 |
|
May 2000 May 1, 2000 Subject: Exit letter Just a short note to express my sincere gratitude to you and your website. It has given me the information so that I can get out of manipulative hands of the church. I am on my second letter to the church. Unfortunately my letters need to get stronger each time. I sincerely think that no one takes my letters seriously. I am always amazed at the blind arrogance of many church officials. I can say this since I am from six Generations of church members. The Church has cost me my marriage to a wonderful "non member". Who could blame her for not feeling accepted into this cult, it is so dysfunctional. Although I still have to deal with my "Family" consisting of a stake president and two high counsel members. I am still very glad and at peace with myself to be out.... Thanks again for your help May 1, 2000 Subject: nice job people but I need other help it seems to me that it is common sense by now to know with a sure sense that mormon history is pure bulls*** now why do I still go with my wife and child to church-------because if I don't I will not have a wife and child-------I sometimes cry at the members ignorance. I am sadden by those men in Utah.......how can they lie and look us in the eye------they sound sincere don't they------i just can't understand thier motivation------help me with this.. May 4, 2000 I am just curious why you spend your time tearing down another religion rather than spending your time and resources building up our Savior, Jesus Christ. With all the energy and effort you spend tearing down the "Mormons" you could do much more good in the world by serving others and serving the Lord. So, the question is, who is really disciples of Christ? Your organization which tears down or the Mormons? Interesting evaluation. May 4, 2000 Hello, I would just like to thank you for the resources avalible on your web-site. It has been very helpful with having discussions with other believers in Christ and Mormons. May 5, 2000 Hi, My name is _____ and I was recently baptized and confirmed into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Before I joined one of the missionaries told me that if I ever changed my mind then all I had to do was write a letter and my name would be removed from all church records. Last week I started asking for that address and since then I have been questioned repeatedly about it and no one will give it to me. I've been receiving late night calls and criticized for even wanting the address. All along I've said that I had no intention of using it and that I simply wanted to show my friends who oppose my decision that I can quit anytime I choose. No one will give it to me except one person (a missionary) who says she's going to wait until she's totally convinced that I'll never use it before she'll even try to get it for me. In actuality I want that address because I do want to get out of this church. I know the Bible well enough to know they are wrong and that I should never have joined in the first place.... May 7, 2000 I do believe what your writing is true. ... My great, great, great grandfather...had many wives and such. I was born into the mormon faith and was raised into it, growing up to believe that all other faiths were false. My question is , if the present day leaders and authorities have these documents and statementa regarding Joseph Smith, why do they continue to say that this is the true church of God? Why do they try to sugar coat Joseph Smith? They make him out to be a humble follower of Christ, yet there is evidence of his numerous deceptions. Then I read about all the companies the L.D.S church owns. And even in the copy of the book of mormon I own it says THE Corporation of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints? Why is it okey to drink pepsi now? It wasn`t when I was growing up, it was against the word of wisdom. And now people can wear shorts? When they have been sealed in the temple? I thought it was an abomination to have garments that did not cover you from limb to limb. So if the leaders of the mormon church have all these proofs, why do they still promote the church? Jesus said beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheeps clothing but are as wolves, do you think this is what he was talking about? May 8, 2000 Subject: Just a little observation! Hi, I've spent a couple of hours going through your web site and many of the past emails that have been sent in to you folks. I'm sure others have noticed this, but I've not seen it commented on. Just in case some of you Mormons out there have the ability to rationalize your situation logically, this message is for you. The general trend of the emails to your web site, seem to be 1) the people who have left the LDS faith because they found the Biblical God and The sad part about this is that the Mormons have absolutely no clue as to the true meaning of truth and honesty from a scriptural standpoint. If we all went by the definitions given in the Webster's Dictionary, maybe we wouldn't be arguing. My reasoning is such that the Mormons would then have no place to stand. But that is not the case. It is a travesty that they want to argue over and over that "they know the church is true", but have done no biblical or historical research external to church endorsed information. To blindly accept what their leaders have to say, is called brainwashed. And they defend it