I grew up Mormon. This is the story of why I left. Thanks to Audible for sponsoring this video. Visit https://audible.com/johnnyharris …
37 COMMENTS
we are all children of God he loves us every one of us, LDS church in my experience really teach best and very good doctrine, i know there many doesnt want to go to church anymore because of differences and its fine the Lord keep to love and understand them, we will be judge according to our works and according to the desires of our heart. those who leaves church has their own reason i know the Lord will continue to love and understand them, good principles in life must maintain, attributes must improve more, its kind a hard because they are not in the church reminding them every sunday but its a challenge to maintain those and teach to their children, church is not perfect and there is no one inside and outside but remember whatever we decide in our life the Lord is watching us and he want us to return unto him, church can help people to be a good and a better person, those inside are not perfect like those who stay and leave. the gospel will continue either we stay or not the plan of God to his children will create value in this life and in the life to come.. i know there are pridefull members and few leaders but its them not you that can make difference, the Lord can chastise the pridefull or in diffrent direction ( if there are existing in the church ) remember any church callings cannot save members of the church ( bishops, stake leaders etc.) we will be save by obedience to the law and ordinances of the gospel, callings is a part of improvement but it cannot have the power to save you and give eternal life. always remember: we will be save by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel not by receiving church callings. but accept callings any callings because it can help you to grow and be more christlike, but do not absorb callings like you are a manager or a ceo of the company there is chastisement in those if you feel like that, be a good example lead in goodness and love, be prayerfull, help the poor and the needy, love your neighbors etc. callings in the church is not a lifetime because it only temporafry for years or months only, but our callings to the Lord as a Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, chidren, friend, neighbor is forever and eternal and it will us to eternity if we allow ourselves to grow with the Lord for our eternal destiny…
This resonated with me a lot, I wasn’t raised mormon but something very similar to it. A lot of what you talk about is relatable, Thank you for sharing this!
It was prophacised that many would leave the gospel in the Latter days before Christ returns. I see many in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints fulfilling that prophesy, whether they realize it or not
Mark my words; this is only part of your path toward your conversion. I wish you and your family the best in this new journey. Please do not misinterpret what I am saying; I say it out of experience, and I understand that you may never come back to the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, but I know that somehow you will find Christ in this process.
My job demands I have often conversations with Mormons who, many times, question how I, as a Christian(not a Mormon), can believe salvation is by grace through faith without works, as the Bible teaches. They say they couldn't imagine the shame they'd feel, not living up to a high standard(my translation). My perception of this is that they have never experienced the unconditional love presented as the salvation of the Bible; only the demands of a "cultish religion"(no offense). My question is, have any ex-Mormons reading this embraced Christianity(the free gift of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone without adding self- righteousness by works)? Or does this realization of the actual truth about mormonism always lead to atheism or distance from Christ?
I too left the Church, because I felt there was a high expectation and so much pressure to follow the beliefs they instilled in me. If I did this I would receive eternal life. This became too much to meet up to the Churches ideal and perfectionism. I didn't want to feel the guilt they caused me because they are so easy to point the finger at you for your sins you commit. It was to much. And ever since I left the LDS church I have found the truth. My faith, love for God and Jesus Christ has grown more than ever. I feel free from so much expectation from Church beliefs. It was causing more harm than good to me. I no longer feel that harm. I feel a close relationship with God and Jesus Christ and I have found my true happiness in life. My Family doesn't know that I no longer want to return back to the Church. I just keep telling them I am not ready. In reality I never will be ready and that is my choice. It's called free will or free agency. I am my religion, as long as I follow what the Bible tells me. My relationship with God and Jesus Christ is stronger now, than when I was a member of the LDS Church. I feel so free from the expectations the Church placed upon me. I'm glad I made this decision because I am the person God created me to be. And through his son Jesus Christ who overcame sin and death. I can repent of my sins and be resurrected because if his great sacrifice. I love God and Jesus Christ. I know they love more than I will ever understand. Leaving the Church was the greatest decision I ever made. I am the most happiest person on this planet. I know it and most of all God knows it. Last of all I will say the Church taught me great morals and values that I will forever be grateful for. I will live by them and keep the 10 commandments.
