Believing in the Mormon church is a hard thing to do.
I mean, it takes a lot to believe that…
- Joseph Smith was personally visited by capital G God Himself and told him that no one else’s church’s were true and that Joseph had been chosen to establish the true Church of God
- Joseph Smith was guided to golden plates that almost no one else was allowed to see that were taken back up to heaven by an angel
- Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon from golden plates he found in his backyard using a stone in a hat
- Heaven has a caste system
- Your 10% in tithing is truly nothing more than a spiritual offering to God and not a way for the church to keep adding to its billions
What’s funny, is the church KNOWS it’s a little…hard to believe.
So what do they do?
They tell their members…
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/choose-to-believe?lang=eng
The church is aware of how far-fetched and, well, crazy everything seems.
And if their members realize how insane it actually is; they’ll leave the church.
So the church tells its members,
“Choose to believe!”
Ignore all of the church’s crazy history, science, logic, and studies…ignore facts…
…and just choose to believe in the church!
There’s a reason believing in the church is so difficult.
Active members will say that it’s because God’s “true” church won’t be easy to follow.
We say, it’s because it’s all a bunch of bullsh*t.
But even the church agrees; it takes a LOT of WORK to even believe in the church; its logic, it’s crazy stories.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2018/07/afs-local-news/local-news-002?lang=eng
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1976/10/go-and-do-the-work?lang=eng
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/51nelson?lang=eng&id=p23#p23
It takes so much hard work to believe in;
Because it’s all made up.
And the church interrogates you on if you believe or not;
…they make you scared to say “no” at the risk of losing your “worthiness” and access to the temple;
To your eternal salvation.
Threatening you into “belief.”
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/october-2019-general-conference-temple-recommend
The church tells it’s members to choose to believe;
Even if it’s but a mustard seed small of faith.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/49nelson?lang=eng
So, if a person were to believe in, say, the small “mustard seed” of merely believing in a higher power,
Then that small mustard seed means the entire church is true…
Right??
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2013/01/faith-and-intellect?lang=eng
Well,
At least,
That’s what the Church wants its members to do and believe…
All in the name of retention.
But we all know that ONE fact, truth or belief…does not necessarily mean that the entirety is true.
And the members are led to believe that it’s “faith.”
But the church is no stranger to getting people to believe that ONE “truth” means everything else is true.
This is a type of “halo effect” thinking;
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-halo-effect-2795906
For example: “If the church teaches that families can be together forever,”
“Then the rest of the church must be good too, right??”
It’s close-minded, secluded…
Assumes full truth based on one individual, small belief.
We chose to believe in the church our entire lives.
Despite our questions, ignoring the aspects of the gospel that didn’t make any sense, the concerns regarding church history and current statements regarding the lgbtq+ community…
Regardless,
We chose to believe in the church.
But then…
…we stepped away…
And all of a sudden,
our minds were truly open,
raw and real,
And for the first time ever,
We were able to actually evaluate what we really believed in for ourselves;
And not what the church told us to believe in.
What did the CHURCH tell us to believe?
Vs
What did us, personally, we ACTUALLY believe in??
So,
Take a step back…
What does the church tell you to believe in?
And now,
Evaluate what You actually believe in.
Do you actually agree with the church about lgbtq+ people?
Do you actually believe your family will be separated from one another if they “stray” from the church?
Do you actually believe that drinking coffee demands such a severe punishment of losing a temple recommend and your “worthiness?”
Do you actually believe that the leaders of the church speak for God Himself?
Do you actually believe Joseph Smith translated golden plates with a stone in a hat?
Do you actually believe that only men have the ability to hold such spiritual “authority” and priesthood power?
Do you actually believe that you should make sure you studies and education/knowledge only utilizes church–sanctioned resources?
Ask yourself these questions.
Do a little evaluation.
What does the Church tell you to believe?
And what do you actually believe?
–
Imagine shaming someone for leaving the church –
Because they refuse to believe everything they’re told and want to study, research, and come to their own conclusions instead?
