I’m glad that you mentioned that leaving the church is not some instant ticket to ultimate happiness. That’s the church’s propaganda, not real life. It does offer freedom, from guilt and shame, from always feeling you’re not good enough or doing enough, from the fear of eternal loss or punishment, from the pressure to believe you must conform with blind acceptance and obedience. All in the service of achieving the false sense of security of having all the answers. If after leaving you are so inclined, a deep and meaningful spiritual journey can begin. I left decades ago, young enough that I didn’t have to go through a difficult deconstruction, but witnessed the many burdens many relatives carried all their lives, while pretending they were happy.
Thank you for sharing your journey. I am not LDS, but my husband is & I am praying for him. I am evangelical Christian & it helps me better understand the hurt & trauma that could come & how to be understanding of it. I pray that your heart will know Gods love & care for you & that you will find Him.Much love & respect to you and your family ❤
I feel like I needed to listen to your story, and I'm really glad I did!! My wife is still in, but I'm ALL OUT. When I decided I was done, I told her the same thing you told your wife. We're still together, but she's very influenced by her family who are mostly TBM. Thank You for this video!! You've helped me greatly!!
Wow! You couldn’t have said it better. What you just explained is exactly what my wife and I went through and are currently going through. Thank you for the positive point of view and your ability to share so elegant
I remember growing up being told to only read church approved material... Especially on my mission. How did this not stand out as a red flag to me back then?
Thanks for sharing your story. After 41 years as a convert, I had learned enough that I was done. It has been incredibly painful but I have found peace!
I remember as a youth sitting in the baptistery for the first time to do baptisms for the dead. I was nervous. And my misplaced faith made me almost certain I might look up into the air and see Angels. But of course, that never happened.
Thank you for your heartfelt story. It means a lot to hear about fellow travelers on this journey. It’s not easy to leave a high demand religion and if believers knew how much strength, integrity, and bravery it takes they would have great respect. I am so grateful for people like you who are willing to share!
You are such a brave soul. I didn’t know you went through all that. I’m sure sharing your story will help others. Glad you listened to your curious mind!
Appreciate you sharing your faith journey. I was LDS for 60 years before leaving. Often, members leave the church and God as well. Instead of recognizing that God had a hand in their awaking. He wants you to trust in Him alone and not the arm of flesh. I pray you and your sweet family will find faith without religion. It has nothing to do with your works or worthiness. It's all about Christ's accomplishing it on our behalf. It's His righteousness that makes us worthy. I think you are on your way to discovering that truth. God bless!
Praise the Lord! We aren't "good enough", can NEVER be "good enough"! That's why Christ came, to cleanse us and make us "good enough"! Many things that are taught by the LDS cult aren't biblical. But luckily for us, the Lord wants a personal relationship with each of us! No church required! Is it even really a church when the top guys are PAID to be there?($136k/yr.) Or when they run various buissnesses?(then hide the $$ in shell companies) That's NOT what Christ is about! It IS about a PERSONAL relationship with him and you! LDS is a cult, not a religion anyway! Glad you guys got out and cab now enjoy life, in the real world! Praise God!
This was uncanny. I could have made this video and said almost everything you said. It wouldn’t have been as good so I’m glad you made it and not me! I know obviously there’s many situations that will be the same for someone leaving the LDS church but so many things were exactly how I describe them to those I’ve shared my experience with. Especially the thought ‘what if it’s not true’. That one hit me one day whilst I was driving in a car listening to a podcast. I just burst out in tears. Tough times. I also baptised our third daughter whilst not believing in anything. Tough times. I also left before my wife who really never cared much about the doctrine or history. So I just made sure she knew that I loved her and I was still the same guy that she had fallen in love with. It took a few years but we are both moving on with our lives in a very happy and positive way together. I never really had the angry stage. I’m not sure why. Also the paradox. Actually there’s a few. I don’t wish leaving on anyone. But I also wish everyone I loved and cared about was out. Love and peace to you and your family brother. All the way from the U.K.
30:06 you’ve confused peace of mind with feeling relieved at having no expectations for yourself. In time, you realize there’s nothing out there and you’ll come back to Christ, maybe even the Church.
With so many educated intellectual intelligent individuals in the Mormon group, it seems impossible that one would not at least question the history or doctrines of the organization. Congrats on your journey and freedom.
They do, they have, and even before the silly essays, published those works. Almost every ‘controversy’ people bring up can be found in the church’s own history textbook. It’s been available since the 90’s at cost or free through an institute course. You being lazy doesn’t mean everyone else isn’t learning about their faith and sharing it.
@@Billsbob nothing to do with laziness. You said yourself it's been available since the 90s. From 1830s to 1990s, that's a huge time gap to start giving the members the full truth isn't it? These church essays were once considered Anti Mormon. If members don't know what to look for, why would they even start looking for it in the first place? Good for you that you did. I would say the church does release some bias information but not the full picture but members are not encouraged to seek outside the church for books and papers etc. For example, Joseph Smith Translation with seer stones and a hat... ok there maybe some records but you have to admit it was largely drowned out in Ensigns, talks, doc, paintings, even the Joseph Smith Movie, all depicted Smith with the plates translating it in a physical form with no hat mentioned at all. Hardly nothing of him with his head in a hat.Even in the historical account in the Smith Movie, the persecution is vastly bushed over. Not explained at all. Feb 2001 ( I believe) Ensign did a huge piece of Joseph Translating physically with the plates. When I was a kid in the 80s, we were told it's anti mormon that Joseph translated from a hat. If its not controversial or always have been readily available as you say, how come so many focused on Joseph physically translated from the plates and the church officially having countless painting of Joseph not translating not using a hat?!? now apologist are all saying its always been there lol. If a magician tells the audience to keep the eye on one hand, he can't later chastise the audiences for not looking at the other hand, that's deceitful. It's evident that many members are coming out stating they never heard these things, you can put it down to their laziness which is patronising and somewhat gaslighting or the Leadership in the church failed to really be honest.
Part of this inability of highly intelligent members to critically research/examine/question the church may speak to the cult-like influence of Mormonism-
Appreciated the heartfelt video, it really is such a painful journey and nobody can relate unless they’ve been through it. You may want to get involved in the communities that are revisiting Mormon history and finding that not everything is what it seems.
Why would you recommend he waste even MORE time on an institutuon where all the rules are made up, the points don't matter, and the elites with the Second Anointing get to break them with impunity anyway?
Seeing your worldview crumble is like the fish who exits the lake. It's a different world. Worse, many friends and family see you as Satan-led, when in reality you just discovered truth that melted the dogma. I was in a Bishopric when I began my deconstruction journey. My study of cults helped me understand how they would use fear, accusation, threats, and smear campaigns. I exited knowing I stood on truth, but even after 18 years, it's still a wild journey with believing siblings. Thanks for sharing.
Poor analogy, or perhaps the best analogy. A fish who leaves the lake learns what air is minutes before he dies. A fish can learn about air and water without leaving the lake and dying.
Thank you for sharing your story I remember when I left it was so hard and so scary but I am definitely more at peace now than I was It's so much nicer to have a loving relationship with myself rather than a dictating father figure
I’m so proud of you. Thank you for sharing your journey. Please follow podcasts like Mormon Stories, Mormon ish, RFM, Nemo, exmormonschristians, so many more. You are on the right path. My husband and I have been on this journey and we have never been happier. I’m a RM, member all my life… you are doing the right thing.
Thank you for sharing your testimony. Leaving Mormonism is heart-wrenching. Here is the testimony of ex Mormon Christians... "We have come to know that Jesus is our Bishop. He is also our living Prophet. He is our Restoration. We know that Christ is our Baptism, our endowment, and our eternal family. He is our covenant path and the true temple. Jesus is our Revelation and Priesthood. Jesus is our proxy, our calling and election made sure. Christ is our exaltation! " There are no requirements in Christ's kingdom, Jesus did it all! Gal 2:16; Rom 4:2; Tit 3:5; Eph 2:8-9. Hugs to you and your family.
