Transitioning from the LDS church to a new church affiliation can be a major challenge, often involving negative personal experiences that throw up a roadblock in the process.
One common type of negative experience is when family and friends oppose the new affiliation. My survey of transitioning Latter-day Saints suggests that there are typically three point of family pressure in the journey from Mormonism to historic, biblical Christianity.
The first point of tension is when a person decides to openly express his or her doubts and questions. The second is when the person stops their activity in the LDS church. The third occurs when that person makes a clear affiliation with other group or church. This step often brings stronger opposition than the others because it represents a point of no return.
For example, one of my respondents said:
“I have yet to tell my family. They know that I do not go to the Mormon church but they have no idea I have become a Christian and I am terrified to cross this bridge. How I pray when I do I will have the right words and knowledge to say what needs to be said.”
Interesting post. As an active member of the LDS Church I would hope that we allow all members to freely come and go as the dictates of their conscience guide them. I would hope that there would never be “point of no return” that if anyone did want to come back we would make that transition very smooth.
As a follower of Christ and his Church that has been restored from its foundation at the beginning of time, I feel that all people are free to worship as they feel. Christ loves all of us and none of us are better than anyone else.
There are great people in all religions all over the world. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I have found it contains the most accurate doctrine and truer authority than any other religion. This is what we offer and all are free to accept it or not and there should be no adverse or negative pressure related to joining or leaving Christ’s Church. It should be love that is felt and nothing less.
Hi Hermite,
I agree with the ideals you state in your comment about expressing love to people regardless of their faith choices. Unfortunately, the reality often falls short of the ideal. Even the language used reflects an underlying attitude. How often is someone who decides to pursue another spiritual path after Mormonism talked about as an “apostate.” That seems to me to be a pejorative term. When they join the LDS church, ward members don’t consider them “apostate” from their previous faith.
I’ve had countless people come to me with stories about how their family ostracized them, their friends no longer talk to them, etc. since they resigned from the LDS church. I pray that your open-hearted attitude would become more the norm. I like that you can testify openly of your convictions, without being threatened by or slandering others who maybe once had those same convictions but no longer do. Thank you!