Even that Jackwagon DALLIN H. OAKS wants to stifle your little Mormon brain (listen up, all you Mormons!) into acquiescing to Oaks' "dictums" and to all of his insipid "pontificating", when he says to NOT criticize your LDS Leaders [Oaks is actually talking about HIMSELF, here, as some Great One]: not to criticize "Me Oaks", even if or when I, Cowboy Oaks, AM WRONG!
Hold on, there, Mormon Cowboys & Cowgirls: Oaks just told you to "shut the Hell up, and get in sync with The Program".
If you are a Mormon and have for one second a doubt about truth and the church, you owe it not only to yourself but your family, your future children, and others you come in contact with in the future.
Truth is the enemy of blind faith. Always seek the truth, who knows, your testimony may grow.
Why not "I'm an ex-Catholic" or "I'm an ex-Jew". If you were the adversary and wanted to stir up the hearts of God's children to fight against Him, where would you focus? You would focus on the fullness of the gospel. Did you ever ask yourself, why such a big deal over something that you believe is not true. If it really was nothing....then it would be treated as so. Ask yourself this, how do you feel inside when you post against LDS, is it goodness..or? the feeling is telling
Hey Eric, it does take guts to leave the LDS church. It doesn't take guts to follow your heart. We all do it every day.. You did let your heart guide your mind to find the truth. True believing Mormons hearts don't guide them this way. Thankfully your mind was rational when your desires for the church went a little sour. The heart is, unfortunately, the only path out... Great video.
if you pert of the church whatever. if you're not, whatever. why does there have to be so much fighting?! if you dont belong to the church or believe it then leave it alone. obviously youre not a member so why do you CARE so much? live your life. with spending so much time bashing other people's religion. if you can be such a good person without the church then what are you on here bashing it for?
@zipporahhhh It's a big thing for people to leave a religion that they have been a part of for many years. Given the fact that the guy went on a mission for the Mormon church, I think at the very least he has the right to make a Youtube video explaing why he chose to leave.
@zipporahhhh Whoa, there, Zippy! Since your dumb-dumb religion has all these little 19-year-old boys going out there, as salesmen, for two years, you need to know something, here: the "best people to ask about a product" (and mormonism is a product) are its FORMER OWNERS: not the salesmen in the showroom, trying to sell it to you. (You are way too young to remember a "product" known as the Ford Pinto). It is ONLY the former owners who will tell U that the Pinto exploded, on rear-end impact
There are flaws in many beliefs. Even your blood type diet beliefs has so many scientifically unproven holes it makes me crave Swiss cheese. However, I am willing to accept aspects of your diet; namly life style change and consistnatly sticking to something. , I love knowledge, be it fact or myth. The more knowledge you gain in life the wiser a person you become. The myths are great for bed time stories to your child, the facts are great for cocktail parties and impresisng professors.
RELIGION IS EVIL, FREEMASONRY IS EVIL. GOD IS REAL. YOU HAVE TO BE BORN AGAIN, JESUS SAID IT HIMSELF. IT'S THAT SIMPLE. YOU NEED THE SPIRIT OF JESUS IN YOU. ALL PEOPLE INHERIT THE EARTH IT SAYS IT IN THE BIBLE. JOSEPH SMITH SOLD HIS SOUL. THIS IS HAYDES.
To add to my last, if your story really IS genuine, try researching a little better next time. I could answer every accusation in this vid, but with the character limit, that would be difficult. Try getting it from both sides. The church doesn't discourage finding answers to questions. And actual church historians have the truth about every claim you made as well as the context of the few that were true. It does NOT "hide" things as you claim.
Either you were sheltered growing up, or I'm not buying that you even grew up a member of the church. You told all these horror stories about things you "found out" about the church after a mission and college and how shocking they were when you did. I've heard all that junk all of my life and know that most of it is bull and the rest is out of context. I was faced with it every day of my mission in Colorado, not to mention high school and before. Clearly you don't know our beliefs at all.
Seems way too highly produced to be put together by some guy just trying to "get the word out" about the church. Seems like you have a lot of anger against something you chose to do, too. Why else would you spend so much time making this? As a former member of the church you know God judges those based upon what they know and how they used that knowledge, and thus an athiest could be better off in the afterlife than a member of the church. You fail to mention or understand that.
@mattk311 Isn't anger sometimes a valid emotion? I think it is. It may be a sign we should pay attention to. He may feel some anger towards himself as he went along with it all, and, being in the mormon church, lost a lot of money! Being in an exmo support group will help him deal with these emotions.
This message is for Eric... Eric, don't u think u should go back to Mexico or whereever u served a mission and tell all those people that avery thing u said, was't true..??? Or maybe do a spanish talk video.. bby the way love your video
Hey Eric, I believe it takes a lot of guts to follow your heart and do what you believe is best for you. You found your own path and are following that and I respect that. I am Mormon but I understand that people will always find what works best for them. Continue following your heart my friend and you will find happiness.
Awesome video! This is Rob from "Hi my name is Robert..." that my buddy filmed. I wonder if you could get him to put your video up on his site to get it some more exposure. I will put in on my face book wall to help share your story!
@DeterminedAtheist What do you mean, you are glad he "escaped" the LDS church? Oh this makes me so mad. It's just so offensive. I'm a convert to the LDS church and can't imagine being in any other church! We have the fulness of the gospel!
@cindybin2001 Cindy fuck this church seriously. You are part of a cult and you know it. Their history is so fucking twisted that if this is the one true church God has a real fucking problem. Wait a minute, there is no God anyway.
