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December 2000 Dec. 1, 2000 Subject: Which commandment could you not keep? It appears that another wave of anti-mormonism is upon us. It is interesting to see you organize all of these important documents on the web. I have read some of your accusations against the church. I ask you, which commandment was the hardest to keep for you? Was it the Word of Wisdom? Morality? Which covenant could you not keep with the Lord? You had to members of the church before all of this. You do not have reactions like this unless you have once tasted of the goodness of the Lord. I am sorry to see you like this. Please come back to the fold. Your actions are wrong. Think about what you are doing. Stop listening to the whisperings of the devil. Dec. 1, 2000 Subject: Keep the Faith, Sandra Dear Sandra: Believe it or not...I am still on the roll of the LDS Church!!! I have tried everything from the BP up to ____ _____...and I might better have just had a good sleep. I never thought there could be such crookedness, lying and deceiving in a Church which claims such holiness. (I SAID: "claims") The "30-day notice was dated June 6 and I never got it until the 25th..and it was stamped, but not mailed, and hand-delivered by the B[ranch] P[resident]. I wrote the S[take] P[resident] a mighty stiff letter...only to have him write and commend me for "reconsidering" I wrote and asked for a copy of that letter... and then he apologized and said he had given me the wrong date....I'll guarantee MY letter certainly made it clear I want out. Other letters have been 'misplaced', and I was asked to fax them a copy of the one the BP sent me... now they tell me it'll take 2 more weeks at least. I had threatened to place a "To Whom it may Concern" ad after Oct. 23rd...but they pleaded that they would have the papers here before then...here it is Dec. 1st, and they are still no closer to releasing me. What I would like to see is what has happened in Canada and the USA, and that is exactly what happened to the Japanese people who lost everything and were displaced and herded into the mountains, or desolate places and NEVER got their land back. It was sold to... likely schemers. And years before here in the west, if not Canada wide. the Ukrainian people had all of their books and religious artifacts destroyed and I don't know all the hardship that was put on them because of their relationship in one of the World Wars. It seems to me that the LDS Church is no friend of our governments....look at J[oseph] S[mith] & B[righam] Y[oung] who had themselves crowned a 'king' of the USA... Isn't that sort of contrary to being an obedient citizen? Anyway...I hope you will escape financial losses, and will have blossomed in the fight for justice. We love you. Sincerely, Ever Onward! Dec. 1, 2000 Subject: Good Luck No matter how much you guys lie or how may web pages you put up, you will not stop the mormon church. There is no way. Your time is wasted, so grow up and go do some real good in the world like serving others. Instead of teaching others the evil of the Mormon Church, how about telling others the good fellings that come with doing what's right, and treating others with respect. Maybe that way you will do some good in a world that the Mormon Church is only making better! Dec. 1, 2000 My hope is that you people would do the same as Jesus would, and practice your own religion and allow us members of the Mormon church to do the same. I don't know what Christian aim you folks seem to think that you have, but all I see is distorted truth and slanting the facts in whatever way will make the LDS church look the worst. In the things that I have read, could you possibly sound more attacking, slanted and sarcastic in the way you approach your writings? Truth is, you can no more prove that your brand of Christianity is right than we can prove ours is right, and why all this about "proof" anyway? If we had all the answers, the gospel would not be one of FAITH. If one could factually prove the Book of Mormon true and that there are some gold plates in the church office building, and that God actually came down and visited Joseph Smith, sure we would get more converts, and it would be by the scientific method rather than by the testimony of Jesus. My grandfather was an alcoholic basically, and my father had a rough upbringing for a time, until it got to the point where my grandmother was ready to leave him if he didn't stop drinking. At that point, the missionaries came along and changed the entire family and my grandfather gave up his bad habits and the things the missionaries taught them have kept that family together through the years. On my mormon mission in the south I saw people get up out of the gutter and put their lives together because of the gospel teachings we gave them. I don't care what you people think or say, because I KNOW the good that this church can do in people's lives because I have seen it and nothing you say or do can diminish that. Whether or not this church is true, someday, you will stand before God and be asked why you attempted to lead so many away from a good thing, and to replace it with what, I ask? If Joseph Smith taught falsely, as you so say, then I think that being murdered with his brother by an angry mob ought to be enough penance for him to pay, and let him rest in peace. If, on the other hand, the things he taught about Christ and the resurrection, atonement, etc. are good, well then I hope that you would give it a fair chance. I hope that someday you all can find it in your hearts to let it go, and "do unto the Mormons as you would have them do unto you." Dec. 1, 2000 Subject: parasites Dear Mr. and Mrs. Tanner, The Webster's Vest Pocket Dictionary