tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20847196.post1590839168926917731..comments2023-10-18T05:22:42.800-07:00Comments on Easy to be Entreated: My Resignation LetterHüffenhardthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15721254732982582835noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20847196.post-34942830362258343462011-08-25T01:23:13.166-07:002011-08-25T01:23:13.166-07:00That was beautiful, and in a way quite inspiratio...That was beautiful, and in a way quite inspirational. I respect your willingness to learn things that aren't easy to learn, and your courage to act on it. thank you for sharing your experience.seljusisk.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13549195523282589894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20847196.post-48043325147789230912010-02-11T17:49:00.004-08:002010-02-11T17:49:00.004-08:00PS -thanks heaps for the letter so I could know wh...PS -thanks heaps for the letter so I could know where to send mineNatalie Quehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01453065317873829264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20847196.post-10300514722479894552010-02-11T17:38:41.498-08:002010-02-11T17:38:41.498-08:00Hi there,
I have loved reading your exit story as...Hi there,<br /><br />I have loved reading your exit story as well as your letters to the church. After feeling something was off {for what I thought was only the last few recent years, but now realize it goes back much, much further; which has been an interesting journey in and of it's self}, I too have come to the same conclusions as you and your wife. Your words were so articulated, and the fact that you've done the research to know what you're talking about is obvious.<br /><br />My search for the real truth -though I didn't know I was searching since the perceptions of those around you will make this seem evil to you- ended one week and one day ago. <br /><br />I am now totally and utterly convinced that a the church I thought may be harmless is actually quite dangerous, for many of the reasons you listed. I am still pulling out of it psychologically, which may take years. But I am lucky that not only do I not need all of the answers to life's questions -and it is pompous to claim you have them, but I didn't like their answers anyway! Frankly, the Celestial kingdom sounds more boring that what we have to endure down here on this Earth in the church.<br /><br />I am happy for you that your spouse was willing. At this time, unfortunately, mine is not. And I stand 'apostate' {such a Christlike word and connotation...} alone. I told my family just this Saturday and got a nice little present in the form of the 'f-word' from my best friend and sister. That was a nice touch.<br /><br />I think in time my husband will come around. However, he never had 'doubts' -which I wish to call something akin to 'small enlightenments' and is a total TBM -God love him.<br /><br />We are in a loving, happy, committed marriage. We are committed to making this work. But I am ready to get on with it already! I am excited to have a free mind, not bound in chains that is the church's perfect little truth package. And I feel the urgency for him to do the research to either only more fully be convinced or to explore the possibilities that we were raised in a cult. It is painful, but it has always been my belief that if the church is what it claims, then it should stand up to any legitimate test and research.<br /><br />It is discouraging to know that he has been conditioned to perceive that the 'spirit' he will feel when doing this is the spirit of Satan. He will most likely experience what many, if not all of us did, a spirit of reluctance and 'feeling the spirit depart' when in actuality will be his brain resisting the idea of his whole world and all that he stands for crumbling. The thought of no answers is scary if you are still in the circle, and trying to comprehend that it is all a lie and that you were deceived emits such emotion by the nature of it. Though those feelings and emotions are legitimate, you are conditioned in the church to believe you are wandering off into mists of darkness and you must turn back or forsake eternal salvation.<br /><br />Any thoughts on how to lovingly aid my husband in overcoming this?? I don't want to lose him. Our children need to be raised by loving parents who are committed to each other. Not sure how to fit this into my life alone, and we are both in no-man's land. <br /><br />Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks again for sharing both your story and your expertise.Natalie Quehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01453065317873829264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20847196.post-37935765792233649772008-01-26T23:29:00.000-08:002008-01-26T23:29:00.000-08:00Tom,I wrote that resignation letter over a year ag...Tom,<BR/><BR/>I wrote that resignation letter over a year ago. My passions ran high at that time. I know that many members of the church are intelligent, and many think through things. I know I did when I was a member to the best of my ability. Throughout my whole disaffection, I have never thought of members as unintelligent, but I have thought of them as uninformed, as I was.