@KenM66 It's comments like yours that keep me coming back. Also, please don't use profanity. There are ladies on these boards. Have you heard that a gentleman shouldn't swear in front of a lady? Do you talk this way in real life?? How rude.
I loved your video too! I left the Church several years ago; have since divorced my husband who was a TBM, and life is MUCH better now!!!!
The idea that ex-Mormons leave because they are lazy is preposterous. Almost everyone I've ever talked to said it was the hardest thing they ever did, which was true for me too. But TOTALLY WORTH IT! :)
That's cute. As if you actually left me without rejoinder. You haven't.
To your point about the FDA. Irrelevant. How a government organization chooses to use science is not an indictment of science itself. Do you or do you not accept the peer review process? To reject the process is to reject science.
As for your second point, there is a lot on blood type and disease, as is to be expected. How does any of this support a blood type diet?
@999LDS - A few verses later in Galatians 1:10 - "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." There's a common thread of showing how leaving the church has allowed them to please themselves more. Such videos never seem to discuss how how they are better servants to God through the decision to be an ex-Mormon; rather try to discredit the church and talk about how free they are from guilt now that they aren't LDS.
@999LDS - the conundrum is that God taught us to watch for a restoration of all things. Since the apostles, churches throughout the world have grown apart from the things Christ taught. The LDS faith is a restoration of all things - the fulness of times prophesied of by the Apostles. LDS Prophets today issue the same warnings and invitations they Apostles did. Come unto Christ. This video invites men to "6... a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all."
Guilt doesn't come from an institution, rather they are self imposed when you are not living up to the standards you wish to hold yourself to. If you wish to hold yourself to less standards than what the LDS faith asks of you, that's your choice. I simply don't understand how you feel compelled to down the church with the new 'truths' you've discovered about it in order to lift yourself up. Why not simply quit it to live life the way you want to? What is accomplished by persuading others away?
Great video, I really value seeing others who have really discovered the truth about Mormonism. I had a really hard time leaving. Actually the leaving was easy, it was learning to un-learn the reflexes of Mormon groupthink that was really difficult. And especially the idea that happiness is an absolute value that you can only achieve with a perfect life. I've embraced my own imperfection and it is a beautiful thing.
@savagekittyx Wow. I'm a convert to the LDS church since 1981 and this is just so distorted. I'm far from perfect, everybody is! You don't have to be perfect to be a Mormon! Nobody can be perfect in this life! Come on, you know that!! This is one of the things they teach in church! I don't know where people get these ideas about Mormons. I can't imagine being in any other church.
@cindybin2001 do you know ANYTHING about this group you've joined? Have you done any research whatsoever into its founder? Or is it simply that you "can't imagine being in any other church" that you do not seek to learn these things? Try this: Google "cults 101 checklist of cult characteristics" Go to that list and see how many of those you think apply to your wonderful church. Then try imagining thinking for yourself. It's harder than you think when you've been Mormon for so many years
@savagekittyx No, I have never done any research whatsoever. I blindly joined because that's the type of person I am. Actually I was brainwashed into joining. Help me, please help me!!! Sigh. Seriously, I guess you haven't read my MILLION comments on these boards about all the research I did and how I read all this anti-Mormon stuff over 30 years ago when I was first investigating the church. And now we have the INTERNET to perpetuate all this stuff. It's so frustrating!
@savagekittyx You know, I thought Yahoo was bad. I used to post only on those headline boards, and whenever there was a story about Utah or Mormons, they would bash the church. I had no idea that YouTube had all these videos and message boards and that people were saying all these things about the church! It's just unreal, the power of the Internet. And people BELIEVE these things!!!
@cindybin2001 honey, first of all, there is no such conspiracy as "ANTI-MORMON." I guarantee the rest of the normal world doesn't give 2 sh#@s about your little group. You know where I learned the most important information to solidify my feeling that the Mormon fairytale is a sham? Church History. Honestly, it's the most powerful "anti-mormon" literature there is. Oh and you get bonus points if you search, ponder and pray to know that it's true.
@savagekittyx Oh it figures. Here I tried to help you understand about the church so you wouldn't put it down, and that you might even want to know more about it and join it one day. But instead you put me down, and even SWEAR at me. Oh that makes me so mad!!! Are you a woman? Here I am yelling at GUYS to watch their language because ladies are on these boards, and so it really drives me nuts when a woman swears!! Think of the impression you're giving off!
@cindybin2001 that's so gracious of you to get all hostile in an attempt to "help me understand about the church." You are doing a marvelous job putting a very representative face on such a backwards organization. Spot on.
@savagekittyx Well what do you expect from me, when you have such an attitude and then you casually blurt out profanity?? That drives me nuts! Of course I'm going to react! It breaks my heart when I see women swearing! Men too, of course. But here I try to talk some sense into you and help you understand why this is wrong, and instead you just put me down. I thought you would apologize for saying the things you did.
@savagekittyx And then you put down my religion, saying all these untrue things, calling it a "backwards organization", etc. That is very offensive! I was trying to help dispel all these misconceptions about the Church. I thought you would take to heart what I said and apologize for just assuming these bad things about the church. But of course, it was like talking to a wall. Figures.
@savagekittyx Well I just checked your profile and it appears that you ARE a woman! Oh this makes me furious! And here you just casually blurt out this crude language right on the Internet for all to see. We will NEVER get the guys to understand why they shouldn't swear in front of a lady, when LADIES swear! Do you talk this way in real life?? What type of guy is going to want to date or marry a woman who casually uses profanity?? I'm not even speaking as a Mormon here, just a woman!!!