with such fervor. Is this the definition of a religious zealot? Anyway, you folks keep up the good work and my prayers are with you on the lawsuit. And if you are wondering why on this email, my wife and inlaws are mormon. Thanks May 8, 2000 Dear Brother and Sister in Christ, I have been at your website now for the past two hours!! Let me encourage you in your endeavors. Very well designed website, I also design my own website so I know the work that goes into it. May 8, 2000 Subject: Please HELP! If you can Hi! my name is _____ ______ and I met a wonderful lady (now my girlfriend) through work that I now know (after going with her to the Mormon church services for almost 4 months) is hopelessly brainwashed in believing the church of LDS is true. I took the 6 discussions and was one week away from joining the church by baptism and confirmation when my brother had me to his house and "informed" me of the truth about the church. I was appalled and upset that I was almost duped myself. I told her that I cannot join the church and the next weekend I discussed with her many things I had found such as Bible misinterpretations, Book of Abraham problems and the fact that no archaeoligical evidence has ever been found to prove the Book of Mormon. She basically called me blinded by the Devil and said that Satan had caused this to happen to me. She almost became histerical when I told her that God is Spirit and that we (man) were created of dust and NOT pre-existed spirits. My question is: What can I do to help her see the truth? what is the best approach to bring light into her mind and heart?... May 10, 2000 Hi Sandra. "Thanks"....."Thanks"..."Thanks"....... For your help in finally finding peace in our life. We are so very thankful for all you have and are doing to help those questioning Mormonism. You folks have a gift of sharing with others the honest truth about.... what the Mormon Church is not!!... We thank you for your web Site and for all the wonderful accurate reasearch you have put togeather. The work is tremendous... Because of your help in dealing with truth their are between two and four houndred members leaving the church monthly or at least going inactive. The mormon church needs to be taken to court for all they have done in the hiding and deceptions with mormonism. Truth will prevail and it is doing so. The Mormon Church has and still is seperating more families as they claim they have ever brought togeather. May God continue to bless your Ministry and all the help you provide to others, you and Gerald are truly Saints. Their are at least several hunderd ex Mormons that I personally know that you have helped find the truth, in just the past four years since we ourselves left the mormon church. We were Temple workers when we found out the Mormon Church was a fraud... We are so thankful to get our intellect and life back. We "Love You and Support all you do for "Truth".. Keep Up the great Work.. May 13, 2000 Subject: A counter to the Mormon Missionary efforts... The other day I passed a couple of Mormon Missionaries, who were talking to a lady in her front yard. I thought I should visit the lady later and point her to the truth about the Mormons (i.e. your website and the many good book available). This has given me an idea how churches could counter the Mormon missionary effort easily. The churches could have a neighborhood watch, so to speak, that would alert the churches as to which neighborhoods the Mormon missionaries are working. The churches could hand out tracts within that neighborhood that would provide information about the Mormons and provide information about where to find more information as well as organizations to contact for help. May 14, 2000 Hi! I'm so glad i found your site. I returned from a mormon mission 2 weeks ago. I came back 2 months early because I discovered the truth about mormonism. . . . . Thank you for your great web site! May 17, 2000 Dear Brothers and Sisters, I've just started to become really active within my Mormon Faith since Oct./99 after many years of off + on again appearances. But during my absence and even now I have always loved and respected people of all Faiths, isn't that what Jesus would want me to do. My Friends, I truly feel within my heart that we don't have time for all this business of trying to tear one another apart. Jesus commanded us to Love One Another As He Has Loved Us. Our nation is in a terrible time and it will get worse, one disaster after another if we don't stop it! I've always felt good about the Mormon Faith, even when I took my daughter and her friend to Cape May, NJ this past February/2000. We were in a book store and I was down stairs reading about the history of the place while wouldn't you know it they were up stairs reading stuff on witch craft and satanism. They came running to me and told me they were afraid and had the worst feeling, I immediately took them to the closest Church which was/is a Catholic Church and we went in and prayed and put the Holy Water on us. Needless to say we all felt the Holy Spirit come unto us again. What a Great and Marvelous Miracle they were there for us. Isn't that the way our Heavenlt Father and Our Savior Jesus Christ wants it? I Love You All even if you don't like or believe in the Mormon Church, that's OK. I've always loved it, and I wish I had followed the Word Of Wisdom, something The Prophet Joseph Smith set-forth in