Thank you! Your story parallels my story in so many ways it amazes me. My husband isn't on the same page yet, but I have lots of hope. And this podcast gives me even more hope. In the meantime, I am where you are. I can't reconcile my beliefs now and the church I grew up in. But I'm finally ok with that, and my anger has dissipated a lot. Thank you for your words!
I’m a member and I know the journey of life is unique to everyone. I respect people in theirs. I can’t expect people to have my experiences as theirs. We all have our own. I don’t like to judge others in theirs either. Wish you happiness in your crusade of spiritual identity. Good luck mate.
I have been a member most of my adult life. I have read all the stuff you have read. I have been involved with all the questions you've been. I have children and grandchildren who have left what I hold sacred. I have never stopped loving or associating with them. That is the doctrine of Christ.
Thanks for sharing. I no longer believe in the church. I have been a member my whole life. I still go, I have a calling...I am so afraid of leaving and losing my friends and community.
Thank you for your story. I am a convert for 24 years and was tbm until about a year ago. I'm in the stage you were in for 2 years where you questioned the church but stayed silent about it. It started almost a year ago when my brother couldnt go to my son's wedding. I couldnt make it make sense and none of the standard answers were hitting me. It sent me down a rabbit hole about the ways and the whys we do weddings in secret. My husband is still in but is beginning to have his own questions. I consider myself a pimo at the moment and navigating is scary, heartbreaking and relieving all at the same time.
Thank you so much for sharing. I was baptized into the LDS faith in the 90's along with my son. I was raised Catholic and have gone back to the Catholic Church because it fits me and it has never hurt me like the LDS church has. My son and his wife have cast me out of their lives and their children's lives. I never see my Grandchildren. I just live with how I am treated but the pain is awful. I'm glad you shared your testimony of your choice, it truly hit home for me. 😍
I was a 5 time Young Woman President and very devoted convert for decades. When I discovered that my Mormon leadership had knowingly lied to me about EVERYTHING I was completely devastated 💔
I’ve had to reconcile the same my friend. The conclusion for me is that the Mormon lifestyle kept me from going off the deep end like so many of my siblings did. It taught me about Christ (which I completely believe after many experiences) and very importantly, it taught me you can be totally deceived and that taught me to challenge everything. I no longer look at it as a waste of years of my life but as a gauge of how great life can be!
Thank you for sharing your story. One thing that helped me quit being afraid to look at controversial issues is this concept by Jordan Peterson. which is this. Not looking because you are afraid of what you might learn is not faith but self deception.
I hope this video helps others who have doubts about this religion. I visited Salt Lake for the first time last week. It puzzles me how Russell Nelson can be a heart surgeon and hold onto LDS beliefs, which anyone can discover with simple inquiry were invented by a con artist. Although I visited the Family (genealogy) Center, Conference Center, and the Mormon Church History Center, no one attempted to convert me or even offer me a copy of the Book of Mormon. Perhaps because I am elderly, I am less approachable.
"What if it is not true?" Yep, that's what did it for me. I could envision seeing St. Peter (or whoever) trying to get through the pearly gates only to be confronted by some other creature laughingly saying, "We punck'ed you!" and I wondered how I would feel if I'd spent my life doing stuff I really didn't believe in only to be told it was wrong. Would that piss me off? You'd better believe it.
@@learntothinkwithchad you're welcome. I left the church in 2015 and formally resigned in 2017. Luckily my wife resigned with me. We were both 45 years old at the time of resignation. I was serving in the bishopric when my shelf started to come down. That was 2011, and it took until 2015 for me to say the words out loud that the church isn't true. Might sound silly but that was a defining moment for me, even though I was alone at the time.
I left the LDS Church. The Next week, I left the Church again. Every Week I leave the LDS CHURCH. They say, Practice Makes Perfect. I am not Perfect yet, so Next week I will leave again.
I hope you start a real relationship with Jesus Christ. He doesn't expect anything other than your true love. When I was going to a Mormon Church, I couldn't even quit drinking. I later was able to quit when God made sure I understood who was in charge and who gave me the power I needed to quit.
21:40 I read about Brighams racism, polygamy and mountain meadows massacre in the freely distributed Church History Textbook. That’s right, I read about all the clever gotcha’s from bitter anti-Mormons from the church’s own publication that was distributed at least since the 90’s. Turns out, if you give a damn about your faith and consequences of that faith instead of thinking you’re in a social club, you’d have studied and worked to better understand your faith rather than let it wither on the vine.
It’s so sad hearing people describe their understanding of the gospel implicitly by their justifications for leaving and realizing they haven’t learned anything new since their mission or had a testimony of Christ. Not once during all of this did he mention Christ. No evidence of engaging with the gospel, the deeper questions, the contradictions, the explanation for what’s left without the gospel. This poor soul demonstrates he failed to find out for himself what was true, if Jesus is the Christ. He just went along to get along confusing the church w/ a social club.
Thanks for watching and giving your perspective. Differing thoughts and experiences are needed to keep our freedom of thought. I wish you the very best in your pursuit!
I was 30 years old when I had a personal relationship with God Himself, it has now been 44 years sense I have had a Joy and a Peace that I never knew before that time. I promise you that it does not cost a penny, we do not have to do any works or rituals. My Bible tells me it is a Gift from God. We cannot pay for a gift or work for it. The Mormon church taught about a false God and a Created Jesus so they could become rich, that is why you were so disillusioned because the Church did not know the real God. I promise you that it will change your life and your family. I want nothing from you but to only know that you and yours are going to the real Heaven when you die, not one of the three Heavens that you were taught about. There is only two places' humans go to when they die.
Something I learned on my path is that there is literally only one way anyone can know whether something is of God or not, and that is by the good fruits something brings forth within ourselves. The Bible teaches that, and even the Book of Mormon teaches that. The challange I see is that we are often times too focused on perfection. The scriptures have to be perfect, the leaders of the church have to be perfect. Church history should be perfect. We, ourselves should be perfect. But the more honest we approach that question, the more likely we will see that no, none of these things are and ever will be perfect. The question that remains is, can and does God still work through them? How can we actually know what is spiritually true? Paul points out that even if we do have perfect faith, knowing all things, bringing forth good works, having the gifts of the spirit, prophecying about things, that doesnt mean we know God. Because without charity, all of these things are of no value. So, the ultimate goal will always have to be to experience that inner transformation towards charity, because God is love, and those who love "know God", and it will be those who "know God", that will obtain eternal life. Moroni agrees with that, in Moroni 7 we learn that everything that is good, is of God, and "good" is defines as everything that leads to Christ, and "Christ" equals truth and love. I guess the point I am trying to make is, spiritual truth is not so much depending on how true or false leaders of the church, history of the church or the scriptures may be, but rather whether it brings forth within ourselves the good fruit of becoming charity. And that is something some can and do find within Mormonism, while others may find that somwhere else, but whosoever finds it wherever, is on the right path. Jesus was clear, once we know that good fruit, we can know for sure something is of God. I think thats vital to understand whether people leave or stay within the church, there is not that one way that has to be right or wrong for everyone else, but there is room for God to work through imperfect means, and how well God can do so greatly depends upon ourselves.
No one is expecting perfect, they are expecting Truth from the church that claims to be the "One True Church." The lies about Church History, and the lies from Joseph Smith based on the first vision alone, not to mention his lies to Emma, show that the Church isn't True.
It’s amazing going to a church that lets you make your own decisions, rather than just always telling you what to do! I have never been happier in my life
Born and raised in California and I have recently realized there’s a lot of LDS in the state my moms best friend is Mormon and they grew up in Santa Rosa, north of San Francisco it’s my understanding they have a good size ward actually multiple ward’s in Santa Rosa 😮❤
Thanks for watching and giving your perspective. Differing thoughts and experiences are needed to keep our freedom of thought. I wish you the very best in your pursuit!
1:45 this part bugs me. It's insane that your first description of your dad is "he was a smoker". He gave you life. He was a provider, a protector, a teacher, a father. Mormons: "he smoked".
@@learntothinkwithchad I don't know your father..... but I know what it is to be Mormon and reduce the humanity of a person to their vice. I'm no longer in the church. I actually love a lot about it. But, this part of it hurts me.