Don't knock any religion. I don't care if the "Mormans" have 100 " billion" dollars. They give 10 percent of their wages or increase to the church. What do you give?? They do good things, to such as help when the father hasn't enough to support the family. What does your church give? Do you believe in divorce? Do you help others when they're in need? This isn't a Bibllical saying, but people who live in glass houses shouldn't be throwing stones. I am not a Morman. It is what's in your heart that counts…
I left when the mental gymnastics became to much. I could no longer justify all the wrong. My integrity, morals and values no longer aligned with the church. The things I loved about the church became over shadowed by all the wrong I was seeing. I kept my faith in Christ, became closer to him than I ever knew possible. I am happier, more joyful, more loving, and accepting of all since leaving. My life has definitely become better 🙌
Works based salvation is anti-Biblical. They also think they can become their own Gods of their own planets. To them, Jesus is not a spirit, but made of flesh and blood like us and that he "worked his way up" to become God of Earth. Their version of Jesus is a false one from a false book written by a known conman, incompatible with the teachings of the Bible and yet they wonder why people say they are not Christian.
It took me about 1 1/2 years to de-convert (Coming Out-Of-The-Book) from when i first started to actively question and seriously think 'is religion real or made up by man'. After the de-conversion period where i was watching many hours of videos and reading a ton i felt a weight lifted that i didn't need to carry from religious doctrine. I realized i was indoctrinated and brainwashed from an early age. Now i understand clearly that it is man made. All religions are. Just like the Pentecostal style i use to follow.
So sad, surly the day will come in the next life when he will realize that he had the truth all along, the gospel of Jesus in its fullness and cast it aside. Every knee shall bow and Every tongue shall confess that Jesus is the Christ. I hope he comes back to the truth. Repentance is always there and available, The lord will never give up on us, we can only quit on ourselves.
I feel not any shaming in my walk with Jesus. To leave a cult I think is a right way to go. I still wish you find your way back to the living God. Jesus said: my yoke is easy. With Jesus I feel there is freedom, with the new birth and the true Holy Spirit I feel joy every day. I saw the world and its entertainment. It was nice sometimes but it never gave me neither true joy or peace. It was only short moments of something looking almost like happiness. I am not just saying this because I am christian. I say this because God wants noone to perish 🙏📖 noone. Love is the answer. Love God and your neighbour. Every false cult shames blames and says they have new revelation of some kind. Bible doesnt say we should do this. Noone is sinless. We cant do works to come to heaven. Jesus said its finished. We just love to show our love with works but it doesnt mean we are better someone else. Think about cults as toxic relationships. The true church dont blame, they pray for each other, they love. With love there is no condemnation. Gods love is Agape, unconditional, true love.
I’m a southerner and we are raised to be hospitable and just downright nice to everyone. So when the elder came to my door, I became interested in learning about their religion. I enjoyed studying other religions, because I’m a nerd. I love being a nerd and learning as much as I can and reading is my hobby. Eventually the elders talked me into going to Church and getting baptized. I might have been a member, but I learn anything about this religion. I couldn’t even tell you definitions of words I knew nothing about. Every time I thought of something Mormon, i always debated it with my Baptist upbringing. I was so out of place in the Mormon Church. Apparently, some people noticed that when I talked, I couldn’t grasp the concept of the Mormon faith and I would say stuff I knew when I was a Baptist. Bring my religion into the LDS Church was unsettling for some people. Finally, one day the Sunday School teacher came to me and asked me to leave the Mormon Church and denounce my membership. The sad part was I made friends in the Mormon Church. I wanted to stay with my friends, because all my life I preferred to be by myself. When the Sunday School teacher asked me when was I leaving, I stood up in front of her, ripped a sheet of paper from a notebook and wrote “I was asked to leave the Church by the Sunday School teacher. Goodbye.” And I took that paper to the bishop. He read it and asked me about it and I said that “I would rather not worship in the same Church as a person who did everything in her power to make me leave.” So now I’m friendless, but I’m no longer brainwashed.