@savagekittyx And you know, if you were Mormon, you wouldn't be casually blurting out this crude language for all to see!! It's so crude and unladylike! You shouldn't even have to be Mormon to know not to talk this way! Oh it just drives me nuts when you women act like you are so cool and superior, and then you casually use profanity like it's nothing. Think of the impression you are giving off! It sounds just terrible!!! And you are very rude for putting down my religion!
Glad to see you are happy as an atheist. There is nothing worse in the world, then when a person leaves the mormon church and goes to some other inferior church. I have respect for people who leave the church and become atheist.
Hi Eric, I'm an ex-mormon and live in Boise, I'd love to meet you. The postmormon group is meeting tomorrow night on May 18th at Fuddruckers on Ustick and Eagle. If you get this in time, come visit. Otherwise, we will be meeting next month on the 3rd Wednesday. Do you do movies for other exmormons?
@999LDS this is crazy!! I keep seeing all these people telling Mormons to read that Galations stuff, like we never read the Bible!! We read the Bible all the time!
@cindybin2001 You read it, but you dont digest it.If the Bible says there are no Gods before or after me, that no book should be added or taken away from it, that if another book is put before you, you wish them God's speed, why do you follow a church which is exactly what the Bible says not to follow.
There must be a reason why 150 members of the LDS church leave every day. Find out why at UTLMdotORG
@999LDS Good questions! As I've mentioned before, a book that helped me with these and other questions is A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, by LeGrande Richards. I read all this anti-Mormon stuff over 30 years ago when I was first investigating the church, and I wanted to know the truth. People told me that the Bible says no more scripture, etc. I just knew there had to be something behind what Mormons believed. I took the time to learn the truth.
I agree with several other comments on this thread, that this video was well done. Thank you for sharing your story. I've worked out of Rexburg and can sympathize with the great adversity and persecution one can encounter for not conforming to religious dogma. In such a atmosphere there is enormous pressure to be the same, I've found it to be very destructive for anyone seeking objective morality and truths. I'm glad you were able to leave, before it completely destroyed you.
Hi Eric. This video was very well done. You shared your experiences as a former LDS missionary until you encountered the historical and theological problems of the Mormon Church. I can understand and appreciate the disappointment and anger, and especially if you received unloving responses from those you once trusted. Once trust is violated, it's very hard to really know what's true. I wish you could of gone to tilm.org for answers to false teachings instead of finding out LDS is just fals
@TILMoutreach Your cult is just as fake as LDS... A historical critical look at the origins of the Bible reveals evidence that many of its stories were fabricated in much the same fashion as the BoM.
Hi Eric. This video was very well done. You shared your experiences as a former LDS missionary until you encountered the historical and theological problems of the Mormon Church. I can understand and appreciate the disappointment and anger, and especially if you received unloving responses from those you once trusted. Once trust is violated, it's very hard to really know what's true. I wish you could of gone to tilm.org for answers to false teachings instead of finding out LDS is just false
Awesome video! I'm so glad to find these videos online. Leaving the Mormon cult was a difficult choice, but I've never made a better or more important decision. It can be isolating at first, but you soon find yourself able to make more and better quality friends than before.
Great, now maybe you should go on a new mission to all the places you visited when you were on your Mormon "mission" and track down all the people you lied to. Apologize to them and reveal the truths you have discovered about the phony Mormon religion. Undo the damage you did when you were in your Mormon coma.
@AtheistOnTheEdge What a terrible thing to say! I'm a convert to the LDS church and can't imagine being in any other religion. Heck, just knowing that a church has "coffee hour" or that members think nothing is wrong with drinking booze makes me know it isn't the true church. And then so many people in other churches thing Mormons are racist, and that we demean women, etc. That is just SO untrue! It makes me KNOW that other people truly don't understand.
I'm a ex-mormon as well and when i left the LDS church in 2008, it was the best feeling you'll ever get. your mind is so clear afterwards. it's no longer clouded by all the lies that the LDS church tells you.
Hi Eric, I really liked your video! I find in interesting in to comments how many people are warning you to be skeptical about the blood type diet. Probably while taking unproven prescription medicines. As a doctor for 17 years it took my patients coming to me and teaching me about the blood type diet for me to open my mind. As physicist Richard Feynmann put it, the sole test of the validity of any idea is experiment. These patients experimented on themselves, and found their proof.
Feynman (not Feynmann) I'm quite sure would agree that Anecdotal evidence (i.e. patients experimenting on themselves) is unreliable and very susceptible to bias and therefore not useful. Proof should remain in the domain of mathematics. Science based medicine doesn't claim absolute certainty about anything. The best we can do is hold provisionally what the best evidence indicates to be correct. At least with "prescription medicine" we have some sort of vetting process.
I also wanted to mention that you appear to be deeply invested in BTD (emotionally and possibly financially) and I would strongly advise trying to take that into account when evaluating the evidence for BTD. Strong investments in a belief seem to greatly effect our ability to evaluate their truthfulness. I'd just like to see people give up as many of their sacred cows as possible. Take care. I wish you well and I mean no offense and sure appreciate your video.
Nearly every pseudoscience I can remember is started by someone who was a "skeptic". Many religious apologists take this approach as well (i.e. Paul, Kirk Cameron and Lee Strobel to name a few). It is also always just a matter of time before mainstream science catches up. Confirmation bias can be a real bitch and convince us of causation where it doesn't exist. The BTD appears to be just another extraordinary claim with very little evidence to back it up.
I saw your comment on Thinkingatheist and I checked out your video. Very well done and very touching. I'm glad your happy now and are at peace with your decision making =)
Hey man, great video! Fellow atheist here too and do the same stuff you do. Glad to see you're doing well even without the social connections that the mormon religion brings.
