"My name is Alex and I'm an Ex Mormon."

http://www.i-am-an-exmormon.com/

http://www.exmormonfoundation.org

http://www.postmormon.org/

http://www.exmormon.reddit.com

http://www.LifeAfterMormonism.net

I've actually been solidly an atheist since last Winter semester, but the process began in earnest years before that, and the first indications are among my oldest memories. In CTR 6 or 7, Mom was once the substitute teacher, and she gave a lesson on giving your testimony. She wrote "I know the church is true" on the board and called on me to say it. I refused, because I was not aware of any such knowledge, and I didn't want to lie. I got in a bit of trouble for this. I never thought I knew the church was true--not for sure. And later when various things led to an active search for truth, I could not find a single person who could tell me how they actually knew the church was true--how do you know the feeling was the spirit? Nothing was logically convincing. I questioned various avenues, getting so anxious that I simply wanted to have the answer, so I allowed myself to consider the possibility that the church was not true. Once that was on the table, things started lining up.

The issue of faith was the problem, and the basic form of faith and the foundation of all the religion I knew was a faith in God. Now I could understand the idea of trusting God--but to trust that he existed seemed unreasonable. I familiarized myself with the arguments for and against God's existence, and I found that there was absolutely no convincing argument that God was there. In fact, I found no reason to believe at all. Learning more about psychology and later anthropology made me realize just how simple it would be for masses of people to fool themselves into all sorts of states of mind, including a witness of the spirit. I'd even experienced such a feeling when dealing with a matter which made apparent that I had created the feeling myself--and this obvious impostor was as strong as any supposedly real spiritual experience I'd known. Then of course there was the fact that many people from many contradictory religions had similar convictions--with no outside reference, how could I trust the nature of my own experience?
(CONTINUED)

If you wish to read more of Alex's exit story, please click on the following link: http://www.iamanexmormon.com/2011/06/my-name-is-alex-stout-and-im-an-ex-mormon/

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[TheMarcrest1]

I'll tell you why you're an ex-mormon,because you didn't do Moronai's challenge. Now go and read 2Ne. 9;27.

[iamanexmormon]

@TheMarcrest1 This is the scripture for everyone's easy reference:

"But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!"

This seems to have strong words to say about people who leave the LDS organization.

I wonder if this kind of scripture is what causes division in strong LDS families when one individual leaves the church?

[dbqdawg]

That took more balls than giving a fake testimony alex. Good job!

[MrAmericanpatriot18]

@CoolChildfreeGuy This isnt even about God you retard. This is about loving yourself and wanting to continue life. After that rant about your father all I can say is clearly you have a negative outlook on life. Glad leaving the church made you a happier person lol. Have fun being alone, LOSER. ;)

[CoolChildfreeGuy]

@MrAmericanpatriot18 Also, don't even mention "God's plan." Your "God" just like every other god man has thought up is a figment of your imagination. There is no such thing as god/gods. Religion is a mental illness and it's time we start treating it as such. Everyone who believes in any god needs to be committed and medicated for their dangerous delusions.

I'm CoolChildfreeGuy, and I'm an ex-Mormon and an atheist.

[CoolChildfreeGuy]

@MrAmericanpatriot18 Because those things aren't necessary. Hell, if the entire human race went extinct it wouldn't be an inherently bad thing! We're the most worthless, useless, pointless species on this earth, quite frankly.

And for the record, I hated my father until the day he died, and I'm glad he's dead now. Why would I want to continue his lineage? I changed my last name after he died anyway, so I couldn't continue his lineage even if I tried, so there goes that. :-P

[MrAmericanpatriot18]

@CoolChildfreeGuy Man I dont give 2 farts what your "reasons" are. All I need to know is you put your own selfish wants above the survival of your family and your lineage. Nothing else matters.

[CoolChildfreeGuy]

@MrAmericanpatriot18 "Idiots?" Dude, it costs almost a quarter of a million dollars to raise a kid for 18 years. I have A LOT better things to do with that kind of money. I also have a career I love and am 100% committed to that takes up a lot of my time (I'm a professional pilot and flight instructor), so I'm not really at home much anyway.

It was precisely logic that led me to realize I did not want children and never will. There are many more who think like me. Google "childfree by choice."

[MrAmericanpatriot18]

@CoolChildfreeGuy Thats fine, idiots with that mentality shouldn't pass genes along anways. I wont say more since logic might change your mind and then you might bring more idiots into the world. Have a nice life

[CoolChildfreeGuy]

@MrAmericanpatriot18 Uh, no. Men are not "supposed" to make babies with women. They can, but that doesn't mean they have to or are "supposed" to. As a childfree man (sterilized at 23, no kids or regrets) I have no intentions of ever doing that kind of thing. I have much better things to spend my time and money on than making and raising babies.

Oh, and I'm straight, and there are many more who think like me.

[MrAmericanpatriot18]

This isnt bigotry. This is nature. Call it Gods design or just the way nature (or science or whatever floats your boat) works but men are SUPPOSED to make babies with women, if they do not they are BY DEFINITION (you know the individuals who can provide for and reproduce the most) not following the laws of God (or nature or whatever..etc).

[OptikRise]

Unfortunately growing up in the "Mecca" (Salt Lake) as a Mormon, isn't the greatest thing for young LDS people. You need to get out of the bubble.

[DarkTheSeven]

@MrAmericanpatriot18 Except not all humans are bigoted towards homosexuals, so pretty weak excuse there.