defines a parasite as an, "organism living on another." After spending some time perusing your web site, I believe I will lobby to have your picture added to this definition. I am an open-minded person who has never begrudged another his or her own beliefs and ideals. But when I read about people like yourselves who live (and I assume make money) by degrading and disputing another person's system of beliefs, I become quite upset. If at the end of my life I were to look back and see that my only contributions to this world were as ugly and unpleasant as yours evidently will be, I would feel like a failure. Perhaps you will too. Regards, Dec. 3, 2000 Subject: Question of how to remove name from LDS list My husband has not been to the LDS church since he was baptised at 7 years and he is 42. We married over 20 years ago and he became a christian about 10 years ago. I have never been a mormon. We have moved in our city 3 times and each time we get LDS visitor from the ward thinking we are Mormons. About 9 years ago my husband over the phone told this bishop to remove his name and apparently and we got this stupid letter wanting him to appear at some trial which we thought was insane! We just got a phone call last week from some guy telling us he was his home teacher. What must we do to get his name off the list. We also get Christmas cards in the mail etc. Shouldn't they take a hint and notice he has not been to church for over 35 years! I think someone in his family (who are all Mormon) keep them posted of when we move. It is so infuriating. No wonder they boast so many members, most are probably like my husband and are christians and attend a Protestant church! Will a letter in writing remove his name from church rolls. I heard it did not. Please advise. I looked for this answer on your site and could not find it, forgive me if it is there and I am taking up your time. Sincerely, [Web-editor: See How to Remove Your Name from the LDS Records] Dec. 3, 2000 I am just writing to encourage you and to pray God's blessings on you. I am married to an x-Mormon who is now a Christian. His entire family is Mormon and my daughter just married an x-Mormon who is born again, and his entire family on his mom's side is Mormon. We live in ... UT and attend an A[ssembly] o[f]] G[od] church. I just am writing because I have been watching your court case and I want to lift you and encourage and let you know I am praying for you and to thank you for all your hard work and for your ministry. I have many of your publications, and I know this ministry is truly a labor of love. Take care and I pray for your anointing to increase and for the spirit of peace to manifest fully for you as you go through this trial. Sincerely, Dec. 4, 2000 Subject: All the best Dear Tanners, I wish you all the best for a good outcome in the court battle now going on. I'm sure that right will prevail and perhaps there is a good reason that this unfortunate thing had to happen. I'm sure that you have saved many souls from the LDS church and hopefully your court case will help save many more. I don't have a lot to give, but I am going to donate to your cause on-line, as well as order a book. Try never to forget that you are in the Right and things will be for the best in the end. Best wishes, [Web-editor: Online Donations] Dec. 4, 2000 Subject: Current Belief in Polygamy Not only can a man marry again in the temple if his first wife dies, but I know from experience that when my husband and I divorced, he did not need to obtain a cancellation of temple sealing in order to remarry in the temple. But his second wife did need to obtain a cancellation of temple sealing from her first husband before she could remarry in the temple. This seems proof enough to me that the Mormon Church still believes in polygamy, since male members can be married to more than one wife at a time in this life on the temple records (I'm not dead yet but I HAVE left the Mormon Church!) At the time that my husband remarried in the temple, I was still officially a member in good standing, although civilly divorced from him at the time. As church leaders try to publicly distance themselves from Mormonism (as Gordon Hinckley did on Larry King Live a few years ago), I wish interviewers would ask the right questions to get at Mormonism's continued belief in the concept. Interviewers assume that the church no longer supports the concept of polygamy because the Mormon leader says the church will excommunicate anyone found practicing polygamy today. Interviewers need to ask why it is that male members don't need to get a cancellation of temple sealing before remarrying in the temple but females do. Dec. 4, 2000 ...[I was e]xcommunicated from the L.D.S. church in 1996 on charges of heresy....I have total empathy with my family and others. After all, I was like them for most of my life, though the seeds of doubt were planted in my brain (and later my heart) when I was a deacon. Now I am a pariah of sorts with those I love best, including the missionaries and members over whom I presided in Argentina (Buenos Aires North and Buenos Aires South, ...and in Chile (president of Missionary Training Center in Santiago, ..., with missionaries primarily from Chile, Bolivia and Peru). ...I retired from BYU [some years ago].... With sincere congratulations for your important work, Dec. 5, 2000 Subject: Thank you Found your website tonite by plugging in "refuting Mormonism" on my AOL search engine! Wanted the info for a Christian friend of mine who has been visited by LDS members at his home. He was intrigued by their presentation and I wanted to equip him with the TRUTH before he got ensnared by their half-truths and lies. You are providing a much needed resource. I had