JosephP

I was excommunicated from the church for over 25 years. When I came to my senses and returned the welcome was sincere and warm. I have never felt judged or looked down on by anyone. Like you I was worried about what returning would be like. It turned out to be a head game I was playing by myself. Whatever is keeping you from walking back trough that door, you can remove concerns about being welcome from your list, I promise you.

I was always taught that politics was the art of the possible. Until future generations can vote, or the voting public becomes many, many times more educated then they are, the only thing that will force politicians to make a serious attempt to balance the budget and eliminate the debt will something catastrophic, like the collapse of the economic system. They just aren't motivated to deal with it.

I'm hardly dismissing anything, just pointing out the reality we live with. It would be wonderful to live in a world where high minded principles were the normal practice. No matter how much I advocate trust and honesty as excellent principles, I still need to lock my car.

I'm a great admirer of Jefferson, and this like most of what he said is undeniably true. It is however, like much of what he said, undeniably naive as well. How such a principle could be enforced among the day to day concerns of running a government is hard to imagine.

I don't doubt her sincerity in her perception, my point was that the perception may be very colored by their choice to leave the church. It's hard for me to imagine that someone with a strong testimony tossed it aside because a bishop asked after a tithing payment. In my exwife's case, once she decided she wanted to leave everything she experienced was viewed in that light. She also sincerely believed her perception is valid, though being a third party to much of it I could see how what ever happened became viewed justication for her choice.

I can't help but wonder about any report from a former member not being tainted by their decision to leave the church. I know from hearing reports from my ex-wife, who has left the church, about things that happened to her in the church that I know are far more than a misunderstanding and bordering on outright fabrication, yet she believes every word of her story and proclaims it to anyone who'll listen that it's true.

Thanks, am I right in thinking I can't do my profile or anything until after they send me a confirmation email?

Hi Everyone, I'm new on this forum. I'm a convert originally baptized in 1979, but been away for years. Got active again 4 years ago and this time my testimony and comittment are solid. Been spending some time recently on ask.com and simply got tired of all the misinformation and hostility towards the LDS there, so I thought I'd try out a site that promises to be more welcoming. I just went through a divorce a couple of years ago and am currently engaged to a wonderful woman I met on LDS.singles. It's a long distance thing until summer 2013, so right now I'm looking for online friends and some distraction from living alone.