Hey man, great video! Fellow atheist here too and do the same stuff you do. Glad to see you're doing well even without the social connections that the mormon religion brings.
Great video! In what part of Mexico did you serve? I'm a mexican ex-mo and it's truly inspiring to realize that there's a lot of people like me who open their eyes before it was too late.
Seeing that you went to BYU-Idaho gave me hope for other Mormons out there that may be questioning. I went too, I'm leaving the church now. I'm happier then I've ever been. :)
WAY TO GO, Eric! This was excellent! Welcome to your beautiful life! The one you were meant to live!! Said from the current Vice-President of the ExMormon Foundation!
Great video man! There's more of us every day. You can check out some more people that were moved to record their exit experiences if you search YouTube for "I Am An Ex Mormon".
I and my family made one there too. Be glad you figured it out so young. It took me 15 years longer than you to figure it out. I was lucky to have my family get out intact with me. Others aren't so lucky.
@tanis666 Are you the Leavitts? I've seen almost all of those vids, which is what motivated me to make my own! Thanks a lot for the response, I really appreciate all the awesome feedback!
@MorrisonEnterprise Yep, that's us. :) I'm glad we're inspiring others to tell their stories. It's the only way we can combat the ridiculous stereotype the church perpetuates of the "fallen apostate" whose life has gone to hell in a handbasket. And who only left out of laziness or desire to sin.
This turned out great! I was at BYU-Idaho while you were there, I wonder if we crossed paths. Interestingly, Sunrise was where I lived when I figured out that the church is a fraud. Not that it's a huge campus.
Congratulations on figuring it all out, transcending the judgmental mindset and emerging into a more authentic, fulfilled life.
Awesome story! i dont really have one, i just never beleived things were right or wrong because somebody said so. we're all born atheists i just was lucky enough to stay that way.
Awesome!
suzkstein 5 days ago
Even that Jackwagon DALLIN H. OAKS wants to stifle your little Mormon brain (listen up, all you Mormons!) into acquiescing to Oaks' "dictums" and to all of his insipid "pontificating", when he says to NOT criticize your LDS Leaders [Oaks is actually talking about HIMSELF, here, as some Great One]: not to criticize "Me Oaks", even if or when I, Cowboy Oaks, AM WRONG!
Hold on, there, Mormon Cowboys & Cowgirls: Oaks just told you to "shut the Hell up, and get in sync with The Program".
NaDopros 1 week ago
At 3:05.... "...after COUNTLESS ENCOUNTERS WITH DOUCHEBAGS..."
LMAO !!! Good One!
NaDopros 1 week ago
One of the better one's of these I've seen. Mirrored a lot of my life. I got out before my mission (didn't go on one). Very happy for you Eric.
Virtuallyjonathan 1 week ago
So seeing the world open his eyes to the lies of the Mormon Church, that awsome!!!
firewings12 1 month ago
If you are a Mormon and have for one second a doubt about truth and the church, you owe it not only to yourself but your family, your future children, and others you come in contact with in the future.
Truth is the enemy of blind faith. Always seek the truth, who knows, your testimony may grow.
TheRorybreaker 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Why not "I'm an ex-Catholic" or "I'm an ex-Jew". If you were the adversary and wanted to stir up the hearts of God's children to fight against Him, where would you focus? You would focus on the fullness of the gospel. Did you ever ask yourself, why such a big deal over something that you believe is not true. If it really was nothing....then it would be treated as so. Ask yourself this, how do you feel inside when you post against LDS, is it goodness..or? the feeling is telling
brilliantlycreated 1 month ago
Woohoo exmo's ftw:)
ajhartmetal 2 months ago
Hey Eric, it does take guts to leave the LDS church. It doesn't take guts to follow your heart. We all do it every day.. You did let your heart guide your mind to find the truth. True believing Mormons hearts don't guide them this way. Thankfully your mind was rational when your desires for the church went a little sour. The heart is, unfortunately, the only path out... Great video.
kiggityk 2 months ago
if you pert of the church whatever. if you're not, whatever. why does there have to be so much fighting?! if you dont belong to the church or believe it then leave it alone. obviously youre not a member so why do you CARE so much? live your life. with spending so much time bashing other people's religion. if you can be such a good person without the church then what are you on here bashing it for?
zipporahhhh 2 months ago
@zipporahhhh It's a big thing for people to leave a religion that they have been a part of for many years. Given the fact that the guy went on a mission for the Mormon church, I think at the very least he has the right to make a Youtube video explaing why he chose to leave.
Smithpolly 1 month ago
@zipporahhhh agreed
Beal148 1 month ago
@zipporahhhh Whoa, there, Zippy! Since your dumb-dumb religion has all these little 19-year-old boys going out there, as salesmen, for two years, you need to know something, here: the "best people to ask about a product" (and mormonism is a product) are its FORMER OWNERS: not the salesmen in the showroom, trying to sell it to you. (You are way too young to remember a "product" known as the Ford Pinto). It is ONLY the former owners who will tell U that the Pinto exploded, on rear-end impact
NaDopros 1 week ago
There are flaws in many beliefs. Even your blood type diet beliefs has so many scientifically unproven holes it makes me crave Swiss cheese. However, I am willing to accept aspects of your diet; namly life style change and consistnatly sticking to something. , I love knowledge, be it fact or myth. The more knowledge you gain in life the wiser a person you become. The myths are great for bed time stories to your child, the facts are great for cocktail parties and impresisng professors.
