NOM

What ever happened to "leaving the ninety and nine and going out in search of the one"? It no longer seems to apply to the "Ones" who chose to leave after peeking behind the curtain. Once TBMs find out the reason for our leaving is because of doubt, (or new knowledge) suddenly we become too leperous to touch or contact. HTers and missionaries eventually stop coming round, "friends" distance themselves, and family avoids the topic like the plague.

Perhaps the church's "Rescuing the Lost" intiative will just fade away, if it hasn't already? I also expect the "ninety and nine" analogy will be referred to LESS frequently from here on. It has been replaced by "Nevermind, just Stay in the Boat ".

I think you might be right, or at least there is some level of risk/benefit that takes place.

When ward leadership knows someone is inactive due to doctrinal, historical, theological concerns, I think the assessment is to leave them alone, because members might get infected with the disease. Otherwise, I think the rescue efforts are still on track.

For myself, I have been less active for almost six months. Nobody has reached out, nobody wants to discuss anything. When I do show up to church people act like I have been there every week, even when I am sitting in the hall obviously reading something non church related during class. I think I have probably been written off as not worth the effort or people don't know what to do.

I don't blame them or have any animosity about it, but it is kind of strange given the teachings you have mentioned. Ehh...whatever.

I'm in the same position of being in a virtual leper colony. My home teacher went on a senior mission and there is no replacement yet. Could just be laziness on the part of the HPG, but I sorta doubt it.

I once asked exactly these questions but then I had a minor epiphany. I'm not considered a lost sheep, I am a dangerous apostate wolf. I've never strongly advocated against the church, never been one for social media activism but it doesn't take much. Defend gay marriage, even mildy, make too many joke-y comments about polygamy, defend others who are deemed 'apostates', or even just turn down a calling or an invitation to church and believers can get awful uncomfortable.

I think you nailed it here:

Once TBMs find out the reason for our leaving is because of doubt

All they need is an inkling and you'll be deemed too dangerous to spend much time with. Sheep don't doubt. They're lost and confused and looking for rescue. They don't tell the shepherd "you're doing it wrong, that's why I skedaddled!"

Christianity and all religions really, have that fine line they try to maintain between finding the sheep and avoiding the ravenous unbelievers. It's a tough game.

Leaving the 99 to find the one is still a Christian ideal I can get behind when it comes to sincere concern for the wellbeing of a fellow human, and I think believing Mormons generally sincerely value this principle. But, in a fundamentalist religion like the LDS Church, the members are indoctrinated to make the official beliefs part of their identity.
(see this vid for what I'm talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRd-kFiVuGs)
I think it's doubly troublesome to believers when a former believer rejects these beliefs that define the believer because:

• 1. In the believer's eyes, the de-converted non-believer is rejecting the believer and
  2. It shows the believer it is possible for a person who used to believe to reject these self-defining beliefs.

So, I think that even though we apostates are seen as those most desperately needing God's help, our disbelief and the thought of engaging us regarding that disbelief is horrifying to many.

And look at how the Church reinforces that. What are the things they teach as reasons for our leaving? Even Uchtdorf's more gentle talk about this boiled down to, "we understand you have what seem like legit concerns, but you just didn't try hard enough," lazy, irresponsible, apostates who threw away eternal life (our birthright as children of God) for a mess of pottage. Of course they're scared to engage us regarding our disbelief.

Wishing I wasn't so darn scary ,
Zack

This may be doubly so if you once held any leadership position. The idea that once you are a bishop you will always be a bishop hits slippery roads when said bishop becomes less active because of doctrinal incongruity.

On the other hand the peace and quiet is something to be thankful for.

I think it's this philosophy (from 1 NE 4:13):

Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

Mahonri Moriancumer wrote:I think it's this philosophy (from 1 NE 4:13):

Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

This is a deliciously twisted application of that idea. It is better that the apostate be socially isolated than risk spreading his ideas and reasoning among ward and family. I'm sure that many believers have come to similar conclusions long before today.