My First Encounters with Institutional Mormonism

[_Simon Southerton]

Most people familiar with the DNA-Book of Mormon issue will be aware of the vast amounts of apologetic research dealing with the issue. Virtually all of this has been published since 2000.

I first began struggling to resolve the DNA issue back in August 1998 while I was serving as a bishop. I asked to be released because I had serious doubts. I was treated with kindness by local leaders who knew and respected me. It wasn't long before I encountered institutional Mormonism and things took a different turn.

Some may be interested in reading some early bumbling attempts at DNA apologetics and attempts by area leaders to bring me into line. Most of this has not been published before.
http://simonsoutherton.blogspot.com/

[_Runtu]

Fascinating stuff, Simon. I find it incredible that Tvedtnes would come up with a response so quickly to an obscure bishop on the other side of the world. You must have scared the crap out them. LOL.

If I haven't said it before, I very much admire and respect you for taking a principled stand, despite the attacks that have come your way.

[_RockSlider]

My crisis of faith was around the turn of the century. I turned it all off - including the internet until around 2009, when I came back to Mormon aspects of the internet, I believe it was your video that I saw on this topic? A longer one that told your story.

Anyway, after about 7 years of inactivity in the church, that video and the DNA issue that it covered was new to me. Somehow, even when I thought it was behind me all, that came as a shock to me, and was likely the final nail in the coffin for my testimony of the truth claims of the church.

[_RayAgostini]

All of our children have happily grown to adulthood with no religious beliefs.

Do you think this is a good thing?

[_Simon Southerton]

Fascinating stuff, Simon. I find it incredible that Tvedtnes would come up with a response so quickly to an obscure bishop on the other side of the world. You must have scared the crap out them. LOL.

If I haven't said it before, I very much admire and respect you for taking a principled stand, despite the attacks that have come your way.

Thanks Runtu. Being on the other side of the world is the key. The attacks, which will likely continue in this thread, happily seem to bounce off. It would have been incredibly difficult to take a stand in Utah. For that reason I take my hat off to folks like the McLays. http://mormonstories.org/?p=2322

Tvedtnes was/is a curious character. Never afraid to speak authoritatively on a wide range of subjects well outside of his expertise. Whenever he spoke about the DNA he seemed to get simple stuff plain wrong time and time again.

by the way. Love your signature. I'm a huge Karl fan.

[_Simon Southerton]

All of our children have happily grown to adulthood with no religious beliefs.

Do you think this is a good thing?

Yes. The majority of Australian families are either non-believers or they never go to church. My kids fit in perfectly. They are interested in religion as a phenomenon but they don't have any specific belief. They have lots of friends, many of whom may have beliefs, but it is not an issue.

Contrary to what many religious people believe, there are lots of good decent folk outside of churches who develop their own principles and live by them. I was initially concerned that they would go off the rails but we have not seen that. Maybe we are lucky.

[_Runtu]

Yes. The majority of Australian families are either non-believers or they never go to church. My kids fit in perfectly. They are interested in religion as a phenomenon but they don't have any specific belief. They have lots of friends, many of whom may have beliefs, but it is not an issue.

Contrary to what many religious people believe, there are lots of good decent folk outside of churches who develop their own principles and live by them. I was initially concerned that they would go off the rails but we have not seen that. Maybe we are lucky.

I was struck by Featherstone's warning that your life would become a hollow shell if you left the church. I don't know about you, but I have found the opposite has happened to me. Now that my life is not absorbed in religious observance, I've had time to write and reconnect with intellectual pursuits I'd long ago abandoned. I've published in a refereed journal this year and published my book. Life's good.

[_RayAgostini]

Yes. The majority of Australian families are either non-believers or they never go to church. My kids fit in perfectly. They are interested in religion as a phenomenon but they don't have any specific belief. They have lots of friends, many of whom may have beliefs, but it is not an issue.

Contrary to what many religious people believe, there are lots of good decent folk outside of churches who develop their own principles and live by them. I was initially concerned that they would go off the rails but we have not seen that. Maybe we are lucky.

I presume you know that youth violence is now a very serious problem in Australia, across all states. Good on your children if they stay aloof from this.

I'm curious what you think about DCP's recent contribution to universal immorality (just joking):

John Whitmer left church, but kept testimony of Book of Mormon.

[_Simon Southerton]

I was struck by Featherstone's warning that your life would become a hollow shell if you left the church. I don't know about you, but I have found the opposite has happened to me. Now that my life is not absorbed in religious observance, I've had time to write and reconnect with intellectual pursuits I'd long ago abandoned. I've published in a refereed journal this year and published my book. Life's good.

That warning really got under my skin. Ironically, the only way I would have certainly become a hollow shell of a man was to do exactly what he had instructed me to do. Responding like a parrot to Mormons enquiring about my status using memorised phrases. Barf.

My leaving has made it very hard to maintain close relationships with my siblings. I find it very difficult because I still pick up subtle signals that I don't measure up.

My career has never been more successful. I lead a small team of 5 forestry molecular scientists and I co-lead a group of about 25 forestry scientists. Our group is publishing lots of really good research and they are great people to work with.

[_RockSlider]

My career has never been more successful. I lead a small team of 5 forestry molecular scientists and I co-lead a group of about 25 forestry scientists. Our group is publishing lots of really good research and they are great people to work with.

Yes but what about your righteous father, and heartbroken mother?

I loved that part of one of those letters.

Guilt, the gift that keeps on giving!