the Church teachings long before medical doctors said there is a link between lung cancer and smoking cigs, or alcoholism be it genetic or choice. He told people don't do it over one-hundred fifty years ago. That's got to tell you something. GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND KEEP YOU IN HIS SAFE CARE May 18, 2000 Subject: Struggling with my faith Dear Sandra: I am a 29 year old woman; born and raised in the LDS faith. I am struggling with the definition of what a prophet is. From what I have read so far on your website; Joseph Smith does not seem to meet the requirements.... May 20, 2000 Subject: Struggling with my faith Dear Sandra: ....There is one thing that deeply troubles me, however. All my life growing up in the LDS church I was taught that if I ''denied the spirit'' (of God: the Holy Ghost) then I would surely go to hell. I feel as if questioning the LDS roots and reasoning is denying the Holy Ghost and I WILL go to HELL!!! This thought terrifies me! It is almost easier to hang onto a sinking ship than to jump out and try to float on my own. (I hope you can see the symbolism). Also, I read back over my patriarchal blessing I received when I was 15 years old. To me, that blessing truly talked to where I was spiritually at that point in my life. If God is not at the root of the LDS church, it terrifies me to think of how the blessing could speak to me in a way no one else could; and speak about things that only I knew. A friend of mine suggested that other spirits (evil) exist that could also know about me. I am feeling pretty terrified at this point. Any answers or explanations would be appreciated. Thank-you for your time. [Sandra's Note: I had a similar experience with my blessing. I felt like my blessing was special just for me until I started thinking about it. It could apply to any LDS woman. I was promised that my home would be adorned with the products of my own creation. Since I was an art major I felt this had to be from God. Now I realize that almost ANY LDS woman would have things in her home she made. I read the blessings of two of my friends, given by the same patriarch, and they were pretty close to mine. So much for feeling special. My grandfather was promised that he would live to go back to Independence, Missouri to help build the temple there before Christ returned. He lived to be 95, fanatic LDS, attended the temple 5 time a week, but his blessing failed. He never got to help build a temple in Independence. Usually the patriarch spends a little time talking to you first and gets a feel for your personality. I think this helps him form the prayer, also most girls get similar blessings. Jesus said he is the way THE TRUTH and the life. As long as you are seeking 'truth' you are following Christ. As long as you are trying to honor God in your search you do not need to fear his disapproval. Keep reading your New Testament. It points to Christ, not Mormonism.] May 22, 2000 Subject: Out of the mormon church for good. You were alot of help and gave much needed information to help me in my decision to get out of the church. May 23, 2000 Subject: Why are you so scared? Why are you folks so scared of the "Mormons" that you attack them? In all my readings of scripture, I never saw Christ attack anyone. He never put anyone down. He always lovingly chastised people. It makes me sad for you that you are doing what you do. You must be insecure in your faith. Why are you so afraid of the Mormons? Search your heart honestly. Discover the truth for yourself. I used to be Baptist. I'm not anymore. I don't think it was a bad religion. I just couldn't grow there anymore. The bible bashing made me sad (fighting with others about there faith and putting them down for what they believed.). It is a religion based in fear. Fear of God, fear of others. God is love. God loves all of his children. As a parent, would you forsake any of your children for any reason? If you are a real Christian, I don't think so. God wouldn't either. He has a plan for all his children. As a Christian, it makes me sad to see you so bent on hurting others who don't believe as you do. I believe that you have the right to believe as you do and I would fight for your right to believe as you do as would so many other Latter Day Saints. We care about you and want you to be happy. I know that you are a child of God, and he loves you too. I am a Latter Day Saint. I believe in Christ. I always have, always will. I know that he lives and love me. He is with me, I can feel his love for me. He has been with me all of my life, in any religion I have been in. I have a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have prayed about Joseph Smith and received an answer from God. I know what God feels like. Satan cannot duplicate that. He tries to deceive, but he is just a counterfeit. I know what counterfeits feel like and it's not good! I love you and hope the best for you in your journey on this earth. I hope that you will love yourself, and all of God's children. Judge not and be not judged. Love, May 23, 2000 Subject: Serving THE Awesome God! Dear Tanners, I am glad there are people like yourselves that respond to God's call in your life to serve him. It is interesting to read the letters from LDS people that you have posted on your site. The most common theme seems to be that they feel they are victims. One email on March 29, 2000 covers this well.