gone first to John MacArthur's page and to oneplace.com for this same information to no avail. You should have a link from there! Your ministry deserves it! Thank you again! Love and blessings from ____, ____, & ____ in San Antonio - believing that With God -- ALL -- things are possible... Matthew 19:26 Dec. 5, 2000 Hi! I was looking at your website and I was wondering if you could send me any information on the LDS Church? ...By the way, I'm a BYU student ...Thanks so much and have a great day...Cheers! Dec. 6, 2000 Subject: Thank you, Thank you After 35 years of personal study, during which I read nothing other than sanctioned Mormon literature, my personal doubts in the validity of the LDS doctrine have been vindicated. What joy (as many have expressed in their emails) I feel to know that others have also discovered that LDS scriptures are full of inconsistencies and deceit. Now, if only I was able to convince my wife of 30+ years. Tomorrow, she is scheduled to go to the Boise Temple and receive her endowments. To date, (as with most Mormons) she has not even read the 4 standard works. Her faith and testimony is based solely on her personal relationships with other members of the church. I fear for her eternal soul as a Christian but I wish her the best of luck in her endeavors. Again, thank you and keep up the good and faithful work. Dec. 6, 2000 I have a good friend (mormon) who has been trying to "convert" me, and your information and investigations have helped confuse him quite a bit. Keep up the good work! Dec. 6, 2000 Subject: your website Why do you feel a need to bash Mormon beliefs? We do believe in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I have always been taught that both were true as long as they were translated correctly. So, if the Book of Mormon was re-translated with some differences than the original copies, I would question that. The same with the Bible. It is true. The only reason one might consider any part of it to be inaccurate would be if it were translated differently from the original. Since we obviously do not have the original, we do not know what small mistakes might have been made in the translation. But when I read the Bible I assume that everything in it is correct unless a church leader has been given revelation that some part of it is not. We are far from disbelievers in the Bible. And the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, it does not depend on the Bible. Although these books have many concepts in common, the Book of Mormon would be no less true if the Bible did not exist and visa versa. By the way, what church are you from? I just don't understand why people would spend their time putting down another religion when we don't put down yours. It really doesn't make any sense to me. Dec. 7, 2000 Hi, I saw information in the paper about your court case publishing information from the GHI about how to have a person's name removed from records of the Church. I recognize you must respect the copyrighted material of the church, but any information you could send me about how to initiate the removal of my name from the Church's records would be much appreciated. Thanks, [Web-editor: See How to Remove Your Name from the LDS Records] Dec. 7, 2000 I'm a reader of The Tribune from Chile, Maybe you don´t know this country in the last place of the world. I don´t know to write english very well. But mi opinion is based in just one thing. The people that don´t want to be in the LDS church`s member list, know what to do. I believe that you don´t have the right to attack the LDS with things that don´t understand. If your congregation help the world, then care about the real things, becouse your integrity don't increase fighting with your brothers, just your fame, and I don't believe that you want this. The law is the law. And if some people don't want to show some important things You aren't nothing to take away the privaticy of them and you´re commiting a delict. I Hope that this news can disapear of The Tribune. I pray for you. With respect LDS MEMBER Dec. 7, 2000 Subject: very misguided To whom it may concern, In regaurds to the begining web page at www.bookofmormon.com. It is very bothersome to me a return missionary to read the webpage. The book of mormon has been changed gramarically and in no way has it been changed doctrinely. The way that we ask people to find out if the book of mormon is true is found on the title page. "We invite all men everywhere to read the book of mormon, and to ponder in their hearts the message it contains and then to ask god if it is true. I hope that I have not come off to strong in this e-mail. I just wished that we could treat each others beliefs with more respect. Dec. 7, 2000 Subject: You're in the NY Times on the web This is a big deal. Cults count on secret inside materials remaining secret because if potential members saw what really went on before becoming officially indoctrinated, they would never join in the first place. The Watchtower has won similar cases against those that have published their "Secret" cult material online, too. (The Elder-Only "Pay attention to the Flock" book.) Big losses for those seeking to expose Scientology, too. Just said a prayer for your ministry. In Christ, Dec. 7, 2000 I would like to have my named removed from the records of the LDS church. I do not want to be excommunicated, but want any association with the church eliminated. Is there a way to do this? Thanks for your help. [Web-editor: See How to Remove Your Name from the LDS Records] Dec. 7, 2000 Subject: Thanks To Gerald and Sandra Tanner: My step-brother, ...a pilot in Washington D.C. visited you a couple of weeks ago and told me what a delightful experience he had. You are both the patron Saints