After carefully studying LDS church history I know longer believe the church is “true” I never formally resigned from the church, as I knew I would still be counted as a member in the numbers of church membership. My reasons for not believing are atattached to this letter.
The Mormon church’s active campaign against civil liberties based on sexual orientation is now forcing my overdue resignation from the church. I can not in clear conscience have any connection with a church which causes such mindless hurt, senseless judgement and hatred. I feel it my moral obligation to do my part to help make this world more inclusive, caring and rational.
This letter is our formal resignation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it is effective immediately. I hereby withdraw my consent to being treated as a member and I withdraw my consent to being subject to church rules, policies, beliefs and ‘discipline’. As I am no longer a member, I want our names permanently and completely removed from the membership rolls of the church.
I have given this matter considerable thought. I understand what you consider the ‘seriousness’ and the ‘consequences’ of my actions. I am aware that the church handbook says that my resignation “cancels the effects of baptism and confirmation, withdraws the priesthood held by a male member and revokes temple blessings” I also understand that I will be “readmitted to the church by baptism only after a thorough interview”. (quotes from the current Church Handbook of Instructions)
My resignation should be processed immediately, without any ‘waiting periods’. I am not going to be dissuaded and I am not going to change my mind.
I expect this matter to be handled promptly, with respect and with full confidentiality.
Sincerely,
Billie Christiansen
Alixander Lewis
For the past year or so, I have spent countless hours honestly, sincerely, studying church history and the lives of many of the early saints. I have only used the best possible books for my research, using church approved books as well as historical books, journals and, historical documents. I have stayed away from anything “anti”, as I only want the truth without any bias. While extensively studying the history and doctrine of the church, I have reached the conclusion, I do not believe in the LDS church. Coming to this conclusion has been very painful. I have spent countless hours studying and contemplating, this turn of events has in no way been a hasty decision. I have taken this very seriously. I have been upset and angry with all the deception on the church’s part. But, I am now finding a peace and self acceptance I have never had before. It feels good to be able to think for myself. The world finally makes sense. I don’t have to put anything “on the shelf”
The complete facts behind these issues are easily available from many sources for those that are willing to search them out and expand their education beyond church- approved documents. The church fails to disclose many facts that contradict its official version of its history. It is the policy of the church to teach only faith promoting history, and it hides away all the contradictory evidence. The church authorities have not been honest with us. “Truth can withstand scrutiny”
The Book of Abraham is a false translation. The discovery of the original papyrus at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1967 has proven beyond doubt he did not have the ability to translate. It has Joseph Smiths handwriting, translating each line of the Egyptian, ordinary funeral documents.
There at least three contradictory documented versions of the first vision by Joseph Smith evolving over time?
1832-He said he had a dream that Jesus appeared
1842- two personages appeared
– many anglee appeared, which was deleted
After his death.
1935-added God the Father and Jesus.
Wouldn’t a visit from Diety, make such an impression that he would remember?
There absolutely no evidence backing up the Book of Mormon. DNA has proved the American Indians are decendants of Mongolin tribes of Siberia , not the decendants of Isralites. They are not Lamanites as we were taught. We have concrete evidence of Mayans, Incas, Aztecs, Egyptions, Romans, Greeks and hundreds of other civilizations, even dinasours. Where is there any evidence of the civilizations of millions of people in the Book of Mormon?
In the battle of Coriantumn and Shiz on the Hill Cumorah, Three to Four million people were killed in one battle on one small hill in New York . The second battle 240,000 Nephites and a larger number of Lamanites, for a total of about a half a million people died. There has never been any sword, shield, chariot, coin, anything found …
All the Americans killed in all the wars in history in under 700,000. The Book of Mormon says 6 times that number, were killed in these two battles on the Hill Cumorah. Hand to hand combat verses mass casualties in modern warfare from bombs, machine guns, tanks etc.
I was taught Smith translated from the Gold plates. When the reality is, he had his face in a hat with his magic peep stones and never used the plates. Smith was a treasure seeker and used the same tools for translating the Book of Mormon as he did for hunting for treasure. He believed in folk magic and used Occult practices.
Smith started the ‘translation’ of the fraudulent Kinderhook plates, that he thought were ancient brass plates.
