Preface

Excerpt

My purposes in writing this book are multifold; the greatest of which is to give glory to God for leading me on an exciting adventure through life, an adventure with unexpected twists and turns as He brought me increasingly nearer to Himself and His truth. He is still leading me, revealing Himself through His word—the Tanakh and Apostolic writings (Old and New Testaments).

I hope to show those who eschew Mormons that Latter-day Saints are not caricatures of their religion. They are individuals with hopes and dreams, wanting only the best for themselves and their families. As a whole they aspire to do great things, to make a difference, to live their beliefs according to the dictates of their own consciences without prejudice or reprisal. As with any religion, you will find a wide range of personal beliefs and practices among members. Some adherents will be very devout and strictly follow the fundamental teachings of their leaders past and present; while others identify themselves as members in name only. Along that spectrum are individuals who believe everything their religion purports to be true, as well as those who only believe some of what it claims to be true. Thus, to pigeonhole all Mormons, ex-Mormons, Jews, Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, or any group for that matter, as being or believing a certain way is both unfair and unwise.

I hope to show Mormons that those who leave the Church and speak out about its doctrines and practices should not all be vilified as mean-spirited anti-Mormons who, after being offended or too weak to “live the gospel,” have some axe to grind under the influence of Satan. To the contrary, most of us leaving Mormonism do so for intellectually and spiritually honest reasons. We, too, aspire to do good, to make a difference, and to reach out to our LDS families and friends who are not acquainted with the troubling aspects of the Church, who might make different choices if only they had known. People have a right to know all the available facts about the group or organization they are a part of (or considering becoming a part of). This applies to all religious institutions…