DEARMINTA 3 months ago
awesome video
kebulater 3 months ago
sad to hear that. :(
margaux94byu 4 months ago
So...what should someone with B- blood eat or avoid? :)
BionicDance 5 months ago
nice short movie, thanks for it, i'm an exmormon from Austria/Europe :-)
rohirrim500 5 months ago
RESEARCH NEPHILIM. ON WIKIPEDIA,
timothy10112 5 months ago
YOU ALSO NEED TO WHERE A CROSS. WELL, DENY CHRIST AND HE WILL DENY YOU. FUCK JOSEPH SMITH.
timothy10112 5 months ago
RELIGION IS EVIL, FREEMASONRY IS EVIL. GOD IS REAL. YOU HAVE TO BE BORN AGAIN, JESUS SAID IT HIMSELF. IT'S THAT SIMPLE. YOU NEED THE SPIRIT OF JESUS IN YOU. ALL PEOPLE INHERIT THE EARTH IT SAYS IT IN THE BIBLE. JOSEPH SMITH SOLD HIS SOUL. THIS IS HAYDES.
timothy10112 5 months ago
To add to my last, if your story really IS genuine, try researching a little better next time. I could answer every accusation in this vid, but with the character limit, that would be difficult. Try getting it from both sides. The church doesn't discourage finding answers to questions. And actual church historians have the truth about every claim you made as well as the context of the few that were true. It does NOT "hide" things as you claim.
adampoole6 5 months ago
Either you were sheltered growing up, or I'm not buying that you even grew up a member of the church. You told all these horror stories about things you "found out" about the church after a mission and college and how shocking they were when you did. I've heard all that junk all of my life and know that most of it is bull and the rest is out of context. I was faced with it every day of my mission in Colorado, not to mention high school and before. Clearly you don't know our beliefs at all.
adampoole6 5 months ago
Seems way too highly produced to be put together by some guy just trying to "get the word out" about the church. Seems like you have a lot of anger against something you chose to do, too. Why else would you spend so much time making this? As a former member of the church you know God judges those based upon what they know and how they used that knowledge, and thus an athiest could be better off in the afterlife than a member of the church. You fail to mention or understand that.
mattk311 5 months ago
@mattk311 Isn't anger sometimes a valid emotion? I think it is. It may be a sign we should pay attention to. He may feel some anger towards himself as he went along with it all, and, being in the mormon church, lost a lot of money! Being in an exmo support group will help him deal with these emotions.
bossendenwoodconvict 5 months ago 2
Great video! I think a lot of us ex-mo RMs BYU grads have similar stories.
mdlinks 6 months ago
This message is for Eric... Eric, don't u think u should go back to Mexico or whereever u served a mission and tell all those people that avery thing u said, was't true..??? Or maybe do a spanish talk video.. bby the way love your video
linekerkammer 7 months ago
Hey Eric, I believe it takes a lot of guts to follow your heart and do what you believe is best for you. You found your own path and are following that and I respect that. I am Mormon but I understand that people will always find what works best for them. Continue following your heart my friend and you will find happiness.
Scolpin 7 months ago 4
Great video man and take care !
ThreeX 7 months ago
Awesome video! This is Rob from "Hi my name is Robert..." that my buddy filmed. I wonder if you could get him to put your video up on his site to get it some more exposure. I will put in on my face book wall to help share your story!
rkgo4th 7 months ago
Thanks for sharing your story, Eric. It's a very nice vid!
LouisaLust 8 months ago
nice job with the video, it turned out quite good.
ulisscarple 8 months ago
@DeterminedAtheist What do you mean, you are glad he "escaped" the LDS church? Oh this makes me so mad. It's just so offensive. I'm a convert to the LDS church and can't imagine being in any other church! We have the fulness of the gospel!
cindybin2001 8 months ago
@cindybin2001 Cindy fuck this church seriously. You are part of a cult and you know it. Their history is so fucking twisted that if this is the one true church God has a real fucking problem. Wait a minute, there is no God anyway.
KenM66 7 months ago
@KenM66 It's comments like yours that keep me coming back. Also, please don't use profanity. There are ladies on these boards. Have you heard that a gentleman shouldn't swear in front of a lady? Do you talk this way in real life?? How rude.
cindybin2001 7 months ago
I loved your video too! I left the Church several years ago; have since divorced my husband who was a TBM, and life is MUCH better now!!!!
The idea that ex-Mormons leave because they are lazy is preposterous. Almost everyone I've ever talked to said it was the hardest thing they ever did, which was true for me too. But TOTALLY WORTH IT! :)
HavaLyon 8 months ago 2
@MorrisonEnterprise
"Thanks for playing."
That's cute. As if you actually left me without rejoinder. You haven't.
To your point about the FDA. Irrelevant. How a government organization chooses to use science is not an indictment of science itself. Do you or do you not accept the peer review process? To reject the process is to reject science.
As for your second point, there is a lot on blood type and disease, as is to be expected. How does any of this support a blood type diet?
h8uall66 9 months ago
@999LDS - A few verses later in Galatians 1:10 - "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." There's a common thread of showing how leaving the church has allowed them to please themselves more. Such videos never seem to discuss how how they are better servants to God through the decision to be an ex-Mormon; rather try to discredit the church and talk about how free they are from guilt now that they aren't LDS.
kevinhansen0711 9 months ago
@999LDS - the conundrum is that God taught us to watch for a restoration of all things. Since the apostles, churches throughout the world have grown apart from the things Christ taught. The LDS faith is a restoration of all things - the fulness of times prophesied of by the Apostles. LDS Prophets today issue the same warnings and invitations they Apostles did. Come unto Christ. This video invites men to "6... a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all."
