Quit the Church
In a local newspaper in Provo , Utah , there had been an ongoing
series of articles written by individuals who wanted to persuade LDS
Church members to leave the Church. In response to the highly
critical and spirited remarks, a local member wrote this rebuttal:
Editor:
I have been thinking of quitting the Mormon Church. Yes, if I can, I am
going to get even with that church. As soon as I can find another church
that teaches about the Gathering of the House of Israel; the return of
the Ten Tribes and their mission; the return of the Jews to Palestine
and why, and how they are going to build the temple; the building of
temples and what to do with them; the mission of Elias, the prophet,
as predicted by Malachi; the method for the salvation of the people that
died at the time of Noah in the flood; the origin of the American Indian;
the complete explanation of why Jesus of Nazareth had to have a mortal
mother but not a mortal father; the explanation of the three degrees
of glory (three heavens) as mentioned by Paul; the complete
explanation of why Elias and Moses did not die but had to be
translated (since they both
lived before the resurrection was introduced by Christ); the restoration
of the gospel by modern revelation as promised by Peter and Paul and
Jesus himself; the belief in eternal marriage and the family, and the
knowledge and the place to seal for eternity; that teaches abstinence
from all harmful drugs and foods ; and that sells the best fire
insurance policy on earth, for the last days, for only a 10th of my
income.
Yes sir, as soon as I can find another church that teaches all that,
or even half as much, I will say good-bye to this Mormon Church. The
church that I am looking for must also be able to motivate 50,000+
youth,and adults, for the first, second or third time, to leave their
homes for two years at their own expense and go to far-away places to
teach and
preach without salary. It must be able to call, on a frosty day, some 5
or 6 thousand professors, students, lawyers, doctors, judges,
policemen, businessmen, housewives and children to go and pick apples
at 6 a.m. It must be able to call meetings and get the attention for
two
hours of more than 150,000 men. Yes, it must also teach and show why
salvation is assured for children who die before eight years of age.
Mr. Editor, could you help me find a church that teaches all that and
more than hundreds of other doctrines and principles, which I have no
room to mention here, and which brings solace and comfort to the soul;
peace, hope, and salvation to mankind, and above all, that answers the
key questions that all the great philosophers have asked; questions and
answers that explain the meaning of life, the purpose of death,
suffering and pain; the absolute need for a Redeemer and the marvelous
plan conceived and executed by Jesus Christ the Savior? Yes, as soon as
I find another church that teaches that, and also that has the
organization and the powers to make that teaching effective, I am going
to quit the Mormon Church. For I should not tolerate that "they" should
change a few words in the Book of Mormon-even if those changes simply
improve the grammar and the syntax of the verses-for, after all, don't
you think the Divine Church should employ angels as bookmakers, and
clerks, to do all the chores on earth? Don't you think, Mr. Editor,
that the Divine Church should also have prophets that don't get sick and
don't get old and die, and certainly, that don't make a goof here and
there. No, sir! A Divine Church should be so divine that only perfect
people should belong to it, and only perfect people should run it. As a
matter of fact, the Church should be so perfect that it should not even
be here on earth!
So, I repeat, if any one of the kind readers of this imperfect letter
knows about another church that teaches and does as much for mankind
asthe Mormon Church, please let me know. And please do it soon,
becausemy turn to go to the cannery is coming up. Also, "they" want
my lastson (the fifth one) to go away for two years and again, I have
to pay for all that. And I also know that they expect me to go to the
farm to
prune trees, and I have heard that our ward is going to be divided again,
and it is our side that must build the new chapel. And also, someone the
other day had the gall of suggesting that my wife and I get ready to go
on a second mission, and when you come back, they said, you can
volunteer as a temple worker.
Boy, these Mormons don't leave you alone for a minute. And what do I
get for all that, I asked? "Well," they said, "for one, you can look
forward to a funeral service at no charge!"... Do you think you can
help me to find another church?
Thomas D. Clark
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