There is a loving God but he also is a Just God my incouragement is read the new testament like a child(I was a mormon for 10 years with my family)most ex mormons go atheist don't let the Lds church win!
Ostracizing family members seems so contradictory to the “family “, preaching of the church …baptism of the dead has always seemed disrespectful to the person that they are baptizing,what if they were Catholic or an atheist? People should be respected in their death as they were in their life that has been a prickly point of Mormonism for me personally 😢
It’s not for everyone. I would encourage you to find what does work and find passion in that. I see people posting ex Mormon content, and it’s ridiculous to do that if it’s not working for you
Thank you for sharing. I'm still an active member in regional South Australia (and convert), but I definitely can see the floors in how the church runs, too. I just take the good and toss away the rest. Yes, the church is a bit overwhelming and hypercritical sometimes and seems to be sustaining their corporate leadership ahead of being christ-like. But GOOD NEWS The native Americans are finally over it too and are bringing forth their records (which have alot of things in them which will challenge the church). They are lead by chief midegah of the ojibwe nation, and he's a descendant of the smith family. The nemenhah records (book, second complete edition) The birch bark scrolls (under translation now). The Maori, South American, and Asian records haven't yet been translated. Good luck with the future. I hope you have better experiences
The native Americans are over it too? Are you native American? Do you have personal knowledge & speak for them? I'm confused as to where this information is coming from.
Funny hahaha. Do you know how the various Mormon cults got a toehold in Hawaii? They used some extant legend of a stone box to teach the Kanaka that the Book of Mormon was the object in that stone box. I grew up hearing how much Joseph F Smith LOVED the Hawaiian people. During my deconstruction I found out why he was actually sent to the islands: it was disciplinary, not love-for-the-people based. Then I read his journals. He despised my people. The amount of mythology produced by this corporation posing as a church is only superceded by the money they have made hawking it to trusting and gullible believers.
That Chief Midegah is a scam artist. He doesn't even look Native American. He's not the first to pull a scam about Native Indian scrolls, and he won't be the last.
My life In church has and Is hard at times but would not change it. My opinion We do not turn anyone away. I understand it Is hard but also keeps me safe. I dont have To worry about being under alcohol or other drugs. Im sorry you feel your life was bad In church. I also went To mission and it was great time but it also was Hard. All that Is worth Is hard. You dont have To be a member To do good and respect members. My 7 sibling arent members anymore but they dont talk bad about it. So I wish you all the best❤
You know its possible to leave the church & still choose not to use alcohol &/or drugs, right? To continue to keep the law of chastity & word of wisdom? Those items are not mutually exclusive.
Oh, I know that was my point of view To my life. But point also Is that life isnt easy whether In or out church. I feel like outsider many times but its not Gospels fault. I Hope all the best🤗
Thank you! We often think that all would be better outside of church. Our commandments are similar that diffrent group have, whether religion or for excample sport group. If you dont abide by them you are"out"your choice. ❤
@@LopsidedLiahona I left the church 9 years ago. Since then I have never used alcohol or drugs, have been chaste, and I do drink coffee but keep the rest of the word of wisdom.
Genealogy is simply busywork, they're trying to tell me God doesn't know who's who when apparently he knows EVERYTHING. God could let people into Heaven without all the baptism for the dead nonsense. On the topic of heaven,the three tier system is very man made isn't it? If you watch Titanic, Rose can go to steerage to visit Jack but Jack can't go to first class to visit Rose, it's exactly the same as the Mormon version of Heaven,to me that doesn't add up.Moving on to gay people, if gay people offend God so much why did he create them, why did he make it a thing? It's like adding brussel sprouts to your dinner even though you can't stand them & you know you're not going to enjoy your meal with them on the plate. People can believe whatever they want but they can miss me with their bible thumping made up nonsense.
You just wanted to sin…………k your teeth into some delicious COFFEE! I’m just kidding. I left when I was 28 and while my family was not mean to me, there is a definite barrier there. I feel for you.
You paid your own way ($12,000) for your mission or your parents? Most teenagers don't have $12,000. Also callings in the church aren't a hierarchy. My mom once had a bishop who following that calling became a primary teacher. Callings don't dictate levels of prestige or importance.
Callings are absolutely a hierarchy; everyone reports up. But it appears your username is male, so I can see how it'd be easier not wanting or allowing yourself to recognize this. As a woman, there is not a single decision at any level of calling that cannot be overridden by a male priesthood holder at some level. And this includes the General RS President's decisions. So how is this not hierarchical or patriarchal? Also, I had several cousins who worked summers in HS to be able to pay for their mission; and back in the day, not that long ago really, missions were priced based on cost of living of the place they were going, so Guatemala or the Philippines may only have been $180/mth, while England London could have easily been $900/mth. Its only in the past 10-15 yrs IIRC that it was standardized to $500/mth.
My husband paid for most of his mission. His branch paid a little bit. His parents chopped down part of the virgin cedar forest on their land to pay for the rest of it. This in the face of a multiBILLION dollar corporation posing as a church that even back then in the 80's could have afforded to pay for every missionary's service itself. My daughter came up with 90% of the money to self-fund her mission. The remainder came from local branch members sacrificing from their own meager incomes, including a faithful old man living out on the Blackfoot reservation. We're told that sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven but are never told onto whom. It's onto the fat and happy church, dummy, and it's been that way since the beginning. I read Lucy Mack Smith's book and hated her almost instantly for her name-dropping and the fact that both she and her son seemed to have no problem with how many peoplein their lives who they actually knew- friends, relatives, neighbors- suffered, lost all they had, and even died for their family business of a made-up church.
I find it curious that on podcasts by former Mormons that they tend to be either agnostics or atheists, along with being LGBTQ affirming. There must be something within Mormanism that strands you there if you leave. There was a time when people would have not ventured that far. I suspect that it's related to the power contemporary culture.
Perhaps its only the podcasts of former Mormon now agnostics and atheists which you have found. Maybe they are the ones more willing to talk. Maybe there just might be a main subculture within ExMormonism that seems to accept these voices as the cool, hip ones.. because their all-male cadre of new leadership in the ExMo Celebrity world - with their female sidekicks - do this themselves. These folks drown out and sometimes mock the voices of others who have left who yet remain on spiritual journeys. So I have noticed. Yet the ExMormons on personal faith journeys are still out here. I know them, I watch their videos and read their posts. Some are Jesus Freaks, some are Buddhist, some complely reject organized religion, some are New Age, some have returned to the paganism of their ancestors, and some are still just looking and learning, still seeking, knowing there is something out there greater than them... and feeling so inept, so cheated, so dumb because they were BORN INTO a cult, knew notjing different, and so at the age of 50 find that they are an incredibly-well-versed expert in a totally false religion. Useless knowledge, all of it.
You are the 2nd one i see for today, but since you know there is God then please pray to Him alone and ask Him to guide you and to let you accept the truth. Keep praying and at the same time please do your researches about Islam. As i said before, we all will meet God and we will be asked about His right which is worshipping Him alone in the way He asked .
I grew up in a small town in Utah… as a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints. And… well I will always be a member, because I know that Jesus is the head of his church on the earth, the restored gospel, where the sealing power exists. Come back brother! You will find peace again. You do need to understand a few things more clearly, do some deeper studying in the Book of Mormon, it will help you with some large miss conceptions.
I enjoyed your vi6deo very much. I just wanted to say something regarding your statement that you hope there is a God who is loving. I immediately thought of John 3:16 that explains the VERY simple truth of the REAL gospel and it says: " God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die." Contemporary English Version of The Bible. This was true for 1,850 years before Joseph Smith perverted it, and it is true today. It is NOT about a church or religion, it is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. God bless you and your family, Merry Christmas!
The Bible predicts that in the latter days, some people will turn away from the truth and the faith: 1 Timothy 4:1 Paul warns the church to stay true to their beliefs because the Spirit prophesies that some will depart from the faith. 1 Timothy 4 The Holy Spirit says that people will leave the faith, follow spirits that deceive them, and believe things taught by demons. 2 Timothy 4 People will not put up with sound doctrine and will gather teachers to say what they want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths. Matthew 24 Many will turn away from the faith, betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
You have created and amplified your own fears and doubts about salvation, especially in context of not obtaining exaltation because there was no preisthood leader in the home. That is patently untrue. the shame that you felt was self invented and not something the church ever teaches. Im sorry you felt this way, it all works out in the end.
