Re: RAY

[_Runtu]

I thought personal attacks were verboten these days.

Moderator comment by harmony, I think I did that wrong, but at least I got it moved to Telestial.

[_Ray A]

Why Droopy makes me believe that my 1988 excommunication request letter was true to the core:

Dear President:


After many months of reflection I have decided that I want my name removed from the records of the church.

I can no longer consider myself a "faithful" Mormon and do not wish to have the stigma of church membership associated with any of my words or actions, which may also offend the sensivities of practicing Mormons, and make me somewhat of a hypocrite in the eyes of both Mormons and non-Mormons.

My experiences of Mormonism in general, and particularly over the last several months, have convinced me that the vast majority of Mormons are bigoted, biased, prejudiced and extremely narrowminded. I also intensely dislike the strong anti-intellectual trend that has been and still is gaining great momentum within the church. I do not necessarily lay blame upon individuals for this condition, but see it as a reflection of a church dedicated to rigid conformity, which I view as destructive to the creativity and true freedom of the individual.

After studying Mormon history over the last several years I am alarmed and disturbed at inconsistencies which I find irreconcilable, many of which destroy the bases of contemporary Mormon practices and beliefs and which church authorities have taken great measures to prevent average members access to such information (despite recent protestations to the contrary) for fear that such information may damage the faith of simplistic Mormons.

With this knowledge I find it impossible to generate the naïve faith necessary to be a Mormon, especially in the realm of the thousands of do's and don'ts that I feel are anthetical to the teachings of Christ, not that I claim to be a Christian, for I abhor conventional (especially "born-again") Christianity even more than Mormonism.

Since it is not my purpose here to make justification, or give specific reasons for leaving the church, I shall dispense with verbosity and simply request that you proceed with my excommunication.

Sincerely,

Ray Agostini.

Let Droopy figure out which parts apply to him, and why I really think Mormonism sucks.

[Mod Scottie: Personal attack deleted]

Much more to come in the next few weeks.

[_Ray A]

Everything the Church does is bad

I could well be swayed to that view. I would not have said "everything", but almost thou persuadest me.