" A bird's dream of breaking free and flying away from it's cage is simply unresistable ". However, I don't ever comment when it comes to religion, people can literally kill you for challenging what they beleive in🤷♂️
i grew up in WWCG , a very strict church . I feel for yea. . lol you asked God for truth . Keep it up and the whole Berenstain-Berenstein Bears thing well look like a cake walk.
so what i hear you saying is that the Mormon church instilled in you the building bricks of life, something you still use to this day and something you teach your children. whatever the teachings are, true or not, learning how to cope and build your life, whether it be as a partnership or on your own, loving one another is a pretty good basis for life in general. if leaving the LDS made you something else, you still carry the goodness that the LDS gave you. and i can hear in your voice that you are thankful for what you have learnt, whilst in the LDS and since leaving. for you, leaving was the right thing, and then for your wonderful wife, who stuck by you despite her feelings at the time. and perhaps you leaving gave her the push [she] needed in her journey. keep growing and keep loving, because thats why im still a subscriber. because your story and the way you talk about the things you have researched has taught me so much i didnt know……..
I have a feeling the vast majority of people ripping on Mormons probably haven't met one in person or had one for a friend. I did. Plenty of them. Family members, too. With very few exceptions, they are genuinely kind and charitable people. They are definitely doing something right. The LDS church's core belief is being kind to others like Jesus taught, and they often go far out of their way to do so. When you get right down to how members of this church act and how they practice, those actions speak A LOT louder than the absurd amount of hatred, bigotry, and mocking constantly being flung at them.
So some of their beliefs seem a bit strange on the surface… So what? A person could worship a banana, but if doing that encouraged them to try hard every day to be a more kind and charitable version of themselves, why even care? Kind people are in very short supply these days.
I appreciate your objective view on the Church and the problem is blind faith which does offend. I too am like you in my experiences but I took a different path. Many Missionaries failed on their mission which only showed to me that Satan was real. But I read the scriptures and prayed and learned that the Holy Ghost was real. I could get answers. But the cares of the world deadened my ability to get answers until I tested the Church. I am old now and do not attend regularly, but I can get answers to prayers. Questions you might consider. Did you stay close to your Bishop as you started your celestial marriage? Did you isolate yourself from the Church? My experience is that the best friends that I had were members of the Ward, did you test them? Did you do the doctrine, because he that doeth the Doctrine will knoweth whether it is of man or God. Free agency is yours. From one return Missionary to another, it is true.
I started following you because of the incredibly interesting views and thoughts you share on the internet as you travel the world. Today my streaming YouTube channel randomly showed me this video, and frankly it blew me away. I envy and admire so much about you and your sincerity…and how you explained that your new life is all about learning and sharing the wonders of our world. Mazel tov.
I’m not LDS but I live in Utah so I have several LDS friends, but many of them have now left the church. When I asked several of them why they left the majority of them answered the same way but just in there own words. The basically said that there way of thinking and feeling had just grown too far apart from that of church leadership. They really didn’t go into much detail in what they meant by that, and I didn’t want to push them but I’ve always been curious what they meant by that. So I’m curious if that’s kind of the standard answer that Mormons use when leaving the church, and if not what do they mean by that.