I guess the holocaust victims as well as many, many other examples in the history of the world have a self centered view of history. I am a former Mormon and have been through the temple and lived with FEAR for years of ever speaking out of what I knew in my heart were lies concerning "The only true church." I was afraid to enter into "Christian" churches because of this fear. I now know that an organization is not the way to salvation. Thank you for not claiming that ULM or any denomination is the way but continuing to point out that "Jesus" is the "only Way." I include my prayers with this email that as any LDS person reads this email and spends time at your website that they can know that it is in response to their persecution Christ's church that gives reason for your ministry. The 60,000+ missionaries are out teaching that the truth was lost. That all churches are and abomination. Teaching that it takes more than Christ's price paid to gain the highest eternal destiny. The "victim" is the Mormon but the "Truth" is the cure rather than the persecutor. There will not be any religions in God's eternal presence but only recipients of Christ's willing sacrifice as full payment for their sin. I pray that many people will continue to know this gift because of your obedience to this calling. Christ loved all yet he spoke harshly to the "good" people of the time telling them to clean the inside of the cup not the outside. Works done for others to see or to be called a good person seems to be some the most serious sin's Christ talked about as recorded in Matthew 23. Our God is and awesome God. He wants us to come to him as we are and allow Him to change our lives. He wants us to allow Him to work through our lives to HIS glory not our own. I have been to your ministry and was encouraged by your faithful spirit even amongst great outside criticism. Don't let the persecution get you down. If only one was to gain the true knowledge of Christ through your sacrifices it would be eternally worth it. Eternally together in our Awesome God's presence, May 23, 2000 If you belive in Christ, spend your time testifying of him, not trying to disprove others for that is what Christ did. What if Jesus spent his days telling us that everyone else is wrong instead of leading us by his word and example? May 29, 2000 Subject: When will they see the LIGHT? First of all, let me thank you for providing this wonderful website for those out there that are unfamiliar with the history and beliefs of mormonism. I come from a family that is predominately mormon although I was baptized and raised CHRISTIAN (thank GOD)! My mother, brother and myself attended a united methodist church while the rest of my siblings(4) were lured into the mormon church along with my father. In fact, all of my father's relatives are mormons. I even have good friends that are serving their mission. I am greatly saddened by this since I know that the LDS church is nothing more than a cult and that they lift the name (and teachings) of their prophet, Joseph Smith, over my Lord's, JESUS CHRIST! I love them and will always pray for them even though they tend to outkast my mother, brother and myself. Lack of knowledge seems to be the issue here; half of them don't know who or what they're praising. I want to know how to penetrate through this stubborness of theirs and spread the GOOD Word before it's too late for them.... Love In CHRIST, May 30, 2000 Subject: Commentary on the prevalence of Mormonism I've been a Mormon elder for 28 years and have been instrumental in recruiting over 60 tithe payers for the church. In that time, I've seen the missionary force of the church grow extensively. In those 28 years, I never picked up a piece of anti-Mormon literature and never read the 1830 "Book of Mormon" or the 1833 "Book of Commandments." I was shocked when the Temple liturgy was emended in the early 80's, and was equally shocked when Hugh Nibley told me that the most recent textual change in the "Book of Mormon," regarding the Lamanites' skin color being changed to white, (the word white was changed to pure), was arbitrarily made because it was considered offensive to people of color. I can tell you that the Mormon Church will continue to grow until the current membership, and those who are investigating the church, are exposed to the 1830 "Book of Mormon," the facts about the "Book of Abraham," and the changes that occured in the 1833 "Book of Commandments" to create the "Doctrine and Covenants." With over 60,000 zealous missionaries world-wide, the Mormon Church has a vast influence over the national and international religious climate. Even if two out of every five converts become doctrinally disaffected after a year or so in the church, its membership is growing at such a rapid rate that it will maintain its demographic clout. If you could follow up on every family or individual being taught by the missionaries, and allow them to compare an 1830 "Book of Mormon" with the present 1981 edition, you might have a profound effect on the conversion/baptism rate. I cannot afford to change my visible position in the church. There is too much at stake in my own life. If the statistics are correct, the Mormon Church will continue to grow in wealth and number of members until it will be, in less than twenty years, the largest non-catholic Christian denomination in the world. And if you want to know why this will be so, I'll be glad to tell you. The Mormon Church, even with its esoteric history and blatant cover-ups, is an example of a practical, working religion that, if practiced according to the Mormon hierarchy, is successful in preserving families. Even if three quarters of the doctrines are not inspired by God, they are, nonetheless, humanistically sound in dealing with the ills of society. People are finding success in following the dictates of the Brethern. If you think that he Church is drawing away from the teachings of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young under Gordon Hinckley, wait until Boyd K. Packer becomes the prophet. The Church is moving quickly toward a mainstream position in Christology. Well, that's my two cents. A devout Mormon. May 31, 2000 a warm hello to all at utlm.org i have followed and watched your ministry grow. i have truly been blessed by all of the research you do. i have a wife who is lds. it is truly amazing to experience, first hand, her unwillingness to look at the truth. they have all been strongly cautioned not to listen, read, or engage in conversation with anything/body relaying 'anti-mormon' media. it's all in His hands. |
Home | FAQs | What's New | Topical Index | Testimony | Newsletters | Online Resources | Online Books | Booklist | Order/Contact | Email | Other Websites |