New Blog

For those of you that don’t know, I am an ex-Mormon. I went through a lot of searching (soul-searching and scripture-searching) to either support or deny the truth of the LDS church. I have come to the conclusion that it is a false church.

I have created a new blog that will be an exploration to find the truth. I have created a new blog at “Truth In Christ” to explore the differences from mainline Mormonism, FLDS (and all the other LDS spinoffs) and true, Biblical Christianity.

I created this new blog to spread information. It is not meant to bash mormonism, its leaders, or its organizers. It will, along with other sites that I reference or contribute, be based upon provable facts and scripture. I also hope to promote true Christianity.

Anyway, take a look.

Declaration of Independence

This is a very difficult post to write for several reasons. First, it could cause a lot of arguements because of the context. To that, I say, this is how I feel and know this to be a truth for me. Any arguements against this declaration or its contents are your opinion or the truth as you see it.

Second, it may cause some consternation within the family because of a difference of opinion. To this, I say that we will always be family and we can agree to disagree.

For those of you that know me, I have submersed myself in the LDS religion. I’ve been a member since I was 13 years old when I was baptized and I went inactive for many years. Approximately 2-1/2 years ago, I re-activated where I have been up until about 9 months ago.

At that time, I went somewhat inactive due to my work responsibilities so that I could support my family. During that inactive time, I had a lot of 2nd thoughts about what I was doing and what I believed in. Questions crept up as they usually do and I couldn’t ignore them. Some of the questions had crept up previously but I ignored them because I was told that I was doing the right thing and everyone seemed really happy about it.

I wanted so much to believe fully and I tried to immerse myself deeply enough. I prayed, fasted, and studied. I read the Book of Mormon with full intent to understand and believe. Even with all of that, I had doubts and continued to have doubts. I ignored them as long as I could until finally, they were too overwhelming.

I allowed myself to go inactive with the promise that after a break I would revisit what I believed and what I didn’t. I would research my questions and doubts to find what I believed was the truth. During my sabatical from my religious duties, many pressed for me to get back to church, get back to what I was doing that was so good before. I couldn’t, with clear conscience, continue until I had resolved the conflicts that I had within me.

I finally had enough of the poking and prodding to complete my research so I could get back to where everyone wanted me to be. So, I have completed enough of my research to make some official statements with regards to my beliefs. They are as follows:

1 – I officially declare that I believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of man. He is the only begotten Son of God that died on the cross for the sins of the world so that we may all return to the glory of the Father upon our death.

2 – I officially declare that I believe the Book of Mormon to be fictional and all peoples, events and activities portrayed within its pages to be fictional.

3 – I officially declare that the LDS faith does support the same Christ of the Bible but the accounts of his journey in the Americas, as portrayed in the Book of Mormon, to be fictional.

It is because of these declarations that I hereby renounce my membership within the LDS religion. While I will remain a Christian, I will not support the Book of Mormon as a true historical document.

Through out all my research, I have tried to look for reasons to believe instead of disbelieve as some think. While a lot of the stories in both the Book of Mormon and the Bible must be accepted on faith, there are definately portions that do not require faith and, as such, can require some proof. Stories of a lot of the events do require faith but the locations of these events do not necessarily require faith, but can require some proof. For example, the conversion of Alma the Younger, as depicted in the Book of Mormon, requires that you believe the story through faith. The existance of Zarahemla as described in the Book of Mormon however can demand proof of its existance. Zarahemla cannot be willed away as a small building that could have, over the past 1400 years decayed or built over. We are talking a very large civilization with a lot of fairly advanced people. There is not any evidence to support such a large, advanced civilization as described in the Book of Mormon in the areas that are depicted.

I do not explain this to try to persuade others, but I do this to support my declaration. I have consulted with both pro- and con- LDS information because I’m not an archaeologist and do not understand what flora, fauna, and other civilization evidence has been found in different areas. While the pro arguments are all circumstantial and do not point to the existance of a specific civilization, it points to a civilization with similar characteristics. With that said, it also could be characteristics of our civilization and a lot of civilizations with no characteristic being specific to the Nephite, Lamanite, or Jaredite people.

Other arguements for the pro side are all flawed in their arguements and conclusions and I have yet to find any pro side that can refute the information presented by the con side.

As I have stated earlier, I’m not looking for a fight. If there is evidence strong enough to refute the claims made, I can reconcider the arguement regarding the Book of Mormon. This would include the finding of Zarahemla, or any other city depicted in the Book of Mormon, or the finding of evidence that supports the fact that the Nephites, Lamanites, and Jaredites that dates back before the finding by Joseph Smith but must be something that can actually be put in a museum and doesn’t rely on an affidavit that it exists. (I set up these stipulations because some would declare the gold plates to be proof of the existance but, as the story goes, Joseph Smith returned the plates. As no photographs or rubbings of the plates exist, they are not available for use as evidence.)

