Mormonism and Religion
This is a letter written by another friend on one of the sites I blog on. I was amazed at her thouroghness and clarity and the compassionate way she presented her information. Perhaps someday I too will have the courage to let the ones I love know how I feel about the Mormon Church.
This is a letter I had archived from a former site member named Lillith Morales. I was awed by the depth and breadth of her letter to come out to her family and find it to be absolutely amazing.
February 14, 2008
Yes as we all know it is Valentine's Day. The day best known for "love". The Mormon church is known for their song "Love One Another", since it is after all, the Golden Rule, right?
So what do I wake up to this morning? My husband informing me that the Bishop and a HC stopped by to serve me with a "disciplinary court"; a.k.a. "The Court of Love"; paper. Apparently the Bishop disapproves of some of the links on my family web-site. A web-site (yes this one) that I pay for every year out of my own money. Under the constitution, which from my understanding the Mormon Church vowed to "Obey the Laws of the Land"; allows me to my freedom of speech. I have not blogged on this site about my religious beliefs, or how I came to my beliefs. In fact I have not really spoken to anyone in my family about my beliefs lately either. I've briefly asked questions and I messaged between one of my sister's, but still what business is it of the Mormon Church who I talk to about religion? Apparently they think and make it their business. Nothing like having your free speech trampled on.
So any ways, I've been "served" with an invitation to this disciplinary court. I have behavior unbecoming to a Mormon. LOL I am a Mormon who likes to think and talk - how dare I!! ((gasp))
You know Boyd K. Packer once stated that the downfall to the Mormon Church would be Feminists, Gays, and Intellectuals. Well, I am not gay, but I am a feminist and an intellectual, so I guess I am a bigger threat than I thought I was. I am of the mindset to usually let people believe what they want to believe, but I love to try and understand why they believe the way they do. I've done this on many subjects. On some issues I've changed my mind, on other's it's just reaffirmed my position on a subject or issue.
I know for some family members I may have come off as combative or offensive, or even defensive. I never meant to. I simply want to understand things from your point of view. From all of what I have learned over the past 3-4 years (yes that is how long I have been researching and learning about Mormon History) I can not believe in the Mormon Church any longer (I'll get into why later). This hasn't been an easy decision and it was one I was still trying to process and deal with emotionally until today. Now I feel forced to either resign or attend a "court of love" that I don't believe in. God gives us a lifetime to make mistakes and learn from them. He lets us find our way, our own way. He doesn't stop us in the middle of our process and say "Hey you are doing it wrong. Now you must leave the Earth." Could you imagine if that really happened? No one would be left on Earth!
I can't tell anyone what they should or should not believe in, like some people. I can tell you what it is we do believe in though. Take it or leave it. We believe in the freedom of religious expression. All individuals should be encouraged to develop their own personal theologies, and to present openly their religious opinions without fear of censure or reprisal. We can't do that in the Mormon Church. Just look at me! I'm being called in because I had a few links on my own personal family web-site, I posted a couple of personal fact based blogs, and even talked to someone in another ward whom they suspect of similar "behaviors". All circumstantial and all kind of silly. They don't know what I talked about with this person, and my blog is and was fact based information that even the LDS church has on record; yet somehow the Bishop found offensive, ironically.
There is no room for thinking outside the box within the Mormon Church. If you are a convert then you are asked simply to pray about something to know if it is true or not. They don't ask you to research it's origins, content, or even author. They want you to base your beliefs on a feeling. Then they want you to repeat a mantra of "I KNOW this church is true, and I KNOW Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and I KNOW Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet today. In all honesty not a single one saying that they "KNOW" this, truly KNOW it. They BELIEVE it to be true. It's a huge leap from believing to knowing. I KNOW the sky is blue because I have seen it. I can BELIEVE it is green in another part of the country or world because it is possible, but I do not know this as a fact.
We believe in the toleration of religious ideas. All religions, in every age and culture, possess not only intrinsic merit but also potential value for those who have learned the art of listening. One of my favorite quotes comes from Aristotle which reads - "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." One can hold onto their beliefs, while listening to different beliefs, while researching historical facts, etc etc etc. If one is not strong in his or her belief then they fear the unknown. They fear hearing something that may make themselves question the way they currently believe. They fear what is known as "cognitive dissonance". [In simple terms, it can be the filtering of information that conflicts with what one already believes, in an effort to ignore that information and reinforce one's beliefs.] I however believe we are all intertwined and we all have good within us and we can all learn from each other. I don't believe the Mormon Church is the "one and only true church". To me this is impossible. First of all if that were the case, everyone who ever prayed to know if the church they belonged to was really the right one would be told "No" and directed to the Mormon Church. People would be joining the Mormon church in droves, not leaving it. Also, considering that the Mormon church has less than 1% of the world as members, AND has seen a steady decline in conversions, and increase in resignations, it is impossible for me to again believe that the Mormon's have the "true" key to salvation.
We also believe in the authority of reason and conscience. The ultimate arbiter in religion is not a church, nor a document, nor an "official" but the personal choice and decision of the individual. We believe in the never-ending search for TRUTH. If the mind and heart are truly free and open, the revelations that appear to the human spirit are infinitely numerous, eternally fruitful, and wondrously exciting.
We believe in the worth and dignity of each human being. All people on earth have an equal claim to life, liberty, and justice - and no idea, ideal, or philosophy is superior to a single human life. We believe in the ethical application of religion. Good works are the natural product of a good faith, the evidence of an inner grace that finds completion in social and community involvement. Also in the motive force of love. The governing principle in human relationships is the principle of love, which always seeks the welfare of others and never seeks to hurt or destroy. These are some of the things we truly believe in.
I don't claim that I know I am right and you are wrong. I don't claim that at all. I believe we all have our own paths to follow and seeking our own true happiness is what truly matters. I shouldn't have to be subjected to a religious court for any reason. I didn't do anything wrong. The Mormon church encourages education and knowledge, so why are they trying to prevent me from learning? Because of whatI am learning they want to prevent me from spreading what I've learned, whether it is fact or fiction "they" (the Mormon Church) don't want you to know the truth. Again, if it is truly the one and only true church then why should facts be so scary? Why is the history covered up, or sanitized?
The links that my Bishop disapproved of were added to my web-site a good 2 years ago or more, but it wasn't until recently that they became an issue, for some reason, even though the links haven't changed any. So since my views changed and it has been brought to my attention that my link section was "questionable", I thought I'd edit it more. I removed some links which I don't believe in anymore, but have added some which give a more fair and balanced view of Mormonism. I am NOT asking anyone to look through the links, or click on the links at all. It is a personal choice to open Pandora's box or not. As Morpheus said "This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes." I've chosen the Red Pill and I can never go back to the way I used to be, to the way I used to think and believe. I am different now, and I am grateful.
Some may be asking themselves what it is I could have possibly learned that has caused my Bishop to fear me and try and send me to a disciplinary counsel? Well if you have to ask then you may not want to keep reading. Here is where I am giving you the option of the Blue Pill or the Red Pill. Remember once you take the Red Pill you can never go back.
The church is not what it claims to be, and all evidence falsifies the church. The church is good at instilling ethics and values, so it is disturbing when it doesn't follow its own teachings on honesty. After years of intensive research and documentation of all sides, we choose to no longer belong to an organization that deceives its members.
Yes, I've read the apologetics (defenses) of FARMS, FAIR, Meridian, Daniel Peterson, John Sorenson, Jeff Lindsay, Kerry Shirts, Bill Hamilton, John Pratt, Scott Woodward, John Tvedtnes, Matthew Roper, Jeffrey Meldrum, Trent Stephens, Hugh Nibley [lds-mormon.com/nibley1] and many others, as well as Limited Geography Theory, two Cumorahs, Bat Creek Stone, NHM, chiamus, word printing, etc.
I have even double-checked many of their sources, and read the books they referenced. In every case I checked, the evidence was non-existent or twisted and distorted. Why are there only disingenuous obfuscations that strain credulity? I could overlook if there were just a few of the problems mentioned below, but with all the issues together, the picture becomes overwhelmingly clear. A side benefit is that all the dissonance between science and religion has melted.
Since outside information is more credible and accurate, I know now that efforts to steer me away were to hide the sanitized and revisionist history. Being told not to read something should have been my first clue.
Multiple social science studies have demonstrated that once indoctrinated into a set of beliefs, only 5% are able to break free of that indoctrination. For that 5% open to examining the foundations of their religion, I ask the following questions for which documentation is easily obtained on the internet from hundreds of sources. A gentle and balanced starting place is here: trialsofascension.net/mormon
Since the Book of Abraham is a fake translation of common Egyptian funeral papyri dated centuries after the time of Abraham, why does the church hide this fact from its members and continue to claim that the book is of divine origin when it has been known otherwise since 1966 when the papyri were found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City? "Catalyst for inspiration" and Hugh Nibley's Sen-sen defense are not supported by the evidence. [irr.org/MIT/Books/BHOH/bhohintr]
I was taught that Joseph Smith was visited by God and Jesus. Now I learn there are at least three additional contradictory Smith versions of the First Vision where only one angel appeared, or only the Lord appeared, or many angels appeared. If I were visited by Deity, it would make such an impression that I would remember by whom and how many. If God and Jesus appeared to Joseph Smith and told him none of the churches were true and to join none of them, why did he join the Methodists? After Alvin's death in 1823, why did Joseph pray, "if a supreme being existed" since he would already know? Why does the church teach a religious revival started in 1820, when it was actually 1824? Why is there no evidence of Smith's "persecution" in 1820?[ i4m.com/think/lists/mormon_questions]
Why was Angel Moroni called Angel Nephi by Joseph Smith and his mother Lucy? If I'd been visited by an angel, I think I'd get the name right.[ utlm.org/onlinebooks/mclaims1 ]
Why did Smith marry and have sex with 11 women who were married to other men at the same time, some of whom he sent away on missions before marrying their wives? Why did he marry young teenagers, including 14 year old Helen Mar Kimball, who had both parents and didn't want to be married?[ signaturebooks.com/excerpts/insacred ]
Most of these are documented on the church's own genealogy website at: familysearch.org [enter Joseph Smith, 1805 birth]. Why did Smith practice polygamy in secret for 10 years before the D&C 132 "revelation" which was to get Emma off his back?"[ i4m.com/think/history/joseph_smith_sex] Why did Joseph marry Fanny Alger in 1833 when the restoration of sealing power by Elijah didn't happen until 1836? In Europe, why did John Taylor say accusations of polygamy were lies when he already had multiple wives back in the USA? [utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech9c]
Why did the church teach me that Smith was tarred-and-feathered by anti-Mormons because Satan was persecuting him, when the reality was they were Mormons avenging their young sister towards whom Smith had made sexual advances, and Dr. Dennison was brought along for castration? [blog.mrm.org/2006/03/tarred-feathered]
Why did the church teach me that polygamy was for the support of widows and surplus single women, when there was actually a shortage of women? [i4m.com/think/polygamy/utah_census] Then why didn't Smith provide support for his 33+ wives? Why did General Authorities keep sealing new polygamous marriages for at least 16 years after Wilford Woodruff's Manifesto? [xmission.com/~country/chngwrld/chap9c]
For restoration, why would God choose a man who was a money-digger, glass-looker, treasure-seeker, and was convicted as such in court in 1826? "He was only human," but why didn't God at least choose an honorable man? [xmission.com/~country/reason/ny_js and utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech4 ]
Since I searched extensively, why couldn't I find any science supporting The Book of Mormon? Why is there no Israelite DNA evidence of Lamanites? Why did the church try to silently change the Book of Mormon intro tro reflect the new DNA evidence from "principal ancestors" to "among the ancestors". [www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695226049,00.html] I've studied the weak apologetics of founder effect, genetic drift, swamping, and the apologist articles here: lds.org/newsroom/mistakes/0,15331,3885-1-18078,00, but the fact remains that there is no Israelite DNA, only excuses for the lack thereof. Where are the Lamanites, and what happened to BYU's "Lamanite Generation"? Why does the morphology, anthropology, and archaeology all point back to Siberia?[ exmormon.org/mormon/mormon440, mormonscripturestudies.com/bomor/twm/lamgen and postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/magazine/feature_article/2004/09/22 ]
We have physical evidence of Mayans, Incas, Aztecs, Olmecs, Toltecs, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Norse in Greenland, and hundreds of other civilizations. Where is any evidence of the civilizations of millions of people in The Book of Mormon? As far as "someday science will find," science has expanded exponentially, especially with ground-penetrating radar and aerial surveillance, but the increasing finds of science all contradict The Book of Mormon.
In lake sediment cores, where are the durable pollen grains of wheat, barley, figs, grapes, or flax, or evidence of these plants in middens? Where is the evidence of metallurgy, steel swords or slag heaps, or coins and silk, chariots and wheels, or horses, elephants, asses, goats, sheep, pigs, and cows? Why is there impossible population growth in The Book of Mormon?[ josephlied.com/population] Where is the geologic evidence of a global Noachian flood, or geologic or dendroclimatology evidence of the physical upheavals in 3rd Nephi? [irr.org/mit/bomarch2 and irr.org/mit/smithson]
Why is there no linguistic evidence of ancient Hebrew or Reformed Egyptian? Since languages have evolved for tens of thousands of years, why did the Jaredites come from the Tower of Babel which never existed? Jaredite barges are not functional reality. [Why is there no linguistic evidence of ancient Hebrew or Reformed Egyptian? Since languages have evolved for tens of thousands of years, why did the Jaredites come from the Tower of Babel which never existed? Jaredite barges are not functional reality. [home.teleport.com/~packham/ships ]
Why are there hundreds of anachronisms? Why does The Book of Mormon quote Isaiah before Isaiah was written? Why does it mention the Bible a millennia before the Bible even existed? Why has The Book of Mormon preserved the errors in the King James translation such as "virgin" for "young woman"? Why is Christ? used when it is a Greek word, not the Israelite word Messiah? [infidels.org/library/modern/curt_heuvel/bom_bible]
Besides there being no evidence for things mentioned in The Book of Mormon, why does the book not mention things that really did exist in Mesoamerica, such as yams, beans, squash, llamas, sloths, jaguars, and monkeys?
Why are core doctrines such as three degrees of glory, pre-existence, eternal family sealings, and baptisms for the dead not included in this "most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion"?
The Book of Mormon is a work of fiction with 19th century milieu stamped all over it. "There's a difference between faith in an area where the evidence is lacking and denial in an area where the evidence is copious but against you." - Baura [lds-mormon.com/bomquest ]
Why was I taught Smith "translated from the gold plates" when the reality is that he had his face in a hat and never used the plates? [irr.org/mit/bomwit1] Why did Smith use a Seer Stone instead of the Urim and Thummin? [mormonthink.com/transbomweb]
Regarding Charles Anthon, why didn't I learn that he called the characters a hoax and a scheme? [utlm.org/onlineresources/anthon.htm]
Why were priesthood restoration accounts created retroactively? Why did the priesthood need to be restored by Peter, James, and John when the Three Nephites had it? [signaturebooks.com/excerpts/insider's.html#chap7 ]
Why did Smith start a "translation" of the fraudulent Kinderhook plates? [utlm.org/onlineresources/kinderhookplates.htm]
Why did Smith smoke and drink after giving the Word of Wisdom? Why did he have a bar in his own home? Why did he copy the teachings of the Kirtland Temperance Society? Why didn't he include in the Word of Wisdom the simple instruction to boil water to prevent all the deaths from cholera and dysentery? [utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech18.htm]
Why did Smith make so many erroneous "prophecies" such as selling the sacred Book of Mormon copyright in Canada? Why was "war starting in South Carolina" common knowledge, and didn't refer to the Civil War? [4m.com/think/history/sell_BOM_copyright and home.teleport.com/~packham/prophet.htm]
Why was I taught about "milk strippings" as a warning over trivial things, when the reality is that story was spread decades later by George A. Smith, and that Thomas B. Marsh actually left due to Mormon plundering of Gentiles property? [groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.mormon/msg/9d864ad0a6177ac3]
Why was I never taught about the Mountain Meadows Massacre or that it was connected to the blood atonement covenant in the temple and the killing of Parley P. Pratt for stealing another man's wife and children to add to his polygamy? [religioustolerance.org/lds_mass and aml- online.org/reviews/b/B200242.html]
Why did I never hear that Prophet Brigham Young preached Adam is God, Blood Atonement, Slavery, or that he petitioned to get the Mormon Battalion, rather than it being conscripted as I was taught? Why does the church teach in the lesson manual that Brigham only had one wife and hides his 55 wives? [lds-mormon.com/byoung.shtml, irr.org/MIT/byadamgd.html, and aksite.co.uk/atozelph/racism.htm] Why did Smith and Young say six-foot people lived on the moon and dressed like Quakers? [watchman.org/lds/moonmen.htm ]
Why was the temple ceremony plagiarized from Masonry weeks after Smith became a Mason, and is not what was practiced in Solomon?s temple? [mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/masendow.htm , utlm.org/onlineresources/masonicsymbolsandtheldstemple.htm and target="window">phoenixmasonry.org/duncans_ritual/table_of_conte nts.htm ]
Since Smith taught that temple covenants and ordinances are eternal and unchangeable, why have they been changed multiple times, and at least twice in my lifetime, including removal of the death oaths in 1990? Why were men sealed to men?[ i4m.com/think/temples/temple_changes.htm and lds-mormon.com/whytemplechanges.shtml] Why does this family-oriented church split families by excluding from temple weddings, which no other church does?
Why did the church teach me about the martyrdom as "a lamb to the slaughter," but not the fact that Smith had a smuggled revolver and fired six shots into the crowd, and Hyrum had a smuggled pistol? Why was I not taught that Smith was rightfully arrested for the destruction of personal property including the Expositor, which was going to expose his polygamy/polyandry about which he had repeatedly lied and denied? Why was I not taught that Sidney Rigdon was the first to mention "war of extermination" in a speech, and not the "gentiles"? [lds- mormon.com/tmpc.shtml and History of the Church, Vol. 6, Ch. 34, p. 618. ]
Since Joseph's 13 Articles of Faith state that we believe in "obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law," why didn't he? Why did he contravene the law with his illegal marriages, counterfeit money, and illegal Kirtland Bank that wiped out the life savings of those who believed Smith's prophecies about it? []Why didn't I hear about the Danites and the Council of 50? [groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.mormon/msg/798763798680fb17 and trialsofascension.net/mormon/lying.html]
Why does the church continue to claim it is the fastest growing religion when statistics say otherwise, and the Internet is blocking its growth? [home.teleport.com/~packham/growth.htm]
Why does the current film "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration" give false impressions, i.e. regarding healings, Smith's happy monogamous marriage, parental encouragement of Emma's marriage when the reality is they were furious at the elopement and that Joseph had stolen her away? [wivesofjosephsmith.org/01-EmmaHale.htm ]
Regarding our core belief and Snow's couplet "As man is, God once was. As God is, man may become," why did President Gordon B. Hinckley say that "I don't know that we teach it?" [home.teleport.com/~packham/gbh- god.htm] Why did Hinckley say polygamy is "not doctrinal" when it is in D&C 132, will be practiced in the Celestial Kingdom, and is currently practiced in temple sealings? [ds-mormon.com/lkl_00.shtml] Before two people were killed, why didn't Hinckley, Kimball, and other church leaders receive revelation and be able to discern that Mark Hofmann's documents were forgeries that they were buying to hide in the Church vault? What did Hinckley prophesied or revealed as "prophet, seer, and revelator?" [xmission.com/~country/reason/hof1.htm]
Why are women taught to be subservient and are less valued? Why did the church oppose the ERA? In some stakes, YM have four times the budget as YW. There are yearly father-son sleepovers, but women were banned from sleepovers after one activity. Girls camp is once a year and always at the same place, while Scouts have multiple camps at multiple distant places. Why are there church boy scouts, but not girl scouts? Why ask men before giving a calling to the wife, but not ask women before giving a calling to the husband? Why can't women have more leadership callings such as financial clerk or Sunday School president? Thankfully, multiple "women obey your husbands" were taken out of the temple ceremony in 1990. [feministmormonhousewives.org and i4m.com/think/comments/mormon_women.htm] Why were women allowed to hold the preisthood, but then had those rights taken away? [Women and Authority: The Historical Relationship of Mormon Women and Priesthood]
There is so much more: home.teleport.com/~packham/101.htm, realmormonhistory.com and utlm.org/newsletters/no107.htm Be sure to check out my link section if you are interested in learning more than what I have already given you.
Any ways, other than "feelings," what evidence is there the church is what it claims to be? Feelings are not a reliable test of truth, as anyone knows whose feelings have turned out to be wrong, such as feeling good about an investment which failed or a marriage that ended. If feelings equal truth, then Islam, Catholicism, Buddhism, and all other faiths are also the one true religion because their members also have a witness. Regarding faith, belief, witness, prayer, testimony, burning in the bosom, and other such feelings, many get those same inspirational feelings watching Phantom of the Opera or Les Mis. Does that mean they are true? Many get bad feelings learning about the Holocaust. Does that mean the Holocaust isn't true? Most spiritual experiences can be scientifically explained within the brain. watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/S_P.html, religioustolerance.org/vis_brain and dreamsnightmares.com/luciddreaming.html
Faith cannot be sustained on falsehoods and deception. Faith is not sufficient when all tangible evidence contradicts the church. "Faith, as well intentioned as it may be, must be built on facts, not fiction--faith in fiction is a damnable false hope." -- Thomas Edison
My testimony is based on evidence, facts, historical research, and feelings, and I know that the church is not true, Joseph Smith was not a prophet, and The Book of Mormon is not the word of God. [fortunecity.com/emachines/e11/86/dawkins2.html]
None of this is to belittle or minimize my experiences within the church. Nor is it to belittle or minimize your faith and experiences within the church. We have made so many friends, many life long. So many within the church have impacted our lives in one way or another. I loved going to girls camp and I so wanted to continue on in my blind belief just so I could share my youth experiences with my daughters and sons. I have very deep and very fond memories of church bazaar's, stake plays and road shows, sleep overs, and so much more. You seriously do not know how hard it has been for me to come to my, nay, our decision. It's not one we made lightly, nor was it one that we wanted to make haphazardly. If it wasn't for the Bishop forcing my hand at this very moment, I probably would have stayed longer as I know I still had some emotional, personal, spiritual, and theological issues to work out. I just simply wasn't ready to leave the church, but by resigning now, I know that the church can no longer have power over what I can or can not read, think, post, discuss, or learn. I now have true freedom to explore the world around me and I am free to share the knowledge I have gained without fear of "discipline". I am no longer in the Mormon Playpen. I am moving on and learning all I can and I can not be "deemed" an apostate for simply learning all there is to learn about life, religion, love, and more.
Because I have become educated, and I opened that Pandora's box of knowledge I was deemed to have conduct unbecoming of a Mormon church member, and that my actions are "apostate" in nature. My only sin was to become educated. All materials, and information that I have presented here today are in the possession of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is all historically documented both on the LDS side and the secular side. Facts are unbiased in nature and are difficult to refute. I know things that "they" don't want you to know. Maybe you should ask yourself "Why, don't they want me to know the truth?"
If you've read this far then you have taken part of just a nibble of that red pill. Whether or not it will effect you is up to you. It is in your hands to do with what you will. God gave you a brain to use, not to set it on a shelf while someone else did all the thinking for you. I've grown up and no longer need to be spoon fed. I can feed myself and partake of all that the world has to offer, and I am excited!
Dear family, we love you all. We in no way wanted to hurt you. Our decision to resign weighed heavily on how you would react, at least some of you. We hope this does not change our relationships. We hope we will still be invited to ward functions with you. We look forward to celebrating baptisms with you. As our families grow older we look forward to celebrating youth achievements, missions, and more with you as well.
In closing, we wanted to be up front on this new development. We didn't want rumors to spread that might not be true. We wanted to state our side up front and as personal as possible.
Since we are pressed for time in the matter, there is no option to change our minds, not that you probably could. We are happy to discuss religion and theologies with you if you want to, but we will not debate you on the matter.
I hope this has helped you in having a greater understanding of our family and our new found beliefs and understandings. I hope this will help open the lines of cummunication and sever he ties of uncomfortableness when in the presence of each other. We will continue to respect your beliefs as long as you give us the same respect to let us to continue on in our beliefs.
Before I end this letter, one last request. Please do not feel sorry for us, do not pity us, and please do not look at us with sad eyes. We are not lost, we are found.
Again, We love you all very much and thank you for taking the time to understand up just a little better.
Much love, The Morales Family!
February 14, 2008
Yes as we all know it is Valentine's Day. The day best known for "love". The Mormon church is known for their song "Love One Another", since it is after all, the Golden Rule, right?
So what do I wake up to this morning? My husband informing me that the Bishop and a HC stopped by to serve me with a "disciplinary court"; a.k.a. "The Court of Love"; paper. Apparently the Bishop disapproves of some of the links on my family web-site. A web-site (yes this one) that I pay for every year out of my own money. Under the constitution, which from my understanding the Mormon Church vowed to "Obey the Laws of the Land"; allows me to my freedom of speech. I have not blogged on this site about my religious beliefs, or how I came to my beliefs. In fact I have not really spoken to anyone in my family about my beliefs lately either. I've briefly asked questions and I messaged between one of my sister's, but still what business is it of the Mormon Church who I talk to about religion? Apparently they think and make it their business. Nothing like having your free speech trampled on.
So any ways, I've been "served" with an invitation to this disciplinary court. I have behavior unbecoming to a Mormon. LOL I am a Mormon who likes to think and talk - how dare I!! ((gasp))
You know Boyd K. Packer once stated that the downfall to the Mormon Church would be Feminists, Gays, and Intellectuals. Well, I am not gay, but I am a feminist and an intellectual, so I guess I am a bigger threat than I thought I was. I am of the mindset to usually let people believe what they want to believe, but I love to try and understand why they believe the way they do. I've done this on many subjects. On some issues I've changed my mind, on other's it's just reaffirmed my position on a subject or issue.
I know for some family members I may have come off as combative or offensive, or even defensive. I never meant to. I simply want to understand things from your point of view. From all of what I have learned over the past 3-4 years (yes that is how long I have been researching and learning about Mormon History) I can not believe in the Mormon Church any longer (I'll get into why later). This hasn't been an easy decision and it was one I was still trying to process and deal with emotionally until today. Now I feel forced to either resign or attend a "court of love" that I don't believe in. God gives us a lifetime to make mistakes and learn from them. He lets us find our way, our own way. He doesn't stop us in the middle of our process and say "Hey you are doing it wrong. Now you must leave the Earth." Could you imagine if that really happened? No one would be left on Earth!
I can't tell anyone what they should or should not believe in, like some people. I can tell you what it is we do believe in though. Take it or leave it. We believe in the freedom of religious expression. All individuals should be encouraged to develop their own personal theologies, and to present openly their religious opinions without fear of censure or reprisal. We can't do that in the Mormon Church. Just look at me! I'm being called in because I had a few links on my own personal family web-site, I posted a couple of personal fact based blogs, and even talked to someone in another ward whom they suspect of similar "behaviors". All circumstantial and all kind of silly. They don't know what I talked about with this person, and my blog is and was fact based information that even the LDS church has on record; yet somehow the Bishop found offensive, ironically.
There is no room for thinking outside the box within the Mormon Church. If you are a convert then you are asked simply to pray about something to know if it is true or not. They don't ask you to research it's origins, content, or even author. They want you to base your beliefs on a feeling. Then they want you to repeat a mantra of "I KNOW this church is true, and I KNOW Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and I KNOW Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet today. In all honesty not a single one saying that they "KNOW" this, truly KNOW it. They BELIEVE it to be true. It's a huge leap from believing to knowing. I KNOW the sky is blue because I have seen it. I can BELIEVE it is green in another part of the country or world because it is possible, but I do not know this as a fact.
We believe in the toleration of religious ideas. All religions, in every age and culture, possess not only intrinsic merit but also potential value for those who have learned the art of listening. One of my favorite quotes comes from Aristotle which reads - "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." One can hold onto their beliefs, while listening to different beliefs, while researching historical facts, etc etc etc. If one is not strong in his or her belief then they fear the unknown. They fear hearing something that may make themselves question the way they currently believe. They fear what is known as "cognitive dissonance". [In simple terms, it can be the filtering of information that conflicts with what one already believes, in an effort to ignore that information and reinforce one's beliefs.] I however believe we are all intertwined and we all have good within us and we can all learn from each other. I don't believe the Mormon Church is the "one and only true church". To me this is impossible. First of all if that were the case, everyone who ever prayed to know if the church they belonged to was really the right one would be told "No" and directed to the Mormon Church. People would be joining the Mormon church in droves, not leaving it. Also, considering that the Mormon church has less than 1% of the world as members, AND has seen a steady decline in conversions, and increase in resignations, it is impossible for me to again believe that the Mormon's have the "true" key to salvation.
We also believe in the authority of reason and conscience. The ultimate arbiter in religion is not a church, nor a document, nor an "official" but the personal choice and decision of the individual. We believe in the never-ending search for TRUTH. If the mind and heart are truly free and open, the revelations that appear to the human spirit are infinitely numerous, eternally fruitful, and wondrously exciting.
We believe in the worth and dignity of each human being. All people on earth have an equal claim to life, liberty, and justice - and no idea, ideal, or philosophy is superior to a single human life. We believe in the ethical application of religion. Good works are the natural product of a good faith, the evidence of an inner grace that finds completion in social and community involvement. Also in the motive force of love. The governing principle in human relationships is the principle of love, which always seeks the welfare of others and never seeks to hurt or destroy. These are some of the things we truly believe in.
I don't claim that I know I am right and you are wrong. I don't claim that at all. I believe we all have our own paths to follow and seeking our own true happiness is what truly matters. I shouldn't have to be subjected to a religious court for any reason. I didn't do anything wrong. The Mormon church encourages education and knowledge, so why are they trying to prevent me from learning? Because of whatI am learning they want to prevent me from spreading what I've learned, whether it is fact or fiction "they" (the Mormon Church) don't want you to know the truth. Again, if it is truly the one and only true church then why should facts be so scary? Why is the history covered up, or sanitized?
The links that my Bishop disapproved of were added to my web-site a good 2 years ago or more, but it wasn't until recently that they became an issue, for some reason, even though the links haven't changed any. So since my views changed and it has been brought to my attention that my link section was "questionable", I thought I'd edit it more. I removed some links which I don't believe in anymore, but have added some which give a more fair and balanced view of Mormonism. I am NOT asking anyone to look through the links, or click on the links at all. It is a personal choice to open Pandora's box or not. As Morpheus said "This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes." I've chosen the Red Pill and I can never go back to the way I used to be, to the way I used to think and believe. I am different now, and I am grateful.
Some may be asking themselves what it is I could have possibly learned that has caused my Bishop to fear me and try and send me to a disciplinary counsel? Well if you have to ask then you may not want to keep reading. Here is where I am giving you the option of the Blue Pill or the Red Pill. Remember once you take the Red Pill you can never go back.
The church is not what it claims to be, and all evidence falsifies the church. The church is good at instilling ethics and values, so it is disturbing when it doesn't follow its own teachings on honesty. After years of intensive research and documentation of all sides, we choose to no longer belong to an organization that deceives its members.
Yes, I've read the apologetics (defenses) of FARMS, FAIR, Meridian, Daniel Peterson, John Sorenson, Jeff Lindsay, Kerry Shirts, Bill Hamilton, John Pratt, Scott Woodward, John Tvedtnes, Matthew Roper, Jeffrey Meldrum, Trent Stephens, Hugh Nibley [lds-mormon.com/nibley1] and many others, as well as Limited Geography Theory, two Cumorahs, Bat Creek Stone, NHM, chiamus, word printing, etc.
I have even double-checked many of their sources, and read the books they referenced. In every case I checked, the evidence was non-existent or twisted and distorted. Why are there only disingenuous obfuscations that strain credulity? I could overlook if there were just a few of the problems mentioned below, but with all the issues together, the picture becomes overwhelmingly clear. A side benefit is that all the dissonance between science and religion has melted.
Since outside information is more credible and accurate, I know now that efforts to steer me away were to hide the sanitized and revisionist history. Being told not to read something should have been my first clue.
Multiple social science studies have demonstrated that once indoctrinated into a set of beliefs, only 5% are able to break free of that indoctrination. For that 5% open to examining the foundations of their religion, I ask the following questions for which documentation is easily obtained on the internet from hundreds of sources. A gentle and balanced starting place is here: trialsofascension.net/mormon
Since the Book of Abraham is a fake translation of common Egyptian funeral papyri dated centuries after the time of Abraham, why does the church hide this fact from its members and continue to claim that the book is of divine origin when it has been known otherwise since 1966 when the papyri were found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City? "Catalyst for inspiration" and Hugh Nibley's Sen-sen defense are not supported by the evidence. [irr.org/MIT/Books/BHOH/bhohintr]
I was taught that Joseph Smith was visited by God and Jesus. Now I learn there are at least three additional contradictory Smith versions of the First Vision where only one angel appeared, or only the Lord appeared, or many angels appeared. If I were visited by Deity, it would make such an impression that I would remember by whom and how many. If God and Jesus appeared to Joseph Smith and told him none of the churches were true and to join none of them, why did he join the Methodists? After Alvin's death in 1823, why did Joseph pray, "if a supreme being existed" since he would already know? Why does the church teach a religious revival started in 1820, when it was actually 1824? Why is there no evidence of Smith's "persecution" in 1820?[ i4m.com/think/lists/mormon_questions]
Why was Angel Moroni called Angel Nephi by Joseph Smith and his mother Lucy? If I'd been visited by an angel, I think I'd get the name right.[ utlm.org/onlinebooks/mclaims1 ]
Why did Smith marry and have sex with 11 women who were married to other men at the same time, some of whom he sent away on missions before marrying their wives? Why did he marry young teenagers, including 14 year old Helen Mar Kimball, who had both parents and didn't want to be married?[ signaturebooks.com/excerpts/insacred ]
Most of these are documented on the church's own genealogy website at: familysearch.org [enter Joseph Smith, 1805 birth]. Why did Smith practice polygamy in secret for 10 years before the D&C 132 "revelation" which was to get Emma off his back?"[ i4m.com/think/history/joseph_smith_sex] Why did Joseph marry Fanny Alger in 1833 when the restoration of sealing power by Elijah didn't happen until 1836? In Europe, why did John Taylor say accusations of polygamy were lies when he already had multiple wives back in the USA? [utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech9c]
Why did the church teach me that Smith was tarred-and-feathered by anti-Mormons because Satan was persecuting him, when the reality was they were Mormons avenging their young sister towards whom Smith had made sexual advances, and Dr. Dennison was brought along for castration? [blog.mrm.org/2006/03/tarred-feathered]
Why did the church teach me that polygamy was for the support of widows and surplus single women, when there was actually a shortage of women? [i4m.com/think/polygamy/utah_census] Then why didn't Smith provide support for his 33+ wives? Why did General Authorities keep sealing new polygamous marriages for at least 16 years after Wilford Woodruff's Manifesto? [xmission.com/~country/chngwrld/chap9c]
For restoration, why would God choose a man who was a money-digger, glass-looker, treasure-seeker, and was convicted as such in court in 1826? "He was only human," but why didn't God at least choose an honorable man? [xmission.com/~country/reason/ny_js and utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech4 ]
Since I searched extensively, why couldn't I find any science supporting The Book of Mormon? Why is there no Israelite DNA evidence of Lamanites? Why did the church try to silently change the Book of Mormon intro tro reflect the new DNA evidence from "principal ancestors" to "among the ancestors". [www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695226049,00.html] I've studied the weak apologetics of founder effect, genetic drift, swamping, and the apologist articles here: lds.org/newsroom/mistakes/0,15331,3885-1-18078,00, but the fact remains that there is no Israelite DNA, only excuses for the lack thereof. Where are the Lamanites, and what happened to BYU's "Lamanite Generation"? Why does the morphology, anthropology, and archaeology all point back to Siberia?[ exmormon.org/mormon/mormon440, mormonscripturestudies.com/bomor/twm/lamgen and postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/magazine/feature_article/2004/09/22 ]
We have physical evidence of Mayans, Incas, Aztecs, Olmecs, Toltecs, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Norse in Greenland, and hundreds of other civilizations. Where is any evidence of the civilizations of millions of people in The Book of Mormon? As far as "someday science will find," science has expanded exponentially, especially with ground-penetrating radar and aerial surveillance, but the increasing finds of science all contradict The Book of Mormon.
In lake sediment cores, where are the durable pollen grains of wheat, barley, figs, grapes, or flax, or evidence of these plants in middens? Where is the evidence of metallurgy, steel swords or slag heaps, or coins and silk, chariots and wheels, or horses, elephants, asses, goats, sheep, pigs, and cows? Why is there impossible population growth in The Book of Mormon?[ josephlied.com/population] Where is the geologic evidence of a global Noachian flood, or geologic or dendroclimatology evidence of the physical upheavals in 3rd Nephi? [irr.org/mit/bomarch2 and irr.org/mit/smithson]
Why is there no linguistic evidence of ancient Hebrew or Reformed Egyptian? Since languages have evolved for tens of thousands of years, why did the Jaredites come from the Tower of Babel which never existed? Jaredite barges are not functional reality. [Why is there no linguistic evidence of ancient Hebrew or Reformed Egyptian? Since languages have evolved for tens of thousands of years, why did the Jaredites come from the Tower of Babel which never existed? Jaredite barges are not functional reality. [home.teleport.com/~packham/ships ]
Why are there hundreds of anachronisms? Why does The Book of Mormon quote Isaiah before Isaiah was written? Why does it mention the Bible a millennia before the Bible even existed? Why has The Book of Mormon preserved the errors in the King James translation such as "virgin" for "young woman"? Why is Christ? used when it is a Greek word, not the Israelite word Messiah? [infidels.org/library/modern/curt_heuvel/bom_bible]
Besides there being no evidence for things mentioned in The Book of Mormon, why does the book not mention things that really did exist in Mesoamerica, such as yams, beans, squash, llamas, sloths, jaguars, and monkeys?
Why are core doctrines such as three degrees of glory, pre-existence, eternal family sealings, and baptisms for the dead not included in this "most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion"?
The Book of Mormon is a work of fiction with 19th century milieu stamped all over it. "There's a difference between faith in an area where the evidence is lacking and denial in an area where the evidence is copious but against you." - Baura [lds-mormon.com/bomquest ]
Why was I taught Smith "translated from the gold plates" when the reality is that he had his face in a hat and never used the plates? [irr.org/mit/bomwit1] Why did Smith use a Seer Stone instead of the Urim and Thummin? [mormonthink.com/transbomweb]
Regarding Charles Anthon, why didn't I learn that he called the characters a hoax and a scheme? [utlm.org/onlineresources/anthon.htm]
Why were priesthood restoration accounts created retroactively? Why did the priesthood need to be restored by Peter, James, and John when the Three Nephites had it? [signaturebooks.com/excerpts/insider's.html#chap7 ]
Why did Smith start a "translation" of the fraudulent Kinderhook plates? [utlm.org/onlineresources/kinderhookplates.htm]
Why did Smith smoke and drink after giving the Word of Wisdom? Why did he have a bar in his own home? Why did he copy the teachings of the Kirtland Temperance Society? Why didn't he include in the Word of Wisdom the simple instruction to boil water to prevent all the deaths from cholera and dysentery? [utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech18.htm]
Why did Smith make so many erroneous "prophecies" such as selling the sacred Book of Mormon copyright in Canada? Why was "war starting in South Carolina" common knowledge, and didn't refer to the Civil War? [4m.com/think/history/sell_BOM_copyright and home.teleport.com/~packham/prophet.htm]
Why was I taught about "milk strippings" as a warning over trivial things, when the reality is that story was spread decades later by George A. Smith, and that Thomas B. Marsh actually left due to Mormon plundering of Gentiles property? [groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.mormon/msg/9d864ad0a6177ac3]
Why was I never taught about the Mountain Meadows Massacre or that it was connected to the blood atonement covenant in the temple and the killing of Parley P. Pratt for stealing another man's wife and children to add to his polygamy? [religioustolerance.org/lds_mass and aml- online.org/reviews/b/B200242.html]
Why did I never hear that Prophet Brigham Young preached Adam is God, Blood Atonement, Slavery, or that he petitioned to get the Mormon Battalion, rather than it being conscripted as I was taught? Why does the church teach in the lesson manual that Brigham only had one wife and hides his 55 wives? [lds-mormon.com/byoung.shtml, irr.org/MIT/byadamgd.html, and aksite.co.uk/atozelph/racism.htm] Why did Smith and Young say six-foot people lived on the moon and dressed like Quakers? [watchman.org/lds/moonmen.htm ]
Why was the temple ceremony plagiarized from Masonry weeks after Smith became a Mason, and is not what was practiced in Solomon?s temple? [mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/masendow.htm , utlm.org/onlineresources/masonicsymbolsandtheldstemple.htm and target="window">phoenixmasonry.org/duncans_ritual/table_of_conte nts.htm ]
Since Smith taught that temple covenants and ordinances are eternal and unchangeable, why have they been changed multiple times, and at least twice in my lifetime, including removal of the death oaths in 1990? Why were men sealed to men?[ i4m.com/think/temples/temple_changes.htm and lds-mormon.com/whytemplechanges.shtml] Why does this family-oriented church split families by excluding from temple weddings, which no other church does?
Why did the church teach me about the martyrdom as "a lamb to the slaughter," but not the fact that Smith had a smuggled revolver and fired six shots into the crowd, and Hyrum had a smuggled pistol? Why was I not taught that Smith was rightfully arrested for the destruction of personal property including the Expositor, which was going to expose his polygamy/polyandry about which he had repeatedly lied and denied? Why was I not taught that Sidney Rigdon was the first to mention "war of extermination" in a speech, and not the "gentiles"? [lds- mormon.com/tmpc.shtml and History of the Church, Vol. 6, Ch. 34, p. 618. ]
Since Joseph's 13 Articles of Faith state that we believe in "obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law," why didn't he? Why did he contravene the law with his illegal marriages, counterfeit money, and illegal Kirtland Bank that wiped out the life savings of those who believed Smith's prophecies about it? []Why didn't I hear about the Danites and the Council of 50? [groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.mormon/msg/798763798680fb17 and trialsofascension.net/mormon/lying.html]
Why does the church continue to claim it is the fastest growing religion when statistics say otherwise, and the Internet is blocking its growth? [home.teleport.com/~packham/growth.htm]
Why does the current film "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration" give false impressions, i.e. regarding healings, Smith's happy monogamous marriage, parental encouragement of Emma's marriage when the reality is they were furious at the elopement and that Joseph had stolen her away? [wivesofjosephsmith.org/01-EmmaHale.htm ]
Regarding our core belief and Snow's couplet "As man is, God once was. As God is, man may become," why did President Gordon B. Hinckley say that "I don't know that we teach it?" [home.teleport.com/~packham/gbh- god.htm] Why did Hinckley say polygamy is "not doctrinal" when it is in D&C 132, will be practiced in the Celestial Kingdom, and is currently practiced in temple sealings? [ds-mormon.com/lkl_00.shtml] Before two people were killed, why didn't Hinckley, Kimball, and other church leaders receive revelation and be able to discern that Mark Hofmann's documents were forgeries that they were buying to hide in the Church vault? What did Hinckley prophesied or revealed as "prophet, seer, and revelator?" [xmission.com/~country/reason/hof1.htm]
Why are women taught to be subservient and are less valued? Why did the church oppose the ERA? In some stakes, YM have four times the budget as YW. There are yearly father-son sleepovers, but women were banned from sleepovers after one activity. Girls camp is once a year and always at the same place, while Scouts have multiple camps at multiple distant places. Why are there church boy scouts, but not girl scouts? Why ask men before giving a calling to the wife, but not ask women before giving a calling to the husband? Why can't women have more leadership callings such as financial clerk or Sunday School president? Thankfully, multiple "women obey your husbands" were taken out of the temple ceremony in 1990. [feministmormonhousewives.org and i4m.com/think/comments/mormon_women.htm] Why were women allowed to hold the preisthood, but then had those rights taken away? [Women and Authority: The Historical Relationship of Mormon Women and Priesthood]
There is so much more: home.teleport.com/~packham/101.htm, realmormonhistory.com and utlm.org/newsletters/no107.htm Be sure to check out my link section if you are interested in learning more than what I have already given you.
Any ways, other than "feelings," what evidence is there the church is what it claims to be? Feelings are not a reliable test of truth, as anyone knows whose feelings have turned out to be wrong, such as feeling good about an investment which failed or a marriage that ended. If feelings equal truth, then Islam, Catholicism, Buddhism, and all other faiths are also the one true religion because their members also have a witness. Regarding faith, belief, witness, prayer, testimony, burning in the bosom, and other such feelings, many get those same inspirational feelings watching Phantom of the Opera or Les Mis. Does that mean they are true? Many get bad feelings learning about the Holocaust. Does that mean the Holocaust isn't true? Most spiritual experiences can be scientifically explained within the brain. watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/S_P.html, religioustolerance.org/vis_brain and dreamsnightmares.com/luciddreaming.html
Faith cannot be sustained on falsehoods and deception. Faith is not sufficient when all tangible evidence contradicts the church. "Faith, as well intentioned as it may be, must be built on facts, not fiction--faith in fiction is a damnable false hope." -- Thomas Edison
My testimony is based on evidence, facts, historical research, and feelings, and I know that the church is not true, Joseph Smith was not a prophet, and The Book of Mormon is not the word of God. [fortunecity.com/emachines/e11/86/dawkins2.html]
None of this is to belittle or minimize my experiences within the church. Nor is it to belittle or minimize your faith and experiences within the church. We have made so many friends, many life long. So many within the church have impacted our lives in one way or another. I loved going to girls camp and I so wanted to continue on in my blind belief just so I could share my youth experiences with my daughters and sons. I have very deep and very fond memories of church bazaar's, stake plays and road shows, sleep overs, and so much more. You seriously do not know how hard it has been for me to come to my, nay, our decision. It's not one we made lightly, nor was it one that we wanted to make haphazardly. If it wasn't for the Bishop forcing my hand at this very moment, I probably would have stayed longer as I know I still had some emotional, personal, spiritual, and theological issues to work out. I just simply wasn't ready to leave the church, but by resigning now, I know that the church can no longer have power over what I can or can not read, think, post, discuss, or learn. I now have true freedom to explore the world around me and I am free to share the knowledge I have gained without fear of "discipline". I am no longer in the Mormon Playpen. I am moving on and learning all I can and I can not be "deemed" an apostate for simply learning all there is to learn about life, religion, love, and more.
Because I have become educated, and I opened that Pandora's box of knowledge I was deemed to have conduct unbecoming of a Mormon church member, and that my actions are "apostate" in nature. My only sin was to become educated. All materials, and information that I have presented here today are in the possession of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is all historically documented both on the LDS side and the secular side. Facts are unbiased in nature and are difficult to refute. I know things that "they" don't want you to know. Maybe you should ask yourself "Why, don't they want me to know the truth?"
If you've read this far then you have taken part of just a nibble of that red pill. Whether or not it will effect you is up to you. It is in your hands to do with what you will. God gave you a brain to use, not to set it on a shelf while someone else did all the thinking for you. I've grown up and no longer need to be spoon fed. I can feed myself and partake of all that the world has to offer, and I am excited!
Dear family, we love you all. We in no way wanted to hurt you. Our decision to resign weighed heavily on how you would react, at least some of you. We hope this does not change our relationships. We hope we will still be invited to ward functions with you. We look forward to celebrating baptisms with you. As our families grow older we look forward to celebrating youth achievements, missions, and more with you as well.
In closing, we wanted to be up front on this new development. We didn't want rumors to spread that might not be true. We wanted to state our side up front and as personal as possible.
Since we are pressed for time in the matter, there is no option to change our minds, not that you probably could. We are happy to discuss religion and theologies with you if you want to, but we will not debate you on the matter.
I hope this has helped you in having a greater understanding of our family and our new found beliefs and understandings. I hope this will help open the lines of cummunication and sever he ties of uncomfortableness when in the presence of each other. We will continue to respect your beliefs as long as you give us the same respect to let us to continue on in our beliefs.
Before I end this letter, one last request. Please do not feel sorry for us, do not pity us, and please do not look at us with sad eyes. We are not lost, we are found.
Again, We love you all very much and thank you for taking the time to understand up just a little better.
Much love, The Morales Family!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------