of former Mormons. I left the Mormon faith five years ago but never made a clean break until recently. Several of your books were extremely helpful in my final departure. Leaving once and for all has made all the difference in the world. Thank you. Dec. 10, 2000 Subject: Purchasing Books Dear Sir, My wife has fallen under the spell of the LDS church. Rational and reasoned argument has not prevailed. I wish to purchase "The Changing World of Mormonism as well as getting recommendations for other books. Thank you, [Web-editor: See The Changing World of Mormonism online. Unfortunately, this book is out print and only available online. See our booklist for other titles.] Dec. 10, 2000 I quit the church about 20 years ago and it was one of the best things that i ever did. I read about your law suit in the Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch and did a search on Utah ...You are now on my "favorites" listing on the computer. In the endowment is it is never made clear whether it is "son" or "sun". Pay-lay-ale Dec. 10, 2000 My husband and I were in Utah just a short while back and we spoke of the Mormon influence and what it would be like to be a Christian in that area. I have, since that trip, been introduced to at least six Mormon families. I am currently communicating with a Mormon friend via email. Your site has been very informative and encouraging. You will be in my prayers over the next few days. God Bless. Dec. 11, 2000 No mindless, dogmatic diatribe here. I would however encourage you, Brother and Sister Tanner to spend your time and money in activities which uplift, strengthen and motivate good will among all people. Such a waste of time and talent in your futile attempts to tear down principles which many hold so dear. Why not go labor at a homeless shelter or volunteer at a hospital or hospice service. PLEASE go do something worthwhile, you're efforts are hollow and certainly fruitless. God bless you and please have a Merry Christmas. Dec. 11, 2000 Subject: about your views on living prophets verses dead ones Your opinions seems to be reaching a bit for me. Lets take for instance Jesus Christ's message to the Jews, it was contrary to the "dead prophets" yet it was the correct message for the time, you would have had me ignore his message in favor of the dead men of gods message. Living prophets are here for a reason, Amos 3:7, I suspect you know this scripture and others better than I, but prefer to be disagreeable because of a personnel problem you've had with the Mormon church in the past. Enjoy your first amendment rights, God bless America. Dec. 11, 2000 so what makes you think your the right religon? Dec. 11, 2000 Subject: Temple Garments Dear Tanners: Thank you so much for your ministry. I am the pastor of a small church in Kansas. We have a group of Mormons near us and are currently studying their beliefs. Could you please answer the following question? What do the symbols on the temple garments (underwear) of the compass, square and the line like symbols stand for? I have reason to believe that they are similar to Masonic symbols but still don't know what they stand for. Thank you, [Sandra's Note: Yes, they come from Masonry. On the left and right breast, both men and women, are small zigzag stitching, like for a small button hole. They are in the shape of a V and a L. These represent the compass on the left, and square on the right of a builder and are referred to as marks of the priesthood. The symbols are to remind them of the covenants they took in the temple and to represent the true path and right direction. There is a small stitching in a straight line at the belly button to remind them of the need for nourishment, both physical and spiritual. A similar stitch is at the right knee, meaning that every knee will bow to Christ. These are mentioned in our book Evolution of the Mormon Temple Ceremony.] Dec. 11, 2000 Hey, great site! I found it very informative! Dec. 11, 2000 Subject: Truth I believe that the dishonesty represented by your blatant copyright infringement of LDS church material is the "fruits" necessary to show that you are in direct association with the devil himself. Dec. 12, 2000 Greetings, I just wanted to say thanks for your very hard work, and an excellent web site. Your site has now provided necessary documentation on various LDS topics I will be able to use in 2 ongoing concurrent studies with mormon missionaries. Thanks again, and please keep up the fantastic work, Sincerely, Dec. 13, 2000 Subject: What? Don't you guys have a life? If you are so sure that The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints is not the true church, I respect that, but don't you know how much people, members or not, make fun of people like you? LOL!!! I get a big kick when I am looking for something about the Church, and STUPID JUNK like this comes up because of the fact that people are so Stupid and have nothing better to do in life! I know with all my heart that this is the one and only true church, and that it is lead by a living Prophet today! As for you, well, sweets, i think ya'll need to seek professional help considering how lost you are in this world!!! Like it says in the Bible, Matthew 7:1-2, "Judge ye not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." So, my point is that you should not judge one others faith, because with what measure you judge us, you too will be judged, but by the real Judge, which is our Savior Jesus Christ. Personally, I would rather not judge someone else and have to face Jesus and be judged. I hope this letter has made a difference, and I hope that you will pray and ask for forgiveness for the damage you have caused others, and the enjoyment you have caused others, like myself, with the "facts" (yeah right) you have placed on your website! A few words for you, GET A LIFE!!!!!! What does that tell others about yourself when you act like you do? Also, what does that tell me about your new religion? The picture I have recieved is that you go to a real winner church!!LOL!! I have never laughed at any joke so much, but I have to hand it to ya, that was the most unrealistic thing I have ever heard! I will print out many pages of your site and give it to my LDS friends, so they will see just what I am talking about! God Bless you, and I hope you have a Merry Christmas! P.S. Are you Christian? I hope you send me a note back!