I am GenX, the daughter of an LDS bishop, and my mother served as president or in presidencies of the auxilliaries at the local and stake levels. They were both seminary teachers at different points in time and we had Family Home Evening every single week. They DID TOO teach that not having a worthy priesthood leader in the home made you "less than". My own mother experienced this same shame and was determined it not repeat in HER home. They DID TOO shame those who partook of substances forbidden to Mormons. The lesson manuals and videos and general conference talks were full of it. I heartily bear witness and refute your gaslighting.
Thanks for watching and giving your perspective. Differing thoughts and experiences are needed to keep our freedom of thought. I wish you the very best in your pursuit!
I hope you are able to read this, and I hope you find peace with God. I know that the savior loves you. There is a fundamental misconception presented in this video. Those who leave the church are not denied family relations in the eternities. Gods plan of happiness is without flaw. Those who inherit celestial glory are promised that they will be with their families forever. God will not deny them. Think about it. If God is able to shield his glory enough to not utterly destroy mortals in his presence, the same is true for celestial beings. It’s only those who fall short of celestial glory who are denied eternity with their family, as they can never ascend to celestial glory. It won’t be their choice, when and if they see their family. There are answers to every question you have. There is a saying that the first gulp of science will lead you to atheism, but at the bottom of the cup, God is waiting for you. The same is true for Church History. Satan is trying very hard to shake the truth. The church is flawed, made of flawed people. Don’t let their shortcomings separate you from the Lord Jesus Christ. The hypocrisy is real. The vast majority of the members do not live the two highest commandments, as they are too busy being distracted by the checklist of worship intended to remind them of God’s two highest commandments. Love God, and Love your neighbor. The Church’s main mission is to relieve suffering and teach its members to love everyone else. We fall short every time.
My parents are temple workers and active members of the church. I have left the church, become a Christian, and now dedicate my life to helping lead people out of Mormonism. Are you saying that my parents will get me the celestial kingdom if Mormonism is true?
Yeah there's a lot of people really stretching trying to paint the Mormon Church in a bad light. Even just the way they try and word simple benign things that would be similar in any religion. This whole "Catholic school and my parents ruined my life!" trope has been around a long time. Truth is, if you were raised in a loving family who taught good morals and ethics, and even involved you in a local church community who instilled the same.... you hit the jackpot and should simply be thankful.
@@austinnajar nothing your parents do will “earn” you a place in God’s Kingdom. Only you can determine if you obtain celestial glory. If you fall short of the celestial kingdom because you either rejected Christ, or his saving ordinance of baptism, you will be eternally cut off from the presence of Heavenly Father, and assuming your parents ascend to Celestial Glory, you will be cut off from them as well. They will not be cut off from you. You will never be able to visit them and be with them in the celestial kingdom. But if they chose to shield you from their glory, (if we inherit all that the Father has, and we can be like him completely, we would be able to do so, as God has done so scripturally) they will be capable of being with you, just not always, as they can never take you with them into celestial glory. You will be cut off from them, they will not be cut off from you.
@@austinnajar also if you were formally an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, you didn’t “become” a Christian. Your opinions or understanding of Christ and his doctrine may have changed, but you have always been a Christian, and in spite of rejecting what I believe to be the fullness of his gospel, he loves you. He will reside with you in whatever capacity you allow him to. The Holy Spirit of promise testifies of truth wherever it is present. Not just with his chosen apostles or his Church in the latter days.
@@cm4nxd I have followed Christ and have been baptized but I reject that Mormonism is of God or has any authority whatsoever. So what does that mean for me?
Sure, if medicine means poison. A neurotoxin or analgesic, most likely. It is powerful, I'll give you that. It does kill, & has since the very beginning.
Another person not strong enough to live their religion so now they’re trying to get “likes” on the internet and blame the Church for they’re inability to live the gospel. Pathetic. It doesn’t take a strong person to leave the Church. Just a weak one.
This is the normative response we see from LDS when members leave their religion regardless of the reasons. Here are some of the things that come to mind when I read this: 1) It is likely that you know nothing about this person not shared in this video, and yet seemingly you believe that it is possible for you to make an accurate assessment of his character. 2) Similar to the first point, apparently you believe you can discern their motives for making the video, and you have decided that it must be for narcissistic reasons. 3) “It doesn’t take a strong person to leave the Church.” Considering what TCOJCOLDS teaches as doctrines (especially regarding apostasy and eternal life) combined with the communal and familial impact to “apostates”, I believe your position is flat out wrong. 4) Your remarks indicate that the Protestant accusations against the LDS concept of grace and salvation being earned and a works-based salvation are accurate. 5) This statement smacks of the arrogance and hatefulness that LDS portray to the world yet they themselves cannot see.
You need to read the Book of Mormon. The Mormon church does not follow the doctrine of Christ. We are just taught in church what the leaders want us to know so that is what we pick up on when we read the scriptures. The Book of Mormon is true and Joseph was called by God to translate the gold plates. Now that I know Joseph Smith did not practice nor preach polygamy I can be at peace that he was an honest man and did not lie about his supposed polygamy that the lying leaders tell us that he practiced.
It’s so sad hearing people describe their understanding of the gospel implicitly by their justifications for leaving and realizing they haven’t learned anything new since their mission or had a testimony of Christ. Not once during all of this did he mention Christ. No evidence of engaging with the gospel, the deeper questions, the contradictions, the explanation for what’s left without the gospel. This poor soul demonstrates he failed to find out for himself what was true, if Jesus is the Christ. He just went along to get along confusing the church w/ a social club.
I’m glad that you mentioned that leaving the church is not some instant ticket to ultimate happiness. That’s the church’s propaganda, not real life. It does offer freedom, from guilt and shame, from always feeling you’re not good enough or doing enough, from the fear of eternal loss or punishment, from the pressure to believe you must conform with blind acceptance and obedience. All in the service of achieving the false sense of security of having all the answers. If after leaving you are so inclined, a deep and meaningful spiritual journey can begin. I left decades ago, young enough that I didn’t have to go through a difficult deconstruction, but witnessed the many burdens many relatives carried all their lives, while pretending they were happy.
Very well said! I think many people stay angry because they thought leaving would make them happy. And it doesn’t.
And if there's no presence. I figured it out in the field and genuinely feel sorry for you dudes that lose it.
Thank you for sharing your journey. I am not LDS, but my husband is & I am praying for him. I am evangelical Christian & it helps me better understand the hurt & trauma that could come & how to be understanding of it. I pray that your heart will know Gods love & care for you & that you will find Him.Much love & respect to you and your family ❤
I feel like I needed to listen to your story, and I'm really glad I did!! My wife is still in, but I'm ALL OUT. When I decided I was done, I told her the same thing you told your wife. We're still together, but she's very influenced by her family who are mostly TBM. Thank You for this video!! You've helped me greatly!!
I am so glad to hear it helped. Take it slow, be gentle with each other. You never know how it will all turn out.
Wow! You couldn’t have said it better. What you just explained is exactly what my wife and I went through and are currently going through. Thank you for the positive point of view and your ability to share so elegant
Thanks for watching and I am wishing the very best on your journey!
I remember growing up being told to only read church approved material... Especially on my mission. How did this not stand out as a red flag to me back then?
Right?!? How easy it is to be willfully blind to something when you want it to be true!!
Thanks for sharing your story. After 41 years as a convert, I had learned enough that I was done. It has been incredibly painful but I have found peace!
I am so happy to hear about the peace you now experience. There is nothing like it from my perspective.
I remember as a youth sitting in the baptistery for the first time to do baptisms for the dead. I was nervous. And my misplaced faith made me almost certain I might look up into the air and see Angels. But of course, that never happened.
This is so relatable!
Thank you for your heartfelt story. It means a lot to hear about fellow travelers on this journey.
