mormon apostates

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andrewstx said:
Well I was born right across the border in Hobbs NM, but I was back in Snyder before I was a year old.

I do wear a trophy buckle won for team ropin’, a hat and boots. But since my stroke concealed carry is not a good idea with all the shaking I do.
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Small world. Way back a very long time ago, my great grandmother and great grandfather ran the newspaper in Hobbs…
 
I have believed for some time now that Joseph Smith was no prophet and within the last year stopped going to the LDS church with my wife in order to explore other churches. I really wanted to find out the Catholic church held the “fullness of truth” but I just can’t quite get there. I’ve been listening to Catholic radio for 10 years and even joined RCIA this last year, but nope, I just can’t buy it all. I consider myself an Agnostic at this point. (Please don’t take offense, I’m just stating my position.)

I’m curious about those of you who left the LDS church, became Athiest or Agnostic but then were converted to Catholicism. In apostate Mormon circles we often talk about how you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube (after finding out all the white-washed history). I feel a part of that includes rejecting Christianity and the Bible. How did you gain a belief again after rejecting it? What convinced you?
 
Tweedle_Dee said:
I have believed for some time now that Joseph Smith was no prophet and within the last year stopped going to the LDS church with my wife in order to explore other churches. I really wanted to find out the Catholic church held the “fullness of truth” but I just can’t quite get there. I’ve been listening to Catholic radio for 10 years and even joined RCIA this last year, but nope, I just can’t buy it all. I consider myself an Agnostic at this point. (Please don’t take offense, I’m just stating my position.)

I’m curious about those of you who left the LDS church, became Athiest or Agnostic but then were converted to Catholicism. In apostate Mormon circles we often talk about how you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube (after finding out all the white-washed history). I feel a part of that includes rejecting Christianity and the Bible. How did you gain a belief again after rejecting it? What convinced you?
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Tweedle Dee, I understand exactly where you are coming from. It was very similar to my experience. I was agnostic for many years post-Mormon.

Belief and faith in the Divine came back to me only as a gift. Human reason only couldnt do it.

Do I believe that everything that comes out of the Magisterium reflect spiritual reality? No, human reason tells me that, because of human brokenness, human ego, (and specifically, male ego), that is just not reasonable.

That being said, and coming from my reason, I was given faith. Because of that gift, human reason doesnt bother me. Im not troubled nor expect everything in either Catholicism or Orthodoxy is spiritually accurate.

And I am ok with that. And I know God is ok with my being ok with that.

I can live with faith in one hand, and doubts in the other, and still keep an open mind.
 
Some months ago I met (or knew) two mormon missionaries. I have never talked with mormons before, although I knew about their existence.

We were talking during some weeks about our faiths. They are very nice and kind people and sincerely they believe in his religion. Their theology is very weird, is like a complete reinterpretation of everything. The more I looked for information about Mormonism, the more I realize how far Mormonism is from the Gospel.

I tried to explain them some catholic teachings according to the Bible, like for instance:
  • The Church cannot be defeated by evil, She was founded by Christ and still She’s alive and She will be alive until the end. So no need for restoration.
  • The Public Revelation ended with the apostles. So no need for more public revelations.
  • Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One Everlasting God. God is One. So no need for more gods.
  • Sacraments.
  • Priesthood.
I hope this have been helpful for them. I wish some day they could know the Truth and join to God. I usually pray for them.

For that reason I appreciate your courage and bravery to leave the mormon church. Maybe it brought you problems but for you God was the most important. I thank God for his Grace.

In your opinion, how can we help mormons (and JWs, etc)? Should we explain our faith if we come across them in the streets? Is it useful for them?

In my case I showed them doctrine, but I didn’t want to discuss the early history of their church and JS, etc. I thought it could be harmful for them, like a disappointment.

I have learned a lot reading this forums. Thank you!
 
HojaVerde said:
In your opinion, how can we help mormons (and JWs, etc)? Should we explain our faith if we come across them in the streets? Is it useful for them?
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Best thing to do is not to debate, that only validates in their eyes, that they are right. They believe that opposition to their faith=their faith is true.

Pray for them. Be charitable in your dealings with them. Live your faith with credibility.

When egos get involved and the spirit of competition and contention enters the conversation, the efforts are futile.

God bless. 🙂
 
Marie5890 said:
Best thing to do is not to debate, that only validates in their eyes, that they are right. They believe that opposition to their faith=their faith is true.

Pray for them. Be charitable in your dealings with them. Live your faith with credibility.

