And, cannot come out of the closet for family or job reasons?
After I became a disbeliever, I faked it for years by going to church, paying tithing, and holding callings because I thought if I became inactive there would've been family consequences, including divorce, at least that's what I perceived in my mind. Eventually, I thought to hell with the consequences and stopped going to church. Now that I'm divorced for non-religious reasons, surprisingly, I found out my ex would have stayed with me despite my non-belief and inactivity. Wow!
nope, stopped going in february. Told them to take my calling back a few weeks prior. I couldn't keep going and sit there and listen to all the hype in the rs lessons about Joseph Smith, never letting on to the awful things that he had done, never even mentioning that the had more than one wife. It made me sick. I sat in the foyer for a few weeks and then just stopped going, taking all of my children with me.
I'm not now, but I agonized over quiting for many years.
I went on a mission to keep the peace, plus I saw it as the best way to get out of a nutty Mormon household.
Then got married to a Mormon, not in the temple at first, but she got feeling guilty about not going back to church. Got sealed, and then was afraid to leave because she said, "If you quit the church, there's no reason for us to stay together".
Luckily, she didn't keep her threat and she has left as well. But, damn, wasted too many years of a short life.
Oh yeah, in the mean time while being a nonbeliever, I served as gospel doctrine teacher many years, 1st counselor and 2nd counselor in a bishopric, branch president, high councilor, high priest instructor, ect, ect. So, there are many how know it's a load of crap but have a hard time, usually for personal reasons, leaving.
I'm active, and have a calling. I stay for two reasons. For one, I'm a student at BYU. Also, the one TBM in my life whose opinion I care about is dying. I think he'd be okay with my leaving, but I don't want to break his heart. As for the others? Not worth the steam of my piss.
I go to church when I'm not scheduled to work, but only to humor my TBM wife. It's half the time. I don't accept callings but speak to no one about my lack of belief. They have left me alone for the most part, though I suspect my wife may have discussed me with the bish. She says she always "puts my name in" at the temple.
Im. I find interesting many posts here. Still reading the serious - non hate filled ones and ignoring the funny or non-sense. I'm really on a quest to find out god's existence and the reality of christianism. That's how deep my doubts are.
I stayed a long time after I stopped believing. Mostly it was pride, I think...the idea that I had been so fooled was humiliating. I was a convert for love at age 24, got married in the temple, (keeping my family and friends from going to my wedding), and then went on to raise my kids in the church. I felt embarrassed and stupid after all those years to say, "Ummm...nevermind. It's all BS...I take it back."
It was through getting the Internet, and almost immediately doing a search on Mormons that I found a Mormon chat room on AOL. Somebody there posted www.exmormon.org, and I went to this site, and was amazed to find others who felt the same way I did. I stayed in the church for a couple of years after that, but I was distancing myself more and more. Thanks to encouragement from the RfM community, especially a certain poster who really pushed me (thank you Ether!), I eventually just quit.
I do, although I've been finding any and every reason to not go when possible. My parents have been helping me with stuff, and I've been taking my brother to our singles ward when I can go. But having major troubles convincing myself it's worth it. I just haven't found the nerve to tell me parents I don't believe it anymore. Kinda afraid they are just gonna blame all these things that aren't any of the issues no matter how much I tell them other wise...
I have to be active, seeing as how I attend BYU-I. I'm the ward family history consultant...although I haven't had to do anything yet! It kind of sucks, but what can one do?
Not me! I haven't been active for years. Just sent in my resignation letter yesterday. I have no problems with the church per se, religion altogether just isn't my thing anymore.