I Have Officially Resigned From The Mormon Church

[Holly3278]

I just wanted to let you all know that about a week or so ago, I sent in my resignation letter to the Mormon headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I have decided that I no longer wish to be a member of the Mormon Church and I totally understand all the "consequences" of resigning. I know that the effects of my baptism will be canceled and that any temple recommends I had will also be canceled but I didn't have any temple recommends. Even if I did, I wouldn't care if they were canceled.

I simply find myself no longer able to agree with the tenants of the Mormon faith. I have nothing against Mormons themselves. I only have something against what the Mormon church believes. The most important of which would be the unorthodox view of the Trinity that the Mormon church holds.

I hope that none of you will be angry with me for resigning my membership in the Mormon church and please know that I hold nothing against any of you. My decision to resign was not the result of anything anyone said on these forums or anything of that sort. It was a result of my own choosing.

The headquarters did mail me back and told me that my decision would have to be handled by local priesthood leaders. I did not know this at the time that I mailed my letter to the headquarters.

Anyway, may God bless you all and may you all someday find the truth which I personally do not believe is found in the Mormon church.

[Flyonthewall]

It is always sad to hear anyone has lost their testimony, and over the nature of G_d, no less.

No matter how I feel though, you must be true to yourself, as faith is a very personal thing. I would hope that your decision was not motivated by peer pressure or other outside influences.

May I ask if you were born and raised in the church or were you a convert?

[WillowTheWhisp]

Like Fly I always find it very sad to hear of someone deciding to leave the church and I'm also puzzled that you think our understanding of God is wrong. I find it so very difficult to understand any different concept of the Godhead other than the one I believe: that they are three seperate and distinct individuals. I wish you well and if you ever do regret your decision you know the door will always be open for you to return.

[a-train]

Follow whatever the LORD tells you in your mind and in your heart by the power of the Holy Ghost and you will be guided right. I have no doubt about that. We all have to do what we believe is right.

-a-train

[MaidservantX]

I wish you well -- peace and happiness. I hope you stick around here? :)

[Elgama]

I agree with A-train if you know you are right with God I am pleased for you - I know for myself there is nothing greater in life than knowing I am where my Heavenly Father wants me.

Good luck with the path you and He have chosen together. Its nice knowing we are on the path home isn't it?

-Charley

[rickg]

My brother did the same thing a few years ago. Wish I could do the same thing to him, that I'd like to do to anyone doing this.....whack them up the side of the head. That's my HONEST response. Sorry. Have a good life.

[Aphrodite]

Hmm rick you obviously follow the christian concept to respect invidividual choices. nice one mate.

Holly-I dont find it sad. Im sure you're happy with your decision. Hope all goes well for you!

[Dale]

Holly-I do not feel the orthodox idea of the Trinity was orthodox in the early church. See FAIR's Godhead and the Trinity article. Godhead and the Trinity - FAIRMormon FARMS has also responded to the scholarly issues it gets on God, and Jesus from its perspective. Response to Search for the Truth DVD

I am a Reorganized Latter Day Saint. My church has had official anti-Trinitarian views over the years. Officially my church has gone Trinitarian. Not mandating views on God we still have many members like myself who hold God and Christ as two persons. I have read the best Evangelical arguments for the Trinity for many years and still am not persuaded its unquestionably true. The best book on the Trinity i have found is Understanding the Trinity by Allister E. McGrath. So i understand the idea i just don't think it is all true.

I read Evangelical Anti-Mormon material because of my interest in apologetics. I make no secret of the fact i was LDS prior to my joining the Community of Christ in 2005. I had exposure to Evangelical claims they were the pure orthodoxy for about 20 years now. My belief that the Book of Mormon is scripture has only solidified. Unlike some Ex-LDS i am not above admitting the possibility i made a mistake in leaving the church. I don't think i did, but i do not view my beliefs influenced by Joseph Smiths teachings a mistake.

One of the several Anti-Mormon books i am studying is Mormonism Unmasked by R. Philip Roberts. He has been in Anti-Mormon films like the Mormon Puzzle and Jesus Christ/Joseph Smith. If i found their arguments persuasive i would be Evangelical today. Instead all such exposure to such stuff did was to keep me LDS until 2005. My reading of such stuff had no influence on my leaving the church. What did was i had RLDS associations starting in 1989 and i liked my church enough to eventually join.

I do support you as a person. I do not agree with your big reason for leaving. Keep open to the option of re-joining the LDS Church. Many ex-LDS find Evangelicalism untrue and return to the church. I could return to the LDS Church myself although i would have to undergo the process for being allowed to return. I myself do not encourage people to become ex-LDS, but rather to pause on the idea for many years to make sure they don't get caught up in mistake.