kevinhansen0711 9 months ago
Guilt doesn't come from an institution, rather they are self imposed when you are not living up to the standards you wish to hold yourself to. If you wish to hold yourself to less standards than what the LDS faith asks of you, that's your choice. I simply don't understand how you feel compelled to down the church with the new 'truths' you've discovered about it in order to lift yourself up. Why not simply quit it to live life the way you want to? What is accomplished by persuading others away?
kevinhansen0711 9 months ago
Great video, I really value seeing others who have really discovered the truth about Mormonism. I had a really hard time leaving. Actually the leaving was easy, it was learning to un-learn the reflexes of Mormon groupthink that was really difficult. And especially the idea that happiness is an absolute value that you can only achieve with a perfect life. I've embraced my own imperfection and it is a beautiful thing.
savagekittyx 9 months ago
@savagekittyx Wow. I'm a convert to the LDS church since 1981 and this is just so distorted. I'm far from perfect, everybody is! You don't have to be perfect to be a Mormon! Nobody can be perfect in this life! Come on, you know that!! This is one of the things they teach in church! I don't know where people get these ideas about Mormons. I can't imagine being in any other church.
cindybin2001 8 months ago
@cindybin2001 do you know ANYTHING about this group you've joined? Have you done any research whatsoever into its founder? Or is it simply that you "can't imagine being in any other church" that you do not seek to learn these things? Try this: Google "cults 101 checklist of cult characteristics" Go to that list and see how many of those you think apply to your wonderful church. Then try imagining thinking for yourself. It's harder than you think when you've been Mormon for so many years
savagekittyx 8 months ago
@savagekittyx No, I have never done any research whatsoever. I blindly joined because that's the type of person I am. Actually I was brainwashed into joining. Help me, please help me!!! Sigh. Seriously, I guess you haven't read my MILLION comments on these boards about all the research I did and how I read all this anti-Mormon stuff over 30 years ago when I was first investigating the church. And now we have the INTERNET to perpetuate all this stuff. It's so frustrating!
cindybin2001 8 months ago
@savagekittyx You know, I thought Yahoo was bad. I used to post only on those headline boards, and whenever there was a story about Utah or Mormons, they would bash the church. I had no idea that YouTube had all these videos and message boards and that people were saying all these things about the church! It's just unreal, the power of the Internet. And people BELIEVE these things!!!
cindybin2001 8 months ago
@cindybin2001 honey, first of all, there is no such conspiracy as "ANTI-MORMON." I guarantee the rest of the normal world doesn't give 2 sh#@s about your little group. You know where I learned the most important information to solidify my feeling that the Mormon fairytale is a sham? Church History. Honestly, it's the most powerful "anti-mormon" literature there is. Oh and you get bonus points if you search, ponder and pray to know that it's true.
savagekittyx 8 months ago
@savagekittyx Oh it figures. Here I tried to help you understand about the church so you wouldn't put it down, and that you might even want to know more about it and join it one day. But instead you put me down, and even SWEAR at me. Oh that makes me so mad!!! Are you a woman? Here I am yelling at GUYS to watch their language because ladies are on these boards, and so it really drives me nuts when a woman swears!! Think of the impression you're giving off!
cindybin2001 8 months ago
@cindybin2001 that's so gracious of you to get all hostile in an attempt to "help me understand about the church." You are doing a marvelous job putting a very representative face on such a backwards organization. Spot on.
savagekittyx 8 months ago
@savagekittyx Well what do you expect from me, when you have such an attitude and then you casually blurt out profanity?? That drives me nuts! Of course I'm going to react! It breaks my heart when I see women swearing! Men too, of course. But here I try to talk some sense into you and help you understand why this is wrong, and instead you just put me down. I thought you would apologize for saying the things you did.
cindybin2001 8 months ago
@savagekittyx And then you put down my religion, saying all these untrue things, calling it a "backwards organization", etc. That is very offensive! I was trying to help dispel all these misconceptions about the Church. I thought you would take to heart what I said and apologize for just assuming these bad things about the church. But of course, it was like talking to a wall. Figures.
cindybin2001 8 months ago
@savagekittyx Well I just checked your profile and it appears that you ARE a woman! Oh this makes me furious! And here you just casually blurt out this crude language right on the Internet for all to see. We will NEVER get the guys to understand why they shouldn't swear in front of a lady, when LADIES swear! Do you talk this way in real life?? What type of guy is going to want to date or marry a woman who casually uses profanity?? I'm not even speaking as a Mormon here, just a woman!!!
cindybin2001 8 months ago
@savagekittyx And you know, if you were Mormon, you wouldn't be casually blurting out this crude language for all to see!! It's so crude and unladylike! You shouldn't even have to be Mormon to know not to talk this way! Oh it just drives me nuts when you women act like you are so cool and superior, and then you casually use profanity like it's nothing. Think of the impression you are giving off! It sounds just terrible!!! And you are very rude for putting down my religion!
cindybin2001 8 months ago
Glad to see you are happy as an atheist. There is nothing worse in the world, then when a person leaves the mormon church and goes to some other inferior church. I have respect for people who leave the church and become atheist.
wagmaster5000 9 months ago
Hi Eric, I'm an ex-mormon and live in Boise, I'd love to meet you. The postmormon group is meeting tomorrow night on May 18th at Fuddruckers on Ustick and Eagle. If you get this in time, come visit. Otherwise, we will be meeting next month on the 3rd Wednesday. Do you do movies for other exmormons?
mixitupmarketing 9 months ago
test
mixitupmarketing 9 months ago
So typical of LDS members finding out by themselves what the church is really all about.
