Windy Sydney

Mr. Monson,

You don't know me, but I have been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for my entire life (29 years).  I was born and raised in the state of Utah, a place that makes Mormonism seem normal.  Nearly everyone in my life, including parents, relatives, friends, neighbors and school teachers, would testify that the Church was true, the Book of Mormon was revelation from God, and Joseph Smith was a really swell guy.

I was raised to respect and trust church leaders.  They held callings due to revelation from God, and they would never lead the Church astray, or ask anyone to do something they felt was morally wrong.

I would like to make clear that my testimony wasn't lost due to a sin.  Many local leaders and friends that I have spoken with claim that there must be something I am hiding, or some kind of sin I want to partake in.  That is ridiculous.  I am a good person, I have always been a good person, and the Church had very little to do with that.  It comes from the wonderful parents that raised me and my willingness to stand up for what is right.  I have my faults, like everyone else, but nothing that would make me cower from the church in fear.

I wasn't offended by a ward member or local leader.  This is another excuse many church leaders throw around in meetings and speeches.  I would never abandon my entire belief system because someone in Relief Society made fun of my hair cut or claimed things about me that were untrue.  I have never once come across a person who has been in my position that left because they were "offended."  It's a way of casting us aside and conditioning others to think that we are being overly dramatic.  Being offended is a reason people might become inactive... but it's certainly not a reason for someone to change their beliefs.

Over the past year and a half, I have been reading and studying things about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that were never once mentioned to me in my years of church attendance and I need to know why.  Is it because I didn't "need" the truth?  Because I couldn't understand it?  

Mr. Monson, the church has no right to make decisions on what we "need" to know and what we dont.  Your organization requires nothing but the truth from it's members.  We are told to listen to your council, and obey no matter what... thankfully, people are starting to realize that we shouldn't listen to you.

The Church always taught me to tell the truth.  The whole truth.  Lying is something that leads to more lying.  You can't get away from it.  It eventually catches up with you.  Not giving a full account of events is lying by omission.  You learn very quickly how much you can trust a person when you learn what they choose to tell you.  My father once gave me very good advice about those I should trust.  He looked at me, smiled, and said, "Andee, would you buy a used car from that person?"

Mr. Monson, I couldn't buy a used car from you.

There are literally countless ways I was lied to and decived by the Church, and instead of going over those one by one, I am simply going to explain the reason behind my future resignation. The final straw.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seems to have a real problem with allowing everyone to have equal rights.  Polygamy, preaching that those with dark skin were cursed from God and not allowed to hold the priesthood until 1978, and fighting against the ERA are just a few examples. 

I am ashamed to call myself a Mormon.  In no way are you showing that you are a true Christian or a man of God by fighting so hard to limit the rights of a group of people.  The church's actions in the cases of Andrew Callahan and Chad Hardy show that members are not allowed to form their own opinions or political ideals.

Many of my friends have been vocal about disagreeing with the Church's stance on Proposition 8 in California, and they have been met with threats of excommunication and other discipline.  You are trying so hard to make your members do what you say, that you don't realize you are wrong.

You are wrong, Mr. Monson.

You don't know God.

-Andee