Ex Mormon #13

I have this horrible feeling so much of the time. It's all so hard to believe that this thing that Joseph Smith did is such a giant in so many of my loved ones lives. It was a giant in my life, and currently continues to be, just in a different way. It's like being in a really bad dream, but with no end in sight. Bad dreams end, this doesn't.

I take great comfort that the good that has come from this will continue on in the lives of my children. Thank God they will learn the real truth about Joseph Smith and the Mormon fraud. There are not words that would adequately express my relief that my membership in the church didn't go on for even one more day. 

It's all still so hard for me to believe that I'm writing as I am now. I had been rejecting a teaching in the Mormon faith for the last 15 years or so already and being rejected in my Mormon circles for it. The big teaching that I rejected is the authority the priesthood gives a man. Varying kinds of atrocitites are being perpetrated on my loved ones and those I've come in contact with because of the idea that a man has the priesthood. 

The men in the church are told on one hand not to suppose that they can control anyone because of the priesthood, but then they also are taught that in marriage, at least, that they are the presiding authority. How confusing, to both men and women, husband and wife! But, worse than being confused is that all members of the church have a thing called the priesthood between them and God, between them and their wife, between them and the whole world. I cannot tell you how often I heard credit for miracles and blessings be contributed to the priesthood. It offends me to the max! When I was a faithful member it offended me, and it offends me still. God should receive credit. Give credit with your words to God, not the priesthood. The members do not give credit to God, I don't care how hard you try to argue with me. How often did I hear how grateful the members are for the priesthood? And how very little, if ever, did I hear the members speak of how Jesus healed their infirmity? No, always the priesthood is what is mentioned. It is despicable, utterly offensive, and needs to stop.

I challenge you members of the LDS church to replace your word priesthood with the name Jesus. I also challenge you members to replace your pictures of the temple in your homes with pictures of Jesus. I challenge you members to replace the writings on your walls with words of Jesus, not prophets. I challenge you members to read the Bible, for Jesus's own words are there, read them. 

I love members of the LDS church. I love my family. I have been almost completely ostracized by my family because I would not cower to my father's supposed priesthood authority. My father is a tyrant. Because I do not believe a priesthood has authority over Jesus Christ, I have stood up to my father. I did this BEFORE I found out the Mormon church was an utter fraud in its claims. I reject the idea that he has that I, his daughter, have to give utter compliance with his ideas and views on what is truth and what isn't because he is the priesthood holder and I am not. 

With that being said, I hope that someday things will change. I have great hope that one day things will be different.