If you leave the Mormon church, where will you go?

[mormonstories]

Watch the entire episode on our YouTube channel! Episode 1434.

There is a teaching in the Mormon church that if you leave the church, you lose everything. This simply isn't true. Other religions and non-religious groups can be just as moral and ethical and close-knit as Mormonism.

[tonyperkins-stocktonhearin]

I’m so sorry! That type of response (“where will you go?”) sounds like something an abusive spouse would say!

[Nestico]

What is good in the LDS Church is not unique, and what is unique in the LDS Church is not good.

[jillrice]

The Relief Society president basically gave me the same line. When I told her I just didn't believe in the structural foundations of the church, she made a hard huffing noise out of her nose and said, "Look. There's not a one of us who believes everything about the church. But it's the best thing out there." Somehow, that didn't convince me to stay.

[squeakhawk]

To any Mormon who thinks that they can't leave the church because it has the best systems for living your life, I would encourage you to study some basic philosophy. Go out into the world and see how others actually live. You might be surprised at what you find.

[Molly.mormon.qp]

I grew up in the church in Alabama and I quickly gained my own testimony of the Savior, decided for myself to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it, serve a mission... all these things of my own volition. I don't do them because the church leaders tell me to. It's my own choice. I applaud you for making your own choice. That is the beauty of this life that God has blessed us with choices. I have visited several different denominations and many are great believers and wonderful people. But I have never found the fulness of the doctrine of Christ in those other churches. Only the Book of Mormon has the fullness of the everlasting gospel in its pages. That's why I would never go anywhere else. But I also don't shame others for leaving. That's your choice!

[smartismarti]

I spent 8 years after I left the Mormon church just coasting because I was afraid that if I looked at it closely, it would be true and I'd have to go back. Thank God that wasn't what happened. I learned all the lies, the twists, and the frankly crazy doctrinal differences. I found every good thing and so much more, plus even more peace from officially shedding the bad. Mormonism distorts the gospel of Jesus so badly, robbing and twisting the joy, burying it in shame and fear, keeping the Lord's mercy and grace from people, while giving just enough goodness to keep many there. I wish I could look at me 10 years ago and assure myself that there was nothing to be afraid of.

[cherylw]

Believe it or not, you can make good moral choices even if you don't have a belief in Jesus or God.

[mariansmith]

That is a good point. My daughter left church at 40, 😢after being very active, temple, all of it. She started drinking and smoking and her family is destroyed. But it wasn't about church. She made these decisions all on her on.

[lesliekelley-hardee]

I didnt believe in the mormon church but joined for peace in my marriage with full faith in my relationship with the LORD...I asked God to protect me and use me. I was given the sunbeams, 4yo, I had conjoined twins Emma and Taylor. They were taught the true gospel. They died in their separation surgery. My husband was an adulter, and he divorced me. And I went back to my roots....im surrounded by mormons, they dont bother me, praise Jesus.

[Girlinthedesert]

💯 !!! I’ve heard this over and over with my bishops and parents.

[mizcarolyn]

I was raised in the church and what caused me to question was meeting a non-Mormon who was kind and moral and good. Initially I didn’t understand how it was possible. How could someone be good without the church? Looking back, that question shows how brainwashed I really was. I spent the next several years trying to figure out if “bad” things were bad from my new perspective. Only after some time did I realize that morality and values are simply part of the human condition, not dependent on mormon systems. 30 years later, I’m more in touch with my spirituality than I ever could have been if I stayed trapped by their lies.

[aeijae]

Everyone is different, and I can only speak for myself when I say, “After mature consideration, honest soul searching, theological thinking and doctrinal delving, there is not a organization I am more happy to be a member of” I get it, it’s not for everyone, hope you find happiness.