Response (Dec. 20): i am not interested in you. i can care less about what church you go to, but if you haven't figured it out, i think ya'll are idiots to be anti any religion! i believe that is of the devil, and i wish to hear no more of you, and if you don't leave me alone, there will be files charged on ya'll!!! thanx Next response (Dec. 20): also, we do believe in the bible, and did not lead away from it, and i don't think it is your business to judge, :back to the same verse, in the BIBLE, matthew 7:1 ! thanx Dec. 13, 2000 Thanks for the wonderful job you do in helping us witness to those who are Mormon. Your website is very helpful. ... Thanks, Dec. 13, 2000 Subject: You have a fantastic site! Your material on Mormonism is excellent! Thank you for putting this material together. Some Mormons have been coming to our church Bible study and your resources have been especially useful in dialoguing with them. Dec. 15, 2000 After converting from Catholic to Mormon and back again, I feel like I've lost something along the way. I was a member of the Mormon Church for about 2 1/2 years. I just left it about 9 months ago. I thought it was so right - great morals, family oriented, strict, in the world but not of the world, but there were a few things that slowly started worrying me
These are a few of the reasons I am no longer going to the Mormon Church. I said earlier that I feel that I have lost something along the way. When I joined the Mormon Church I had to pray and ask God if the Church is true and I felt like he let me know it was. Now I am having a hard time trusting my feelings because I am afraid I won't know when to trust them and when not to. What a dilemma. It is very difficult to explain but even worse to feel like you cannot pray to your father in heaven because you feel like you can't trust your feelings. Any suggestions? [Sandra's Note: Thanks for writing. Yes, it is a hard thing to find out that the people we trusted were not worthy of it. As for praying, God is always there but He does not keep us from making mistakes. See: How Do We Test a Prophet? A good book to read that deals with this subject is Out of the Cults and Into the Church.] Dec. 15, 2000 Subject: your site Leeches feed of the good and strong!! I know that with many visits from the Mormon church members that They believe in their church very strongly.. I ask them what they think of some of the strong and misguided views of nonmembers>> Everyone has the right to choose ( ever heard of that one??) with out recrimination from others. I have never heard these people bad mouth a single church religion or faith as long as it has God as its point of worship. I am not like these people as such and take great offence to the belittling of their church to the benefit of them selves.......I havnt had a good look at this site all the way through but I do get the impression that this is not the only church you NICE people slag on..... Why of all the places on earth would you chose to live in Utah?? Incredible! The Mormon church is growing at over 10% ayear, I am starting to think that there may be something there and am in the process of talking more with my Business partner about it. Good Luck in all your slagging and you will get yours at the gates. Regards Dec. 15, 2000 Subject: I don't understand Why do you guys spend time tearing down other people's faith? I'm tired of people trying to tear down this religon. What about the good it brings? I'm 17 years old, and this church has taught me so much! Its helped guide me to be honest, chaste, and to do the best in all I do! Why can't people just see that! Why do people have to do this! You don't see me putting up web pages against other religons, or even talking bad about them! I respect them for their beliefs! Why can't you respect us for ours? [Sandra's Note: Every copy of the Pearl of Great Price contains Joseph Smith’s story where he claimed that God himself said : "all their creeds (of the other churches) were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: ‘...their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.’" Smith goes on to declare: "I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true." The validity of Mormonism requires a total apostasy of Christianity. Obviously, people of other churches are going to challenge such a charge, as we do.] Dec. 18, 2000 Dear Sir, Thank you for your exposing Mormonism. I had though that after reading the Humanist magazine that the Mormons might be the true church or religion. The same agruements and methods you use against the Mormons is almost exactly how the Humanist prove that Jesus was a fake of Christian writers and that history show he never existed. Now we know Joesph Smith was at least real, but wrong. I had questioned the Humanist agruements and models, but you have used them to prove a negative. In this case that Smith was wrong. That is the only problem Humanist(Atheist) acknowledge that proving a negative is hard. Since you prove the Mormons are wrong and the atheist Humanist using your methods prove your wrong, I will have to look elsewhere. Thank you