Anyway, that is my official declaration. I am still in the process of my research but now have directed the efforts to better understand the Bible. To do this, I will, once bugetary constraints allow, purchase a study Bible that is basically 4 versions in one so that various translations may be reviewed to get a better understanding. Also in my process is to find a new church. Denominations are not of a concern at the moment as it will take time to review.

Religious thoughts – Duty vs. Results

Over the past several months, almost a year, I have struggled with my religious convictions and what I believe. As I come across a lot of different information, as there is so much, I have to focus on individual thoughts. This way, I can find my faith and that which corresponds with it.

I do not presume to know the mind of God or at least I hope I do not. I only take what I've learned, reflect on it, pray on it, and then come to some sort of conclusion as to what I believe. Tonights topic that has weighed on my mind is the acts performed to get to heaven. Be forewarned that this is a long post as there is a lot of information. Really take the time to contemplate what you read here before responding.

As many of you know, I have been baptized in the LDS religion. With the LDS, they believe that by our works we can earn a spot in one of three different levels of heaven. The celestial, or very top, where God resides, is reserved for those that have professed the Lord Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior but have also led a good life, performed services within their respective callings, worked or served in the temple, whether as a part of the services or as a continually returning "patron" for lack of a better phrase. Those that have been to the temple know what I mean, those of you that don't, there are certain ordinances performed within the temple and, according to the Prophet, are required for us to do in order to earn our place in heaven.

There are two points that I would like to address. First, every other Christian religion professes that all that is required to have eternal life with Christ and our Heavenly Father is to profess the Lord our Saviour and to love Him and to never deny Him. That is pretty much it. We are told through the Bible that we are unable to "earn" our place in heaven because no matter how good we are, it will never be enough. Unless we are perfect, we cannot be brought to the site of God because nothing unclean can be in the presense of God.

It is through the blood of the Lamb, or Jesus Christ, that we are able to return unto heaven. No Christian faith will dispute this. (If they do, run from these people and do not look back.) Even the LDS church says that you can return unto heaven by professing Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, you just get to go "higher" if you perform other duties to serve the Lord.

Now, I guess my main point is only going to be samantics basically. The work performed will be the same but the premise under the work performed would be different. Let me know if you see it differently. So, here is my thought:

The life we are "supposed" to live is not a requirement of our heavenly destination but is a result of letting God and Jesus into our lives. Not sure what this means? Let me give you an example and I will support it with scriptural stories from memory (in other words, you will know the scripture I'm refering to, I just won't be using book, chapter, and verse.)

Two people both profess Jesus Christ to be their Saviour. The both repent of sins, are baptized, and are no counted as His flock. Person A, because of the love he fills in his heart, goes out to profess the Word to others that they might see the light and come unto Jesus as well. He does this because he "wants" to do it. He isn't expecting anything for it but wants nothing more than to share with others.

Person B, because he wants to ensure his spot with the Lord, peforms missionary work to "earn" his stripes. He feels that by professing the Lord's Word to others, he is "working" for the Lord and can use that as a bargaining chip at Judgement.

Now, who is right? Given biblical accounts, both are accepted by accepting the grace offered by Jesus. BUT, does Person B get more "brownie points" for professing the word to others? Here is an example of a person performing a "duty" to earn his salvation and a person sharing as a result of gaining his salvation.

Using canon to support this, Jesus gave us the parable of the workers that the field owner hired. One was hired early in the day and, while his labors were to be long and arduous that day, he received the exact same pay as the laborer that was hired late in the afternoon. The first laborer that was hired felt "jiped" because he had worked more and longer and was to get the same pay at the end of the day as the person who would only work a very short time.

This illustrates that the labors are not the matter of what our reward is to be but that we accept the Owner's proposition.

We all know that there are certain things that are "required" for lack of a better phrase. We have 10 commandments given to Moses that have been passed down through the generation. These are God's Law. We are told by Jesus as he talked to His disciples that none are to be saved except through Jesus. We are told that we only need to repent of our sins, and accept his grace. We are to give our will to our Savior freely and without reservation. So, can we "earn" our way into heaven as our kids try to "earn" more allowance by doing more chores?

My thought is that we are only to accept our Lord's grace and to give our will to Him. Any work peformed is a "result" of our love that we have for Him and our generosity to share with others the Word that they may experience the same love that we have found. We are kinder, gentler, and more spiritual NOT because it is required of our Savior, but because we have filled our hearts with love for our Savior and that is what comes out as a result.

Anyway, I struggle with anyone who says I can earn my way into heaven when my Savior has told me that all I need do is accept his Grace. My "works" will have no bearing but are performed BECAUSE of my love. This is really a small subject when you consider all the other subjects that could be discussed.

I will probably post more as I study more and try to make sense of what I believe, what resources are available, and what new subject I struggle with to try to make sense of it.