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If not, then why not? If so, then please enlighten us on how you went about removing your name? And why did you decide to leave the church?

It was easy, I asked Ralph, my home teacher and ward clerk to see if he could get our names taken off. I am sure the Church still has a record of me, but they certainly don't bother me at all.

The short answer is that I left the church because I became an agnostic/atheist. It wasn't just the Mormon faith, I tried to check out most of the major beliefs out there.

I am neither angry nor upset. In fact, I really enjoy this forum where we can all voice our opinions/arguments in a respectful manner. It’s an opportunity for all of us to learn if we are open to it.

Then why label the church as a cult? Why bring up the atrocities that some of it's members committed in the past? Do you honestly believe that Mormons under the direction of the prophet go around killing innocent men, women and children?

What are your beliefs? Are you part of an organized religion? Do you think it might have some skeletons in its closet? Do you believe in the same God Abraham worshiped?

The short answer is that I left the church because I became an agnostic/atheist. It wasn't just the Mormon faith, I tried to check out most of the major beliefs out there.

You shouldn't despair of God. Many have had the experience of having felt they have lost their faith entirely, of no hope of ever believing in anything again. And then God can, completely unbidden and unexpectedly, extend His grace and give them faith. This aligns with the promise of scripture. What such persons, like me, later discover is they had only lost a religious training or belief inculcated since childhood. But a true and enduring faith can only be granted by God.

My remarks probably won't be helpful to you right now. But later, they might be.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

Now, having been blatantly (but charitably) religious but avoiding the poisonous waters of ecumenism, I'd point out once again, these discussions really do belong in the Backroom. FR's political and news threads really aren't anyone's mission field. Not mine, not the Mormon FReepers, not anyone else's.

>> Then why label the church as a cult? Why bring up the atrocities that some of it’s members committed in the past? Do you honestly believe that Mormons under the direction of the prophet go around killing innocent men, women and children?

No, they don’t go around killing people. My point in bringing up that event was to stress the potential harm that the cult-mind can bring.

LeGrande, please take a minute to read my post #44. That explains in detail why I believe the Mormon church is a cult. After reading that, I would like to hear your opinion. I’m not just simply labeling them a cult. I was a member (in fact still am technically) and I went through the Temple ceremonies, so I know what I am talking about.

Let me phrase it in another way. If the church was not as I described in #44 (i.e. secretive, symbolic penalties of death, not beholden to a Prophet that God speaks through, etc.), then I would not consider them to be a cult.

By the way, your names are not taken off otherwise you would have received documentation stating such. What ramifications could that have for you and your family in the future? Well, if you have children, it could lead to them being led back into the church against your better judgement at some point when they are older. As long as their names are on the “books” then they will likely be contacted by ward members. Right now you may not care, but if a child of yours is influenced to join, you may feel different. Once they join, their view of you can change (because now they view you as a misguided soul). Ramifications, ramifications.

Also, why the heck would you not be ticked off because you asked them to remove your name and they haven’t. Don’t you think that is disrespectful to you? Shouldn’t you be insulted? They should honor your request without equivocation.

>> What are your beliefs? Are you part of an organized religion? Do you think it might have some skeletons in its closet? Do you believe in the same God Abraham worshiped?

I am a Christian; I follow Jesus Christ in the new testament, and I don’t believe there are skeletons in Jesus Christ’s closet. I believe that anyone who accepts Christ as their savior and makes every attempt to live as a Christian is a Christian, as well (from their fruits we shall know them). Officially, my name is on the “books” as a member of the Mormon church. Yes, I believe in the same God Abraham worshiped; a God of Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnipresence; a God that through his will created everything in the universe.