It’s not easy to leave a high demand religion and if believers knew how much strength, integrity, and bravery it takes they would have great respect.
I am so grateful for people like you who are willing to share!
Thanks for watching and for the encouragement! Best to you!
You are such a brave soul. I didn’t know you went through all that. I’m sure sharing your story will help others. Glad you listened to your curious mind!
Thanks Nata!
Appreciate you sharing your faith journey. I was LDS for 60 years before leaving. Often, members leave the church and God as well. Instead of recognizing that God had a hand in their awaking. He wants you to trust in Him alone and not the arm of flesh. I pray you and your sweet family will find faith without religion. It has nothing to do with your works or worthiness. It's all about Christ's accomplishing it on our behalf. It's His righteousness that makes us worthy. I think you are on your way to discovering that truth. God bless!
Praise the Lord! We aren't "good enough", can NEVER be "good enough"! That's why Christ came, to cleanse us and make us "good enough"! Many things that are taught by the LDS cult aren't biblical.
But luckily for us, the Lord wants a personal relationship with each of us! No church required! Is it even really a church when the top guys are PAID to be there?($136k/yr.) Or when they run various buissnesses?(then hide the $$ in shell companies)
That's NOT what Christ is about! It IS about a PERSONAL relationship with him and you! LDS is a cult, not a religion anyway! Glad you guys got out and cab now enjoy life, in the real world! Praise God!
Thank you for your message!
This was uncanny. I could have made this video and said almost everything you said. It wouldn’t have been as good so I’m glad you made it and not me!
I know obviously there’s many situations that will be the same for someone leaving the LDS church but so many things were exactly how I describe them to those I’ve shared my experience with. Especially the thought ‘what if it’s not true’. That one hit me one day whilst I was driving in a car listening to a podcast. I just burst out in tears. Tough times. I also baptised our third daughter whilst not believing in anything. Tough times. I also left before my wife who really never cared much about the doctrine or history. So I just made sure she knew that I loved her and I was still the same guy that she had fallen in love with. It took a few years but we are both moving on with our lives in a very happy and positive way together. I never really had the angry stage. I’m not sure why. Also the paradox. Actually there’s a few. I don’t wish leaving on anyone. But I also wish everyone I loved and cared about was out.
Love and peace to you and your family brother. All the way from the U.K.
30:06 you’ve confused peace of mind with feeling relieved at having no expectations for yourself. In time, you realize there’s nothing out there and you’ll come back to Christ, maybe even the Church.
With so many educated intellectual intelligent individuals in the Mormon group, it seems impossible that one would not at least question the history or doctrines of the organization. Congrats on your journey and freedom.
They do, they have, and even before the silly essays, published those works. Almost every ‘controversy’ people bring up can be found in the church’s own history textbook. It’s been available since the 90’s at cost or free through an institute course. You being lazy doesn’t mean everyone else isn’t learning about their faith and sharing it.
Thanks for watching and for the congrats. The freedom is worth the journey.
@@Billsbob nothing to do with laziness. You said yourself it's been available since the 90s. From 1830s to 1990s, that's a huge time gap to start giving the members the full truth isn't it? These church essays were once considered Anti Mormon. If members don't know what to look for, why would they even start looking for it in the first place? Good for you that you did. I would say the church does release some bias information but not the full picture but members are not encouraged to seek outside the church for books and papers etc. For example, Joseph Smith Translation with seer stones and a hat... ok there maybe some records but you have to admit it was largely drowned out in Ensigns, talks, doc, paintings, even the Joseph Smith Movie, all depicted Smith with the plates translating it in a physical form with no hat mentioned at all. Hardly nothing of him with his head in a hat.Even in the historical account in the Smith Movie, the persecution is vastly bushed over. Not explained at all. Feb 2001 ( I believe) Ensign did a huge piece of Joseph Translating physically with the plates. When I was a kid in the 80s, we were told it's anti mormon that Joseph translated from a hat. If its not controversial or always have been readily available as you say, how come so many focused on Joseph physically translated from the plates and the church officially having countless painting of Joseph not translating not using a hat?!? now apologist are all saying its always been there lol. If a magician tells the audience to keep the eye on one hand, he can't later chastise the audiences for not looking at the other hand, that's deceitful. It's evident that many members are coming out stating they never heard these things, you can put it down to their laziness which is patronising and somewhat gaslighting or the Leadership in the church failed to really be honest.
Part of this inability of highly intelligent members to critically research/examine/question the church may speak to the cult-like influence of Mormonism-
@@randoms7113amen!!!!
Appreciated the heartfelt video, it really is such a painful journey and nobody can relate unless they’ve been through it. You may want to get involved in the communities that are revisiting Mormon history and finding that not everything is what it seems.
It’s also being able to make your own decision, I don’t have to let someone strong arm me, everything comes under advisement!
Why would you recommend he waste even MORE time on an institutuon where all the rules are made up, the points don't matter, and the elites with the Second Anointing get to break them with impunity anyway?
Seeing your worldview crumble is like the fish who exits the lake. It's a different world. Worse, many friends and family see you as Satan-led, when in reality you just discovered truth that melted the dogma. I was in a Bishopric when I began my deconstruction journey. My study of cults helped me understand how they would use fear, accusation, threats, and smear campaigns. I exited knowing I stood on truth, but even after 18 years, it's still a wild journey with believing siblings. Thanks for sharing.
It's amazing how the people who have never left Plato's Cave can treat those of us who have.
Poor analogy, or perhaps the best analogy. A fish who leaves the lake learns what air is minutes before he dies. A fish can learn about air and water without leaving the lake and dying.
Thank you for sharing your story
I remember when I left it was so hard and so scary but I am definitely more at peace now than I was
It's so much nicer to have a loving relationship with myself rather than a dictating father figure
I’m so proud of you. Thank you for sharing your journey. Please follow podcasts like Mormon Stories, Mormon ish, RFM, Nemo, exmormonschristians, so many more. You are on the right path. My husband and I have been on this journey and we have never been happier. I’m a RM, member all my life… you are doing the right thing.
Thank you for sharing your testimony. Leaving Mormonism is heart-wrenching. Here is the testimony of ex Mormon Christians...
"We have come to know that Jesus is our Bishop. He is also our living Prophet. He is our Restoration. We know that Christ is our Baptism, our endowment, and our eternal family. He is our covenant path and the true temple. Jesus is our Revelation and Priesthood. Jesus is our proxy, our calling and election made sure. Christ is our exaltation! "
There are no requirements in Christ's kingdom, Jesus did it all! Gal 2:16; Rom 4:2; Tit 3:5; Eph 2:8-9.
Hugs to you and your family.
Thank you!🙏🏼
Bless you and your family. Thank you for sharing your journey. ❤
Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing. I’ve been on the same
Journey for a few years now. I went through some of the same phases.
Thanks for sharing. I wish the very best in the ups and downs.
Thank you! Your story parallels my story in so many ways it amazes me. My husband isn't on the same page yet, but I have lots of hope. And this podcast gives me even more hope. In the meantime, I am where you are. I can't reconcile my beliefs now and the church I grew up in. But I'm finally ok with that, and my anger has dissipated a lot.
Thank you for your words!
It’s so freeing when the anger is gone! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I’m a member and I know the journey of life is unique to everyone. I respect people in theirs. I can’t expect people to have my experiences as theirs. We all have our own. I don’t like to judge others in theirs either. Wish you happiness in your crusade of spiritual identity. Good luck mate.
Thanks for your well wishes! The same to you my friend!
Thank you..amazing presentation
I have been a member most of my adult life. I have read all the stuff you have read. I have been involved with all the questions you've been. I have children and grandchildren who have left what I hold sacred. I have never stopped loving or associating with them. That is the doctrine of Christ.
Thanks for sharing. I no longer believe in the church. I have been a member my whole life. I still go, I have a calling...I am so afraid of leaving and losing my friends and community.