My family left the mormon church, my parents on my mother's side were quick to accept. My parents on my father's side I am still unsure, they are fine and everything now but I have to be on my toes because of personal experience.
we are all children of God he loves us every one of us, LDS church in my experience really teach best and very good doctrine, i know there many doesnt want to go to church anymore because of differences and its fine the Lord keep to love and understand them, we will be judge according to our works and according to the desires of our heart. those who leaves church has their own reason i know the Lord will continue to love and understand them, good principles in life must maintain, attributes must improve more, its kind a hard because they are not in the church reminding them every sunday but its a challenge to maintain those and teach to their children, church is not perfect and there is no one inside and outside but remember whatever we decide in our life the Lord is watching us and he want us to return unto him, church can help people to be a good and a better person, those inside are not perfect like those who stay and leave. the gospel will continue either we stay or not the plan of God to his children will create value in this life and in the life to come.. i know there are pridefull members and few leaders but its them not you that can make difference, the Lord can chastise the pridefull or in diffrent direction ( if there are existing in the church ) remember any church callings cannot save members of the church ( bishops, stake leaders etc.) we will be save by obedience to the law and ordinances of the gospel, callings is a part of improvement but it cannot have the power to save you and give eternal life. always remember: we will be save by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel not by receiving church callings. but accept callings any callings because it can help you to grow and be more christlike, but do not absorb callings like you are a manager or a ceo of the company there is chastisement in those if you feel like that, be a good example lead in goodness and love, be prayerfull, help the poor and the needy, love your neighbors etc. callings in the church is not a lifetime because it only temporafry for years or months only, but our callings to the Lord as a Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, chidren, friend, neighbor is forever and eternal and it will us to eternity if we allow ourselves to grow with the Lord for our eternal destiny…
This resonated with me a lot, I wasn’t raised mormon but something very similar to it. A lot of what you talk about is relatable, Thank you for sharing this!
It was prophacised that many would leave the gospel in the Latter days before Christ returns. I see many in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints fulfilling that prophesy, whether they realize it or not
The Church of Joseph Smith of Latter Day Swindle.
Mark my words; this is only part of your path toward your conversion. I wish you and your family the best in this new journey. Please do not misinterpret what I am saying; I say it out of experience, and I understand that you may never come back to the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, but I know that somehow you will find Christ in this process.
There is not one shred of evidence that supports this false religion.
What are your beliefs now? Do you believe that when we die, everything is over? Or is there something else?
My job demands I have often conversations with Mormons who, many times, question how I, as a Christian(not a Mormon), can believe salvation is by grace through faith without works, as the Bible teaches. They say they couldn't imagine the shame they'd feel, not living up to a high standard(my translation). My perception of this is that they have never experienced the unconditional love presented as the salvation of the Bible; only the demands of a "cultish religion"(no offense).
My question is, have any ex-Mormons reading this embraced Christianity(the free gift of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone without adding self- righteousness by works)? Or does this realization of the actual truth about mormonism always lead to atheism or distance from Christ?
You need to listen to the truth please fellowship with 'sister kerry Ann' on you tube and your life will never be the same again!
I could literally replay your story with other examples being raised catholic. I still pray 🙏🏼
I too left the Church, because I felt there was a high expectation and so much pressure to follow the beliefs they instilled in me. If I did this I would receive eternal life. This became too much to meet up to the Churches ideal and perfectionism. I didn't want to feel the guilt they caused me because they are so easy to point the finger at you for your sins you commit. It was to much. And ever since I left the LDS church I have found the truth. My faith, love for God and Jesus Christ has grown more than ever. I feel free from so much expectation from Church beliefs. It was causing more harm than good to me. I no longer feel that harm. I feel a close relationship with God and Jesus Christ and I have found my true happiness in life. My Family doesn't know that I no longer want to return back to the Church. I just keep telling them I am not ready. In reality I never will be ready and that is my choice. It's called free will or free agency. I am my religion, as long as I follow what the Bible tells me. My relationship with God and Jesus Christ is stronger now, than when I was a member of the LDS Church. I feel so free from the expectations the Church placed upon me. I'm glad I made this decision because I am the person God created me to be. And through his son Jesus Christ who overcame sin and death. I can repent of my sins and be resurrected because if his great sacrifice. I love God and Jesus Christ. I know they love more than I will ever understand. Leaving the Church was the greatest decision I ever made. I am the most happiest person on this planet. I know it and most of all God knows it. Last of all I will say the Church taught me great morals and values that I will forever be grateful for. I will live by them and keep the 10 commandments.
