johnr@tekmdp.UUCP (John Rutis) (08/29/83)
I am not a Mormon. I have not been associated with the Mormon Church and I don't know what their official policy or their general practice is concerning those who leave the Mormon Church. I can only relate my own experience. My father was born and raised in the Mormon church. When he was in his twenties he left Salt Lake City, and came to Portland Oregon. He did a lot of reading and became a Socialist and an Atheist. As far as I know, he remained on the best of terms with his family, some of whom are fairly high in the church. When I was ten, we visited the family in Utah. We stayed in their homes and everyone seemed (to a ten year old) on the best of terms. Since my father died, about six years ago, some of his Mormon family have kept in touch with my mother, who has never had anything to do with the Mormon Church. About a year after my father died, I and my family dropped in unexpectedly on my cousin in American Forks Utah, who had been head of missionaries in Germany. He and his wife insisted on having us for dinner that night and calling over several of their children to meet us. Another cousin wrote my mother that he was very sorry we didn't drop in on him (he didn't know our address). I have never experienced any problems with my Mormon relatives, nor have they ever tried to proselytise us. Perhaps if my father had been hostile to his Mormon relatives, the story would be different. This is not to say that what Todd said is true or false, I would just like to hear both sides before making any judgments. John Rutis
toddv@tekmdp.UUCP (Todd Vierheller) (08/30/83)
In the case of John's (Rutis) father, he was not married to a practicing
Mormon spouse. And that makes all the difference. The problem stems not
from some abnormal hatred on the part of Mormons (it isn't easy for them
to give up on their loved ones either) but from the doctrine of eternal
marriages and populating a planet with spirit children. If the remaining
Mormon spouse has any hopes of attaining his/her true purpose in life
of populating his/her own planet, he/she must have a Mormon spouse.
If he/she is to do this, the non-Mormon spouse must be divorced to marry
a new Mormon spouse. Logical right?
John's dad left the Mormon church BEFORE he was married. No problem.
He never was married to a committed Mormon wife whose goal was to someday
be eternally pregnant with spirit offspring. The non-existent Mormon
spouse was not left high-and-dry without a faithful Mormon husband.
Why shouldn't the relatives be friendly? Lots of possible converts visiting.
Hope this cleared things up a bit.
Send flames to the net or to:
Todd Vierheller (Portland Oregon)
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