I found out on Friday that a friend is planning on getting baptized on Sunday. After 23 years, 7 months and 11 days as a moron, I resigned this past May. My wife and two teenage sons also resigned at the same time. We quietly resigned and went on about our lifes. I never talked about it with him.

His wife has been a TBM for around 30 years, so he has been around Mormonism for years. When I heard that he was going to get baptized I wanted to make sure he was making an informed decision and that he understood that he was not suppose to "affiliate" with me after he was baptized as I am an individual who is in opposition to the church and its teachings. So I visited him this Saturday.

When I arrived he was right in the middle of his last worthiness interview with the missionaries and a ward rep. I was invited to sit at the table with them. At the end the missionaries asked if he had the names of any friends to have them teach. He said he only had one friend in this area and that he was sitting at the table with him. I got asked if I attended a church, to which I replied that I no longer was a member of any church in the local area. They asked if I had a copy of the BoM. I said yes. They asked if I have ever read it. I said yes, several times. I believe that threw them off as that ended our conversation.

After they left I told my friend that I heard he was going to be baptized and that was why I came to talk to him. I wanted to make sure he was making an informed decision. I related it to a used car. If he was going to buy a used car and was being told it was low milage and only driven by a little old lady, but I knew that the odometer had been rolled over and her grandsons had recked the car several time, that I would feel the obligation to tell him. If he got a fact check history on the car and still decided to buy it, then I had done my obligation as a friend. So we talked about my decision to leave the church.

I informed him about the book of Abraham problems and the kinderhook plates. That they proved to me that Joe would make something up. Then there were problem with the BoM about geography not matching, no archeology to verify it, and the plants and animals in the BoM that were not in the Americas. The DNA evidence didn't match. We talked about Joe's real history with women and such. Anyway, half way through talking about these thing I could tell it wasn't going to change his mind.

We talked about God and religion and I think we both enjoyed it. He basically stated that he was going to get baptized and in a year answer his temple recommend questions so that he could go to the temple and get sealed to his wife and daughter. That it was going to give his wife and daughter the hope/peace that when they get to the other side that they would be able to be together again. I said if that was going to bring them happiness and make him happy then he was making the right choice. That I was happy for him.

Today I will be going into the LDS chapel for the first time in over four years to attend his baptism. My three sons want to go. The two teens have hair halfway down their backs (they are in a rock band), one always wears a headband, and we will probably all be wearing shorts (live in Florida). Kind of like invading their space. Should prove interesting to see if anyone calls me brother. I will get to inform them that I'm just Randy now, as I am officially an apostate. May tell them that they are not suppose to affiliate with me, but that I won't tell anyone.
But, I made sure a friend knew there are real problems with the LDS religion and I won't be loosing a friend due to our different position on the LDS church.

You handled it well. Many people are happy in the Mormon Church. No use trying to make them unhappy. It's great to see you be tolerant of your friend's feelings.

"He basically stated that he was going to get baptized and in a year answer his temple recommend questions so that he could go to the temple and get sealed to his wife and daughter. That it was going to give his wife and daughter the hope/peace that when they get to the other side that they would be able to be together again."

What a sad, foolish person. After being shown that it's all a sham and a made-up 'church', he believes that somehow LDS Corp has a lock on 'forever families' and 'reuniting with loved ones after death.' LDS Corp has no control over this.

Show him that many other religions and traditions also teach these same principles, and that if he believes in the principle of families forever, it can and will be accomplished regardless of what LDS Corp pretends to believe.

It's too bad he's deciding to perpetuate and support this fraud with his money.