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< Mormonism and culture | Response to "Why People Leave the LDS Church" (2008)
Historical and doctrinal issues | A FAIR Analysis of: "Why People Leave the LDS Church" (2008), a work by author: John P. Dehlin
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The PowerPoint screencast "Why People Leave the LDS Church" (2008) by John Dehlin deals with two different major issues related to those who leave the Church:
This article reviews the historical and doctrinal issues raised in the presentation. For a review of the social considerations raised in this presentation, see "Why People Leave the LDS Church"—Historical and doctrinal issues.
When Church members discover the gap between what they have been taught and what history shows, they feel stunned and betrayed, like they've been lied to, like there has been a cover-up. They feel disgusted and very angry.
They starting thinking about all the tithing they paid, and all the time they spent in the temple. All the sacrifices and all the callings. How much they gave to the Church. Worth a lot of empathy and understanding.
*Once this happens to you...you never look at Joseph Smith the same way again.
*Once this happens to you...you never look at scripture the same way again.
*Once this happens to you...you never look at the Church the same way again.
*Once this happens to you...you never think of "authority" the same way again.
*Once this happens to you...your concept of God and Jesus and "the one true church" can change dramatically.
*How do we treat those who leave? Fear. Labels—"Anti-Mormon," "Ex-Mormon," "Apostate," "Dangerous," "Ark-steadiers."
- What did Jesus do? Defended those that were struggling against the "religious."
*How do we treat those who leave? Cease communication. We ostracize and distance ourselves from them.
- What did Jesus do? Associated with everyone (Publicans, etc.) Go after the 1...leave the 99. Go the extra mile. Turn the other cheek.
*How do we treat those who leave? Results. Divorce, dissolution of family. Loss of community. Job loss.
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