Those who leave

[_Fence Sitter]

I wonder, wouldn't the same reasoning apply to a convert to the Church from another faith? By this reasoning shouldn't that convert be expected to leave his former faith alone and not try and convince them they are wrong? What right then does anyone who is a convert have to tell people why he/she changed their mind?

[_DarkHelmet]

I think an interesting measure of an organization is how it portrays those who choose to leave.

"In later years, I saw a few leave the Church who could then never leave it alone. They used often their intellectual reservations to cover their behavioral lapses"
Neal A. Maxwell April 2004 General conference

"If the people would live their religion, there would be no apostasy"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, (1997), 78–84

"Why do men apostatize? Why do they lose the faith? Why do their minds become darkened? Because they wander from the right path; they neglect their duties and forget to pray, and to acknowledge the Lord and He withdraws His Spirit from them and they are left in the dark."
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, (1998)

“The moment you permit yourselves to lay aside any duty that God calls you to perform, to gratify your own desires; the moment you permit yourselves to become careless, you lay a foundation for apostasy. Be careful; understand you are called to a work, and when God requires you to do that work do it.” Another thing he said: “In all your trials, tribulations and sickness, in all your sufferings, even unto death, be careful you don’t betray God, be careful you don’t betray the priesthood, be careful you don’t apostatize; because if you do, you will be sorry for it.”
Joseph Smith Ensign Sept 1971

"It seems that history continues to teach us: You can leave the Church, but you can’t leave it alone. The basic reason for this is simple. Once someone has received a witness of the Spirit and accepted it, he leaves neutral ground. One loses his testimony only by listening to the promptings of the evil one, and Satan’s goal is not complete when a person leaves the Church, but when he comes out in open rebellion against it."
Glenn L. Pace General Conference April 1989

"Those who leave the Church are like a feather blown to and fro in the air. They know not whither they are going; they do not understand anything about their own existence; their faith, judgment and the operation of their minds are as unstable as the movements of the feather floating in the air. We have not anything to cling to, only faith in the Gospel" (DBY, 84).
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, (1997), 78–84

"What is that which turns people away from this Church? Very trifling affairs are generally the commencement of their divergence from the right path."
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, (1997), 78–84

"Why did some of the early Church members apostatize from the Church? How could a forgiving attitude have helped them? What does the Lord say we should do when others offend us?"
Lesson 21: Joseph Smith Is Tarred and Feathered," Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants: Church History, (1997)

"What can we do to keep ourselves from being deceived and led into apostasy?"
"Lesson 24: “Be Not Deceived, but Continue in Steadfastness”," Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (1999)

For those who do not believe the truth claims of the church, we are portrayed as if our doubts are illegitimate. That it's because of our shortcomings. That it's because we were offended. Worse still is the result it has on our relationships with our friends and our family.

For those of us who leave, it seems we are offered a choice.
(1) Be honest with our family and friends or
(2) Keep quiet about our doubts and concerns.

There are still times when I wish that I had chosen number (2) with my wife. Was it risking the relationship with my wife? At this point it just seems like there is no way to reconcile. In all likelihood I'll end up losing my one wife over a religion whose founder had thirty two. At my job I've chosen door number (2). My coworkers are all TBM'S, having conversations about the church at work. If they knew, I can't help but think my job would be at risk. The way Mormon culture portrays those who leave... how could it not be? The moment you leave your sincerity is on trail.

in my opinion the church displays a borderline sociopathic lack of compassion for those who leave. It's the well being of the organization over everything else. If demonizing and marginalizing those who leave is good for the church, that's what they will do.

Luckily none of this is official doctrine. At least, I don't think it is. Or maybe it is. I don't know.

[_Stormy Waters]

Amongst Internet apologists this theme is repeated frequently.

People leave the church for a variety of reasons, all of which, in the end, revolve around an unwillingness and personal resistance to accepting and living its standards and principles, not around anything Daniel Peterson has ever said.

[_Albion]

Speaking for myself I don't leave it alone for the same reason I would warn someone who is about to or has fallen into a pit. It saddens me to see people buying into a counterfeit, pseudo Christian religious system placing their eternal salvation (real salvation, all that the Father has, not the partial salvation of the Mormon version of the atonement) in jeopardy.

[_Stormy Waters]

From our very own bcspace

How often do members of the church arrogantly and ignorantly presume 'desire to sin' or 'being offended' as the reasons one leaves the church or faith behind? Granted this may be the case for SOME, I would never arrogantly suggest that it is of the majority.

I would. And not just of the majority, but everyone in that situation without exception. Unbelief IS sin according to D&C 58:15. Now lest one complain that that's too easy, let me go a step further and say other sins lead to unbelief and there is no other path to unbelief but other sins both of omission and commission.

Now this doesn't take away anything from the great and doctrinal (because of official publication) article; it merely is what it is.

Also check out the context of apostasy that goes with the above reference:

D&C 58:14–16 . Of What Sins Had Edward Partridge Been Guilty As the First Bishop of the Church?

During the administration of Joseph F. Smith, the First Presidency of the Church issued a statement to clarify the role played by Edward Partridge. The following is an excerpt from that statement: “On occasion of the Prophet’s first visit to Independence, Missouri—Edward Partridge accompanied him—in the meetings and conferences held upon the land of Zion, Bishop Partridge several times strenuously opposed the measures of the Prophet, and was sharply reproved by the latter for his unbelief and hardness of heart. Indeed, the apostate, Ezra Booth, who was present, made the scene between the bishop and the Prophet one of the items that justified to him his apostasy. He refers to the circumstance in a letter, addressed to Bishop Partridge, which has been several times published in anti-‘Mormon’ literature. The Bishop, moreover, was reproved for his ‘blindness of heart and unbelief,’ and warned of the danger of falling from his high station, in a revelation given in August, 1831, while both he and the Prophet were still in Missouri: [ D&C 58:14–15 ].” (In Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, 4:113.)

http://institute.LDS...c-in-051-58.asp

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

Why I can't "leave it alone":

1) I have family who keeps it in my face

2) it's a lot more interesting when you start looking at the history, controversies, etc. from the outside.

[_Tobin]

Why I can't "leave it alone":
1) I have family who keeps it in my face

Solution: Move!

2) it's a lot more interesting when you start looking at the history, controversies, etc. from the outside.

Solution: Get a Hobby. Underwater basket weaving seems popular.

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

Why I can't "leave it alone":
1) I have family who keeps it in my face

Solution: Move!

2) it's a lot more interesting when you start looking at the history, controversies, etc. from the outside.

Solution: Get a Hobby. Underwater basket weaving seems popular.

Thank you for sharing, but I don't care to participate in your negativity.

[_Tobin]

Thank you for sharing, but I don't care to participate in your negativity.

Underwater basket weaving is a very respectable hobby I'd have you know.

[_Stormy Waters]

2) it's a lot more interesting when you start looking at the history, controversies, etc. from the outside.

I agree. Church History becomes much more enjoyable to learn about when there is no longer the fear of learning things that may cause you doubt the church.