When egos get involved and the spirit of competition and contention enters the conversation, the efforts are futile.

God bless. 🙂
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Hi Marie, thank you for your answer. I’ll take it into account if I have the chance to talk with others again! 🙂

The truth is that they were very respectful towards me and vice-versa. We had very interesting talks. But I agree with you, praying is the most powerful weapon we have, it’s the best we can do.

Regards
 
Tweedle_Dee said:
I have believed for some time now that Joseph Smith was no prophet and within the last year stopped going to the LDS church with my wife in order to explore other churches. I really wanted to find out the Catholic church held the “fullness of truth” but I just can’t quite get there. I’ve been listening to Catholic radio for 10 years and even joined RCIA this last year, but nope, I just can’t buy it all. I consider myself an Agnostic at this point. (Please don’t take offense, I’m just stating my position.)

I’m curious about those of you who left the LDS church, became Athiest or Agnostic but then were converted to Catholicism. In apostate Mormon circles we often talk about how you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube (after finding out all the white-washed history). I feel a part of that includes rejecting Christianity and the Bible. How did you gain a belief again after rejecting it? What convinced you?
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I prayed, as an atheist, after many years of never praying at all. It feels really awkward to pray when you feel like you’re talking to the walls. I was also going to Mass, mainly out curiosity. So my prayer was an experiment, to see if anything would happen. I prayed one thing, “God lead me to you.” I figured it was a good neutral experiment. I let go of any ideas that God did exist, or God did not exist, including preconceived ideas like not putting toothpaste back in the tube. I didn’t want these ideas to pollute my experiment. So I prayed, went to Mass, which became more of an excuse to pray, as it didn’t feel so weird and awkward as praying on my own. Short story is, God grabbed me and put me on the fast track. Faith is not something I am able to generate from myself, but one day, there I was standing with faith. Faith is a gift, that I couldn’t explain away or ignore.The Talking Heads verse was going through my mind often, “And you may ask yourself, how did I get here?” 🙂
 
Marie5890 said:
Best thing to do is not to debate, that only validates in their eyes, that they are right. They believe that opposition to their faith=their faith is true.

Pray for them. Be charitable in your dealings with them. Live your faith with credibility.

When egos get involved and the spirit of competition and contention enters the conversation, the efforts are futile.

God bless. 🙂
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I disagree. As our Pope says, be annoying.

If people had not debated me, I might still be LDS today.

By not debating, you appear to go along or give up. THAT validates them.

The whole “get along” garbage is not what Jesus said to do. He said He was here to pit father against son and brother against brother.
 
RebeccaJ said:
I prayed, as an atheist, after many years of never praying at all. It feels really awkward to pray when you feel like you’re talking to the walls. I was also going to Mass, mainly out curiosity. So my prayer was an experiment, to see if anything would happen. I prayed one thing, “God lead me to you.” I figured it was a good neutral experiment. I let go of any ideas that God did exist, or God did not exist, including preconceived ideas like not putting toothpaste back in the tube. I didn’t want these ideas to pollute my experiment. So I prayed, went to Mass, which became more of an excuse to pray, as it didn’t feel so weird and awkward as praying on my own. Short story is, God grabbed me and put me on the fast track. Faith is not something I am able to generate from myself, but one day, there I was standing with faith. Faith is a gift, that I couldn’t explain away or ignore.The Talking Heads verse was going through my mind often, “And you may ask yourself, how did I get here?” 🙂
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Thank you - I was hoping you’d reply also. I realize it’s probably not easy to explain.
 
TexanKnight said:
I disagree. As our Pope says, be annoying.

If people had not debated me, I might still be LDS today.

By not debating, you appear to go along or give up. THAT validates them.

The whole “get along” garbage is not what Jesus said to do. He said He was here to pit father against son and brother against brother.
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I’m with Marie on this although I think it depends partly where the person is on their journey and partly on their personality. I suspect your posts come off as too aggressive and confrontational to many Mormons (no offense.) Remember that most Mormons are raised passive aggressive and will avoid confrontation at all costs.
 
Tweedle_Dee said:
I’m with Marie on this although I think it depends partly where the person is on their journey and partly on their personality. I suspect your posts come off as too aggressive and confrontational to many Mormons (no offense.) Remember that most Mormons are raised passive aggressive and will avoid confrontation at all costs.
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I’ll follow Pope Leo and Pope Francis and you can follow marie…then we are all happy 🙂
 
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