While the Mormons weren't completely innocent - looting non Mormons, Danites, etc - I don't think they deserved to be forced to move.
I was raised to believe Mormons were completely innocent and the only reason people didn't like them was because Mormonism was the true religion.
This decision baffles me. It's like the LDS church enjoys shooting themselves in the foot. While the normal members might have no problem with this, it pushes liberal members of the LDS church to further distance themselves to the point of resignation.
For me it was lies of religious leaders that led me to sit back and reflect on the likelihood of the Christian God existing. From there I moved on to atheism.
I believe the LDS church isn't what it claims to be and people have a right to that information. I believe the LDS church is a dangerous, harmful organization. Coming onto a religious debate forum once in awhile qualifies as not leaving it alone? Ha!
But in your eyes, I suppose this means...
Only people who are baptized, endowed, learn the tokens and signs, and are sealed via a Mormon marriage can enter the top level of the Celestial Kingdom and, supposedly, progress to godhood and stuff.
So....nope!
Hard to say exactly since it's been about six years since I started disbelieving the claims of Mormonism. I do know the Book of Mormon was the last thing I gave up on. I couldn't explain it, or couldn't think of how it could be made up...until I read An Insider's View of Mormon Origins.
The...
A few years back, John Dehlin, who started the Mormon Stories Podcast, put up a survey for former/non believing Mormons to fill out. Basically, he wanted to find out what was the main reason(s) why people stopped believing in Mormonism. I think over 3,000 participated - myself being one of them...
Hong - I'm interested to hear if you knew there are multiple accounts of Smith's First Vision. Here is the very first documented account, written 12 years later in Joseph Smith's journal:
"marvilous even in the likeness of him who created him (them) and when I considered upon these things my...