Life After Ministry

 June 17 — I came across an article on the blog My Life by Gogo Goff titled “Why Ex-Mormons Can’t Leave The Church Alone”.

The article begins by talking about former Mormons online who have said how happy they are now that they’ve left the Church because now, they are “guilt-free”.

This may be true for some former members. Mormonism places many restrictions on its members. The dietary rules, along with the forbidden use of tobacco or alcohol can be difficult, especially for new converts to the Church. This along with the image they’re supposed to present as being squeaky clean can be hard for members to live up to.

He later states in his article –

Members who leave the church know that their actions are wrong. Deep inside they feel guilty that they are denying their witnesses from the Holy Ghost and forsaking Christ and His gospel. That guilt is demoralizing. They are faced with two options, have the integrity to admit they are wrong and repent, or lie to themselves and rationalize their actions.

I don’t know about all ex-Mormons. I can only speak for myself and what I’ve learned from those who have left the Church. I can tell you without hesitation that we don’t believe leaving the Church was wrong. We’ve come to truly know the real Jesus and we have a deep desire for all Mormons to come to know him as well.

I know Mormons have heard many times that the Jesus of Mormonism isn’t the same Jesus of the Bible, and the truth is he isn’t. In comparison, the Jesus of the Bible has all the power on his own to save us from our sins, to redeem us, and to allow us to have a home in heaven when we leave this life. The Jesus of Mormonism doesn’t. He needs us to do our part so he can “save” us.

He needs us to attend the temple, go through the endowment ceremony, and learn all about the signs and tokens so we can be allowed into God’s presence when we die.

Jesus just isn’t enough in Mormonism. Sure you “have his name” in the title of your church but what does that really mean in the long run?

Mormons talk a lot about “the gospel”, but do they really know what that word means? As I write this, I’m reminded of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride who tells Vizzini “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

I don’t think Mormons know what the word gospel means, and as a Mormon, I don’t think I truly knew either. The word gospel in Greek means “good news”. What is good about the Mormon gospel? What could be good in a work-righteous system? When will you know you’ve done enough, prayed enough, read your scriptures enough? When does your righteousness end and God’s grace begin?

The gospel, the real gospel tells us in Romans 4:22-25 –

And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

We can’t make ourselves righteous by obeying dietary restrictions, abstaining from alcohol and cigarettes, or even attending an endowment ceremony. It’s never just Jesus with Mormonism; it’s always their Jesus plus obedience to what they tell you to do.

Now when it comes to his comment about ex-Mormons denying our witnessing of the Holy Ghost I have to ask, was what we felt really from the Holy Ghost? Mormons rely on spiritual experiences. Their whole belief system is based on emotions and having that “burning in the bosom” feeling that tells you what you’re being told is true. This week I heard a pastor say, “God is not your emotions.” Just because you have certain feelings it doesn’t mean what you feel is from him.

Mormon converts are trained very early in the investigation process to rely on their feelings as a gauge as to whether something is true or not. When I was going through the Missionary discussions as an investigator the missionaries constantly asked me “How do you feel about that?”

If I had questions or didn’t have the feeling that what they were saying was true it was because I wasn’t praying enough, or I didn’t want to know the truth. The answers to the questions they asked were already established, there was no room for discussion or doubt.

God’s word tells us not to look for truth in our hearts or rely on our emotions. Jeremiah 17:7-9 encourages us to trust the Lord and not be guided by our hearts.

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.  For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

We are to trust in the Lord and not in what we think is true. Proverbs 3:5 –

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

How do we find what is true? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us –

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

In conclusion, I pray for Mormons to know that the Bible is enough, and Jesus is enough. He paid for our sins on the cross, something Mormons want to ignore. He did it so we wouldn’t have to worry about where we would go when we die. We can have the assurance of our salvation based on his work, not ours.

I want Mormons to come to know the real Jesus and truly be saved. For this reason, no I can’t leave Mormonism alone.

In Christ,

Melissa Grimes

Reference:

Why Ex-Mormons Can’t Leave The Church Alone