[isabellesmith]

It sounds like the Bishop was saying that he has found peace in this religion, he has seen the good that it has done for himself and other people. That doesn't mean that no other church can have truth, or goodness. That would be an awful world. And if that were the case, everyone would all flock to one church and we would all know for certain which was true. But that's the wonderful thing about life, that God gave truth to the world as they were willing to receive it. Maybe that Bishop said wasn't what she needed to hear, but he's human. He's going to say things that aren't what Jesus would say. What would Jesus say? Probably that he loves you. Probably that he died to give you agency and repentance, so the choice is yours, and he will always be there for you. Maybe he would tell you to carry on strong with your faith. I think he wants you to have as much truth as you can accept, but sometimes you don't want that much truth. He's willing to wait until you do. I don't think the Bishop wasn't saying, "my church is the only good church." I think he was saying, "in my life, I have found this to be the most good church." That if Jesus visited him personally, He would tell him to carry on with his faith. I think that, because that's what Jesus would tell me. What the Holy Ghost 𝘩𝘢𝘴 told me. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If I left the church, I would lose everything. Not because it's the only good thing, or the only truth, or any of that. But because it is MY goodness, MY truth, MY everything. Because Jesus is what I have chosen to build my entire life on. And I think that's what that Bishop was trying to say.

[doratheexplorer]

I don't understand people who leave the church but can't leave the church alone. If you aren't happy just leave but why try to influence others with your bull crap stories? I've lived a life inside and outside of the gospel and I wouldn't trade my membership or testimony that it's true for all the money in the world.

[debbieeustice]

I’m kind of the other side of the coin. My husband joined because he loved the activities and people. He went through the temple rituals, but didn’t believe there was anything at all after death. I joined as an older adult mainly because I had never been baptized. But never believed the Joseph Smith story. I continue to attend because I think they follow the Bible better than other churches and because they have such great guidelines for family life, finances, getting an education, believing in service to others, etc. They have been great support through my husband’s very long illness and death and now check on me during things like power outages. No one has ever pushed me to go to the temple. One time the Bishop asked why I hadn’t and I told him I didn’t feel ready and said I would let him know when I was. He accepted that. I’m comfortable going to church, but don’t feel like I have to participate in everything. You have the right to say no to anything you don’t feel comfortable with.

[Meriela]

I left the Mormon church when I was 27 years old with 4 kids, autistic twins in the middle, and cancer. This was before anyone really knew what autism was. My husband and I were called to be primary teachers for our twins because nobody else knew how to handle them. We got called into the bishops office one Sunday, and told that we needed to write a check for 3 months tithing or they would release us from our job of teaching my children, their agenda, which was impossible for us. I told him about all of our medical bills and the stress, and I was so sick with my own treatments and 4 kids under 4!!
He told me that in that case I needed to pay 6 months worth of tithing and double my fast offerings and all of our medical problems would disappear!!!
Needless to say, I lost my $hit! That was 28 years ago, and I was the first in my family to leave the church and not have my kids baptized. I have 13 siblings and I’m in the middle. My parents have over 60 grandchildren and 100 great and great great grandchildren.
My 4, despite the hate and ostracism from my own family, are amazing and the most normal of the bunch.
A year after that meeting with the bishop, he was arrested and convicted for raping and sexually abusing the 8 year old friend of his daughter that lived next door!!! It had been going on for 3 years..

[Mur]

We'll go wherever we want to go!! ❤

[CalebFortes]

I am LDS, this never happens for me. My area has such amazing considerate and helpful people who have helped me quit lust. I have never been criticized, never had anyone tell me what to do, and my life is made. Now all I want is to ensure that I can be with Jesus again. I live in Utah I met the prophet and he is such a kind man, when I received the priesthood I felt a feeling of peace come over me. Now I get some videos talking about stuff like this and it doesn’t make sense to me. It seems everyone leaving the church is leaving because of somebody in the church who doesn’t have morals / follow the commandments. I read the Bible and Book of Mormon and I know it’s either the Christian church or LDS church. I want to be with the one that Jesus wants me to go to. So please pray that I will find my way and I pray all of you find your way and have peace in your life.

[nancylowe]

But, it is true. Anyone can find reasons not to believe. And those are usually the people that leave. But, when I Iooked for reasons TO believe, I found so many answers to my deepest questions. Like Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? Where did I come from? Who is God? Who is Jesus Christ? Why is there suffering? ❤
Why is life important? Why do I need baptism? Why does it matter who baptizes me? And about a thousand other questions I asked that I only found answers for in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. No, it's not perfect and the people and leadership is far from perfect. But the doctrine has real answers. But, as before. Believing is a choice. I choose to believe.