No one recanted their testimonies of what they saw. Not one. But some did leave the church. But not one of the 11 witnesses to the book of mormon recanted. And there was a small 'power struggle but not a very spirited one. Sidney wanted to be leader and Strang. And some wanted the next leader to be Joseph Smith’s son.
That was a tactic they taught in the MTC. Whenever anyone wants to debate, or get into a “Scriputre or Bashing” session they would encourage you to just simply bear your testimony. I know now because when it comes to comparing tit for tat out of the scriptures Mormonism doesn’t stand a chance. Even when you do get into a disscussion with them they have to use the BoM or D&C, two “Scriptural” references THEY wrote! Convenient indeed and even then they take references out of context or the references really don’t reinforce their main argument.
To get out is quite simple: just walk out the door and never to return. It is that simple. It certainly doesn’t take 6 years to walk out a door.
This isn’t anything new. There have been “witnesses” to many other similar situations, as well as people that taught things that turned out to be false. The 11 witnesses not recanting their testimony is not a proof of anything.
Contention is of the devil and should be avoided. But debate is fine as long as it stays respectful. But…as one can see from some posters here, respect is hard to come by.
Actually it is. To have 11 people in on a fraud and have not one recant is actually against human nature. Human nature would dictate that at least one or two would have recanted what they saw.
Again, this is nothing new in history, let along religious history. Human nature dictates many things relative to this issue, especially psychologically, but I won’t discuss that here.
Ok so the 11 didn’t recant, maybe they did see “Golden Plates” with writing on them, what does that prove? Nothing, it proves they saw plates that appeared metalic even golden with writing engraven upon them. It proves just about as much as seeing the Strang plates…nothing but metal plates with made up writng engraven on them.
No matter how long it took you to get out, the main thing is you did!!!
Thank you! Just to clarify though, I have never been Mormon. I have studied it on and off since 2002, from both sides. I’m rereading the Book of Mormon actually right now to reformulate my ideas on various issues. Should be interesting!
Thanks. I appreciate your kind words. I am amazed at the Grace of God that so many of us from various but similar backgrounds have seemed to find our way to the light. Through adversity and trial we’ve been strong enought to follow the truth. This of course is Gods Grace that it is ultimately possible. I hope I could be an example to someone, just one soul to help them find the way as well.
No problem and thanks
I think Catholic Answers needs updated articles on Mormonism from a Catholic perspective, so maybe I’ll submit some of my writings. 
Please do!!!No problem and thanks
It’s not that simple when you’re born and raised in the Church, surrounded by Mormons, loving your people and your culture, being identified as and self-identifying as Mormon, the “only true and living church” on the face of the earth, serving faithfully and to the best of your ability, and then delving into Church history and discovering to your dismay that what you were taught all of your life was a gloss of partial facts and “spin”, white-washed by a committee housed in the Church Office Building on N. Temple. Creating a new identity for yourself, when all you knew and were was Mormon, and when the people in the world who matter most to you suddenly think there’s something wrong with you, can take some people many years to accomplish. Some don’t even try, since the journey can be painful - you lose your moorings and your family/social relations are stained - perhaps more so than in most other traditions, since Mormon communities and families are so tight-knit and insular.
You also showed many references to horses after a Mormon claimed there were none. I think deception is a kind word for it.Am I the only one who notices that none of the Mormons on these fora seem to have ever read the Book of Mormon? None of them seems to know the first thing about it. We ex-Mormons seem to know all of their scriptures far more thoroughly than they do, which is, I suppose, why we left and they have not (as yet).
Parker claimed that there are no BoM references to "great cities", whereupon I posted ten of them.
Diana claimed that the only BoM reference to horses was in the Book of Ether. I posted horse references from 1 Nephi through 3 Nephi.
Now Diana claims that “white and delightsome” has nothing to do with skin color, and Ricko posts the BoM text that shows that to be false.
This is either abject ignorance or attempts at willful deception. I have my own opinion on which it is.
Paul
Some people are mean spirited who claim to be catholic. I will not mention names but I don’t think that it is from a catholic perspective nor are they being led by a light. Their tone betrays them. First, it is not about being able to get out. It is all a matter of just leaving. Nobody is in a locked compound nor are they in prison. It is that simple. The door is always open.
Not much different from being from a devout catholic family, born in the catholic church and raised in the catholic church who was raised to believe that the catholic church is the only true and living church on the face of the earth but after delving into church history during the dark ages or middle ages become disappointed and join the mormons.
You are polite and your tone is usually respectful. Others can learn from you.
There would have been many opportunities to come clean. To assume that all just believed the fraud as they viewed plates and where not in on the fraud is a stretch. And to assume that there were never any plates just 11 co-conspirators with Joseph Smith would also be a stretch.