for your time. [Sandra's Note: I hope you will continue your studies of Christianity. I don't think the Humanists have all the answers. I would recommend the books--The Case For Christ by Strobel and The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? by Bruce] Dec. 18, 2000 Even though we are second, third, fourth generation members of the church, if we are not in Utah or of Utah ancestry I would like to tell you ... that I believe it is comparable to living during the mercantilist system of England and the colonies. Anyone outside Utah is in a colony. The mercantilist theory comes from the system - you must do this you must not do that, etc. but most of all you must send your pennies for the children's hospital in Utah when you are child and destitute and when you become a hardworking grown-up you must send 10% of your gross income - not 10% of your net increase in order to get a Temple Recommend and you must be prepared with that recommend at all times in case the "end times" suddenly come. The colonists support the mother country. The members outside Utah support programs that benefit only Utah members. Why didn't I see this fifty year ago? Just goes to show you how effective the mind control was when I was a child. But guess what? The First Presidency robots can never make me feel like a nonentity again. Real men of God would not have made rules and then discriminated against me because I was a female outside of the borders of Utah. They have refused to give me an explanation for what they did to me years ago. So be it! God will be their judge. Only an organization skilled in the use of mind control could do what they have done and continue to do. I wish to remain anonymous because they don't deserve to be able to excommunicate me for telling the truth. This way, I will continue to remind them of the discrimination. But as Martin Luther King, Jr. said - "I'm free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, I am free at last." Dec. 20, 2000 A little background on myself, I'm now 25, I've spent the last 7 years trying to prove to myself that the mormon church was true. I am currently the only male in my close and distant family to not have gone on a mission. I quit going to church at 17 when I felt I was old enough to make my own decision without being punished. Everytime I would go to a bishop, tell him my sins, ponder, pray and attend church, I'd have a good feeling about myself for about a week then I'd realized I'd just convinced myself again. Unfortunately, the more I study the church the more I realize it's untrue. My family knows I'm inactive, but they don't know I am an unbeliever. Dec. 21, 2000 I have been browsing your site and have really enjoyed it. Please sign me up to receive the Messenger, thank you. Though not a Bible scholar, I am a Christian concerned about the lies of Mormonism as well as other cults. I will get a gift in the mail to help support you all. ...Keep up the good work and may God bless you. Dec. 21, 2000 May God bless you both and keep you telling the truth nothing more & nothing less. In Christ's service, Dec. 21, 2000 Subject: The Mormon God is mean. Can you imagine a more family oriented time than marriage. A young couple starting out together. It is a picture dreams are made of. Not the Mormon God. He sees this as a big chance to divide families Jesus even made and drank wine at a wedding, not the Mormon god. He divides the family. A mother is not allowed to see her son or daughter mary unless she is a member of the mormon church. Nonmembers are reduced to unwanted guests and forced to wait in the car while their children are married. A god this cruel makes me sick. I could never follow a god who would not allow parents to see their children marry. Dec. 22, 2000 ... i would ...like you people to know i have enjoyed your articles on the net and i believe it takes very special and dedicated people to do as you have. i have been lds my whole life but never knew until the past year or so what it stood for. i was always feeling guilty because i had not been a better person and gone through the temple. the past few months reading the history of j. smith and finding many different places that have the info. i was looking for i thank god for the way he has intervened and shown me that this is a big cult and not of god, but that of satan. the past few months also i feel so content in my heart to know that my god is the god of the bible. ... Dec. 26, 2000 Subject: How do you "undo" years of Mormonism? We have been married in the temple and were active members for over 10 years. After re-examining Mormonism, we decided to leave the church and pursue a spiritual life in a Christian church. My question is, How do you "undo" the years of cultural influence and cult-like behaviors and patterns so ingrained in your life as a Mormon. How do you escape Mormonism and learn to embrace another religion? They talk about election disenfranchisement in Florida---I'm talking about religious disenfranchisement? We are currently attending a Christian church and have been for two years, yet I still cannot cross over and feel completely clear of Mormonism. ... Thanks, [Sandra's Note: You might find the book Out of the Cults and into the Church helpful. See our booklist or get it through your local Christian book store.] Dec. 27, 2000 I was raised a Mormon all my life....well actually until the age of 18. As soon as I left my mothers house I started questioning the church and more specifically my beliefs. I grew more and more promiscuous after I started dating a return missionary. We were married about 1 year later against the feelings in me that it was wrong. However listening to my mother and my bishop I followed through with it. We were married in a