LDS Church Need to Repent
Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 10:01 am
I am no longer a member of the LDS church. I did not have a faith crisis, calling what happened to me a “faith crisis” is akin to blaming the victim for their rape. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints violated my trust and, as a partner, I chose to leave after discovering that infidelity. Yes, infidelity. What happens when your spouse continually lies to you, what do you call it? Your spouse marries another and doesn’t tell you—that’s infidelity. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints deceived me, my father, my family and my friends. The Church knew the facts and actively hid, obfuscated and even fabricated stories in order to keep truth from everyone.
I spent the better part of my 56 years certain in the belief that the story of Joseph and Emma was one of the great love stories (I thought maybe she died of sorrow after Joseph passed). I knew that the gold plates were real and that Joseph had translated them with one finger holding his place and speaking the words from the page. He did the same with the Pearl of Great Price. Joseph was close to perfect, a man pristine, pure, and unblemished by the mud, filth and lust of a modern world; he had done more than any man save Jesus Christ to save us from ourselves. I was told to emulate him. I was told to revere him, to try to be like him and to feel lucky he had been so fine a man and I was so very fortunate to be born into the Church he had restored.
I was grounded. I knew Truth. Every part was in its place without edge or crack. As a young man I sowed my wild oats. I didn’t go on a mission. I eventually married and was sealed in the Temple. I served as Young Men’s President, Gospel Doctrine Instructor, Bishop’s Counselor, and Sunday School President. I was in. In solid and in deep. Anchored in bedrock I had no doubts and no worries. Back in the day, when I was 18, I had this conversation with my Pop.
Me: Was Joseph a Polygamist?
Pop: No, but lots of women were sealed to him posthumously because they had no husband.
Me: Was Joseph a treasure hunter?
Pop: Nope.
Me: Was he tried and convicted as a con-man?
Pop: That was a different Joseph Smith. The record is sketchy.
I walked away satisfied. I had questions, Pop had answers neat and clean. Imagine how I felt when I realized he was lying to me, the Church made my Pop accessory to the lie. As we consider how people feel when the honest facts of Church history come into focus you need to remember that the difference between the story told in 20th Century and the story told now is stunning. Go to https://www.lds.org/topics/essays?lang=eng and take a read through the OFFICIAL words of the Church and getting it straight from the horse’s mouth ask yourself: Is that what I was taught?
The old official story:
The New Official “Narrative”:
Before you say: “Well, everybody knew he used a rock in a hat to translate the Book of Mormon” let me simpy call BS on that and remind you how condescending that answer is. I DID NOT KNOW. Why didn’t I know? When did you learn about the rock in the hat? Google “Joseph Smith Translating the Book of Mormon” and look at the dozens and dozens of old narrative pictures. Then count the number of Hats and Rock pictures there are, you will find a whole bunch and not very many. The difference of story are so vast it’s not possible you knew about the rock in the hat until the Church officially “changed the narrative” with the essay on the mechanics of translation, look it up and read it. A more accurate term may be “Joseph channeled the Book of Mormon”.
Joseph did not read a word from the plates; the words appeared on a rock in a white hat. If your jaw is on the floor welcome to the club. I remember that Emma and Joseph was taught as one of the great love stories…until the Church announced Joseph had married 33 women while he was still living. Don’t believe me? How about the LDS Church: https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marr ... o?lang=eng
But, everybody knew that right? It’s the knuckleheads like me who never got the memo and thought otherwise. Or maybe he’s just a man and well, it’ll all make sense someday. I’ve been hoodwinked before, lied to, fooled, call it what you like but I should TRUST someone I know has lied? I don’t think so. The Church won’t even Recognize it lied, it’s not seeking repentance, there is no Remorse, no Restitution, no Resolution and no Reformation. For more on the repentance process go here: https://www.lds.org/study/new-era/1999/ ... t?lang=eng
Do I want an apology? Yes, I’m asking the LDS Church to go through the repentance process as a corporation, therein stands the possibility of forgiveness. Guys, take your own medicine.
I spent the better part of my 56 years certain in the belief that the story of Joseph and Emma was one of the great love stories (I thought maybe she died of sorrow after Joseph passed). I knew that the gold plates were real and that Joseph had translated them with one finger holding his place and speaking the words from the page. He did the same with the Pearl of Great Price. Joseph was close to perfect, a man pristine, pure, and unblemished by the mud, filth and lust of a modern world; he had done more than any man save Jesus Christ to save us from ourselves. I was told to emulate him. I was told to revere him, to try to be like him and to feel lucky he had been so fine a man and I was so very fortunate to be born into the Church he had restored.
I was grounded. I knew Truth. Every part was in its place without edge or crack. As a young man I sowed my wild oats. I didn’t go on a mission. I eventually married and was sealed in the Temple. I served as Young Men’s President, Gospel Doctrine Instructor, Bishop’s Counselor, and Sunday School President. I was in. In solid and in deep. Anchored in bedrock I had no doubts and no worries. Back in the day, when I was 18, I had this conversation with my Pop.
Me: Was Joseph a Polygamist?
Pop: No, but lots of women were sealed to him posthumously because they had no husband.
Me: Was Joseph a treasure hunter?
Pop: Nope.
Me: Was he tried and convicted as a con-man?
Pop: That was a different Joseph Smith. The record is sketchy.
I walked away satisfied. I had questions, Pop had answers neat and clean. Imagine how I felt when I realized he was lying to me, the Church made my Pop accessory to the lie. As we consider how people feel when the honest facts of Church history come into focus you need to remember that the difference between the story told in 20th Century and the story told now is stunning. Go to https://www.lds.org/topics/essays?lang=eng and take a read through the OFFICIAL words of the Church and getting it straight from the horse’s mouth ask yourself: Is that what I was taught?
The old official story:
The New Official “Narrative”:
Before you say: “Well, everybody knew he used a rock in a hat to translate the Book of Mormon” let me simpy call BS on that and remind you how condescending that answer is. I DID NOT KNOW. Why didn’t I know? When did you learn about the rock in the hat? Google “Joseph Smith Translating the Book of Mormon” and look at the dozens and dozens of old narrative pictures. Then count the number of Hats and Rock pictures there are, you will find a whole bunch and not very many. The difference of story are so vast it’s not possible you knew about the rock in the hat until the Church officially “changed the narrative” with the essay on the mechanics of translation, look it up and read it. A more accurate term may be “Joseph channeled the Book of Mormon”.
Joseph did not read a word from the plates; the words appeared on a rock in a white hat. If your jaw is on the floor welcome to the club. I remember that Emma and Joseph was taught as one of the great love stories…until the Church announced Joseph had married 33 women while he was still living. Don’t believe me? How about the LDS Church: https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marr ... o?lang=eng
But, everybody knew that right? It’s the knuckleheads like me who never got the memo and thought otherwise. Or maybe he’s just a man and well, it’ll all make sense someday. I’ve been hoodwinked before, lied to, fooled, call it what you like but I should TRUST someone I know has lied? I don’t think so. The Church won’t even Recognize it lied, it’s not seeking repentance, there is no Remorse, no Restitution, no Resolution and no Reformation. For more on the repentance process go here: https://www.lds.org/study/new-era/1999/ ... t?lang=eng
Do I want an apology? Yes, I’m asking the LDS Church to go through the repentance process as a corporation, therein stands the possibility of forgiveness. Guys, take your own medicine.