[Palerider]

I just wanted to let you all know that about a week or so ago, I sent in my resignation letter to the Mormon headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I have decided that I no longer wish to be a member of the Mormon Church and I totally understand all the "consequences" of resigning. I know that the effects of my baptism will be canceled and that any temple recommends I had will also be canceled but I didn't have any temple recommends. Even if I did, I wouldn't care if they were canceled.

I simply find myself no longer able to agree with the tenants of the Mormon faith. I have nothing against Mormons themselves. I only have something against what the Mormon church believes. The most important of which would be the unorthodox view of the Trinity that the Mormon church holds.

I hope that none of you will be angry with me for resigning my membership in the Mormon church and please know that I hold nothing against any of you. My decision to resign was not the result of anything anyone said on these forums or anything of that sort. It was a result of my own choosing.

The headquarters did mail me back and told me that my decision would have to be handled by local priesthood leaders. I did not know this at the time that I mailed my letter to the headquarters.

Anyway, may God bless you all and may you all someday find the truth which I personally do not believe is found in the Mormon church.

Here is how this wil happen....you stated you sent your letter to Salt Lake...nothing wrong with that....they will send the letter to your Stake President who will then give it to your Bishop. He will try to contact you and make sure this is what you want to do. If you want your name removed it will happen so I am asking if and when that Bishop calls you please do not yell at him....just talk with him and tell him your feelings. Thanks

[pam]

Talking from experience as a former Bishop Pale? lol

[Palerider]

Talking from experience as a former Bishop Pale? lol

...yes.......especially the "be nice Part".......

[Holly3278]

It is always sad to hear anyone has lost their testimony, and over the nature of G_d, no less.

No matter how I feel though, you must be true to yourself, as faith is a very personal thing. I would hope that your decision was not motivated by peer pressure or other outside influences.

May I ask if you were born and raised in the church or were you a convert?

I was a convert.

I wish you well -- peace and happiness. I hope you stick around here? :)

Thank you. I will probably visit here from time to time. :)

[Flyonthewall]

The only reason I asked was to confirm what I already presumed. For one raised in the Church, the Trinity would not be an important reason for discontinuing belief, as it would be an alien concept.

To be a convert, the concept of the Godhead should have been understood prior to baptism, and if there were any doubts, they should have been brought up at that time.

Nevertheless, as I said before, faith and belief are a personal issue, and if this is motivated by your own concience then I wish you well, and hope you find your "acres of diamonds", that which is most valuable to you.

[Guest tomk]

Holly:

I sorrow at your decision.

If I knew you and your circumstances better, I could give better "advice."

Heavenly Father honors our agency. When we choose to follow Him, we are blessed. When we rebel, He has no choice but to let us be exposed to those consequences. The choice is yours, but not the consequences.

I don't mean to sound threatening or harsh. I am matching my advice to the severity of your decision in forfeiting the blessings you've been given. Have you been to the temple yet?

God is faithful. When you are ready to return (I hope you choose to one day) He stands ready to forgive and welcome you back.

In my own personal life, I know for a fact that I have been "forgiven much." I had a season of neglect, for almost a decade, where it was rare to see me at Church on Sunday. God has forgiven that, and when I was ready, He welcomed me back. He'll do the same for you.

May God be with you.

Tom

[tubaloth]

So the ideas of Joseph Smith, (being a prophet), Receiving the Priesthood, and Revelation, Translating the Book of Mormon and resorting Keys to the earth, you have no problem with any of that?

For me growing up in the church I have always known just one idea. I can see how it probably is hard to change your line of thinking of who (and I guess What) God is! I well also agree that the LDS church probably does have the most unique view of God (I was going to say strange, but unique is probably a better word).

I would hope your study for God doesn't stop! (I hope you at least keep reading the book of mormon and remember what it teaches and how it makes you feel) I hope your study for truth (for who really God is) keeps moving forward. Obviously the reason you are leaving is because you think our idea is wrong. Thats fine, I think your idea is wrong. The fact is we both can't be right. Either God does have a physical body, or He doesn't. There really is no in-between area there. I would just hope God is something you can look to, and come towards. Not just some spirit that is there? With out body, parts or passions.

That would be too hard for me to understand.

Good Luck (your going to need it).

P.S. You well be back (in the church) at some point in time!

[Jonathan16]

I am sorry that this person left; but I personaly hope you find what you believe is the Truth.

[Jonathan16]

What is the Trinity? I'm a Preist and I don't think I've ever heard of it.

