Windy Sydney

So, late last night I filled in everyone on the story of a friend of mine who has been receiving threats since leaving The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It started off with someone burning words into his lawn like "evil" and "apostate." They returned months later and added the "CTR" about the word "apostate."

A while ago, he received this note:


When I mentioned that my friend was going through a tough time and that many members of his family as well as some of his friends have stopped being as supportive as they could have been, people assumed he was doing something wrong. I want to shout from the rooftops that he hasn't! He hasn't done ANYTHING. The drama in his life wasn't caused by him at all, yet those in his circle assume the drama is happening because he left the one true church. It's a stupid game some of my own family members have played with me when I made the decision to leave.

Anything bad that happens to an ex-member of the church is because God is punishing you, or that Satan himself is leading you astray.

Anything bad that happens to a believing member of the church is because Satan is trying to push you away from God, or trying to tempt you.

It's a complete mental game that makes no sense at all.

I woke up to this comment from someone named Emma on the article from yesterday:

Oh my goodness! Thats so not cool! I'm a member of the church and I am so embarrased that members might do such nasty and immature things. I guess the people/person who done it doesn't have much understanding or testimony of the lds beliefs themself or they would not do such horrible things.. maybe they are sad little kids who's parents have made them go to church in hopes to try keep them out of trouble? Or has your friend done maybe more to stir people up that is truely evil..? In which case I can understand why the dramas if he's actively participating in slandering what people hold as most true and precious.. actually thats what it looks like by the letter he got :S

Emma, you are right. It's not cool.

It's good that you are embarrassed that members of your church would do something like this. You are correct in assuming the person responsible has no true knowledge of a loving God.

However, you immediately assume that he did something to deserve the treatment he has received. That isn't the case at all. He hasn't taken part in any kind of slandering of what people hold as "most true and precious." If you believe the letter is in response to something he did wrong, you are jumping to some horrible conclusions because he left the church. He is a good man.

He is a firefighter who would run into a burning building to save the very life that has been taunting him over the past year. It says a lot about him.

Even if he *DID* do something, say something, or piss someone off, the things that have happened to his property are not right. There is no excuse, and anyone who believes in Jesus and the teachings of Jesus would KNOW THAT!!!

Andee