ExMormon

An ExMormon, or Ex-Mormon is simple a person who used to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormon Church), but who is no longer.  People leave the Church for the same reasons other people leave other churches…they find another religion they like better; they marry outside the faith, and either adopt the faith of a spouse, or find practicing Mormonism divisive in the marriage; they simply drift into inactivity and begin living a lifestyle not in conformity to church doctrine; they begin to engage in behavior that is considered serious sin by the Church, and choose that lifestyle over repentance and return to the fold; they become offended because of the actions of another member or church leader, and turn against the Church as a whole; or they adopt a philosophy and try to get the Church to change its doctrines to accommodate it.

Unfortunately, because Christ leads the Church, it is difficult to abandon the Church without turning against it.  Thus, many “ExMormons” become “Anti-Mormons,” actually lying about the Church, its doctrines and practices, in order to defame it.  The real goal in this behavior is to justify the decisions and lifestyle of the person who has turned against the Church.  Joseph Smith, the founder and first prophet of the Church, said the following:

“There is a superior intelligence bestowed upon such as obey the Gospel with full purpose of heart, which, if sinned against, the apostate is left naked and destitute of the Spirit of God, and he is, in truth, nigh unto cursing, and his end is to be burned. When once that light which was in them is taken from them they become as much darkened as they were previously enlightened, and then, no marvel, if all their power should be enlisted against the truth, and they, Judas-like, seek the destruction of those who were their greatest benefactors” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p321).

In Joseph Smith’s day, some people who left the Church, especially those who had been entrusted with leadership positions who had received heavenly visions, became anti-Mormons.  Their slanderous accusations against the Church brought bitter persecution agains the early Saints, and resulted in loss of life and property.

It is important to understand how the Mormon Church differs from other churches.  The Church is the restoration of Christ’s ancient Church, and its power, authority, and doctrines come from Christ Himself through revelation to a prophet.  Thus, if a person disagrees and desires to somehow change the Church to a form more agreeable to him, there is no place for that.  The person either has to believe or reject the prophet and the Church.  If he is an apostate, he certainly might be happier in another faith or with no faith at all, so he can find his own way, as he desired in the first place.