Why I quit attending the LDS Temple Part 2

[@GERDWESTERLING]

Thank you for the strength you have to tell about your story!! Keep on your good work!

[@nikolasadams460]

Thats an amazing story. Ive seen the priesthood work alot in my own life. Im no longer a member of the church yet i still do believe in its teachings. Shalom.

[@1god2674]

doesn't need a middleman between you and god That's good to hear you say 🤗

[@carolyearsley]

People who have had near death experiences often tell how they learned that God/the universe does not care about organized religion. It cares about how much we have loved. You have a great love for your daughter, which is the most important.

[@jeabo0adhd]

Praise God! I've seen a lady become free of cancer after laying on of hands. I was saved from a drunkard as a kid because my mother called for angels. But God heals people. All good things come from him. I'm having pain from my church right now. Several family members became felons and I tried to keep my little sister alive. I bawled behind the pulpit trying to say a simple prayer. Then the mistaken identity happened, it broke me but I have to remember these are people and we must give them grace. Jesus reminds me that His own people he tried to save killed him...and He still forgave them. Look at these church men as people for the Devil is the enemy, not them. Its hard but we've all fallen short. So let your light shine and you'll feel peace.

[@carolyearsley]

The so called church takes what is rightfully ours from God/the universe, and makes us pay for it.

[@JB-cn9qm]

You also don't need the church to access God. The church tries to hold you hostage and say that you have to go through them and their leaders to know God and access him.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

You nailed it.

[@flatpat2988]

Floyd I’m your age (70) I’m guessing. I can relate to your beer drinking and fishing story. A couple years ago my friend from work were fishing in bishop Ca. And drank way too much. One thing lead to another and my friend proposed we “sword fight”. Well Floyd it didn’t end there, I came back with “hide the salami” and before you know it my friend had me bent over a rock and going to town on me. Well to make a long story short, we didn’t notice the family in a camper on the hill just above us and saw the whole thing. So ever since then I’ve stayed away from beer and fishing with a buddy.

[@TheyCallMeSir_H]

Amen.

[@patriciafinn5717]

Having to pay to get blessings is against the Saviours teaching..250 billion is a stain that cant be erased..😢😢😢

[@Longe]

Focus on JESUS, not Joseph!

[@madogg152]

SPOT ON. Joseph helped restore the church. CHRIST IS THE CHURCH.

[@andrewreed4216]

I hope you find a positive answer to all what's happening to you.

[@geraldinesera8915]

Why I no longer attend the temple ... 75 yrs of age... KJV, Is 24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

[@beatricesavasta6710]

I'm sorry about your decision. Temple worship has so much to offer us and you. You are truly missing out. Please, reconsider.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

He isnt missing out on anything. Did you not hear what he said.

[@Richard-sc7yq]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was not created by Jesus Christ. It was created by Joseph Smith, Jr. The biggest mistake anyone can do is to get away from the teachings of the Holy Bible. If there was anyone who got away from the teachings of the Holy Bible, it was Joseph Smith, Jr. The Book of Mormon is a fictional book with a story imagined by Joseph Smith, Jr. and does not qualify as scripture. There is nothing in the Holy Bible which would confirm in any way that polygamy is the word of God. Yet, Joseph Smith (he himself) wrote Doctrine & Covenants section 132. In D & C section 132, the word "destroyed" is used six times, and five of those usages of "destroyed" were in the context of one or more human beings being killed (or destroyed) by God because they didn't follow his will or teachings (including the teachings on polygamy through Joseph Smith, Jr.). D & C 132 is a total fiction. God, or Heavenly Father, does not "destroy" people because they weren't willing to follow the provisions of D & C section 132.

[@FloydHumpherys]

The church itself has distanced itself from the Book of Mormon. They now claim that calling them Mormons is evil.

[@1god2674]

is this channel just for viewing 🪦🪦 your unresponsive though 💔 🚑 If you're going to live show some 💕🤗

[@FloydHumpherys]

Your support is appreciated.

[@bensonty]

I think it would be a more accurate statement from you if you said, “I’m trying to follow Jesus Christ.” To follow Christ, you would do as he did and I feel quite confident that he did not lead you to make these videos and call Gods imperfect children Evil Pricks. It’s good that you haven’t lost your faith. You’ve gone through some tough times, but remember that you’re not unique. Everyone goes through tough times. I would recommend reading the talk given by Elder Bednar, “And nothing shall offend”. Last but not least. Christ taught that we should forgive. Make a video how you went forward following Christ and forgive these people that apparently crossed you.

[@jeabo0adhd]

I'm not LDS and I say amen. Our savior taught us to love the least of people. He sat with Mary Magdalene and was a light to her. She sinned. I've sinned. But I can tell you, I'm glad God sat with me and didn't give up on me. I've been wrong before. These men need grace.