[Flyonthewall]

What is the Trinity? I'm a Preist and I don't think I've ever heard of it.

That is a discussion for a whole other thread...as a matter of fact, there already is a thread on it...just do a search and you will find it.

[Misshalfway]

Holly,

Hello. I don't think I have had the pleasure......

I, like others, am saddened by your post. And not knowing your history, I don't know what brought you to this decision. You say it is over issues about the nature of God. I think that in this world of Christian diversity it is hard not to be confused about the nature of God. This is one of those doctrines for me that has never been fuzzy. I have seemed to know in my heart somewhere that Jesus and the Father were separate and that they had a body. No explanation of the trinity has every made sense to my inner spirit. I can see why some may interpret the scriptures this way. The biblical terminology is sometimes merky. I guess I am hoping that you would take another look at this. Perhaps give the church another look.... a clean slate sort of look. Where you push out all the voices and search your soul. The church cannot apologize for the doctrine that has been received thru revelation. It won't change its position to conform to the more popular doctrines of the day. I guess that I am just asking you not to go. You must have felt something when you joined the church.... was that not an honest spiritual conversion? Why is it that those feelings have gone away? I know what it is like to doubt. I know what it is like to have the foundations of my testimony shake beneath my feet. But I will tell you, that thru all my trials the most important confirmation that has returned to my heart and spirit and mind is the true nature of God. No missionary or church leader or any other person for that matter helped me with this. These truths came to me in the quietness of my prayful struggles before the Lord. I hope you will reconsider.

With Love,

MH

[prisonchaplain]

It is interesting that a former member would leave over the doctrine of the Trinity. On the other hand, this is probably the key doctrine that gives those of us who grew up in traditional Christian churches the greatest concern. My own church went through great upheaval back in 1917 over this issue. "The New Issue," was/is called Oneness. They went the opposite direction from Joseph Smith, and instead of seeing three distinct personages, they saw just one person--Jesus--playing three roles or modes.

The end result: 25% of our people and 33% of our clergy left "traditional Christianity," and became Oneness Pentecostals.

There is great comfort in embracing tradition that spans millenia. At the same time, there is a certain satisfaction in holding to a "restored truth," that the masses have missed. Ultimately, each of us must gain that personal testimony--through revelation and diligent study, as to who God is and what his nature is.

[prisonchaplain]

I read Evangelical Anti-Mormon material because of my interest in apologetics. ... One of the several Anti-Mormon books i am studying is Mormonism Unmasked by R. Philip Roberts.

It may prove more fruitful to read the best of evangelical and traditional Christian writings on the Trinity, the canon of Scripture, etc., instead of books specifically meant to counter LDS teachings to a popular evangelical audience. If you want a specific book by evangelical scholars, The New Mormon Challenge is one of the better ones. It's a compilation of scholarly essays by evangelical professors who take the most recent LDS scholarship seriously, and with respect.

Otherwise, just find some subject-matter writings on the Trinity etc. that attempt to explain, rather than defend or "expose." That's just my humble opinion, of course.

[skippy740]

First, I must say that this is a very supportive thread to the individual.

Back when I was in high school, I had a family in my ward that left the church and become Jewish. They had a son who was in my Priest's quorum - and the entire Priest's quorum shunned him - except for me. (I could see more of this happen in Utah since it can seem like EVERYONE is LDS, but not necessarily on So. California.) I still kept in touch with him - and was even invited to his "New Jew" birthday party.

Holly, you must do what you feel is right. I sincerely hope that you prayed long and hard about your decision. There's a lot of anti-LDS literature and information on the internet. They can take the truths that are sacred and really put an irreverent slant on it to pervert the gospel. (2 Tim 1:7)

I hope that your decision wasn't based on not feeling worthy or other sins. Many times, people leave the church because they feel that they cannot live up to the high standards of the church after commiting a serious sin. (D&C 86:3)

Of course, doctrinal differences are harder to overcome. How did you feel about the Prophet Joseph Smith and the First Vision? Did you feel that it was true before? What has changed?

I hope you get the sense that we're all trying to help and are asking because we care.

[Dale]

Prisonchaplain-I supplement my readings in Anti-Mormon material with other stuff in my library by Evangelicals. The best book on the Trinity i found was by Allister E. McGrath an Evangelical scholar. It is entitled Understanding the Trinity. I own a copy of the New Mormon challenge. I do try and keep good Evangelical books in my personal library.

[prisonchaplain]

Dale, for all my grand advice, I'm still working my way through the Sacred Works...so you're definitely a few up on me. :-)