civil marriage and then started "repenting" for my getting pregnant out of wedlock. I was told that that would be my repentance process along with my seeing the bishop once in a while. That weekend that we were married I miscarried and was told that it was God's will and that there would be more opportunities for pro creation. One year to the day that we were married we went through the temple for our "sealing" for time and eternity once again against my judgement. The stake president had told me that my husband loved me very much to want to do this with me. Well 5 weeks later he cheated on me with his ex-wife and I caught him. I left and decided that I was going to go do whatever I wanted. it was the best month of my life, I realized that the church leaders had lied to me all my life and that I had believed every word because that was what my elders had taught me. When I finally returned home I was invited to a bishops counsel to discuss my reprimand. I was told that I was not being disfellowshipped but that it would be the same things not to do. They took away my calling as a sunbeam teacher, a visitor teacher, and my right to worship god in prayer, sacrament, and in song. I was told not to take the sacrament, that if I joined the choir I could no longer do solos, duets, trios, I could not play my flute in church for sacrament meeting. Needless to say I was not to concerned with all of this as I knew that what I had done was not what a normal person would do but I thought that god would forgive me quickly. The next time I met with the counsel I was told to remain on the same process. I inquired as to what was happening for my separated husband......I was told that he was being dealt with and that he had repented sufficiently for the lord. It seems to me that the women are treated like dogs and the men are treated like kings. I have not stepped foot in the church building since then. That was close to 3 years ago and I am now finally figuring out that god loves me very much and has forgiven me and does not see that sealing as the rest of my eternal life. My ex husband is on his third marriage by pregnancy. I have moved to an entirely different coast, am dating a wonderful man who supports me in my decision not to go back to Mormonism, and I KNOW THAT GOD LOVES ME, even if I don't belong to the Mormon church and that if I live my life I too will enter the kingdom of heaven without Mormon attached to my name. Dec. 27, 2000 Please add me to the list for your newsletters. You have a wonderful and informative site here on the net. I will be sending in a contribution when I am able...Thank you both. Dec. 28, 2000 Hi, not sure who is going to read this, but I am from cleveland... I used to be mormon and am the only born again christian in my family. I would greatly like to see my mormon family know the truth. ... Your sister in Christ, Dec. 29, 2000 Subject: Greetings and Happy New year! Hi, I'm a born-again Christian since two and half years and working for Apple Computers in Ireland. On my spare time I go and witness to many people and sadly seeing LDS doing the same thing....May God Bless you and the work you are doing....God Bless you and I will pray that God will protect you from anything LDS will do to stop your work! Kind Regards, Dec. 29, 2000 Subject: glad it's all over! Dear Mr. & Mrs. Tanner, Although I was unable to support your defense financially, I want you to know that I was 100% behind you. I tried to help in my own way, by keeping others informed about the case, which affects everyone in one way or another. The "court of public opinion" means a lot in our society, and I made your case for all my family and friends, many of whom work in computer-related fields (and therefore have even non-religious and non-academic concerns in such a dispute). Some had already heard a little about the case, but with the news from your web site I was able to give a more complete account. I'm glad to hear the case is finally over and that UTLM survived! God bless you! looking forward to the next newsletter, Dec. 29, 2000 Dear Friends I have just become a member of the strange world of the internet, and am therefore a recent visitor to your pages - for which I thank God. I was a mormon, in fact a member of Christ church ( England ) branch presidency and an elders Quorum Pres. My wife was responsible for young people etc. We both were temple attenders. However in 1990 i came to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ ( its a long story ) and am now a full time evangelist in the South of England, my wife came to Jesus herself 2 years after me. We have seen many people who were once in mormonism or J.W's come to faith in Christ. So we would just like to say thank you for your efforts and the information. If you have a newsletter etc please be kind enough to send it to me at the following... Dec. 29, 2000 Subject: Garden of Eden in Missouri Hi Jerald and Sandra, I was looking at your Web site and I noticed the page about the Mormon idea that Missouri was the original site of the Garden of Eden. You may be interested in knowing that the idea that the Garden of Eden was in America did not originate with Joseph Smith. In my research for my book, "Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon," I came across this in Archaeologia Americana: Transactions and Collections of the American Antiquarian Society concerning the original location of the Garden of Eden:
