I had no idea what Anti-Mormon Literature was.

Whenever I would go for a temple recommend interview I would be asked that question, "Do you partake in Anti-Mormon Literature?" And there would always be a question mark on my face.

I wondered what it was, and thought that it was strange that there was a possibility that there were books out there dedicated to damning Mormonism.

But I would learn on my own that it was the church's "Forbidden Fruit." The fruit that we were "forbidden" by church leaders (from the bishops to the church president himself) to partake of.

I joined the church at the age of twenty-two. At a time that I did not have much experience, couldn't really think for myself. When I was introduced to Mormonism, it sounded perfect. It looked great on the surface. Being accepted with open arms by the members, families that seemed close and stable (something my family was not), and the church felt like shelter. Like my "Garden of Eden." For twelve years, I lived in blissful ignorance in this "Garden of Eden" and kept my nose in every and any Mormon (approved) book to stay within that garden. I felt safe being there.

And naive. Yet, I was unaware of it. I was in a state of innocence, kind of like the way Adam and Eve were in that endowment movie that's shown in the temple.

Almost a decade later, a fateful conversation about the church's history caught my attention and caused me to have many questions. I would search the internet and find out disturbing things about the church's history. Brigham Young and his racist rhetoric. His racism being the reason why black people could not have the priesthood. Joseph Smith marrying multiple wives, some of them teenagers, others married to living husbands.
That was when I took a whiff of the "forbidden fruit." Then a couple more.

Then I came across books such as the Journal of Discourses, Mormon Doctrine and Mormonism and the Negro. All old church books that the church tried to rid from their library. I knew if I read those books, that there probably would be no turning back. Kind of like "dying spiritually," and shedding my coat of innocence, as Adam and Eve had done.

But I needed to know the truth. Even though the source was online, it was there for a reason. I had no doubts that what I found was not fake. I needed to know the full truth about a church that claimed to have the truth.

So I took a huge bite out of the "forbidden fruit." Then my eyes were opened.

I learned that the church lied and hid the truth regarding the priesthood an through their essays and talks. I knew they did some cherry-picking and hid more information about polygamy and the kind of person Joseph Smith was.

And as my eyes were opened, I learned more.

The truth about the church's tithing. The Book of Mormon being plagiarized. How arrogant the church seemed (i.e. we're God's only true church, we're better because we don't have paid workers). How sexist the church seemed. How racist the Book of Mormon was, etc., etc., etc.

Because I partook of that forbidden fruit, my eyes are open.
And now I'm free. And genuinely happy.

If you'd like to know the full detailed story about my transition out of the church (as well as my thoughts on it), the link to my blog is below.
The Wanderer - http://wanderingawayfrommormonism.blogspot.com/



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2017 06:48AM by severedpuppetstrings.