We are taught the Blacks are a cursed race, there spirits not being valiant enough in the pre-existence and were cursed by being born as members of the black race. The Book of Mormon teaches dark skin is a curse as a result of wickedness. Temple ordinances were not allowed to those with negro blood in there veins. In 1974 changes were made to this policy because of the threat of a NAACP lawsuit and congressional investigation. Under government pressure in 1978 the Blacks were allowed the priesthood. I feel badly about all the prejudices the church has and continues to bring into our world. The hurt this prejudice is now inflicting on the Gay community, all in the name God, is cruel.
The temple ceremony is a copy of the Masonic ceremony. Smith became a mason in 1842 and quickly rose to Master Mason, going 13 times in a six week period, before introducing the mason temple endowment ceremony to the Saints. Despite Smith’s claims the ceremony can’t be changed or tampered with the church has removed disturbing parts, such as blood oaths, oaths of vengeance against the United States government, covenants of obedience from wives to their husbands. The temple ceremony was not what was practiced in Solomon’s temple.
Joseph Smith said the Book of Mormon was the” most perfect and correct book ever written”.
Revelations in the D&C have been edited over time with additions and deletions to hide problems with the original revelations. Official church historyies have been edited and deleted many, many times to remove details that are not “faith promoting”. Most of today’s LDS have no idea of some of the false doctrines Joseph Smith taught.
The book of Commandments which became our D&C has had many revelations changed and added to. There are hundreds of revelations Joseph Smith had, that we haven’t even heard of.
Since the Book of Mormon was first published, there have been nearly 4000 changes made to this “most perfect” book, many of these changes altering the meanings.
Joseph Smith said the Book of Mormon contains the “fullness of the gospel”, but there is nothing in it about the LDS gospel. Plan of Salvation- War in Heaven- Baptism for the dead- Three degrees of Glory- We can become Gods- God was once a man- Eternal Marriage- Eternal progression- Temple endowments- Aaronic priesthood- etc…
The ”View of the Hebrews” by Ethan Smith was published 7 years before the Book of Mormon. It has amazing similarities. Both speak of:
American Indians as decended from Hebrews.
Ancient book hidden and buried in the ground.
Destruction of Jerusalem and scattering of Israel .
New world being populated by migration from the old world.
New settlers making a journey to the north entering the valley of a great river.
Future gathering of Israel and restoration of 10 tribes.
Compare House of Israel to an olive tree.
Copy entire chapters from Isaiah.
Interpret Isaiah’s prophecies as referring to America .
Stick of Ephraim.
Tell of ancient Americans dividing into two separate nations, one civilized the other savage.
Say the savage nation eventually destroyed the civilized one.
Ancient inhabitants had written language.
Ancient inhabitants had iron.
Speak of a breast plate.
“watch towers” for military observation.
Denounce polygamy.
A great gentile nation that would occupy America .
The gospel was preached in ancient America .
“Altered” or “reformed” Egyptian
And many more similarities…
Why does Gordon B. Hinckley when asked about our core belief “As man is, God once was. As God is, man may become”, continually say“, I don’t know if we teach that?” We have all been taught that, it is one of our basic beliefs. Why didn’t Hinkley and other church leaders receive revelations and be able to discern that the documents they were buying from Mark Hoffman, to hide away form the members, were forgeries.
The Book of Mormon witness’s were unreliable.
Martin Harris stated publicly that none of the witness’s saw the plates with their physical eyes, but with spiritual eyes, like a dream,” Eyes of Faith”. He also changed religions eight times while in Kirtland . He was known as “deranged”.
David Whitmer claimed years later, that God spoke to him and told him to leave the church.
Oliver Cowdrey claimed to see both Christ and Satan in a vision. Once he saw Jesus in a form of a deer, and walked with him.
We have Joseph Smith’s prepared statement, which the witnesses signed. We don’t have any first hand accounts. We have a signed document written by Joseph Smith, if they would have written it their own words, it would have been quite different. I believe the charisma of Joseph Smith and the power of suggestion played a part this. After Joseph Smith’s death, James J. Strang claimed to be his successor and had a revelation from an angel and all living witnesses to the Book of Mormon except Oliver Cowdrey had accepted him as the true leader of the church. Strang went on to claim he had translated metal plates “The Book of the Law of the Lord”. Only Joseph Smith’s two brothers and his father remained steadfast in their commitment.