<BR/><BR/>I agree with you that Larson's book has many shortcomings. To me it is irrelevant what Larson wrote. If all I had ever been exposed to was his book, I'd never have quit believing. Larson doesn't even introduce half of the evidence that makes the case so unambiguous. What matters to me are the actual facts: the facsimilies, the scroll remnants, the real translation by modern Egyptologists, the anachronisms, the clearly plagiarized material, Joseph's Egyptian Alphabet and Grammar, etc.<BR/><BR/>I'd never take Larson's word as authority, I had to look into it for myself and independently rule out every apologist theory. Larson never even examines the text of the BoA itself. Some apologists claim that the BoA is still a true revelation even if it is not as Joseph claimed a translation of ancient papyri written by the hand of Abraham. But we can show that it is not likely to be the case that the BoA is even a true revelation either, at least not completely, because parts of the story are false and others are plagiarized.<BR/><BR/>I am fine with you maintaining whatever religious beliefs you may. You come across to me as someone who thinks he is familiar with the main arguments against the BoA. I am not convinced that you are. But, I am ok with that.Hüffenhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15721254732982582835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20847196.post-18258059008996734142008-01-26T21:14:00.000-08:002008-01-26T21:14:00.000-08:00It was interesting to read your actual letter. Ev...It was interesting to read your actual letter. Even though my wife and I were only in the ward 8 months or so when you left and did not hang out a lot, we, and others, did not want you to think that we were going to stop being your friends, because you choose a different and obviously difficult path because of your situation. <BR/><BR/>Having read several letters, I am grateful to hear of your kind words regarding out local leaders, as I know they have a lot of respect for you.<BR/><BR/>As I alluded to the December, before you left at a meeting regarding a book we all read together, I had read Larson’s book several years before moving to the Midwest. I admit there are a lot of things there I am really uncertain about and do not know how to explain. As a historian, there are something’s I cannot deny that he makes, but as I have become “better trained” and having just reread the book I do have some issues with some methodological use of sources. I am not going to mention them because I think both of us have out mindsets and I know we both could perhaps use the time more wisely.<BR/><BR/>Despite, this I continue to believe and I do not even know how to explain why I still believe. No one is forcing me to . . . I just do. I still believe Joseph Smith was a prophet and there is a God. Why, I cannot explain it to you and it is more then the feelings of the “spirit.” I am not a psychologist . . . but I doubt there is something wrong with my mental judgment, well maybe some of the time. <BR/><BR/>As a “liberal” Mormon who is a convert and has no big pressure to stay in the church, I just believe it. I feel sometimes that those who choose to leave think the rest of us are mere lemmings or are better yet unintelligent, when I think you know the opposite is true.Tom & Erin Barkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02681156451412479820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20847196.post-61193770520189179872008-01-24T16:21:00.000-08:002008-01-24T16:21:00.000-08:00I think I'll use your format when I resign. Don't ...I think I'll use your format when I resign. Don't know when that will be, but I'll save this for when that time comes. I like how you address the local leaders and also how the brethren mislead those who look up to them. These are all things I am bothered with as well. <BR/><BR/>Well done and good luck.Travis Whitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02501996575083710753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20847196.post-53798729354202473232008-01-23T10:21:00.000-08:002008-01-23T10:21:00.000-08:00I love your letter, Hueff, and am very glad to hea...I love your letter, Hueff, and am very glad to hear that you are leaving as a couple. Fare well on your journey.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20847196.post-35272881270833440212008-01-23T08:33:00.000-08:002008-01-23T08:33:00.000-08:00Hueff, this is really well-written. I posted a li...Hueff, this is really well-written. I posted a link to it from the NOM discussion board because I think it will be useful and interesting to a lot of us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20847196.post-88404225502941736512008-01-22T22:52:00.000-08:002008-01-22T22:52:00.000-08:00thank you for sharing! loved it!thank you for sharing! loved it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com