When I was approached by the LDS missionaries, I felt the Holy Ghost confirm that meeting was important. The Holy Ghost later confirmed that my membership with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was good and true. At no time did I have any concern about any “alledged” immoral actions of other Mormons. My attendance to this Church was led by the Spirit, not by personal judgements of other people.
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It is sad to hear some stories of why a few members leave the Church, even though in numbers they are far less than those who fall to false beliefs and doctrines from others and the world. These few leave because of the poor behaviour of some members, some of who gained positions of leadership in the Church.
The irresponsible behaviour of some members who mistreat, in any way, other members or potential investigators is inexcusable. There is one such story of an ex-member of 15 plus years who suffered mistreatment at the hands of a local Church leader who employed this member in his business when this member was in teen-hood. He refused to pay this member for work done and that betrayal and mistreatment set the stage within the heart and mind of that young member. Later, this young member later witnessed at another LDS Church a Bishop refusing a mother entry into a funeral service for her husband because of his bias toward her lesbianism tendencies. That was the straw that broke the camels back. This member left the Church and to this day refuses to return.
There are many other Christians who speak against the use of feelings in regards to faith and the discernment of truth. Some Christians use the Bible to deny the idea that impressions from the Holy Ghost are felt based on the idea that we cannot trust feelings. Others denounce the idea of feelings because it has no basis in fact or logic, claiming that feelings about Mormonism is far too subjective.
Bible passages used by others to discredit the use of feelings are, Proverbs 3:5 ; 14:12 ; 28:26 and James 2:24, to name a few. It appears that religious beliefs about feelings fall into two basic camps. The ones who deny feelings to promote facts and logic and the other camp that declares feelings as a means to determine if they are saved. Either way, when reading the beliefs of these two camps, I see that there is no real understanding of the scriptures and what God teaches about feelings.
Many of the members of this Church are converts and some of these converts came from both camps, the “fact” camp and the “feeling” camp. It is reasonable to believe that either convert would likely experience some degree of struggle with their past beliefs in the face of the doctrines and teachings of this Church. With the ties to their past still affecting them, it can be difficult to make the transition. The “fact” believers would have to learn the spiritual truth (facts) about feelings and the believers from the feeling camp would need to learn and develop a better perspective of “feelings” in reference to spiritual truth and the gospel.
Have you ever felt despair, felt that nothing goes right and all seems gloomy? In this you may experience that there are no apparent answers, no way out, or that the down and out events just keep repeating themselves? Have you experienced constant disappointment, that no matter what you did, very little progressed and changed? Again this may have led to feelings and thoughts of despair?
In any of these states of mind and heart, have you been able to see clearly and see answers to your dilemma’s?
The Author: MWarbinek
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