tribes of holy white people and cursed dark people.

[StevieM]

22. I once knew a Mormon woman who was a liberal Democrat.

I guess some people separate out the way things work in the Church from what they find acceptable in the broader society.

In other words, they might expect an active Mormon not to have an abortion or fail to be celibate outside of heterosexual marriage. But for non-Mormons maybe they think it is OK, since they are not violating the rules of the Church.

[LeftyMom]

25. That still doesn't explain the dark skin as a sign of god's disfavor thing.

And again, that's not some obscure text or tortured read, it's literally the entire plot of LDS scripture.

[StevieM]

26. I think the Book of Mormon originally said that their skin became "white and delightsome."

In recent years that was changed to "pure and delightsome."

I think that a liberal Mormon interprets the words "white" and "dark" skin differently. Maybe they don't see it as referring to race.

I don't really know. I am not LDS.

But I have often wondered how liberal Mormons reconcile these things, along with others, like the priesthood ban until 1978.

I only know that there are liberal Mormons who love Obama, support gay rights, are pro-choice and regularly vote for Democrats.

[iandhr]

32. I guess it's the same way that many progressive Dems are still

practicing Roman Catholics.

[LeftyMom]

35. I don't get that either. I bounced as soon as the family would let me.

Even little me sitting in CCD getting ready for first communion had no time for sexist nonsense. Fortunately I didn't have to tough it out through confirmation, and my kid sister didn't even have to put up with it for as long as I did.

I don't know how Mormon kids dealt. All the sexism, all the homophobia, bonus racism and you get an Amish grade shunning if you don't conform?

[pnwmom]

90. No, it's not the same. The Catholic Church will baptize the children of LGBT. n/t

[iandhr]

94. Got it

Thank you I learned something today

[Moonwalk]

37. You need to read up on the documentary: "A Sinner in Mecca"....

Last edited Sat Nov 14, 2015, 02:27 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/may/05/a-sinner-in-mecca-gay-filmmaker-on-a-hajj-of-defiance

This is a gay man who is a devout Muslim, and who went to Mecca even though he put himself in terrible danger just to practice his faith. Which is to say, you can't demand that any liberal who is a Mormon "explain" themselves if you don't demand it, as well, of any other member of a bigoted religion (and that includes all the oldies). Why is anyone Jewish, a Christian, etc. given what the bible says about the sin of homosexuality? Or how to treat women, etc.? Why is this gay man still a devout Muslim?

Here's the thing: What we're drawn to, or love, we love in spite of its flaws. That includes loving people who aren't perfect, and it includes loving countries that aren't perfect, and it includes loving political parties and politicians that aren't perfect. There are always points past which any of these can go and not be forgiven by a given person; a point at which the church, country, person or politician will lose the follower. But we humans have a lot of...well, hope/delusion (you decide), and we have a difficult time giving up that which we're used to or which gives us comfort, or which we just like no matter how bad it is, even bad to us.

Putting it another way, people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. YOU believe in something or someone--a country, political party, politician, person, whatever, that probably has let you down in one way or another. Someone else may demand to know how you can still believe in them given this, to "explain yourself!"--but just because it seems "obvious" to them that this is unforgivable doesn't mean it seems "obvious" to you. You know this thing, and it gives you something you need, and you get to decide at what point the wrongs it's doing are so unforgivable that you can't remain with it any longer.

There is no excusing the bad a thing or a person does. But there is 'forgiving" the bad in the assumption that, eventually, the country, religion, person or politician will shed that bad and only the good that we love in that thing will remain. Most liberals who are still loyal to their country, religion, etc. see in it the potential to do that. To change for the better. They may be total wrong, and if they are, that thing will lose them. But until then, that's all the explanation there is. "I like this thing, I need this thing, I believe it can get past this bad (which I don't believe in) and be good." And, "I'm not giving up on this good thing simply because it has lost its way. If I leave it, who will be in it to help change it?"

You don't have to agree with any of this, but that's the explanation. And we're all guilty of thinking it, now and again, in regards to something or someone.

[BuddhaGirl]

46. +1

for the balanced reply

[Ilsa]

53. Very good explanation. And some people of faith

are working to change the old rules to help their sect or denomination or religion become more inclusive, especially those belief systems which are at a crossroads in the governing body.

