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Thank you for sharing Mitzi’s testimony here. It’s encouraging to see someone do the hard work of research and study and then have the courage to walk away from what they once thought to be true. The light of the Gospel does shine and the darkness cannot overcome it. Her testimony is now about Jesus and her salvation through faith in Him. It’s not about Joseph Smith. It’s about Jesus.
I am very thankful for Mitzi and sharing her thoughts here. I have been a member for over 20 years and I have followed a similar path as I work my way out of the church. I love the LDS people and pray that they will take the time like I am doing and like Mitzi and her husabnd did to ask the questions and look outside of what the church suggests you research. The answers are there. If you are willing to look with an open mind you will find Jesus waiting with open arms! Thanks Mitzi for you testimony. It has helped me!
So much to say:
Though Mitzi chose to leave the church (which to me isn’t a desirable choice), I applaud her willingness to make a decision based on an effort to know truth. That may seem ironic for me to say, but to me it’s not. I believe that LDS fall into one of 2 camps: 1) LDS for reasons of tradition or culture (people who haven’t looked for truth, but are born in a certain place or time or family), or 2) LDS for reasons of seeking out the truth and having found what they believe to be true to be in the LDS faith (these are both born into the faith… some are converted). Anyone who takes the effort to go on a journey for truth is applauded in my book.
That being said, I’d like to clarify what I see as a prevalent and ENORMOUS misconception by EVs, and that is that LDS base their beliefs on a “feeling” and not on common sense or reason, or that one cannot believe in LDS faith if you’ve “taken the time to ask questions”. The unfortunate truth is that it is even worse than you already think, for some LDS don’t even base it on a “feeling”… some base it on nothing more than convenience & family tradition. They don’t even have the “feeling”.
However, for those who think in a rational way, there are many, many reasons to believe. In fact, one of the things that I love about the church is that it just makes so much sense. In my case… I am so rational that it is almost to a fault (just ask my wife).
My conclusion is that those who make this claim have probably not made as thorough a journey as they say… researching the claims of church critics, while not researching the information of church apologetics that refute those claims. Or in many cases, they regurgitate what supposed “trustworthy” sources have said.
There have literally been libraries of books written from a rational/logical point of view in defense of the church. It would take a lifetime to read them all. Thank goodness the “feeling” can come from the very beginning to convince one to believe
dj1989,
I Just have to say that because something “makes so much sense” does not make it true. Just a thought.
dj 1989
“However, for those who think in a rational way, there are many, many reasons to believe. In fact, one of the things that I love about the church is that it just makes so much sense. In my case… I am so rational that it is almost to a fault (just ask my wife).”
Can you tell me what rational reasons you have to believe mormonism? Just list them out with your rationale?
I would love to have a straight answer from a straight talker. I have left the church as well and would love to understand what it is that you think Mitzi and I may have missed?
Please don’t refer me to FAIR or FARMs (I have read their stuff), just tell me what you think?
btw: I am as well a feeling person and believe that things must make sense to my head and heart (but sometimes truth doesn’t feel good or just plain hurts). That is one of the reasons I tried for so long to not look at truth.
Take care,
Junelle
DJ: I am glad to hear, and not at all surprised as I’ve followed your posts, that you are so rational. As one “linear thinker” and defender of the idea that “all truth is god’s truth” I applaud that approach as one that honors God. I’m new to the mormon-christian debate, but my impression is still that you’ve kept your “libraries of information” well hidden. Yes you have FARMS and FAIR, but they seem to operate in their own little world and have little (this is my opinion) sway in the scholarly world at large. I will agree to disagree with many of the conclusions of Mosser and Owens (I think I’m spelling those names right) and the article that Jason was touting to death. I don’t think these apologetic arms have made much academic headway in the various disciplines at large: who (outside of the LDS world) is quoting and using FARMS and FAIR sources?? Add to this the Tom Fergesons out there who study out a particular BOM problem and….well you know where this is headed. This has not been an occaisional happening. You’ve heard the stories here and elsewhere, if you are losing the apologetic battle, then fetch out the truth: where are these treasures of evidence you refer to?? Who are the best sources ?? I would be more than willing to follow your suggestion to another post since your answer might need to go beyond the word and post limits here. No problem, just bring out the truth and let’s see the light of day on these issues. Help us out and tell us exactly who these trustworthy sources are and where their answers lay. Thanks in advance, GERMIT
It was when I examined my own or what I thought to be my testimony I discovered that I didn’t really KNOW what I thought I did.
In this process I remember being horrified one day as I saw myself putting my children on an electric slide out stool (so they could reach the podium) and whisper in their ear, MY testimony or what I thought was. I vowed to never ever do that again and I didn’t for the 8 years I remained in the Mormon church.
I then started at “testimony ground zero” with “do I and how do I KNOW that JS was a true prophet?” … then I went on to “how do I really KNOW this church is true” and ended finally with the most important question “who is Jesus to me and to the church to which I belong to??” is He merely an “icon”? and with each thing I was careful and studied, prayed, read, prayed and then I used my heart and my brain and was sure the two were indeed communicating to make an educated decisions on what I truly did KNOW, it ended up differing greatly from what I had been told that I knew.
This eventually led me out of the Mormon church. I am so thankful to be free from the pressure of defending what is not mine, explaining the unexplainable and excusing the inexcusable. To be free from the law that I knew in my flesh I was not capable of ever keeping and how simple the gospel of Jesus Christ is to understand. I can ask any question and actually find the answer!
God says that he will never leave nor forsake you and that WHOEVER seeks Him will find Him. God does not hide from us behind codes and secrets, and he will reward all those who are here seeking truth.
To all those who here in search of truth I know how “taboo” it is to even be here reading … much less conversing in an open dialogue, but remember God is good … ALL THE TIME and if the Mormon Church is based in truth, nothing you will ever read, hear or study will change that. Truth is truth all by itself and stands alone.
Jesus said “I am the way, THE TRUTH and the light”
Her testimony almost brought me to tears about 4 times.. Probably would have let go if it wasnt for the fact that I’m at work.
With the last couple blogs having to deal with the truth-test (prayer for knowledge), it has led to me ponder exactly how powerful a Mormon’s testimony is and what it does to their minds..
In Mitzy’s case, it was her husband who was witnessed to by a Christian of the issues with Mormonism, which led to him questioning and finding what he believes is the truth, and then ultimately leading to her doing her own searching.
From her experience, and from my wifes experience leaving the LDS faith that she was a member of her whole life, it is shown that in our dialogue with TBM’s on here, that they will continue to reject facts/evidence and put apologetic bandaids on the big wounds of Mormonism. It is when they do their own private searching that something seems to click within them. One cannot convince them against their will.
A good example, as I mentioned, is my wife. When we were dating and for the first few years of our marriage, I would bring up problems in Mormonism to her and she would get very defensive, and very angry that I was being “anti”. I eventually dropped it because it put a strain on the relationship, but one day she just said “I don’t believe in the church anymore.” — Needless to say, I was shocked. I had no idea she was looking into it for herself when I was away at work and finally she just had enough.
So maybe my suggestion to the fellow Christians on here is that the ultimate reason for this ministry is to bring people to the real Jesus Christ. So we should continue to show the holes in Mormonismm but argue less with the Mormons on here that obviously wont budge, and at the same time share the good news of God’s word. LDS will ultimately make the decision on their own and in their own time. I have yet to see someone repent and come to Christ through an Evangelical arguing with them.