Joseph Smith started polygamy, marrying at least 33 wives. Some believe it was much higher. Fourteen of those were already married women, including the wives of his twelve apostles in Nauvoo. Some of whom he sent away on missions before he married their wives. They were marriages that included sexual relations, as documented by histories, testimonies and journals. Two of the saddest stories were of Zina D Huntington. She was married to Jacob, whom she loved dearly. Joseph Smith told her she was to marry him or he would be struck down with a sword by an angle. She was pregnant with her first son of Jacobs. She and her husband, having blind faith agreed. She was able to stay living with Jacob, as Joseph didn’t financially support and provide for his wives. But when Joseph died, Brigham Young took her as one of his wives and while crossing the plains, he sent Jacob on a mission and told Zina she was his now and Jacob would have to find another wife. She and Jacob had two sons together. They loved each other and neither one ever had that love again. He wrote heartbreaking letters to her for many years. Zina spent her life without the one she loved and without someone to love her. Would the God you know, require this of a woman for her salvation? Another sad story, Joseph told, Heber C Kimball that he wanted his wife as his own. Heber and his wife loved each other so much that she would not agree. They offered up their 14 year old daughter, Helen Mar Kimball to Joseph, and he agreed. In her journal she later says, she thought she had no choice but to sacrifice herself for her family’s salvation. But if she had known it would have been more than a “spiritual” marriage, she would have never have done it. She said she was deceived. There were some of these women who had children fathered by Joseph. I have read many of these women’s journals and personal histories, they are heartbreaking and haunting to me, testifying of the horrors and degradation polygamy causes. The church is trying to change the history, teaching your generation, Brigham Young is the one who started it, and only to help the women who didn’t have husbands to cross the plains to Utah. Telling us there were many more women than men. Looking at the census from those years, you can see there were a little more men than women. Nineteenth century doctrine teaches that polygamy is necessary for exaltation and would always be so. Either this was a false doctrine, or we can no longer be exalted. Pressure to gain statehood, brought the Manifesto. It simply suspended the practice under the circumstances. The D&C 132 revelation authorizing polygamy is still part of LDS scripture. I believe Joseph Smith introduced polygamy to provide divine justification for illegal and immoral behavior.
I’ve learned about the doctrine of the Blood Atonement. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young taught and practiced this doctrine which teaches some sins cannot be forgiven from the Savior’s atonement, but need to be atoned for, by shedding your blood. They did this by slitting the throats of the sinners. Among the list of sins, requiring the Blood Atonement, being an Apostate, marriage to an African, taking the Lord’s name in vain, not receiving the gospel, lying, refusing to practice polygamy and others. There are many who were killed. As more Gentiles moved to Utah, it became impossible to continue the practice and it eventually stopped, but it is still Mormon doctrine. Would the God you know require this?
In 1838 Joseph Smith started the Danites, for the purpose of “plundering and murdering there enemies of the Saints”. They targeted, dissenters from the church, killing, robbing, taking from the Gentiles and consecrating it too the church.
I’ve studied the Mountain Meadow Massacre in depth and believe Brigham Young and other church leaders were involved and responsible for these 120 deaths. The Mormons also were responsible for the Aiken Massacre.
As I have spent countless hours studying the church. I’ve found mounting evidence the church is not true, nothing to substantiate its claims beyond blind faith.
We were taught to find our testimony using our feelings. We decide on its truthfulness by how we “feel”, when we should study and research using unbiased sources. I can feel the “spirit” during a hymn or even a Faith Hill song, but it is our emotions and feelings we are experiencing. Eternal families does make you feel good, but what about the other doctrines such as polygamy, we are then told not to use our feelings, we put those things on the shelf, thinking that someday they will all make sense All the religions in the world have people with testimonyies, it isn’t any different for them. They feel their church is right and have testimonies to back it up. The Islam fundamentalists have very strong testimony of their religion and scripture, they are willing to give up there life for it.
Billie Christiansen