At least 150 LDS leave the church every DAY, only 3/4 million out of the 14m are active. So much for a fast growing church.
All m ormons should read Galatians 1 ;6-8 and digest.
999LDS 9 months ago
@999LDS this is crazy!! I keep seeing all these people telling Mormons to read that Galations stuff, like we never read the Bible!! We read the Bible all the time!
cindybin2001 8 months ago
@cindybin2001 You read it, but you dont digest it.If the Bible says there are no Gods before or after me, that no book should be added or taken away from it, that if another book is put before you, you wish them God's speed, why do you follow a church which is exactly what the Bible says not to follow.
There must be a reason why 150 members of the LDS church leave every day. Find out why at UTLMdotORG
999LDS 8 months ago
@999LDS Good questions! As I've mentioned before, a book that helped me with these and other questions is A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, by LeGrande Richards. I read all this anti-Mormon stuff over 30 years ago when I was first investigating the church, and I wanted to know the truth. People told me that the Bible says no more scripture, etc. I just knew there had to be something behind what Mormons believed. I took the time to learn the truth.
cindybin2001 8 months ago
Good for you! Welcome to the world.
duggaduggadugga 9 months ago
Hey Eric,
I agree with several other comments on this thread, that this video was well done. Thank you for sharing your story. I've worked out of Rexburg and can sympathize with the great adversity and persecution one can encounter for not conforming to religious dogma. In such a atmosphere there is enormous pressure to be the same, I've found it to be very destructive for anyone seeking objective morality and truths. I'm glad you were able to leave, before it completely destroyed you.
TheSleepingLionRoars 9 months ago
Hi Eric. This video was very well done. You shared your experiences as a former LDS missionary until you encountered the historical and theological problems of the Mormon Church. I can understand and appreciate the disappointment and anger, and especially if you received unloving responses from those you once trusted. Once trust is violated, it's very hard to really know what's true. I wish you could of gone to tilm.org for answers to false teachings instead of finding out LDS is just fals
TILMoutreach 9 months ago
@TILMoutreach Your cult is just as fake as LDS... A historical critical look at the origins of the Bible reveals evidence that many of its stories were fabricated in much the same fashion as the BoM.
HoleDweller 9 months ago
Hi Eric. This video was very well done. You shared your experiences as a former LDS missionary until you encountered the historical and theological problems of the Mormon Church. I can understand and appreciate the disappointment and anger, and especially if you received unloving responses from those you once trusted. Once trust is violated, it's very hard to really know what's true. I wish you could of gone to tilm.org for answers to false teachings instead of finding out LDS is just false
TILMoutreach 9 months ago
Awesome video! I'm so glad to find these videos online. Leaving the Mormon cult was a difficult choice, but I've never made a better or more important decision. It can be isolating at first, but you soon find yourself able to make more and better quality friends than before.
katwoolfy 9 months ago
Tsk, tsk, so many people missed the "like" button, disappointing
Azotadeth 9 months ago
Great, now maybe you should go on a new mission to all the places you visited when you were on your Mormon "mission" and track down all the people you lied to. Apologize to them and reveal the truths you have discovered about the phony Mormon religion. Undo the damage you did when you were in your Mormon coma.
AtheistOnTheEdge 9 months ago
@AtheistOnTheEdge What a terrible thing to say! I'm a convert to the LDS church and can't imagine being in any other religion. Heck, just knowing that a church has "coffee hour" or that members think nothing is wrong with drinking booze makes me know it isn't the true church. And then so many people in other churches thing Mormons are racist, and that we demean women, etc. That is just SO untrue! It makes me KNOW that other people truly don't understand.
cindybin2001 8 months ago
Fantastic video man.
TheAtheistAllegiance 9 months ago
I'm a ex-mormon as well and when i left the LDS church in 2008, it was the best feeling you'll ever get. your mind is so clear afterwards. it's no longer clouded by all the lies that the LDS church tells you.
PhysicsAssassin 9 months ago
you're a babe.
klaaspice 9 months ago
Thank you! :)
I'm from a strong Mormon family but...I just can't be one. I feel dishonest living a life I don't believe in...but my family doesn't understand...
I love hearing your story because it makes me feel better about my decision :D
ihatenames2 9 months ago
Hi Eric, I really liked your video! I find in interesting in to comments how many people are warning you to be skeptical about the blood type diet. Probably while taking unproven prescription medicines. As a doctor for 17 years it took my patients coming to me and teaching me about the blood type diet for me to open my mind. As physicist Richard Feynmann put it, the sole test of the validity of any idea is experiment. These patients experimented on themselves, and found their proof.
SteveNenninger 9 months ago
@SteveNenninger
Feynman (not Feynmann) I'm quite sure would agree that Anecdotal evidence (i.e. patients experimenting on themselves) is unreliable and very susceptible to bias and therefore not useful. Proof should remain in the domain of mathematics. Science based medicine doesn't claim absolute certainty about anything. The best we can do is hold provisionally what the best evidence indicates to be correct. At least with "prescription medicine" we have some sort of vetting process.
DeterminedAtheist 9 months ago
@MorrisonEnterprise
I also wanted to mention that you appear to be deeply invested in BTD (emotionally and possibly financially) and I would strongly advise trying to take that into account when evaluating the evidence for BTD. Strong investments in a belief seem to greatly effect our ability to evaluate their truthfulness. I'd just like to see people give up as many of their sacred cows as possible. Take care. I wish you well and I mean no offense and sure appreciate your video.
