Subject: Mormon "missionary" efforts after Hurricane Ivan lead to one more resignation...
Date: Sep 18 10:06 2004
Author: NeverMoMan

My girl friend [GF] and I live in Tallahassee, Florida, a few hours to the East of where Ivan made landfall. Someone from the relief society called my girlfriend and asked her if she would like to get up early on Saturday and go help out with the Red Cross relief effort in Pensacola. Now, my GF has been "out" for almost a year now, but has never formally resigned. She thought that helping out with the Red Cross would be a good thing to do, even if she did have to spend a day with a bunch of Mormons.

Fast forward to this morning: She gets up at some foolish hour and goes to WalMart, picks up some food and water to get her through the day, and pulls into the parking lot at the stake center at about 5:30, the allotted meeting time. She comes to find out that the trip has been changed from humanitarian relief (which is an unquestionably worthy cause, helping people clean up after the storm) to "spiritual relief". Essentially, the relief society members were no longer welcome, as the men were going to go over to Pensacola by themselves, not to help anyone clean up yard waste or to help the Red Cross hand out relief supplies, but only to give out priesthood blessings!! 60-80 strong, redneck, North-Florida men, all geared up not with shovels and saws, but with tiny plastic bottles of anointing oil! They went so far as to call the venture a "search and rescue effort", but when my girlfriend queried them as to what that meant, they responded that they were only looking for missing church members, and to give out priesthood blessings to whomever would take one.

In any case, my girlfriend was completely disgusted, and felt that this really represented the last straw for her and the church. She drafted the following resignation letter, which is heavily based on the information found at the www.mormonnomore.com site. As you can see, she's kinda reaching for a "court of love", because she's really wanting to slap LDS, inc. with a lawsuit, and excommunication after resignation is as good a reason as any for that. Enjoy!

Resignation letter at the bottom of this thread


Subject: Re: Mormon "missionary" efforts lead to one more resignation...
Date: Sep 18 10:21
Author: wings

Happy to hear she is resigning...sorry to hear all these men and women willing to help are doing NOTHING needed...sheesh..giving Priesthood oily blessings...give me a break. This was a RED CROSS effort? Many years ago my only Utah sibling (a mormon) lost her home in a disaster in UT.

Who came to her rescue? State Farm Insurance first with a check to get housing and clothes..VERY needed... and the Red Cross 2nd. The Mormons did nothing but offer the "funeral taters, tuna casserole." Not too helpful, thanks anyway. (this way they can say they "assisted in relief effort")

They sure make the press with the "disasters". Thanks for the confirmation of what I saw first hand.

Subject: Congratulations to her, and to you. Well done.
Date: Sep 18 11:12
Author: Cheryl

Priesthood blessings to "help" devastated hurricane victims? I'm speechless!

Subject: Bravo!
Date: Sep 18 11:17
Author: Peter Doubt

The blessings are as much hot air as the storm itself.

Subject: Wow. Congratulations!
Date: Sep 18 11:24
Author: Cultbuster

A great letter.

Good luck to you both.

Subject: Varily, the Lord did send hurricanes to soften the hearts of the wayward...
Date: Sep 18 11:29
Author: Stray Mutt

...and the minds of the faithful.

What a clueless, self-centered religion.

Subject: Woohoo
Date: Sep 18 11:43
Author: nw gal

Great letter!! I loved how she threatens to expose LDS lies! Perfect!! Good luck...

Subject: Re: Mormon "missionary" efforts lead to one more resignation...
Date: Sep 18 12:45
Author: Fedelm

Excellent! I hope the Morg gets exposed for their lies, especially their idea of helping disaster victims. Now, if I was in a major earthquake since I live in earthquake country and some penishood person showed up with oil, I may ask if I could use it to cook something, especially since they generally use olive oil.;-)

Subject: Re: Mormon "missionary" efforts lead to one more resignation...
Date: Sep 18 14:54
Author: anon

But their olive oil is as rancid as their religion.

