here a note on a Ex-Mormons site that you may enjoy

[year2027]

God first

Beloved all

God loves us all my dear friend

here a note on a Ex-Mormons site that you may enjoy

http://exmormon.meetup.com/boards/view/vie...?thread=1196190

under Open Letter to all ex-Mormons part 1

by Jah or jahurule

I hope you enjoy

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: Ex-Mormons

From what I've seen, an overwhelming majority of the ex-Mormons eventually become some type of agnostic or atheist. It is very distressing yet very understandable to me. I was a Mormon for 4 short years, yet when I found out the truth, my life shattered on many levels. I can only begin to imagine the devastation a life-long Mormon goes through. Being a Mormon, we were taught that it's the "one and true" church. Naturally, I concluded: if the "one and true church" turned out to be a big hoax, how can I trust anything else?

I didn't revert fully to an atheist like when I was growing up, my intuition told me there was a deity; and so I searched--studying the occult, the supernatural, New Age, self-help, nlp, and so on. During this time, my parents became Christians. I visited their church, kept on going for different reasons. As I continued to go to that church, some of the things that hit me were:

1. They were sincerely humble; I couldn't feel a hint of pride or pretension no matter how hard I looked. Some are just down-right innocent.

2. Their prayers were not in a form--they were alive and spontaneous; they were encountering a living God.

3. This God was different--more personal, warmer, and gentler. He wasn't just demanding perfection from His lofty throne.

4. The Bible actually contained fulfilled prophesies!

5. The Bible is substantiated by archeology. (Not just blind-faith?)

6. The NIV Study Bible blew my mind. I'm now actually studying and understanding my scriptures rather just glossing over them.

7. The sermons were life-applicable; they often openly talked about character flaws of men such as King David and Samson. (In LDS church it was hush hush, everyone were to be perfect.)

8. It was ok to ask questions and they provided direct answers from the Bible.

When the pastor first asked me to accept Christ after 3 years of going to the church, naturally I was reluctant. ?If I came out of the true church, what?s the chance that this is true?" I wasn't about to be fooled again, so I waited. A year later, after a semi-crisis, I thought I was ready to change my life and sought to become a Christian. When the pastor asked some key questions regarding my belief system, and if I'd like to put my faith in Christ, again I hesitated: How did I know the Bible wasn't just made up? How do I know that the prophesies weren't merely fulfilled on paper? How do I know if there isn't an ultimate reality that transcends even Christianity?

Long story short, the 3 hour discussion with my pastor eventually led to the fact that Satan was fishing for unwary victims with his most effective bait: inventing thousands of half-truth, false-beliefs and counterfeits that distracted people from the Truth. If Satan just took the truth and tweaked it a little bit, it became heresy. It slowly dawned on me that the common thread in all religions in the world is that it requires the performance of man to pursue God or Godhood, only salvation in Christ was unmerited, unearnable, and truly free! Best things are for free! versus there's no free lunch! Maybe with an infinite God there's free lunch after-all.

If there were only 2 beliefs in the world, then common sense tells us the ratio would be 50-50. Roughly half would be in the Truth, half would be deceived. But if there were 1000?s of false belief and idols such as materialism and self-worship all cluttered around the Truth, then only a few diligent seekers would find it. Broad is the way to destruction right. With that understanding, but still knowing fully I could be hurt again, I accepted Christ with the mindset:

1. Give it a go and see what happens

2. It was an insurance policy against Hell if there was one. I had nothing to lose.

I'm very happy with the decision. After I took that leap of faith, God was faithful to reciprocate the gesture. My whole world changed for the better. I'm now experiencing much peace in my life, free from?as far as I know--all compulsive behaviors and addictions of the past. These are merely two out of a host of other tangible changes that substantiate my faith in Christ.

Anyway, don't get me wrong, I'm not so arrogant as to say that I?m 100% sure that Christianity is the way. I know for sure my laptop exists because my fingers are tapping on the keys, but spirituality and faith transcends the five senses--hence faith. But based on what I've gathered, the homework I've done, and through my own experiences (whether self-delusions or indeed God's work) the most plausible universe-view is Biblical Christianity. For me, it takes as much, if not more faith to believe in the atheistic worldview. Either way, it's putting your faith in something.

The world-view I have right now doesn't rule out the occult, UFO's, and things like that. In fact, everything fits like a glove. As far as the occult and supernatural goes, there are witches meetings on meetup.com, and reports of demon possession in countries like Thailand are common and etc--What I'm saying is: don't rule out the existence of something just because you haven't experienced them directly. The supernatural does exist, it is hidden and powerful but God is infinitely more powerful.

