So Iâve seen all the anti-Mormon posts polluting the tags, offending and hurting our community here on Tumblr. And, in all honesty, I really canât take it seriously. See, I spent years as an anti-Mormon myself, so whenever I see the âeducating and enlighteningâ posts on the truths of Mormonism, Iâm like, âPffft. Been there, done that.â
I did all the same stuff theyâre doing. I tried to âsaveâ my family and friends from the Mormon myth, and I used all the same tactics. I pointed to Polygamy as proof that the faith started as a sex cult, I showed my family documentaries about the illegitimacy of the Book of Mormon, the incorrectly translated papyrus from the Book of Abraham, the underhanded dealings revolving around Joseph Smith, Brigham Youngâs obvious racism, Mountain Meadows massacre, you name it. If I thought it would weaken peopleâs testimony and weaken the influence Mormonism had on my life and community, I told the whole world about it.
And did it do any good? Nope. Mormons â like my mom and dad â shrugged their shoulders and went on believing. And for the record, my parents werenât even active most of my life. They still arenât. But they do believe.Â
And thatâs when I (finally) realized that my opinions about Mormonism and the Church basically meant zilch. What I had was a personal vendetta born out my feelings of disappointment and rejection because of disagreement with Church teachings. I, in my immaturity, had thought that my disagreeing meant the Church and the Restored Gospel couldnât be true, blah, blah, blah. I had failed to see that my personal testimony had nothing to do with the Church and so I allowed myself to be carried off into a whirlwind of anti-Mormon nonsense to help deal with it. I thought that if I could convince others that the Church was fraudulent and leaving Mormonism was best, then my choice to leave would be legitimate. And I made myself believe that I was somehow superior, because I wasnât going to believe in a faith as ridiculous as Mormonism or stay in a Church that I believed was homophobic and sexist. I actually thought I was smarter than believing Mormons.Â
But I realized I was wrong and I stopped. I allowed myself to have a testimony, despite my disagreements with official Church policy and reclaimed my faith. Now I believe too.Â
So, nowadays when I see anti-Mormon posts, all I see is a group of people who have been hurt or disappointed in some way by the actions of an imperfect people of an imperfect church and canât let it go. Or people who have a preoccupation with making sure that everyone they think is wrong knows it and why. Either way, itâs a dismal and unfulfilled life. I should know, I lived it. And I pray every day that these people are comforted soon, that they might be able to lay down their grievances and let it be, or else come back into the fold and be healed. If anything, they desperately need to understand that their fight will not destroy the faith of millions of people â it will only make themselves more bitter and intolerant.Â
And I bare my testimony that I believe with all my heart that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I believe in the Book of Mormon, that it is the word of God, and is another testimony of Jesus Christ. I believe that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God, called to restore the Gospel in these latter days. I believe that Thomas S. Monson is a living Prophet today, that he does speak to and receive revelation from our Heavenly Father for the betterment of all mankind. And I say these things in the name of our beloved Savior, even Jesus Christ, Amen.
(Also, in case you were wondering, yes. Alma the Younger is my favorite BoM prophet. We have (almost) the same story after all.)Â