[Hortensis]

85. +1. Thanks, Moonwalk.

[B2G]

41. Yeah, how can a Mormon be a Democrat

Or a Roman Catholic (or any Christian for that matter), or a Muslim, or...

How can ANY religious person be a Democrat.

Who will we have left?

[LeftyMom]

45. Can a Christian Identity believer be a good Democrat?

Their beliefs about race are remarkably similar: that white Americans are descended of a lost tribe of Israel, that black people are cursed by god and have diminished spiritual capacity, that intermarriage is cursed, that race war is mandated by god, that believers must prepare for a coming apocalypse.

[B2G]

49. I am not referring to radical fringe groups. nt

[LanternWaste]

50. Lacking pre-qualifiers, "ANY religious person" directly implies radical fringe groups.

Lacking pre-qualifiers, "ANY religious person" directly implies radical fringe groups in addition to the non-radical and non-fringe...

[B2G]

51. Thanks for the hot posting tip. nt

[KamaAina]

71. I dunno. Why don't you ask Harry Reid?

[Hortensis]

86. And yet most Democrats identify themselves as religious.

Obviously, opinion does not equal understanding. As usual.

[LiberalElite]

12. There's a hit Broadway musical about the Mormons

It's even called "The Book of Mormon" and every time I see a tv commercial for it I'm just amazed. It doesn't seem possible that anything about that religion could be made into entertainment.

[Beartracks]

27. Satire, from the creators of South Park.

Don't know anything else about it, though.

================

[LiberalElite]

28. ok that explains it - eom

[Laffy Kat]

30. Saw it. It was hysterical.

Also quite sardonic of the Mormon faith. Oddly, the church does not condemn the musical. I guess they are taking a "it's ok to laugh at ourselves sometimes approach." I mean really, they don't have a choice. The play is a huge hit and is almost always sold out on Broadway and where ever it tours.

[iandhr]

33. If you have a chance to see it...

... you should it is very funny.

[roody]

36. It is incredibly funny.

[yellerpup]

44. The audience was screaming with laughter

at the performance I saw. It's the best Broadway musical I've ever seen and the ONLY time I've seen people to react with such enthusiasm. Not against Mormons, but for the brilliant script, performances, and song.

[Submariner]

14. Good...its about time they raised the age to 18

If I wasn't baptized as an infant and brainwashed about all that imaginary sky people shit from 1st grade through high school I probably would not have bitter feelings about being part of the roman catholic church of child rape.

Setting the age at 18 is good so one can decide if they want to be a member of one of these super cults.

Of course the age won't be changed for everyone because the snake oil salemen need to start the brainwashing early and strike fear of the lord early and often to get our money.

[StevieM]

16. Sadly, the new policy also mandates that when the child turns 18 they must disavow

their parents' marriages, and recognize the union as sinful, if they want to be baptized or go on a mission.

The policy also applies to children whose parents are living with a same-gender partner, even if they are not married.

This policy applies to all children. Even if they are living with a straight parent (and maybe stepparent) while the non-custodial parent is in a gay relationship.

Basically, it means that if you have a gay parent who is in a committed, cohabiting relationship you cannot fully join the church as a child. No baby naming, no blessings, no baptism, no priesthood, no mission. And when you turn 18 you must denounce the sinful nature of your parent.

You're allowed to keep loving your family. And you're allowed to attend church events as a non-member.

[keithbvadu2]

17. Holding the children responsible for the sins of the parents is

old time religion.

It's called original sin.

[StevieM]

23. The parents did not actually commit a sin.

And I thought original sin referred to Adam and Eve.

[keithbvadu2]

63. "actually commit" - The church does not care about that part.

Adam and Eve? Yep!

[Dawson Leery]

21. The Fed should take over that evil state.

This cult of pure evil has too much influence.

[iandhr]

31. The fact that people need support to leave the LDS church

says something about who they are.

[Hortensis]

87. It really does. Most Mormon life takes place within

Mormon society organized by and around the church. For some whose work doesn't take them into the outside world, it can be all. Like this story.

