A Mormon Odyssey

[RandFan]

I took the day off from my work yesterday to do some research on Mormonism. Events are bearing down on me and my situation is coming to a head. My bishop is asking me questions in a way as to make me believe that I could be excommunicated. Don't get me wrong. I don't care if I'm a member or not but I'm not really prepared to deal with the repercussions and incriminations with a number of friends and family. I wanted simply to be inactive but I'm finding it difficult to do so in the face of increased pressure from the church leaders. I feel that to stay in my present position I will have to lie. It is tempting to do so. I don't want a confrontation with my church and I don't want to hurt anyone. However I don't think I can do this and live with myself.

I really resent being forced to deal with the situation.

In any event I read A Mormon Odyssey by Tamra Jean Braithwaite yesterday. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the truth about Mormonism. The account only served to reinforce my beliefs that the nature of the church will only likely cause pain and difficulty for my family if I should speak candidly of what I know about the church to church leaders.

I'm honestly not certain why I am posting this here and now. Perhaps it is to simply give voice to my feelings in a public however anonymous way.

I also highly recomend LOSING A LOST TRIBE. Both accounts are from life long Mormons who took an agonizing and honest journey to find the truth. Both were intent on proving the Mormon Church true but simply could not in the face of ALL of the evidence. There is much BTW. The truth isn't simply "out there" it is everywhere. It really goes to show the power of religion to control people.

 

[Disco]

That sucks, RandFan. I thought that excommunication was pretty rare-usually at the request of the individual to "get off the rolls" of the church.

If push comes to shove, do you think you'll be able to convince your family to not hold it against you?

I understand a bit how difficult it will be for you. My brother converted to LDS for a brief time in order to get married in the temple. It caused a huge rift in our family since we would be unable to attend his wedding. They finally held the service at a local stake house instead, when my mother put her foot down with him.

MHB

 

[RandFan]

That sucks, RandFan. I thought that excommunication was pretty rare-usually at the request of the individual to "get off the rolls" of the church.

If push comes to shove, do you think you'll be able to convince your family to not hold it against you?

Oh yeah. I have no doubt my family and my wife's family will love and accept is no matter what. It is just the pain and disappointment that our families will have that we have gone to such an extreme. Excommunication for some families can be like a death. But there will be no rejection of us. Luckily I have no doubt about that.

I understand a bit how difficult it will be for you. My brother converted to LDS for a brief time in order to get married in the temple. It caused a huge rift in our family since we would be unable to attend his wedding. They finally held the service at a local stake house instead, when my mother put her foot down with him.

In the story I mentioned above there is an account of the problems of this arrogant notion. I had a civil ceremony and was "sealed" in the temple. I'm glad my wedding was not in the temple.

 

[c4ts]

I'm sorry about your predicament, I don't know what to say other than I've spent long enough in Utah to see that the Mormon church is largely a social institution.