Don't knock any religion. I don't care if the "Mormans" have 100 " billion" dollars. They give 10 percent of their wages or increase to the church. What do you give?? They do good things, to such as help when the father hasn't enough to support the family. What does your church give? Do you believe in divorce? Do you help others when they're in need?
This isn't a Bibllical saying, but people who live in glass houses shouldn't be throwing stones. I am not a Morman. It is what's in your heart that counts…
I left when the mental gymnastics became to much. I could no longer justify all the wrong. My integrity, morals and values no longer aligned with the church. The things I loved about the church became over shadowed by all the wrong I was seeing. I kept my faith in Christ, became closer to him than I ever knew possible. I am happier, more joyful, more loving, and accepting of all since leaving. My life has definitely become better 🙌
Works based salvation is anti-Biblical. They also think they can become their own Gods of their own planets. To them, Jesus is not a spirit, but made of flesh and blood like us and that he "worked his way up" to become God of Earth. Their version of Jesus is a false one from a false book written by a known conman, incompatible with the teachings of the Bible and yet they wonder why people say they are not Christian.
It took me about 1 1/2 years to de-convert (Coming Out-Of-The-Book) from when i first started to actively question and seriously think 'is religion real or made up by man'. After the de-conversion period where i was watching many hours of videos and reading a ton i felt a weight lifted that i didn't need to carry from religious doctrine. I realized i was indoctrinated and brainwashed from an early age. Now i understand clearly that it is man made. All religions are. Just like the Pentecostal style i use to follow.
So sad, surly the day will come in the next life when he will realize that he had the truth all along, the gospel of Jesus in its fullness and cast it aside. Every knee shall bow and Every tongue shall confess that Jesus is the Christ. I hope he comes back to the truth. Repentance is always there and available, The lord will never give up on us, we can only quit on ourselves.
I feel not any shaming in my walk with Jesus. To leave a cult I think is a right way to go. I still wish you find your way back to the living God. Jesus said: my yoke is easy. With Jesus I feel there is freedom, with the new birth and the true Holy Spirit I feel joy every day. I saw the world and its entertainment. It was nice sometimes but it never gave me neither true joy or peace. It was only short moments of something looking almost like happiness. I am not just saying this because I am christian. I say this because God wants noone to perish 🙏📖 noone. Love is the answer. Love God and your neighbour. Every false cult shames blames and says they have new revelation of some kind. Bible doesnt say we should do this. Noone is sinless. We cant do works to come to heaven. Jesus said its finished. We just love to show our love with works but it doesnt mean we are better someone else. Think about cults as toxic relationships. The true church dont blame, they pray for each other, they love. With love there is no condemnation. Gods love is Agape, unconditional, true love.
That religion is totally Satanic. So happy for you and your family that you escaped.
What you went through is Jesus..
Mormon bad
I’m a southerner and we are raised to be hospitable and just downright nice to everyone. So when the elder came to my door, I became interested in learning about their religion. I enjoyed studying other religions, because I’m a nerd. I love being a nerd and learning as much as I can and reading is my hobby. Eventually the elders talked me into going to Church and getting baptized. I might have been a member, but I learn anything about this religion. I couldn’t even tell you definitions of words I knew nothing about. Every time I thought of something Mormon, i always debated it with my Baptist upbringing. I was so out of place in the Mormon Church. Apparently, some people noticed that when I talked, I couldn’t grasp the concept of the Mormon faith and I would say stuff I knew when I was a Baptist. Bring my religion into the LDS Church was unsettling for some people. Finally, one day the Sunday School teacher came to me and asked me to leave the Mormon Church and denounce my membership. The sad part was I made friends in the Mormon Church. I wanted to stay with my friends, because all my life I preferred to be by myself. When the Sunday School teacher asked me when was I leaving, I stood up in front of her, ripped a sheet of paper from a notebook and wrote “I was asked to leave the Church by the Sunday School teacher. Goodbye.” And I took that paper to the bishop. He read it and asked me about it and I said that “I would rather not worship in the same Church as a person who did everything in her power to make me leave.” So now I’m friendless, but I’m no longer brainwashed.
