This is my resignation I sent to the LDS church on July 6th 2008, shortly after learning of the the message read over the puplits of California’s LDS ward houses the prior weekend, of course they ignored my wishes to just receive a letter saying they accepted my resignation, but rather sent a copy to my stake president and sent me a letter to prayerfully reconsider. Needless to say it is December and I still haven’t received my resignation confirmation, but I know legally I was done when they received it:

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.

After today, the only contact I want from the church is a single letter of confirmation to let me know that I am no longer listed as a member of the church. My name is Shawn Monson Atkins – DOB 11/11/67.
The efforts off the church to amend state and federal constitutions to define marriage as between one man and one woman, and encouraging members to donate their time and efforts to attain these political goals are both hypocritical and offensive, and frankly should cause the church to lose tax exempt status. The take home message of the Bible, in my humble opinion is that God abhors hypocrisy and that we are all imperfect and He will judge us – not that gay people should legally be harassed, shamed and treated as second class members of society. The religion that once deemed plural marriage as allegedly ordained by God via direct contact with a ‘prophet’ seems mighty sure God isn’t going to reinstate the ‘new and everlasting covenant’ in the future and is working to ensure one of their own initial doctrines will be illegal. I don’t even want to ask about the silly explanation(s) you may have for a widower being sealed to a second spouse. Apparently the church allows members to be married in temple polygamy, but publicly the church ostensibly promotes ‘traditional family values’ contrary to what goes on in the temple ceremonies. I pay equal taxes to the federal and state government as my straight counterparts and I deserve the same legal benefits. No matter how much the church tries telling me that being gay is a choice, or that it is just my lot in life and I can be celibate and happy, (like I was born without a dick or something), I am the one who knows what my personal experience is I know I have been attracted to men since before the age of 8, I know my own desires and can say that if we are all God’s children, this is how He made me, and the idea that any 1950’s philosophy or aversion therapy or Evergreen program can change me is silly, and refuted by any legitimate scientific evidence. I am proud and gay and you will never take that away from me. The tide is turning and you hypocrites are going to fail in your efforts to subjugate us.

Sincerely,

Shawn Monson Atkins