Long ago now, a delightful and admirable older Mormon mother of 9 in our neighborhood was literally famous among Mormon communities for all her activities within their society, their home constantly filled with guests from almost anywhere in the world and various activities, including political -- but always Mormon.

One year she (scrupulously under her quiet husband's guidance, as her commitment to being a good wife never allowed her to fail to seek that! ) felt she should take a step outside Mormon society to become our elementary school's PTA president. That's also the year ours was named California's most outstanding PTA, and no coincidence. We were good before, sure, but California's a big state.

To the point finally: Even familiar with church ways because of a bunch of Mormons in our neighborhood, the rest of us were surprised when this extremely redoubtable woman (think Hillary Clinton permanently in gracious and charming mode) noted at a luncheon meeting in her house that this was the very first time she had ever entertained anyone who was not Mormon. She would have been in her mid-40s at the time.

End of story, except that if any of their children had left the church, he would have had to also leave behind his really wonderful family and the close-knit society he had grown up in since birth, including all his friends (once in the teens, all Mormon). Inside with them OR alone outside in an alien, indifferent, unsupportive world. That's the choice.

[FreeState]

95. I don't think grasp how much it controls

My high school basic schedule (this is the minimum - often it was more):

Monday: 6:30 -7:30 early morning seminary, Family Home Evening (two hours usually)
Tuesday: 6:30 -7:30 early morning seminary, Youth group 7pm - 9pm
Wednesday: 6:30 -7:30 early morning seminary,
Thursday: 6:30 -7:30 early morning seminary,
Friday: 6:30 -7:30 early morning seminary,
Saturday: Once a month dance. (3 hours)
Sunday: Church 3 hour block, plus any meetings I needed to attend, home teaching once a month. (4 hours average)

Thats about 16 hours a week. As a teenager. As an adult its about 10-12 hours a week.

[Hortensis]

96. No. I saw but didn't feel. What I saw from the outside

was seemingly people living comfortable, secure, stables lives who seemingly didn't want anything else. They really seemed just like the rest of us, just some appeared more self satisfied. There must been a square peg here or there and tragedy in progress, but I wasn't inside so never heard of any.

[FreeState]

97. Well as someone who grew up in the church your assumptions are not what I experienced n/t

[Hortensis]

98. They weren't assumptions, just descriptions of the faces

presented to the world, and I'm sorry but not surprised. I've never been a round peg sort of person myself, but then I also never had either a place to belong or one that I had to break free of. Better? Worse?

[StevieM]

99. Youth Group is Mutual, right? I thought the night of Mutual varied, from week to week. (eom)

[FreeState]

100. The have "combined" groups or just your age group/sex

It depended on the week. It was held every week though.

[StevieM]

101. But is that what they call "Mutual" or am I thinking of something else? (eom)

[FreeState]

102. Yes - they still call it that

I just referred to it as youth group so that the average person would get the general idea.

https://www.lds.org/callings/aaronic-priesthood/leader-resources/mutual-and-other-activities?lang=eng

[niyad]

34. thank you for this--just reinforces how whacked they are. let us not forget the white horse

prophecy, either.

[Paper Roses]

39. I just finished reading: Under the Banner of Heaven. Scary stuff!

This book about Mormon history, its beginning to recent, came to me as part of my book swap group. I know nothing of this religion except they have a great choir and are headquartered in Utah. What a scary, strange history.

Worth a read if you care to know more about this religion.

Under the Banner of Heaven. A Story of Violent Faith
by Jon Krakauer. Published in 2004

Well written, well researched.

[Jack Rabbit]

40. I wish them luck

I'm not going to join in the vitriol against Mormons in general. Needless to say, I'm not a Mormon and find some parts of the Mormon doctrine odious, although some other parts are admirable. I appreciate Mormon teaching about commitment to family life, but I do wish LDS elders would take a much less narrow view of what a family is and urge them to do so.

[Sunlei]

43. Mormons have to fill out a form to 'quit' their church? Isn't that a Corporate tactic?

[StevieM]

48. It's not that they have to fill out a form to quit and stop attending.

It's more complicated than that.

If you don't write to the Church and demand that they remove your name from the Church records they continue to consider you a Mormon. They continue to identify you as a member of the Church. And that can create problems for an inactive Mormon who considers themselves an ex-Mormon.