Since there are some parallels between the Book of Mormon and Archaeologia Americana, it is likely that Joseph Smith was acquainted with the book. In the second edition of my book I point out some of these parallels. ... Regards Dave Persuitte [Web-editor:See Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon (2nd Ed.) by David Persuitte Article reference: Was the Garden of Eden in Missouri?] Dec. 29, 2000 Subject: re being removed from church roster Hi, I had read on one of these so-informative-sites that you know how I can get myself deleted in the LDS archives as a member. Thank you [Web-editor: See How to Remove Your Name from the LDS Records] Dec. 30, 2000 Hi, I would like to recieve the free package of information that you send out, if you send to the United Kingdom please. ...I am currently reading the printed version of your book, The Changing World of Mormonism and am amazed that whatever page I read, I am coming across information that i can use (we are currently being visited by 2 mormon missionaries to discuss our differences). I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for writing this book. ... Thank you. Always in his name, Dec. 30, 2000 I have read most of you work and have always been very impressed by it. Your research is exhaustive and very True. I have been born and raised in a strict LDS family and have only recently become of age to move away from home. For almost 5 years now my close friend ( and fiancé'!!!) have had long discussions regarding the church. It is because of her and Jesus, my Savior, that I was able to see through the illusions the church has instilled in my life. I still struggle with my decision to denounce my families faith and have lost all of my friend because of it.... But that is another story. ... Thank You. Dec. 30, 2000 I finally had the time to spend about 4-5 hours reviewing your website. Absolutely excellent. I quit the church in 1983 after being a member for 20 years. ... Dec. 30, 2000 Subject: Just a bit of encouragement Sandra, I received this post from a gentleman in New Zealand and since he mentioned you, I thought I would pass it on. ... Bill [McKeever--Mormonism Research Ministry, www.mrm.org] Sirs, ...I left the Mormon church in 1983 after 14 years a member. I asked for excommunication while serving as a high counselor at Upper Hutt Stake. This was the consequence of responding to a mailer sent by a caring friend who had sent me materials of Jerald and Sandra Tanner. The materials on the Book of Abraham blew me away as did the changes to B of M and D & C. That 'did' it, anything else just confirmed. And there was a lot of confirming done, as the quantity and quality of evidence, yes objective evidence is more than damning. A few thoughts: We used to refer to the paying of tithing (jokingly then) as paying our fire insurance. Think about it and it is really most sad. We were always admonished to 'get a testimony', and to 'bear our testimony' often. I can understand why now. It is the only defence in the face of truth and reality once presented. It really means "don't confuse me with facts or evidences or reality. I 'know' that I am right and you are wrong and that is all there is to it." I know this as I was the only one who left the church, no one else would even look at the material I had. Our bishop wept as he could not leave that church because of his family etc. He knew what price would be exacted for leaving. Ho boy! If a person left the church or took the easy road and merely 'went inactive' he was said to have "lost his testimony", and that meant hell. They did not get consideration that they may have found out an alternative truth or whatever. No they were guilty of being slack and "losing their testimony". They, the leavers were deficient somehow and seriously at fault, while the remainders happily congratulated themselves on being 'superior' in remaining faithful and not losing it. The testimony is the key to keeping the members in line and the culture is that unless you have it you're lost. I found on leaving a testimony alright, in Jesus as lord and saviour. I have attended other church since then with my new family. Yes I lost the other family, though we keep in touch. Love your work, God bless. Dec. 31, 2000 Subject: McLellin Collection I never belonged to any LDS church, but have a long-time interest in the subject, and have had a few good Mormon friends. I have recently discovered your website (had heard of your microfilm company many years ago), and am having one whale of a good time exploring. I read The Mormon Murders and A Gathering of Saints when they came out. ...I haven't been able to keep up on Mormon affairs in the last few years, and am amazed (appalled, actually) that they have been excommunicating such ardent supporters as Brent Metcalfe and D. Michael Quinn. Well, at least they were; I don't know about now. ...I wonder why such brimming self-confidence as I recall from a former generation has been replaced by Stalinist paranoia... I will keep you in my prayers. Such adventures you have! Dec. 31, 2000 Subject: Your site is an answer to prayer... Hello, I have been a Christian for about 28 years, and have a few friends who are Mormons. I met a man named ____ _____ this summer. We talked for about 14 hours regarding his Mormon faith. His parents are missionaries in Australia currently - where he is visiting over the holidays. He has never married (36yrs old) and its evident that he is struggling with many of the church doctrines regarding this, and his future in general. Much of his faith seems to be out of guilt. His work for the US govt. takes him abroad about half the year, and he seems to live an unstructured spiritual life. I pray for him daily. God has placed his Salvation on my heart. ...I just found your site, and have downloaded many Christian research sites on the subject ... I would like to send a check to support your work - where & to whom can I send it? Thank you, [Web-editor: Tax-deductible donations can be sent to: |
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