Yes, I know there are apparent contradictions and errors in the Bible, but it's been my honest experience that as I dig deeper, I begin to find harmony. It's at this time that I can see the ingenuity and divinity of God. To the unspiritual mind, it may seem like a conflict, but to the God-minded, it makes sense despite of apparent conflict. Truth is often paradoxical. You are thinking I'm biased and I?m just finding things that I?m looking for. First yes, I am biased, I?m sure everyone is biased in one way or the other. However, because of my Mormon experience, I take extreme caution to be as objective as I know how to avoid any self-delusion.

I?m not trying to prove my views or debate with anyone. But like anything beneficial that I encounter, I'll in-turn recommend it to others and I will witness for Christ. If the Christian worldview is true, and from what I?ve experienced, and what I?ve gathered?from countless hours of reading, comparing and questioning and reasoning--it?s the most plausible of them all. God really love you despite of your Mormon experience and also Hell does actually exist. How terrible would it be for anyone to forfeit the love of God and the same time gain hellfire only because they only glanced at the evidences but didn't dig deeper.

The sweet gospel is this: God is holy and can?t co-exist with sin. This just God allowed his son Jesus Christ to die to cover our sins. You don't have to perform religious rites or complete a checklist of requirements, you don't have to belong to an exclusive organization headed by fallible man, you don't have to be perfect because He was perfect for you. You only have to accept Him as Savior in your heart to receive this free gift of love for you.

Nobody can sanely claim they know everything in the Universe; don't rule out Christianity just because of your Mormon background. Humbled yourself, face the bitterness if you still carry it, and realize perhaps God did revealed Himself through the Bible and has a plan for you.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

first reply by writter

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another thing is that it seems to me that people can substantiate almost anything through convoluted logic. However what I found to be generally true about Truth is:

1. The simplest and most straightforward explanation.

2. Substantiated by ample amount of high quality evidences.

3. Not afraid of the scrutiny of questions.

Ask tons questions! What did Jesus say was the greatest commandment? Love God with all your heart, soul and mind. Use your head and rational skills and determine which universe view is the most simple, logical and plausible. The Bottom-line is: If there's a God and the Bible is the Word of God, then, Hell is a reality. And sinners like you and me are bound for it without a savior. 2 + 2, irregardless how hard I believe and whim that it?s 3, is in fact 4. In the same way, is something true if you believed? Or is it more like, because something is true, therefore you believe? Anyway, something to think about, May God bless you, open your hearts and help you find Him.

Here some Christian sites that you can look into the historical and archeological accuracy of Bible and Jesus Christ:

http://www.carm.org/s...

http://www.irr.org/sc...

http://www.jesusfacto...

http://www.contenderm...

http://www.christiana...

http://www.christiana...

http://www.cuttingedg...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

next reply

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi! I am so impressed with what you have written I just want to thank you for sharing the truth about Jesus with ex-Mormons. My story of leaving Mormonism is on the IRR web site you posted a link to. It is also on my web site; www.equippingchristians.com

It has been so frustrating trying to get LDS family and friends (well, actually ex-friends. They all avoided me after I left) to see the truth, but they are "blinded by the craftiness of men" (to quote an oft-repeated Mormon phrase). So I decided to start a ministry to educate Christians on Mormonism. It's easier to keep people out of the cult than it is to rescue them once they are in!

Anyhow, thank you for sharing Jesus and the inerrancy of the Bible with readers.

Tracy

----------------------------------------------------------------------

there is more but you will have to go there for it

this is a small site not a lot of action

thank you

with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy

[washingtonweather]

that was positive and useful

[templelady]

...............on second thought I'm not going there

It is useless to discuss anything with people who will buy that the author of this SQUIT was ever a Mormon

[year2027]

God first

Beloved washingtonweather

God loves you my dear friend

I glad you enjoyed it

thank you

with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy

Beloved templelady

God loves us all my dear friend

that is ok

thank you

with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy

[allan w.]

Thanks for that Roy...I probably couldn't have put it in better words myself !!

[Lifted Up]

Interestingly enough, my deprogrammers, back in 1979/80, spent more time describing the cultic qualities of the Mormons than any other non TWI group except the Unification Church, the latter of which one of my deprogrammers was an ex member. But there was no real testimony given or shown to me of anyone's experience as a Mormon, and I see no real testimony in the above "experience", other than a passing statement that "I was a Mormon for 4 short years". The rest of the post looks like a description of the writer's youth years in his/her parent's church.

Since claimed ex members of any group, including TWI, any church, or even non religious groups, are very unlikely to have kind words about their ex group, I would prefer to see real testimony of the descriptive "this happened to me"ind, kind of like catcup talks about on the first couple pages of the "What is the Way" thread.

[year2027]

God first

Beloved allan w.

God loves you my dear friend

I am glad you like it

thank you

with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy

Beloved Lifted Up

God loves us my dear friend

I am glad it was Interestingly enough

Yes I person that was only a Mormon for four years had the things to talk to has a 20-30 Mormon that got into leadership

Yes testimonies like catcup or Grease Spot Radio are better

thank you

with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy