LDS Freedom Forum

Hi, Ive recently discovered this forum and am floored that this is in existance.
A little about myself, I was born and raised in Utah, from an LDS background. However, my father became and active member when I was about 10, so I got to do some neat things in my youth like seeing him get ordained with the MP, being sealed to my parents and getting my PB the same day as my Dad. My family is now all active, excluding one sibling. I married an RM who then apostasized several months after we were married. His family have mostly all distanced themselves from the church in the past few years as well. This has been a huge trial for me. I am still married, going on 5 years now, we have two little kiddos and im an active member of the LDS church. I have lived in utah my entire life but have spent considerable time abroad. I am also a medical professional. Thats about it

The crazy times we live in lead me to this forum. Its nice to have a place where like minded people can talk.

Welcome!!! I'm fairly new myself (a month or two?) and really enjoy the insights that I gain by reading here every spare chance I get ;). I am a little obsessed with not wasting time so as I scarf down my lunch or nurse my baby to sleep ill either pick up a book or pop in here to heck out and sometimes add to the recent conversations. I recently awoke "to our awful situation" a couple of years ago. It was a very painful and baffling experience for me (and my family) for months I mourned the world I thought I'd been living in, and finally tried to pick up the pieces, recognize and thank God for the freedoms that I am still blessed to enjoy, and move on into a positive direction. (Minus the brainwashing that is so prevelant in today's world) how do I do that?? I wondered. Well finally I realized a good step would be to find like minded people like myself= other LDS members who also prefer to know and speak the truth. Truth is not easy to know or speak of or even accept. But most of us here try every day to do just that,to find and speak the truth as best we can.
I'm so sorry for your struggles with your hubby my hubby was a concert (as in be was baptized like the day before we married) and sadly I have struggled to keep him
Active as well. In his defense he is a great (human) guy and I am sometimes a handful myself ;) he does mean well and is doing better lately, so there is hope!
I am a beginner at deep spiritual matters but am loving the whole new and amazing world of prayer and personal revelation. So that is where I am right now. Recently I've read a few books that I've loved! The cleansing of America by clean skousen, following the light of Christ into his presence by John Pontius (the absolute best book ever), The Last Days by avfaham giliadi and the anghony larson trilogy, a greater tomorrow by Julie Rowe (an awesome easy to read newer book about an LDS lady's near death experience) and we as a family just finished the Book of Mormon (which is no small feat with a houseful of children) I love to learn and read and understand the scriptures better so next will follow more on Isaiah by avraham Giliadi and hopefully the thousand war books by clean skousen.
Please beware that some posters may upset you, but the mods are pretty good at making sure we are all kind and respectful of eachother.
Well, I hope to hear more from you soon and make yourself at home!

wingingit wrote:Hi, Ive recently discovered this forum and am floored that this is in existance.
A little about myself, I was born and raised in Utah, from an LDS background. However, my father became and active member when I was about 10, so I got to do some neat things in my youth like seeing him get ordained with the MP, being sealed to my parents and getting my PB the same day as my Dad. My family is now all active, excluding one sibling. I married an RM who then apostasized several months after we were married. His family have mostly all distanced themselves from the church in the past few years as well. This has been a huge trial for me. I am still married, going on 5 years now, we have two little kiddos and im an active member of the LDS church. I have lived in utah my entire life but have spent considerable time abroad. I am also a medical professional. Thats about it

The crazy times we live in lead me to this forum. Its nice to have a place where like minded people can talk.

Welcome, Winginingit!
So sorry to hear about your spouse who apostasized... Can you indicate what led him or her to apostasy?
and are you still married, then?
Anyway, welcome aboard!

Bananikka wrote:Welcome!!! I'm fairly new myself (a month or two?) and really enjoy the insights that I gain by reading here every spare chance I get ;). I am a little obsessed with not wasting time so as I scarf down my lunch or nurse my baby to sleep ill either pick up a book or pop in here to heck out and sometimes add to the recent conversations. I recently awoke "to our awful situation" a couple of years ago. It was a very painful and baffling experience for me (and my family) for months I mourned the world I thought I'd been living in, and finally tried to pick up the pieces, recognize and thank God for the freedoms that I am still blessed to enjoy, and move on into a positive direction. (Minus the brainwashing that is so prevelant in today's world) how do I do that?? I wondered. Well finally I realized a good step would be to find like minded people like myself= other LDS members who also prefer to know and speak the truth. Truth is not easy to know or speak of or even accept. But most of us here try every day to do just that,to find and speak the truth as best we can.
I'm so sorry for your struggles with your hubby my hubby was a concert (as in be was baptized like the day before we married) and sadly I have struggled to keep him
Active as well. In his defense he is a great (human) guy and I am sometimes a handful myself ;) he does mean well and is doing better lately, so there is hope!
I am a beginner at deep spiritual matters but am loving the whole new and amazing world of prayer and personal revelation. So that is where I am right now. Recently I've read a few books that I've loved! The cleansing of America by clean skousen, following the light of Christ into his presence by John Pontius (the absolute best book ever), The Last Days by avfaham giliadi and the anghony larson trilogy, a greater tomorrow by Julie Rowe (an awesome easy to read newer book about an LDS lady's near death experience) and we as a family just finished the Book of Mormon (which is no small feat with a houseful of children) I love to learn and read and understand the scriptures better so next will follow more on Isaiah by avraham Giliadi and hopefully the thousand war books by clean skousen.
Please beware that some posters may upset you, but the mods are pretty good at making sure we are all kind and respectful of eachother.
Well, I hope to hear more from you soon and make yourself at home!

Bananikka, thanks for the reply and the welcome! Your description of waking up sounds pretty simialr to mine and the conclusions Ive come to. Its very easy for me to forget some of these truths Ive discovered if I dont remind myself of them daily. Whether its via sciptures, this forum, certain blogs and news sites, etc. I hop on here or other sites every chance I get I can totally relate about the hubby part. Im still married and holding out hope, lately Ive been giving being LDS all Ive got and im surprised that my husband has been less angry than expected so I hold out hope too. Thanks for the book suggestions, Ive read the majesty of gods law and a couple others by Cleon Skousen (I just love his writing) and ive heard of a couple of the other books youve mentioned so Ill definiatley check them out. And as for the upsetting posters, thank you for the warning, I like to think that I have pretty tough skin, but its good to have a heads up

DrJones wrote:

wingingit wrote:Hi, Ive recently discovered this forum and am floored that this is in existance.
A little about myself, I was born and raised in Utah, from an LDS background. However, my father became and active member when I was about 10, so I got to do some neat things in my youth like seeing him get ordained with the MP, being sealed to my parents and getting my PB the same day as my Dad. My family is now all active, excluding one sibling. I married an RM who then apostasized several months after we were married. His family have mostly all distanced themselves from the church in the past few years as well. This has been a huge trial for me. I am still married, going on 5 years now, we have two little kiddos and im an active member of the LDS church. I have lived in utah my entire life but have spent considerable time abroad. I am also a medical professional. Thats about it

The crazy times we live in lead me to this forum. Its nice to have a place where like minded people can talk.

Welcome, Winginingit!
So sorry to hear about your spouse who apostasized... Can you indicate what led him or her to apostasy?
and are you still married, then?
Anyway, welcome aboard!

Hi Dr. Jones!
My husband apostacy was basically a perfect storm. A number of things led up to it.
First off, his father who has been a devout lifetime member (also a tenured professor at BYU) has stopped believing pretty much all of the doctrine, he still attends church for social issues and probably for his career but he also has openly told all his children that he thinks its all made up. So that was hard for my husband.
Secondly, my husband and I were in a consitutional freedom type class where we all discussed government and religion and current events, and I think the realization of what was happening around us (and what would eventually be required) was all too much for my husband to handle, he would rather ignore it.
Third, my husband has a problem with the word of wisdom and how its currently interpreted. And since he left the church nearly 4 years ago has now begun a career that is not harmonious to following the word of wisdom.
Lasty, the people my husband has surrounded himself with (at work etc) love to hate the church (we are living in SLC, for now) and i think over time they just rubbed off on him.

when he first left it was really more out of laziness and I thought it would be a phase, then as the time went on he got angrier at the church about different issues and more prideful about his own beliefs and thats the summary of how I believe it happened.

Its been tough, but Im still holding out hope

♡

I'm so sorry you have to deal with that. . Boy life really can try us. I don't know how Long I could tolerate my husband openly rejecting the church. Do you go to the temple? I would think that would be a comfort to you. Is he otherwise good to you? (That may be personal you don't have t answer!). I truly hope your
Endurance and prayers will be answered soon. What these last days mean to us can be very overwhelming and intimidating. If he is stil good to you, then I'm glad you're patient with him.
I pray things become easier for you soon. Meanwhile, have a wonderfully blessed sabbath day

Welcome Wing. Your post prompted something I have been pondering all day. I feel like there are those of the Saints who need support, have come as far as they can go alone in moving closer to the Savior, and other individual reasons for needing to have some direct communication with supportive, likeminded people. I was pondering today how thankful I am for all my friends on this forum and how their input has helped me grow so much in the last year. It's like a solitary fish finally running across a school that suits it. We are all swimming up stream so much against the current; but, together as a school we will get there. Welcome, to the Rainbow Fish School. It's beautiful. :-H

Thank you for your kind words. Yes, I found this place on a particularly trying day. Its so nice to see a place with so many like minded people. Just reading some of the posts helps me feel more supported Until recently my husband was against me paying tithing, but after he discovered just how important it was to me he decided to let me pay it on my own income. I'm hoping to have my recommend back very soon now. Im quite excited for it. Thank you again for your thoughtful replies

Thanks, wingingit! and again, welcome.

I think you'll love the temple, hope so. The new movies are moving, beautiful.

I find this part ironic, seeing that I served as a Bishop of the BYU 99th ward and a stake high councilor in the BYU 10th stake... I worked hard, had teaching awards, loved the students... but in 2006 I was placed on Admin Leave and told I would not teach again... (had to do with the research I chose to do, controversial)

I requested a hearing in writing, wanted to find out in detail WHY they did this... but as reported in Des News, my request for a hearing (with me present) was denied...

Hi Dr. Jones!
My husband apostacy was basically a perfect storm. A number of things led up to it.
First off, his father who has been a devout lifetime member (also a tenured professor at BYU) has stopped believing pretty much all of the doctrine, he still attends church for social issues and probably for his career but he also has openly told all his children that he thinks its all made up. So that was hard for my husband.

Dr Jones, I've wondered about some of the same stuff. Your research played a significant role in the early part of my awakening. thank you for your efforts and sacrifices to let the truth be known .

wingingit wrote:Dr Jones, I've wondered about some of the same stuff. Your research played a significant role in the early part of my awakening. thank you for your efforts and sacrifices to let the truth be known .

Thank you, wingingit, kind of you to say.
I've been interviewed three times this week, and was glad to speak the facts about 9/11 to the best of my ability, wishing I could do more (D&C 123, "waste and wear out our lives" in bringing forth the truth). I also posted a blog at 911blogger.com

I encouraged folks to seriously prepare with food storage etc... I think that really troubled days are coming before the end of 2015, while O is still in office. "But if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear", said Jesus to Joseph and all of us. (D&C 38)

28 And again, I say unto you that the enemy in the secret chambers seeketh your lives.

29 Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land.

30 I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.