Thank you for your story. I am a convert for 24 years and was tbm until about a year ago. I'm in the stage you were in for 2 years where you questioned the church but stayed silent about it. It started almost a year ago when my brother couldnt go to my son's wedding. I couldnt make it make sense and none of the standard answers were hitting me. It sent me down a rabbit hole about the ways and the whys we do weddings in secret. My husband is still in but is beginning to have his own questions. I consider myself a pimo at the moment and navigating is scary, heartbreaking and relieving all at the same time.
Thank you so much for sharing. I was baptized into the LDS faith in the 90's along with my son. I was raised Catholic and have gone back to the Catholic Church because it fits me and it has never hurt me like the LDS church has. My son and his wife have cast me out of their lives and their children's lives. I never see my Grandchildren. I just live with how I am treated but the pain is awful. I'm glad you shared your testimony of your choice, it truly hit home for me. 😍
Sending hugs to you ❤️
I’m sorry to hear of your disconnection. 💔
I was a 5 time Young Woman President and very devoted convert for decades. When I discovered that my Mormon leadership had knowingly lied to me about EVERYTHING I was completely devastated 💔
It’s heart breaking. I understand your pain
I’ve had to reconcile the same my friend. The conclusion for me is that the Mormon lifestyle kept me from going off the deep end like so many of my siblings did. It taught me about Christ (which I completely believe after many experiences) and very importantly, it taught me you can be totally deceived and that taught me to challenge everything. I no longer look at it as a waste of years of my life but as a gauge of how great life can be!
Thank you for sharing your story. One thing that helped me quit being afraid to look at controversial issues is this concept by Jordan Peterson. which is this. Not looking because you are afraid of what you might learn is not faith but self deception.
Love that idea
Thank you so much for sharing! Beautiful evolution of knowledge and feelings.
I hope this video helps others who have doubts about this religion. I visited Salt Lake for the first time last week. It puzzles me how Russell Nelson can be a heart surgeon and hold onto LDS beliefs, which anyone can discover with simple inquiry were invented by a con artist. Although I visited the Family (genealogy) Center, Conference Center, and the Mormon Church History Center, no one attempted to convert me or even offer me a copy of the Book of Mormon. Perhaps because I am elderly, I am less approachable.
Wow! Surprising.
@@learntothinkwithchadget over it rover the Church is the Only truth.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful storyl! So so many can relate, including myself!
"What if it is not true?" Yep, that's what did it for me. I could envision seeing St. Peter (or whoever) trying to get through the pearly gates only to be confronted by some other creature laughingly saying, "We punck'ed you!" and I wondered how I would feel if I'd spent my life doing stuff I really didn't believe in only to be told it was wrong. Would that piss me off? You'd better believe it.
There is beauty in your journey. Live free and love above all.
Thank you for sharing your story.
Thanks for listening
@@learntothinkwithchad you're welcome. I left the church in 2015 and formally resigned in 2017. Luckily my wife resigned with me. We were both 45 years old at the time of resignation. I was serving in the bishopric when my shelf started to come down. That was 2011, and it took until 2015 for me to say the words out loud that the church isn't true. Might sound silly but that was a defining moment for me, even though I was alone at the time.
Thank you so very much. With the deepest respect.
I left the LDS Church.
The Next week, I left the Church again.
Every Week I leave the LDS CHURCH.
They say, Practice Makes Perfect.
I am not Perfect yet, so Next week I will leave again.
I hope you start a real relationship with Jesus Christ. He doesn't expect anything other than your true love. When I was going to a Mormon Church, I couldn't even quit drinking. I later was able to quit when God made sure I understood who was in charge and who gave me the power I needed to quit.
Great work! Glad you found a path that brought true healing!
Sim Tia Tia was my priest quorum leader! Loved your story.
Oh wow! No way!
21:40 I read about Brighams racism, polygamy and mountain meadows massacre in the freely distributed Church History Textbook. That’s right, I read about all the clever gotcha’s from bitter anti-Mormons from the church’s own publication that was distributed at least since the 90’s. Turns out, if you give a damn about your faith and consequences of that faith instead of thinking you’re in a social club, you’d have studied and worked to better understand your faith rather than let it wither on the vine.
Who gives a hoot?
Well said!!!!!! ❤
It’s so sad hearing people describe their understanding of the gospel implicitly by their justifications for leaving and realizing they haven’t learned anything new since their mission or had a testimony of Christ. Not once during all of this did he mention Christ. No evidence of engaging with the gospel, the deeper questions, the contradictions, the explanation for what’s left without the gospel. This poor soul demonstrates he failed to find out for himself what was true, if Jesus is the Christ. He just went along to get along confusing the church w/ a social club.
Thanks for watching and giving your perspective. Differing thoughts and experiences are needed to keep our freedom of thought. I wish you the very best in your pursuit!
I was 30 years old when I had a personal relationship with God Himself, it has now been 44 years sense I have had a Joy and a Peace that I never knew before that time. I promise you that it does not cost a penny, we do not have to do any works or rituals. My Bible tells me it is a Gift from God. We cannot pay for a gift or work for it. The Mormon church taught about a false God and a Created Jesus so they could become rich, that is why you were so disillusioned because the Church did not know the real God. I promise you that it will change your life and your family. I want nothing from you but to only know that you and yours are going to the real Heaven when you die, not one of the three Heavens that you were taught about. There is only two places' humans go to when they die.
Something I learned on my path is that there is literally only one way anyone can know whether something is of God or not, and that is by the good fruits something brings forth within ourselves. The Bible teaches that, and even the Book of Mormon teaches that.
The challange I see is that we are often times too focused on perfection. The scriptures have to be perfect, the leaders of the church have to be perfect. Church history should be perfect. We, ourselves should be perfect.
But the more honest we approach that question, the more likely we will see that no, none of these things are and ever will be perfect. The question that remains is, can and does God still work through them?
How can we actually know what is spiritually true?
Paul points out that even if we do have perfect faith, knowing all things, bringing forth good works, having the gifts of the spirit, prophecying about things, that doesnt mean we know God. Because without charity, all of these things are of no value.
So, the ultimate goal will always have to be to experience that inner transformation towards charity, because God is love, and those who love "know God", and it will be those who "know God", that will obtain eternal life.
Moroni agrees with that, in Moroni 7 we learn that everything that is good, is of God, and "good" is defines as everything that leads to Christ, and "Christ" equals truth and love.
I guess the point I am trying to make is, spiritual truth is not so much depending on how true or false leaders of the church, history of the church or the scriptures may be, but rather whether it brings forth within ourselves the good fruit of becoming charity.
And that is something some can and do find within Mormonism, while others may find that somwhere else, but whosoever finds it wherever, is on the right path. Jesus was clear, once we know that good fruit, we can know for sure something is of God.
I think thats vital to understand whether people leave or stay within the church, there is not that one way that has to be right or wrong for everyone else, but there is room for God to work through imperfect means, and how well God can do so greatly depends upon ourselves.
No one is expecting perfect, they are expecting Truth from the church that claims to be the "One True Church." The lies about Church History, and the lies from Joseph Smith based on the first vision alone, not to mention his lies to Emma, show that the Church isn't True.
For those who leave the church for whatever reason there are those who embrace it, are baptized and continue in the faith
Well, pat yourself on your little self-assured, judgementally self-righteous back.
This is a fact. Thanks for engaging in the conversation!
It’s amazing going to a church that lets you make your own decisions, rather than just always telling you what to do! I have never been happier in my life
I’m so glad you found happiness!
Born and raised in California and I have recently realized there’s a lot of LDS in the state my moms best friend is Mormon and they grew up in Santa Rosa, north of San Francisco it’s my understanding they have a good size ward actually multiple ward’s in Santa Rosa 😮❤
I love this ❤️
I left a church after somthing trivial but it was a trust issue. I'm a wandering gypsy once again.
Me, myself, and I, attitude doesn't work in the Church. It's Service To Others that count and Loving Others.
Thanks for watching and giving your perspective. Differing thoughts and experiences are needed to keep our freedom of thought. I wish you the very best in your pursuit!
You never knew. You just did it and went through the motions. Utah mormonism is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is so much more than the Church
Jesus wants you to know that you have been forgiven🙏God bless you and thank you for sharing this story. I am a Christian, Not a Mormon.