[@kevinmorbidthelostcronin1984]

I find myself in a similar place as Floyd. I have complete faith in Christ. I understand the completeness and logicalness of the gospel. I have had the blessing of being to the other side and the undesirable experience of making the transition both ways. And the growing knowledge that something dark is building within the church. When a man who has done nothing wrong but fall physically ill; one who has suffered great physical pain; suffered great mental pain from trying to be care for what the Lord has entrusted to him; that doctors diagnosis as suffering great mental abuse from one he was supposed to be on a covenant path with; is then denied a simple blessing of comfort because "he knows what he did wrong", something is wrong. For years, I fought to get back to the temple, trying to overcome each new hurtle the Lord and my now ex-wife put in the way. I had nothing but desire to serve and to volunteer in any capacity. They could have gotten any amount of free labour out of me. Instead, I was denied both. The church denied my very ability to serve my fellow man. They would note my position and state they could not help because of it, nor would they help with it. The only thing wrong was that my wife had left me die as I descended into a coma. I emerged handicapped and destitute, but somehow required to pay for kids I would not be allowed to see because she had moved across the country. Three years, I tried everything. Three years, the church promised me help next month. Three years, they never kept one promise, left me alone and broken, and kept citing that this was my fault but could never tell me why. Three years I tried, while listening to how we needed to serve and to attend the temple. Whether you believe in the Restoration or not, something is wrong if a church claiming to follow the principles of Christ actively impends the attempts to just serve/help... in any way. Something is wrong. I understand the fallibility of man, but this is more, and it is something I continue to hear more and more of. This is not the simple confusion of misunderstanding the differences between "community norms" and Gospel Doctrine. This is not the "I felt wronged and now I must hurt them back". Something has imbedded its tendrils and is actively subverting the Church from following its own principles. When the day comes that the Lord calls the faithful, I will be there, even if its means hiking a thousand miles with my broken body. Even if it means a thousand arrows, if the Lord calls me to preach his Gospel, I will do it. If the Lord asks me to share about my time on the other side of the veil, I will. And though the Gospel is true, I can no longer hold my tongue that something is wrong. I just pray daily that I can led past these tendrils of darkness to serve him again.

[@bensonty]

@kevinmorbidthelostcronin1984 I’m not sure where to begin. I guess I will begin by saying, I am genuinely sorry that you have gone through so much pain and suffering. I am not able to empathize with what you’ve been through. It also seems like you and I are in agreement that Christs gospel and church are worth fighting for. I think we both can agree that when we use the word, “Church” in dialogue we should know what each other means by it. You have described experiences, with what I can only believe are with local church volunteer leaders, that comes across as if they were directed directly by the first presidency to deny you the ability to serve and therefore you must have been denied by the, “Church”. There is no Church without Christ and that Church can’t function without men, albeit imperfect, and those men can’t function without his authority. If this Church was man made, it would not have become what it is today by man alone. So, it’s best we don’t take a sad or frustrating experience that we have with local (for the most part, untrained) volunteer church leaders and claim, whether it’s intentionally or unintentionally, that they are the church, they’re not. There are thousands of stakes, tens of thousands of wards, and many small tiny branches throughout the world, with a combined million plus problems, all run by men and women trying to do their best and sometimes they get tired, frustrated, lazy, bullied, impatient, and sometimes they even commit major offenses. In most cases, if not every case, these local leaders don’t have a direct line to the profit. They are many layers removed and go through proper authority (let’s call it, chain of command) to work out challenging situations that they are not trained to handle. When we understand this we begin to have the strength to allow enough grace towards these individuals, and allow ourselves to let God handle it. We just need to do all we can to be prepared to be an instrument in Gods hands and help with the his work and glory and not be a hindrance by choosing to be offended by another imperfect individual. When we choose to take offense we are just allowing someone else to dictate the way we should live our lives.

[@kevinmorbidthelostcronin1984]

@@bensonty | we have with local (for the most part, untrained) volunteer church leaders| Trust me, when I started this journey, I only thought of it as the fallibility of volunteers. I am extremely logical, scientific, and apparently prone to excusing other. However, those leaders themselves have promised they have taken it up the chain and these were their directives. These were their words. No twisting, no manipulation. I have even sought to work with Church Leadership locally and from Salt Lake, the issue keeps appearing. |There are thousands of stakes ... major offenses.| Do not get me wrong. I tried to choose my wording carefully and please give me a chance if you see an implication that you think I did not mean. I understand that the Church is filled with a vast network of people trying their best, but being less than perfect. I actually think it is an important and intelligent part of the whole process that people are given the chance to learn how to help and lead through experience, even when part of that experience is them failing (and learning from it). But, something else is there too and it is not just outside influences. Over the decades, I have seen it appear in little places, but it rarely became anything systemic. It was easy to watch as I have always been the "outcast", but it was my place in everything so I harboured little ill-will. But the last several years, what I have seen has grown from a garden snake to an Amazon Boa threaded through stake after stake. Its effects extend far from just me, but to stories similar to the above from dozens of Stakes (that I can personally attest). These are not the stories of the Ex-Mormons' whose stories are more personal vitriol, but the stories of concerned faithful. These are not the issues of select interpretations, but the clear disregard of the very messages being taught in Conference. |When we understand this we begin to have the strength to allow enough grace towards these individuals, and allow ourselves to let God handle it. We just need to do all we can to be prepared to be an instrument in Gods hands and help with the his work and glory and not be a hindrance | by choosing to be offended by another imperfect individual. When we choose to take offense we are just allowing someone else to dictate the way we should live our lives.| To be honest, THIS is what I take offense to. The belief people assert that I just decided to be a victim or hold a grudge, when they know so little. The short version of what hurdles I have had to go through and the ... issues ... would take pages. And it takes that much because I kept putting faith in the Lord and the promises of the Leadership. But if I outlined what I have made allowances for, even you would be shocked. That was not the point. My struggles are my own. Still, my daughter started calling me Job many years ago. She stopped last year. When I asked why, her response was that God was nicer to Job. But two things can be true at once. The Church can be Christ's, and it can still be in need of pruning. There can still be something wrong present, and yet be a great beacon of hope. That people can be individually fallible and the Church can still be true.

[@bensonty]

@kevinmorbidthelostcronin1984 give me an example of what concerns you so much about the Church?