Subject: Yes, it is.
Date: Sep 18 17:11
Author: Cheryl

My parents owned one little bottle of olive oil for blessings. They used the same one for as long as I was growing up in their household. The color was almost brown. The smell was almost as strong and acrid as motor oil. It was nothing like the light tasty oil people use today in salads and for cooking.


Subject: This is truly repugnant and a sign of how far the church has deteriorated in some areas
Date: Sep 18 14:06
Author: Truth Without Fear

During my Morg years I participated in many genuine public relief efforts. Remember the spring floods in SLC of - when - '84? We sandbagged all night long and helped clean up the mess by neighborhood afterwards. I helped out in the '92 hurricane HUGO cleanup in SC right after I arrived. We helped everyone. No priesthood blessings unless ASKED.

Good God. What a sick story.

Subject: Mormons are getting lazy. Blessing people with oil is less work than cleaning up.
Date: Sep 18 14:26
Author: Bye Bye Morgie

I come from several generations of Utah pioneer stock. My grandparents and great grandparents were farmers and worked their butts off. They might have been brainwashed Mormons but they had a hell of a work ethic and their little Utah communities pulled together.

Before I left the church, the only people I could rely on to do something was the older members. If they gave you their world, it was good as gold that they would do it. The members my age and younger loved to talk about doing things and how great it would be but when push came to shove, you got excuses like "Oh, I forgot".

We also help several members who got foreclosed on move. Their kids just laid around and the parents bosses us around as we moved their stuff. There was no gratitude and frankly, these people came to church every Sunday, but they were lazy fat asses. I could think of nothing that would disgust church leaders like Ezra Taft Benson more.

To be honest, I think my Mormon parents and grandparents would have rolled up their sleeves, grabbed the appropriate tools for the task and helped in the clean up effort. The modern lazy ass Mormons want to give blessings because it's easy.

That might be what will sink the church more than anything. The members are getting lazy!

Subject: Re: Mormons are getting lazy. Blessing people with oil is less work than cleaning up.
Date: Sep 18 14:56
Author: anon

Maybe they're tired from working all week and doing janitorial duties in Saturdays and staffing the ward on Sundays.

Subject: So that's why I wasn't invited to attend.
Date: Sep 18 16:21
Author: Another Floridian

I'm from another Florida Stake. I was also planning on helping out the relief efforts today and the ward told me they would call me as I offered my service last week.

I'm an openly nonbelieving male member. I guess they had no need for me or my 3 chainsaws since I no longer am "worthy" to dish out blessings.

Sheeezz.

Subject: Olive oil??? SNAKE oil more like it!!
Subject: When selfless service turns into tasteless promotion - more on hurricane Ivan
Date: Sep 20 19:00
Author: xtbm

I live in part of the country that was impacted by hurricane Ivan. The hurricane caused widespread damage and many people had their entire lives thrown into utter chaos.

I was contacted by some members who were going to help out in one of the neighborhoods that was completely submerged under water due to flooding. I felt that this was absolutely a worthwhile project, so I agreed to go help out.

It was really tragic to see what the water had done to some people's homes and possessions. People were throwing tables, entire cabinets, carpet, computers, etc into big piles in front of their houses to be carried away by garbage trucks. One more than one occasion, people broke down crying as we hauled away items that carried significant sentimental value for them. It was a very sobering experience.

We went around to a couple of houses and helped out. At one house, one of the women asked where we were from. One of the men who was there told her we were with "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" - complying very well with the new direction to avoid the term "Mormon".

If it would have been left at that, I wouldn't have a problem with it. She asked, he answered - that's just fine with me. Unfortunately, as we were preparing to leave that house, he turned to the woman and said - "You'll have to come visit us down at the [location] chapel sometime." He then went on to tell her exactly what road it was on.

This obviously puts the lady in an awkward position - what is she supposed to say to this person who just spent several hours helping her clean her house? She was very polite about it, saying something like "Maybe I will."

For me, it was a BIG turn off. Were we there to render service or to generate potential converts? The lady knew we were Mormons, what is the need to extend an offer like that given the circumstances?