1:45 this part bugs me. It's insane that your first description of your dad is "he was a smoker". He gave you life. He was a provider, a protector, a teacher, a father. Mormons: "he smoked".
Sounds like you know exactly who my father was. Thanks for letting me know!
@@learntothinkwithchad I don't know your father..... but I know what it is to be Mormon and reduce the humanity of a person to their vice. I'm no longer in the church. I actually love a lot about it. But, this part of it hurts me.
There is a loving God but he also is a Just God my incouragement is read the new testament like a child(I was a mormon for 10 years with my family)most ex mormons go atheist don't let the Lds church win!
Ostracizing family members seems so contradictory to the “family “, preaching of the church …baptism of the dead has always seemed disrespectful to the person that they are baptizing,what if they were Catholic or an atheist? People should be respected in their death as they were in their life that has been a prickly point of Mormonism for me personally 😢
It’s not for everyone. I would encourage you to find what does work and find passion in that. I see people posting ex Mormon content, and it’s ridiculous to do that if it’s not working for you
Thanks for the encouragement and for watching and commenting. I appreciate you.
Thank you for sharing. I'm still an active member in regional South Australia (and convert), but I definitely can see the floors in how the church runs, too. I just take the good and toss away the rest. Yes, the church is a bit overwhelming and hypercritical sometimes and seems to be sustaining their corporate leadership ahead of being christ-like. But GOOD NEWS The native Americans are finally over it too and are bringing forth their records (which have alot of things in them which will challenge the church). They are lead by chief midegah of the ojibwe nation, and he's a descendant of the smith family.
The nemenhah records (book, second complete edition)
The birch bark scrolls (under translation now).
The Maori, South American, and Asian records haven't yet been translated.
Good luck with the future. I hope you have better experiences
What records are you talking about?
The native Americans are over it too? Are you native American? Do you have personal knowledge & speak for them? I'm confused as to where this information is coming from.
Funny hahaha. Do you know how the various Mormon cults got a toehold in Hawaii? They used some extant legend of a stone box to teach the Kanaka that the Book of Mormon was the object in that stone box. I grew up hearing how much Joseph F Smith LOVED the Hawaiian people. During my deconstruction I found out why he was actually sent to the islands: it was disciplinary, not love-for-the-people based. Then I read his journals. He despised my people. The amount of mythology produced by this corporation posing as a church is only superceded by the money they have made hawking it to trusting and gullible believers.
That Chief Midegah is a scam artist. He doesn't even look Native American. He's not the first to pull a scam about Native Indian scrolls, and he won't be the last.
@@LopsidedLiahona My Native American husband walked out on Mormonism, and he says that Chief Midegah is a fake.
Denial of the diety of Jesus does cost all "LDS" adherant's everything. 😥😥🙏
My life In church has and Is hard at times but would not change it. My opinion We do not turn anyone away. I understand it Is hard but also keeps me safe. I dont have To worry about being under alcohol or other drugs. Im sorry you feel your life was bad In church. I also went To mission and it was great time but it also was Hard. All that Is worth Is hard. You dont have To be a member To do good and respect members. My 7 sibling arent members anymore but they dont talk bad about it. So I wish you all the best❤
You know its possible to leave the church & still choose not to use alcohol &/or drugs, right? To continue to keep the law of chastity & word of wisdom? Those items are not mutually exclusive.
Oh, I know that was my point of view To my life. But point also Is that life isnt easy whether In or out church. I feel like outsider many times but its not Gospels fault. I Hope all the best🤗
that's great to see that you've kept the faith despite the fact that it's not easy and that seven of your siblings aren't practicing lds.
Thank you! We often think that all would be better outside of church. Our commandments are similar that diffrent group have, whether religion or for excample sport group. If you dont abide by them you are"out"your choice. ❤
@@LopsidedLiahona I left the church 9 years ago. Since then I have never used alcohol or drugs, have been chaste, and I do drink coffee but keep the rest of the word of wisdom.
I feel bad you’ve left ur sure ticket home but GLWS.
Thanks for your concerns!
Genealogy is simply busywork, they're trying to tell me God doesn't know who's who when apparently he knows EVERYTHING. God could let people into Heaven without all the baptism for the dead nonsense. On the topic of heaven,the three tier system is very man made isn't it? If you watch Titanic, Rose can go to steerage to visit Jack but Jack can't go to first class to visit Rose, it's exactly the same as the Mormon version of Heaven,to me that doesn't add up.Moving on to gay people, if gay people offend God so much why did he create them, why did he make it a thing? It's like adding brussel sprouts to your dinner even though you can't stand them & you know you're not going to enjoy your meal with them on the plate. People can believe whatever they want but they can miss me with their bible thumping made up nonsense.
There are a lot of things that just don’t make sense. Glad I don’t need to do the mental gymnastics any longer!
You just wanted to sin…………k your teeth into some delicious COFFEE!
I’m just kidding. I left when I was 28 and while my family was not mean to me, there is a definite barrier there. I feel for you.
Haha!
You paid your own way ($12,000) for your mission or your parents? Most teenagers don't have $12,000. Also callings in the church aren't a hierarchy. My mom once had a bishop who following that calling became a primary teacher. Callings don't dictate levels of prestige or importance.
Callings are absolutely a hierarchy; everyone reports up. But it appears your username is male, so I can see how it'd be easier not wanting or allowing yourself to recognize this.
As a woman, there is not a single decision at any level of calling that cannot be overridden by a male priesthood holder at some level. And this includes the General RS President's decisions.
So how is this not hierarchical or patriarchal?
Also, I had several cousins who worked summers in HS to be able to pay for their mission; and back in the day, not that long ago really, missions were priced based on cost of living of the place they were going, so Guatemala or the Philippines may only have been $180/mth, while England London could have easily been $900/mth. Its only in the past 10-15 yrs IIRC that it was standardized to $500/mth.
My husband paid for most of his mission. His branch paid a little bit. His parents chopped down part of the virgin cedar forest on their land to pay for the rest of it. This in the face of a multiBILLION dollar corporation posing as a church that even back then in the 80's could have afforded to pay for every missionary's service itself.
My daughter came up with 90% of the money to self-fund her mission. The remainder came from local branch members sacrificing from their own meager incomes, including a faithful old man living out on the Blackfoot reservation.
We're told that sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven but are never told onto whom. It's onto the fat and happy church, dummy, and it's been that way since the beginning. I read Lucy Mack Smith's book and hated her almost instantly for her name-dropping and the fact that both she and her son seemed to have no problem with how many peoplein their lives who they actually knew- friends, relatives, neighbors- suffered, lost all they had, and even died for their family business of a made-up church.
I was not most teenagers.
I find it curious that on podcasts by former Mormons that they tend to be either agnostics or atheists, along with being LGBTQ affirming. There must be something within Mormanism that strands you there if you leave. There was a time when people would have not ventured that far. I suspect that it's related to the power contemporary culture.
Perhaps its only the podcasts of former Mormon now agnostics and atheists which you have found. Maybe they are the ones more willing to talk. Maybe there just might be a main subculture within ExMormonism that seems to accept these voices as the cool, hip ones.. because their all-male cadre of new leadership in the ExMo Celebrity world - with their female sidekicks - do this themselves. These folks drown out and sometimes mock the voices of others who have left who yet remain on spiritual journeys. So I have noticed. Yet the ExMormons on personal faith journeys are still out here. I know them, I watch their videos and read their posts. Some are Jesus Freaks, some are Buddhist, some complely reject organized religion, some are New Age, some have returned to the paganism of their ancestors, and some are still just looking and learning, still seeking, knowing there is something out there greater than them... and feeling so inept, so cheated, so dumb because they were BORN INTO a cult, knew notjing different, and so at the age of 50 find that they are an incredibly-well-versed expert in a totally false religion. Useless knowledge, all of it.
Can’t speak for anyone but myself.
I recommend checking out the light and truth letter. Have a great weekend!
That is not produced by the church. The church needs to address the questions.
@@JustinPratt1 you and I need to address issues in our lives
I am a ex jw
You are the 2nd one i see for today, but since you know there is God then please pray to Him alone and ask Him to guide you and to let you accept the truth. Keep praying and at the same time please do your researches about Islam. As i said before, we all will meet God and we will be asked about His right which is worshipping Him alone in the way He asked .
