Quote:
Originally Posted by bytor2112
Are people who become in-active and live outside of church teachings for many years any different from people who become ex-mormons? Other than never officially have there names removed. Unless they actively fight against the church.
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Being an ex-Mormon is a choice, just like being an active Mormon is. It takes action to be removed from the membership records. In my experience, very few people who are just "inactive" take the steps to have their name removed. People generally take action only if they have a reason to take action.
Some people who reject the LDS church purposely don't have their names removed, because to them it's just paperwork and it just doesn't matter to them.
Although it's kind of an old-fashioned term, I think the idea of a jack-Mormon is a useful one -- someone who has drifted away, doesn't live "Mormon standards," but still thinks the Church is true or at least may be true.
I was inactive for a few years when I was at BYU (before they had the requirement to attend church), but I believed the Church was true then and I always intended to go back at some point. I
really did not enjoy attending church at BYU. Student wards just didn't suit me. But I didn't quit living LDS standards because I was inactive.
There's all kinds.