JOMChris

Hello, my name is Chris. Several years ago I began my Journey Out Of Mormonism. I was born and raised in a Methodist Church, considered myself a Christian. I married a LDS woman who had children from a prior marriage. The missionaries soon came around to speak with her kids and I listened in. When hearing what the message was, it just made sense to me. You know, the pre-existence, why we are here, and the fact that I was told the Bible and Book of Mormon went hand in hand...it just made a lot of sense. I took the lessons and joined the LDS Church. Upon joining, several of my friends told me not to. Others said that's good, we all believe in the same God. Well, I was off, working hard for my own salvation. I was immediately put into a position in the church (to strengthen my testimony). I became the ward mission leader, then Sunday School Counselor, then Elders Quorum secretary, and then Scout Master. I attended church and then went through the temple; this is where I started with my doubts. First, I couldn't understand what was going on in the temple, what the symbols were, what I was supposed to learn, but as a good LDS leader I keep going and believing.

    After 9 years I started having my doubts, you may ask what doubts were those? Well, first off I started studying the Bible, I found contradictions between the Book of Mormon and the LDS doctrine, and what the Bible taught and what Christ said. I had always believed that God meant what he said and said what he meant. I believed that Men basically knew nothing and that we had to rely on God and his teachings.
     I had wondered what the big deal was about polygamy and the LDS Church. That took place over 100 years ago so why worry about it now? As Gordon B. Hinckley stated in his interview with Larry King "that's in the past". Well, while reading in the Book of Mormon in Jacob 2:24 it stated "Behold David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord". Having more than one wife was an abomination to the Lord, according to the Book of Mormon. Then I read also in Jacob 1:15 "And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old, desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son."
     Then in D & C 132:39 "David's wives and concubines were given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of prophets who had the keys of this power..."
     It dawned on me that if it was wicked to God for David and Solomon to have wives (plural) and concubines, and was abominable, why would God suddenly say "they were given unto them by me?" God doesn't do wicked things or participate in wicked things. The Book of Mormon contradicted itsself on this.

    Okay, enough of that. I figured I could just put that behind me. Only one mistake. Then knowing that one day we would become gods as God, I found myself reading in Isaiah 43:10 "You are my witnesses, says the Lord. And my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after me."
     Well, wait a minute. I was taught that I would become a God and that God had a father and he had a father, and so on. Once again I was forced to look to....Does God lie? No, He doesn't. Eight times in the Old Testament it states that the Holy One of Israel can not lie. I was compelled to believe God, not what the LDS Church taught.
     So, like any good LDS member, I went to my Bishop and asked him what that meant. He hesitated and said "it must be out of context". I then asked about the polygamy question and asked if that was out of context. He said "maybe". I responded with "But aren't we taught that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on earth? How could it be wrong?"

    By this time I had some big questions. This is when I started to do some very extensive research and was shocked by what I found. But, once again, being a good LDS member I went to my Bishop. By this time he was really confused, I mean about the head in the hat to interpret the Book of Mormon (see comprehensive history of the Church), freemasonry, Occultic symbols, and just plain common sense.
     I researched with an open mind for about a year. Finally I e-mailed a couple in Sandy Utah who head up H.I.S. Ministries. He had been on the Stake High Counsel. His wife had been a translator and had spent years working in downtown SLC with archives and other documents.
     I met with them at their house. Once again I was a good LDS member and asked to see where many of the anti-Mormon thigns were written. These things were written in LDS books! I was shocked at what I was reading.
     That evening I prayed and suddenly several things came to mind. Why would I need to know some secret handshakes to get into heaven? If someone else knew them who wasn't temple worthy, did that mean they could "sneak in"? When standing at the veil after giving all of these signs, why did I have to knock again, and why did God have to ask "What is wanted?" I thought He knew everything.
     Finally I compared the God of the Bible to the god of the LDS Church. It was plain finally to me. These were two different gods. The God of the Bible was one of spirit (John 4:24) as stated by Christ. The god of the LDS Church was one of flesh and bones. (Seer, by Apostle Orson Pratt, pp. 37, 172.) (Joseph Smith. See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345-346) (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 321-322; D&C 130:22)
     Then I read what Christ said in Luke 24:39 "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Handle me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."
     Well, this clarified what a spirit is for me, and I knew what flesh and bones were. Joseph Smiths god was of flesh and bone, the God of the Bible is one of spirit as Christ taught. Once again I was faced with... who do I believe...Christ or Joseph Smith.   I chose Christ.