You don't understand the atonement. I don't understand the atonement. Someday we will fully understand the atonement.
There is a God, and you will find him at his own time. Let that be. God is Real.
I grew up in a small town in Utah… as a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints. And… well I will always be a member, because I know that Jesus is the head of his church on the earth, the restored gospel, where the sealing power exists. Come back brother! You will find peace again. You do need to understand a few things more clearly, do some deeper studying in the Book of Mormon, it will help you with some large miss conceptions.
I'm with you SSF everything tells me it is what I have been told the reassuring message comes time and time again bringing joy and comfort.
So sorry 😞 come back
Most likely will never happen, but thanks for the invitation!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I enjoyed your vi6deo very much. I just wanted to say something regarding your statement that you hope there is a God who is loving. I immediately thought of John 3:16 that explains the VERY simple truth of the REAL gospel and it says: " God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die." Contemporary English Version of The Bible. This was true for 1,850 years before Joseph Smith perverted it, and it is true today. It is NOT about a church or religion, it is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. God bless you and your family, Merry Christmas!
The Bible predicts that in the latter days, some people will turn away from the truth and the faith:
1 Timothy 4:1
Paul warns the church to stay true to their beliefs because the Spirit prophesies that some will depart from the faith.
1 Timothy 4
The Holy Spirit says that people will leave the faith, follow spirits that deceive them, and believe things taught by demons.
2 Timothy 4
People will not put up with sound doctrine and will gather teachers to say what they want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths.
Matthew 24
Many will turn away from the faith, betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Swing back around-
The Anger?? Not going, just getting worse.
You will have that anger for a while. It is your body's normal self-defensive, self-loving reaction to being deceived and betrayed.
You have created and amplified your own fears and doubts about salvation, especially in context of not obtaining exaltation because there was no preisthood leader in the home. That is patently untrue. the shame that you felt was self invented and not something the church ever teaches. Im sorry you felt this way, it all works out in the end.
I am GenX, the daughter of an LDS bishop, and my mother served as president or in presidencies of the auxilliaries at the local and stake levels. They were both seminary teachers at different points in time and we had Family Home Evening every single week. They DID TOO teach that not having a worthy priesthood leader in the home made you "less than". My own mother experienced this same shame and was determined it not repeat in HER home. They DID TOO shame those who partook of substances forbidden to Mormons. The lesson manuals and videos and general conference talks were full of it. I heartily bear witness and refute your gaslighting.
Thanks for watching and giving your perspective. Differing thoughts and experiences are needed to keep our freedom of thought. I wish you the very best in your pursuit!
I hope you are able to read this, and I hope you find peace with God. I know that the savior loves you.
There is a fundamental misconception presented in this video. Those who leave the church are not denied family relations in the eternities. Gods plan of happiness is without flaw. Those who inherit celestial glory are promised that they will be with their families forever. God will not deny them. Think about it. If God is able to shield his glory enough to not utterly destroy mortals in his presence, the same is true for celestial beings. It’s only those who fall short of celestial glory who are denied eternity with their family, as they can never ascend to celestial glory. It won’t be their choice, when and if they see their family.
There are answers to every question you have. There is a saying that the first gulp of science will lead you to atheism, but at the bottom of the cup, God is waiting for you. The same is true for Church History. Satan is trying very hard to shake the truth.
The church is flawed, made of flawed people. Don’t let their shortcomings separate you from the Lord Jesus Christ. The hypocrisy is real. The vast majority of the members do not live the two highest commandments, as they are too busy being distracted by the checklist of worship intended to remind them of God’s two highest commandments. Love God, and Love your neighbor. The Church’s main mission is to relieve suffering and teach its members to love everyone else. We fall short every time.
My parents are temple workers and active members of the church. I have left the church, become a Christian, and now dedicate my life to helping lead people out of Mormonism. Are you saying that my parents will get me the celestial kingdom if Mormonism is true?
Yeah there's a lot of people really stretching trying to paint the Mormon Church in a bad light. Even just the way they try and word simple benign things that would be similar in any religion.
This whole "Catholic school and my parents ruined my life!" trope has been around a long time.
Truth is, if you were raised in a loving family who taught good morals and ethics, and even involved you in a local church community who instilled the same.... you hit the jackpot and should simply be thankful.
@@austinnajar nothing your parents do will “earn” you a place in God’s Kingdom. Only you can determine if you obtain celestial glory. If you fall short of the celestial kingdom because you either rejected Christ, or his saving ordinance of baptism, you will be eternally cut off from the presence of Heavenly Father, and assuming your parents ascend to Celestial Glory, you will be cut off from them as well. They will not be cut off from you. You will never be able to visit them and be with them in the celestial kingdom. But if they chose to shield you from their glory, (if we inherit all that the Father has, and we can be like him completely, we would be able to do so, as God has done so scripturally) they will be capable of being with you, just not always, as they can never take you with them into celestial glory. You will be cut off from them, they will not be cut off from you.
@@austinnajar also if you were formally an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, you didn’t “become” a Christian. Your opinions or understanding of Christ and his doctrine may have changed, but you have always been a Christian, and in spite of rejecting what I believe to be the fullness of his gospel, he loves you. He will reside with you in whatever capacity you allow him to. The Holy Spirit of promise testifies of truth wherever it is present. Not just with his chosen apostles or his Church in the latter days.
@@cm4nxd I have followed Christ and have been baptized but I reject that Mormonism is of God or has any authority whatsoever. So what does that mean for me?
The #LdsChurch is like medicine, you need to partake to get healed. #NeverLeave
I think I overdosed
Haha
Sure, if medicine means poison. A neurotoxin or analgesic, most likely.
It is powerful, I'll give you that. It does kill, & has since the very beginning.
Funny should we take it with a side of SA?
Sounds like Roman-style slow poisoning of an emporer to me.
Rule your OWN life, completely free of addictive substances or dependencies.
Another person not strong enough to live their religion so now they’re trying to get “likes” on the internet and blame the Church for they’re inability to live the gospel. Pathetic. It doesn’t take a strong person to leave the Church. Just a weak one.
Fuck you, you don't know how painful it is and was for people like me who found out it was all bullshit as well. So nice of you to throw stones!🖕
Lame and weak comment. You simply make claims without substantial arguments.
@@charlesmendeley9823 listen to them it’s obvious.
This is the normative response we see from LDS when members leave their religion regardless of the reasons.
Here are some of the things that come to mind when I read this:
1) It is likely that you know nothing about this person not shared in this video, and yet seemingly you believe that it is possible for you to make an accurate assessment of his character.
2) Similar to the first point, apparently you believe you can discern their motives for making the video, and you have decided that it must be for narcissistic reasons.
3) “It doesn’t take a strong person to leave the Church.”
Considering what TCOJCOLDS teaches as doctrines (especially regarding apostasy and eternal life) combined with the communal and familial impact to “apostates”, I believe your position is flat out wrong.
4) Your remarks indicate that the Protestant accusations against the LDS concept of grace and salvation being earned and a works-based salvation are accurate.
5) This statement smacks of the arrogance and hatefulness that LDS portray to the world yet they themselves cannot see.
You need to read the Book of Mormon. The Mormon church does not follow the doctrine of Christ. We are just taught in church what the leaders want us to know so that is what we pick up on when we read the scriptures. The Book of Mormon is true and Joseph was called by God to translate the gold plates. Now that I know Joseph Smith did not practice nor preach polygamy I can be at peace that he was an honest man and did not lie about his supposed polygamy that the lying leaders tell us that he practiced.
It’s so sad hearing people describe their understanding of the gospel implicitly by their justifications for leaving and realizing they haven’t learned anything new since their mission or had a testimony of Christ. Not once during all of this did he mention Christ. No evidence of engaging with the gospel, the deeper questions, the contradictions, the explanation for what’s left without the gospel. This poor soul demonstrates he failed to find out for himself what was true, if Jesus is the Christ. He just went along to get along confusing the church w/ a social club.