" A bird's dream of breaking free and flying away from it's cage is simply unresistable ". However, I don't ever comment when it comes to religion, people can literally kill you for challenging what they beleive in🤷♂️
TERMINATE MORMONS ON SITE!!!
You had the same experience than mine with the Jehovah Witnesses's organization. These are simply cults !
MORMON IS PROHIBITED THE BLACK PEOPLE?i'm a mormon too!
i grew up in WWCG , a very strict church . I feel for yea. . lol you asked God for truth . Keep it up and the whole Berenstain-Berenstein Bears thing well look like a cake walk.
He's got a new religion– hybrid of wokism and spirituality.
Time is the true test of anyone's belief system.
so what i hear you saying is that the Mormon church instilled in you the building bricks of life, something you still use to this day and something you teach your children. whatever the teachings are, true or not, learning how to cope and build your life, whether it be as a partnership or on your own, loving one another is a pretty good basis for life in general. if leaving the LDS made you something else, you still carry the goodness that the LDS gave you. and i can hear in your voice that you are thankful for what you have learnt, whilst in the LDS and since leaving. for you, leaving was the right thing, and then for your wonderful wife, who stuck by you despite her feelings at the time. and perhaps you leaving gave her the push [she] needed in her journey. keep growing and keep loving, because thats why im still a subscriber. because your story and the way you talk about the things you have researched has taught me so much i didnt know……..
I have a feeling the vast majority of people ripping on Mormons probably haven't met one in person or had one for a friend. I did. Plenty of them. Family members, too. With very few exceptions, they are genuinely kind and charitable people. They are definitely doing something right. The LDS church's core belief is being kind to others like Jesus taught, and they often go far out of their way to do so. When you get right down to how members of this church act and how they practice, those actions speak A LOT louder than the absurd amount of hatred, bigotry, and mocking constantly being flung at them.
So some of their beliefs seem a bit strange on the surface… So what? A person could worship a banana, but if doing that encouraged them to try hard every day to be a more kind and charitable version of themselves, why even care? Kind people are in very short supply these days.
Only the strong spirits can face life without faith. You and your wife are strong in spirit. I wish you much love. 💓💓💓💓
I appreciate your objective view on the Church and the problem is blind faith which does offend. I too am like you in my experiences but I took a different path. Many Missionaries failed on their mission which only showed to me that Satan was real. But I read the scriptures and prayed and learned that the Holy Ghost was real. I could get answers. But the cares of the world deadened my ability to get answers until I tested the Church. I am old now and do not attend regularly, but I can get answers to prayers. Questions you might consider. Did you stay close to your Bishop as you started your celestial marriage? Did you isolate yourself from the Church? My experience is that the best friends that I had were members of the Ward, did you test them? Did you do the doctrine, because he that doeth the Doctrine will knoweth whether it is of man or God. Free agency is yours. From one return Missionary to another, it is true.
I started following you because of the incredibly interesting views and thoughts you share on the internet as you travel the world. Today my streaming YouTube channel randomly showed me this video, and frankly it blew me away. I envy and admire so much about you and your sincerity…and how you explained that your new life is all about learning and sharing the wonders of our world. Mazel tov.
Thanks!
I’m not LDS but I live in Utah so I have several LDS friends, but many of them have now left the church. When I asked several of them why they left the majority of them answered the same way but just in there own words. The basically said that there way of thinking and feeling had just grown too far apart from that of church leadership. They really didn’t go into much detail in what they meant by that, and I didn’t want to push them but I’ve always been curious what they meant by that. So I’m curious if that’s kind of the standard answer that Mormons use when leaving the church, and if not what do they mean by that.
My family left the mormon church, my parents on my mother's side were quick to accept. My parents on my father's side I am still unsure, they are fine and everything now but I have to be on my toes because of personal experience.
Thank you for your example!