First, the Church will send missionaries to your door to try to get you to come back to church. And they don't just come once. They come about every six months (although I am sure it varies from ward to ward). And the people from your old ward will often make efforts to return you to the fold.

Second, they will continue to count you among their members when they publicize how many people are in the Church.

Third, many ex-Mormons want to formally establish that they are not LDS (Latter Day Saint) anymore. They want to sever all ties to the Church and establish that they are not just inactive members--they are non-members.

[HereSince1628]

79. Or, a person can undertake acts of an apostate, and have their name struck

from -THE- Book of Life.

An act of an apostate would essentially be treason against the church.

Telling the brothers who come knocking that God makes his will known to you and he says the President of the Church/Prophet is full of shit, and that I was taking out a restraining order to keep them from stalking worked for me.

[JLTaylor]

47. Wow

Since the Supreme Court ruled to allow same sex marriage, the Mormon Church and many other faiths are again pushing their agenda to discriminate against gay people in any way possible. The attitude is "our way or the highway". One of the Supreme Court Justices when ruling to allow same sex marriage indicated his vote to allow was partially based on how the children of these couples would feel if the land of the free decided to back the faith leaders and create two classes of people. And what does the Mormon Church do, exactly what the Supreme Court feared. I thought faith was based on love and caring.

[lanlady]

54. leaving the Church of LDS is traumatic--

--for those who have had the courage to do so.

My ex-Mormon friends described to me how they were harassed for months on end and made to feel like complete outcasts. They were shunned by their families. This is a cult that relies on clever brainwashing and indoctrination. When I left the Catholic Church, no one noticed or cared. The Mormon Church, however, not only wants to keep collecting that 10 % tithe but is also nearly as fearful of outside scrutiny as the Scientologists.

Ugh! Good luck to these mass defectors, they are doing the right thing.

[AngryAmish]

61. Thousands Are Sailing

http://m.

[mwooldri]

65. I didn't know the LDS church would go so against the words of Jesus.

Matthew 19:14 - Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (NIV Bible).

So what part of "do not hinder them" do these so-called disciples get? Obviously not a lot of it, since that's what they appear to be doing.

[The CCC]

70. I didn't know the LDS church would go so against the words of Jesus.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Matthew 19:14

[Don Draper]

72. The Mormon church wants people to understand

that heavenly father's plan is that marriage should be only between a man and a woman, and a woman, and a woman and a woman.

[LiberalNotLibertine]

75. Poligamy was around long before LDS

The primary reason why a change of church doctrine occurred in regard to marriage, was to appease Washington DC in an attempt to admit Utah to the Union.

[LiberalNotLibertine]

73. I really don't have a dog in this fight.

I am neither LDS or gay, but who really cares? I don't need a church to pray, worship, and do His good works; neither does anyone else.

However, if the church leaders decide to excommunicate me for any reason, I would just find another religion to worship within. I have no doubt that I would be able to locate a denomination which falls in line with my beliefs.

Every religion has something that someone disagrees with. It may work for some, but not for others.......but again, so what? Does anyone really want to remain where they aren't welcomed?

It would be worse if your religious leader's last name was Jones, Koresh, Alamo, Bent, Hale, LeBaron, Drew, et al.

[IronLionZion]

77. Mormons are deeply entrenched in their church, it's hard to leave

the church leaders and other mormons are all up in your business making sure you're doing approved activities

[zwyziec]

88. They just put 10% of their income back in their pockets!

Another reason for them to excommunicate this cult

[Srkdqltr]

89. It is the weekend ...

Did they actually do this? or is this just nothing?
This post has been here for several days.
What Happened?? Anything?

[Maeve]

91. a quick google of the story

Last edited Mon Nov 16, 2015, 04:22 PM - Edit history (1)

http://time.com/4113873/mormons-quit-church/

Hundreds of Mormons resigned from the church on Saturday to protest a new policy banning children with same-sex parents from being baptized until they reach adulthood, according to reports.

And later, from NPR:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/11/16/456224955/more-than-1-000-mormons-resign-from-the-lds-church-in-protest?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news