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October 1999
I am writing to say that I read about your story in the Salt Lake Tribune and I commend you on your efforts to make the Mormon Question accessible to as many people as you can. I am a Catholic and am 22 years of age. I have often dealt with Mormons as just another Christian denomination until I really started to look into the heart of their religion and their various beliefs. I have come to realize that the lie they are perpetuating is grand and centered on disinformation. I never knew that there is a website where you can get so much information to challenge the self-riteous all-knowing Mormons who point to their religion as the one true religion. They almost always point to the Book of Mormon as the alpha and omega of their doctrines and beliefs, while knowing full well that it is only a small portion of what they believe. I want to thank you and once again commend you on your efforts to curb this Great Lie and make information more accessible to the public who get bogged down by Mormon rhetoric.
October 1999
Thank you for having such a wonderful and informative web site – I came across it after reading the article in the on line version of the SLC Tribune. Many years ago I asked to have my name removed from the “records” and it took two years of harrassment, wanting me to go to bishops court, etc before I finally got a letter of excommunication. I had done nothing wrong but felt so terribly guilty. Finally their actions are being brought to light by your work.
October 1999
Hi: I’m a 30 yr. old mother of two and a Christian. I saw you on the news last night and I applaud your efforts. I’m not surprised that the LDS church won this round. (In this state nothing surprises me). We are from the east coast and knew nothing about Mormonism when we moved here. We have been bombarded with people trying to convert us. I read your website last night and it cleared up a lot of questions I’ve had. The blessing that has come out of this lawsuit is the publicity and the people who will now visit your website (like I did). Keep up the good work.
October 1999
I left the church because of your book… I was a very active convert to the church. I was sealed in the temple and my children were born under the covenant. I started having doubts if the church was true. They became stronger. About that time a friend gave me Mormonism Shadow of Reality. I read the first 100 pages and knew the church was never the true church but had been something Joseph Smith dreamed up. There were just too many inconsistencies for me. Thank you for writing the book and helping me out of the church by showing me the things that were altered and misleading to me as a member of the church.
Thank you for the help to find the truth.
November 1999
your newsletters helped me get free from my doubts about leaving the church! i would have defended the church to the death a year ago. i was so involved in the lies . . . i defended the lies when i was confronted! now i have the truth and i am soooo glad you have made all of this history available.
November 1999
I feel so very sorry for both of you and for those who have been duped by you. To deny truth and flaunt it. As so many who have gone before, your reward will come.
November 1999
I’m very sorry for you. I don’t understand where all hate comes from? I will pray for you and your salvation. Thank you for strengthing my testimony. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints IS TRUE.
November 1999
I just read about the Injunction proceeding in the LA Times. . . . My gut thought says that copyright law is to protect commercial uses of writings, not privacy of gangs. As an ex-Mormon who was shown the light by your ministry I cannot imagine anything that you would publish that would not be fair use and protected free speech.
December 1999
Your work has assisted our exodus from a life of valiant service to the religion we no longer are members of and to freedom in our Lord & Savior. I just wanted to take a moment to thank you once again and to wish the work to continue & flourish in the upcoming New Year in bringing more mormons to the true light of Christ.
December 1999
Lets see, the LDS Church obtained main street for their own use, sues the Tanners. What is next “Blood Atonement,” for anyone who gets in their way? It did not surprise me that an Utah Judge ruled against the Tanners concerning the LDS Handbook. The Tanners had to go to the “Tenth District Federal Court,” to receive justice over publishing the Clayton Diaries.
December 1999
Thank you! My wife has already begun to compose the letter [to withdraw from the LDS Church] . . . she’s going to explain her reasons in detail!
This is a big step for her . . . she’s not yet real comfortable sharing her “new” faith in Christ. Feels quite unsure as of yet about her convictions because she was so confident when she was a Mormon and then found out Mormonism is false . . . so she’s moving slowly! Thanks for the help and we’ll be praying for you!
February 2000
I just wanted to say that what you have done in the way of allowing an ignorant father like myself to gather the facts and present them to a son that was still willing to be reasonable and analytical has saved him from the mormon baloney and returned his feet to the path of Christ. Thank you, thank you, a million thanks.
July 2000
I would like you to know that I have turned from the Lds religion recently and have turned to the true Jesus Christ who saves. Been reading your site for quite sometime. May you continue in your ministry to the lost ones held prisoner by the lds. Thank you.
October 2000
We left mormonism on Dec. 1991 . . . We left morminism because of John L. Smith and your great book Mormonism-Shadow or Reality. That book really opened my eyes. I ordered it from UMI. When I found out the lies we were told by the [LDS Church] I wept, was angry and I grieved. If I had known the truth we would have never become Mormons. We were really ignorant of the truth when we became Mormons . . . I . . . had been a Baptist all of my life and so had my husband. . . . Our daughters husbands both served on a mission . . . It was really hard for the one son inlaw who left when he found out the truth. Our daughter told me she had been to your place and talked to you. Our other daughter, her husband and her little family are still very much Mormons. When we left both daughters were upset with us. A miracle happened to one . . . Our son also left. Two out of three is great, . . . We returned to our Christian Faith on the Lord’s Day December 29, l991. We are Free, in The True Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and not Mormonism Jesus the Christ.
November 2000
I want to let you know that your ministry has helped many of my wife’s and I friends who needed help in leaving the LDS church. You will be happy to know that your site alone has turned at least 9 couples that were in our ward to the true Christ and gave them strength to leave the church from all its pressures.
November 2000
What do you have against the LDS Church? Isn’t it every ones right to believe what they want? What makes you the supreme authority on TRUTH? Why have you made it your personal mission to tear down the LDS Church? Do you really think or believe you are being of service to God?
November 2000
I stopped by your bookstore last month just prior to closing and Sandra was there, politely waiting while I picked up a hardbound copy of your classic “Mormonism, Shadow or Reality?” (The other paperback copy I loaned out and never got it back) and other selections. The research in this book gave me the empetis to have my name removed from the LDS church in 1999.
While there, I filled my arms with one each of the free “Salt Lake City Messenger” bulletins, not aware of this publication. I have spent the last month reading them and it has reinforced my belief that Mormonism and the BOM is a creation of the 19th century. I too, like Jerald and Sandra, had a hard time letting go of the Book of Mormon, but after reading the bulletins, the doubt has vanished. Your issues #80 and #81 were excellent. . . . Since my wife and children still attend the LDS faith, it has been hard for me to break way and attend another Christian service, so I spend my Sundays studying your documentation. I know my children will come to me some day desiring the truth, and I have been preparing myself to teach them.
December 2000
. . . 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.
December 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, . . .
December 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 [www.utlm.org] has been very informative and encouraging.
January 2001
It is so amazing that people such as yourselves have nothing better to do than to dig for dirt and to find fault with Christ’s church. I certainly think your faith is in yourself and that a loving Heavenly Father knows your works of darkness and it will turn back on you when you least expect it. Bitter Bitter people that you are. Go and sin no more.
Originally appeared in:
“Extracts From Letters and Emails,” Salt Lake City Messenger, no. 96, February 2001, 9-10.