I have had doubts about the LDS church for about 9 years, and have spent considerable effort trying to reconcile problems in it. I did tons of reading from FARMS, read my scriptures, prayed harder, tried harder... Of course, we all know how well that works. FARMS actually introduced me to more problems than it solved. I never read any anti-mormon literature, but I could see from reading FARMS that there were BIG problems without good answers. My doubts about continued to grow, but the apologists were very succesful at making me doubt myself, too. I remember thinking that people from church said I was "confused" about things. I felt like things were less confusing if I just stopped believing the church.

One day, in a flare of frustration, I googled "Should I quit mormonism?" and found a link titled "Life is Better after Mormonism". It lead me here:

http://www.exmormon.org/mormon/mormon263.htm

This was the biggest eye opener. People who "apostatized" were not evil. They didn't leave because they were sinners. They left because of all the same misery I was experiencing! AND- LIFE GOT BETTER WHEN THEY LEFT! I just wanted my burdens to be lifted in the way these people described!

I did not immediately begin reading anything and everything online, but I decided I wanted to hear the opposing views. Mormonthink, of course, gave me a refreshing, honest, and level look at the facts- which I had never recieved from FARMS, or any LDS source. The difference was obvious. I realized that the church was dishonest- and the apologists' job was simply to prevent me from actually reading the opposing literature!

With that realization, the real world has begun opening up to me. I'm not there yet, but I'm beginning to make my escape. I want my mind back (and that 29 years of my life)! Wish me luck!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE! THANK YOU!!!

Thank you Farms

F utile
A ttempts to
R escue
M ormon
S cholarship

Where is the "like" button?

I agree with you 100%. When I quit the Mormon Church my life became far better, the difference between night and day.
The tactics of LDSinc. are to make you afraid of all kinds of stuff that doesn't exist and then take your money to provide a non-existent cure for the non-existent problems. What a scam!

Compared to the Mormon Church, Bernie Madoff was an honest man.

On the whole, mormon apolegetics does more harm to its cause than good. I think their approach is to take the same set of facts (the facts that are undeniable, at least) and offer an alternative explanation. But the alternative explanation is so unrealistic and outlandish that it really strengthens the other side of the argument.

I forget where now, but one apologist tried to explain away the racist elements in the Book of Mormon as redefining the word skin. Skin didn't mean skin, it meant countenance, as in the Lamanites countenance turned dark, not their skin color. Sheesh, it was just nonsense.

Anyway, welcome, I'm glad you made it here.

Yeah, I haven't figured out what to do with myslef yet. I'm deeply entrenched in Mormonism... I'm having a hard time figuring out how to preserve my family and still set myself free from the trap. I have a lot of hope- but I still feel like I've lived my entire life with my family and friends inside a dark box with no knowledge of the outside. Now, I've suddenly found the exit, and can see the sun shining outside- and everyone wants me to stay in the box!

I'm having the same problem. I've only been figuring it out since Feb, but, since then, my wife has come to the same conclusions (thankfully!) She just asked to be released from her callings last Sunday. I still have my callings and am trying to figure out the best way of handling things. We aren't quite at the resign point, so, we have to walk a fine line to keep from being "shunned". We have a 9 yr old daughter and don't want her to suffer/be ostracized. At this point, I think we will just go inactive thereby avoiding many conflicts with the family. Perhaps in time we will be able to leave it entirely, but, its not as easy as it seems. This board has been a tremendous help to us and its nice to know others are struggling with the same problems.