DeterminedAtheist 9 months ago
@MorrisonEnterprise
Nearly every pseudoscience I can remember is started by someone who was a "skeptic". Many religious apologists take this approach as well (i.e. Paul, Kirk Cameron and Lee Strobel to name a few). It is also always just a matter of time before mainstream science catches up. Confirmation bias can be a real bitch and convince us of causation where it doesn't exist. The BTD appears to be just another extraordinary claim with very little evidence to back it up.
DeterminedAtheist 9 months ago
Great job. I hope this serves as an inspiration for others.
drgoldteef 9 months ago
great movie! : )
chente 9 months ago
Who is the girl at 2:43 I can't quite see her face but if she went to Firth High School I bet I know her. That's where I'm from. Crazy small world.
prewanabe11 9 months ago
excellent video and im very proud of you :)
delicflower 9 months ago
I saw your comment on Thinkingatheist and I checked out your video. Very well done and very touching. I'm glad your happy now and are at peace with your decision making =)
LinkHyrulien 9 months ago
Thank you for sharing.
blackrozeify 9 months ago
religion is mind control and enslaves you to never grow to your full potential; always something holding you back.
jbrah69 9 months ago
Great Video, talented in getting the point across. Thanks and Good Luck to You.
danielh13565 9 months ago
Hey man, great video! Fellow atheist here too and do the same stuff you do. Glad to see you're doing well even without the social connections that the mormon religion brings.
mcweyen 10 months ago
Hey man, great video! Fellow atheist here too and do the same stuff you do. Glad to see you're doing well even without the social connections that the mormon religion brings.
mcweyen 10 months ago
Eric, you are clearly someone worth knowing. Thanks for sharing your testimony. :-)
birostrisphile 10 months ago
Hurray for Ex-Mormon / atheist / cycling / video-making / free thinkers! Fantastic video!
ProgExMo 10 months ago
Hurray for Ex-Mormon / atheist / cycling / video-making / free thinkers! Fantastic video!
ProgExMo 10 months ago
Amazing video.
ArmsInUp 10 months ago
Great video! In what part of Mexico did you serve? I'm a mexican ex-mo and it's truly inspiring to realize that there's a lot of people like me who open their eyes before it was too late.
¡Saludos, Eric!
jarbear 10 months ago
I freakin love you, Eric! I miss you tons...
But you already know that.
I just wanted to comment on your video, too.
hollalolly 10 months ago
I used to feel empathy for mormons when I was one of them, now I feel it for people who opened their eyes just like me..Great video!
UrStreatWrld 10 months ago
This is really great! I also left the Church last year and now I am a happy atheist.
philosophiesofchris 10 months ago
Awesome video!! Thanks for sharing your story!!
ajotterstrom 10 months ago
Great video Eric! Loved it! I posted it on our "I am an Ex Mormon" facebook fanpage and twitter!
iamanexmormon 10 months ago
Beautifully done, thanks for sharing your journey.
jaytee3baxter 10 months ago
Seeing that you went to BYU-Idaho gave me hope for other Mormons out there that may be questioning. I went too, I'm leaving the church now. I'm happier then I've ever been. :)
hummingbird091 10 months ago
Very articulate and well done! I love how you say you were insulted! I felt the same.
TheDiamondWoman1 10 months ago
Happy for you, son.
supertito123 10 months ago
WAY TO GO, Eric! This was excellent! Welcome to your beautiful life! The one you were meant to live!! Said from the current Vice-President of the ExMormon Foundation!
kackyful 10 months ago 3
It takes a strong character to beat down the wall of Mormon indoctrination and deception.
awolLDSasap 10 months ago
I loved your statement of: "Opening my mind to the forbidden possibilities..."
karamat02 10 months ago 2
Fantastic vid
OGMint 10 months ago
Great video man! There's more of us every day. You can check out some more people that were moved to record their exit experiences if you search YouTube for "I Am An Ex Mormon".
I and my family made one there too. Be glad you figured it out so young. It took me 15 years longer than you to figure it out. I was lucky to have my family get out intact with me. Others aren't so lucky.
tanis666 10 months ago
@tanis666 Are you the Leavitts? I've seen almost all of those vids, which is what motivated me to make my own! Thanks a lot for the response, I really appreciate all the awesome feedback!
MorrisonEnterprise 10 months ago 2
Comment removed
tanis666 10 months ago
@MorrisonEnterprise Yep, that's us. :) I'm glad we're inspiring others to tell their stories. It's the only way we can combat the ridiculous stereotype the church perpetuates of the "fallen apostate" whose life has gone to hell in a handbasket. And who only left out of laziness or desire to sin.
tanis666 10 months ago 2
Ex-Mormon here. Left in 2007. NO regrets what so ever!
blessedmamaof10 10 months ago
Excellent vid bro!
NavajoJoe66 10 months ago
This turned out great! I was at BYU-Idaho while you were there, I wonder if we crossed paths. Interestingly, Sunrise was where I lived when I figured out that the church is a fraud. Not that it's a huge campus.
Congratulations on figuring it all out, transcending the judgmental mindset and emerging into a more authentic, fulfilled life.
AngelicFerret 10 months ago 2
@AngelicFerret That's awesome, it's definitely a small world! Sunrise.. lol so ghetto. Good times, thanks for the support!
MorrisonEnterprise 10 months ago
Great video -
religiousantagonist 10 months ago
Awesome story! i dont really have one, i just never beleived things were right or wrong because somebody said so. we're all born atheists i just was lucky enough to stay that way.
VideoGameCathedral 10 months ago 2
Fantastic video!!!!
ExmormonFoundation 10 months ago
Great video Eric, thanks for this
backcountryjame 10 months ago
Thanks guys!
MorrisonEnterprise 10 months ago
Nice video
chrisgarelli 10 months ago