Why Did You Leave The Church?

[Admin]

Why Did You Leave The Church?

A general Thread for former Members of the Church to say why they left. Just tell us the reason, don't go on and on with stale rants please.

[EAG]

i never officially left the church but, i was inactive for about a year from the i was 16 to about 17, i was more interested in girls than the church and i came across some anti stuff on the internet. in a way i'm glad, in the process of learning why the anti sites were wrong i learned more about the truth of the church than i would have if i hadn't questioned it.

[October]

I was born into the church to two very devout converts.  
I never gained any testimony, despite the attempts to do so. 
I was pulled from public school at the age of ten, and placed into Benjamin Franklin Acadamy - a private 'cooperative-homeschool' which taught lds based cirriculum.   I was kept in this school until I was fourteen. 
I learned a great deal about the history of the church during the time i was in the private school.   I also learned much as I started to read detailed historic accounts online.  
I began to question why the church no longer taught many of the original historical practices and doctrines.   I grew more and more aware that the church had evolved into something very different from what it was when it began.   By fifteen, I ceased attending church functions.   I spent several more years studying and seeking out information.   At the same time, I was being regularly confronted by church officials who were making great efforts to bring me back into the church, despite my instructions to cease and desist.   At eighteen, I had my name removed from the church.   Now, eight years later, I work with everyone and anyone who wants to further their understanding of the history of this large organization.   While the church has deemed me an apostate, I do not spread lies about the religion - I encourage awareness and knowledge, and I am blatently opposed to encouraging blind faith from those who do not know what they claim to believe.   I have encountered many people who are very well educated and learned in the history of the church who continue as faithful members of the church - and I can support it.   Logic and rationality prevented me from being content with pretending to believe in the church, and I left.  

[ArtValenz]

In the late 70's, Spencer W.  Kimball stated that he had received a revelation from God regarding the priesthood.   He said God had revealed that the restriction on the priesthood for blacks was over and they could receive it.   The previous stance on this was that faithful black men would receive the priesthood and everything that went with it in the next life.   When I asked my bishop why God gave conflicting edicts about the priesthood, the bishop was unable to answer.   This stirred more questions on doctrines that weren't supported in the bible (eternal progression; pre-existence; etc. . ).   Those questions also were ignored by my bishop and every other elder I asked.   I made my decision then to separate myself from mormonism, and I was eventually ex-communicated.

[Happy_LDS]

Hi, I could not understand your last sentence. You left the Church or you was excommunicated?

[ArtValenz]

I left the church and then when I didn't reply to letters sent from the bishop, they ex-communicated me.

[Happy_LDS]

ArtValenz, they excommunicate you because you didn't reply to some letters from the Bishop? There are specific causes for excommunication so obviously something is missing in this story.  Maybe these letters contain the charges that were brought against you and that caused your excommunication?

[EAG]

they definitely dont excommunicate people for not responding to letters if that were the case many more people would be excommunicated