I definitely felt like it cheapened the reason I was there. I was there for one reason only - to render service to people in severe need. Last time I checked, that was a good enough reason in and of itself. Service, in my book, means you do something for someone and expect ZERO in return - you don't breathe a word of it to anyone, just do the work and move on. As soon as invitations are extended, you move from service to "advertising through labor" - "we're hear to show you how great Mormons are, why don't you come and join us some day?"

I don't know, maybe I'm making too big a deal out of it. I really like this guy as a friend, but stuff like that just leaves a bad taste in my mouth...

Subject: my tbm step dad did the same thing...
Date: Sep 21 00:59
Author: janky

note: pardon me if I sound angrier than I should about this. there are still a few spikes I have to work out of my system when discussing Mormonism. :)

my step dad is like one of the big wigs at church you might say. he and a bunch of other self righteous pigs went to these vulnerable, defenseless people's neighborhoods in fl to show off how "wonderful" those Mormons can be. they went two weekends in a row and, get this, if the people weren't at home, they left a note on their door saying "you've been helped by members of the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints. if you would like information on how to find us in your area, please call ***-****. may god bless an keep you."

jackasses. god didn't bless and keep them. ... sorry, I digress...

I swear to god, I'll bet the bishop told the penises at penishood meeting that they should all be using this as a crucial missionary opportunity, because "the people would be more willing now than ever to hear their all too important message." like "their spirits would be willing while the flesh is weak" or some such crap as that.

I see it as those people being taken advantage of. what ever happened to just a good ol' fashioned helping a buddy out? I mean seriously, they put people on the spot when they bring up religious stuff. and damn! those people only want to be consoled, fed and air conditioned.

if you ask me, it was a total lack of respect and regard for those people that the lds "helpers" promoted themselves while helping. defeats the total purpose man.

Subject: Lemme guess...
Date: Sep 21 01:02
Author: anonferthisone
Mail Address:

That was either Bishop T... or ex-Bishop S... from Pensacola.

Sounds eerily familiar, but maybe it's just a common theme running through Mormons pretending to care about others.

Subject: I'm sure Mormons believe they are rendering even greater service with such an invitation.
Date: Sep 21 07:54
Author: Observer

Mormons believe that the plan of salvation is the greatest knowledge a person can have, so inviting this lady to come and find out about it would be seen as of much greater value than helping her clean up for a few hours. Sadly, giving the help with no strings attached (nor mention of the church) would probably have a bigger impact but Mormons often miss that point.

RESIGNATION LETTER____________________________________________________
This letter represents my formal resignation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, effective today, September 18, 2004. I hereby withdraw my consent to being treated as a member and I withdraw my consent to being subject to church rules, policies, beliefs and disciplinary procedures. Concurrent with my non-member status, I want my name permanently and completely removed from the membership rolls of the church.

My resignation is to be processed immediately, without any 30-day waiting periods. I am pursuing my First Amendment right to exercise not only my freedom of religion, but my freedom of non-association with any groups with whom I do not share a like mindset. I would like to make every assurance to the administration and members of the LDS church that if I am contacted in an attempt to change my mind, I will not only explain my reasons to those who contact me, but will use every means at my disposal to hasten their apostasy by revealing to them the overwhelming fraud that is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will gleefully destroy the testimonies of any missionaries, priesthood holders, or relief society members who wish to be so bold as to contact me regarding my above resignation.

I have above requested the procedure of name removal. This is to be handled with strict confidentiality with regards to my family members. I will be working diligently in the effort to reveal the true nature of the LDS church to them, and if they receive notice of my resignation from anyone other than myself, I will not only view it as a legally-actionable invasion of privacy, but a clearly demonstrative example of the evils of the “Saints”.

This resignation is a clerical matter. It is not an ecclesiastical matter. At this time, my only desire for future contact with the LDS church is a letter from your office in Salt Lake City confirming my name removal. If my wishes are disregarded, and my requests are pushed down to the local level, I can assure you that I will not only make good on my attempts to lead those who contact me into apostasy, I will actively seek to subvert future missionary efforts by revealing the real truths of the LDS organization to whatever potential converts I may encounter.

Sincerely,

Recovery from Mormonism - The Mormon Church  www.exmormon.org

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