Lord, is it I?

[beefche]

Am I the only person who wonders what it would take for me to leave the church or denounce my faith? I'm sure many of us know people who were so faithful in the church that have fallen away. And we can see what happened from our armchairs. It seems so easy to see what others are doing that could drive them away. But I worry more about myself.

I've heard from talks and leaders that there are certain things to watch for: ceasing to pray or read scriptures, criticizing the General Authorities (or beginning with criticizing local leaders), ceasing to pay tithing, etc. What struck me was that these all seem to be "little things"--not the big things one would expect.

Just some thoughts I've had. It seems so easy to fall out the habits of good living and fall back into being lazy and comfortable. I don't want to be one of those stories that others tell, "she used to be so faithful. I wonder what happened?"

[sixpacktr]

Beefche,

I have wondered the same thing. I have known friends, RMs, great guys, strong in the church, and are now completely inactive and blaming the church for their problems. I sat in a meeting where a guy gave one the best talks I've ever heard, someone I looked up to as a leader (he was a HC), and 6 months later he was inactive (actually completely against the church), had abandoned his family, etc. He didn't even come to his mother's funeral. I was the one that took her the sacrament every other week as YM's President because he was gone. All I could ask myself was 'what was the point of it all? He did everything he was supposed to for 60 years, and then just chunks it away.'

My wife is big on stating that it is the little things that determine if we'll be faithful or not, and indeed, if we'll make it to the CK or not. Why? Because Satan rarely puts a (pardon me for this) gorgeous naked woman in someone's path that is reading the scriptures, praying, paying tithing, following their leader's counsel, etc., and expecting them to fall right then and there. The big things are easy, but if we neglect the little things, the big things become easier to succumb to because we no longer have the Spirit as we should in our lives.

Ridiculing leaders is a HUGE problem I see in the church right now. More local leaders than our GAs, although I see some of that as well (kind of 'cafeteria style' acceptance of what they teach--I like that one, but not so crazy about THAT teaching, etc). I see it here on this forum way too much, so much so that it is very easy to see who will and won't have problems down the line when things get really tough. We haven't even begun to see the bad yet, and if we don't hold to the rod, ALL of the rod with our whole hands (hearts and soul) we tempt fate in being led into 'unknown paths' that are covered in mists of darkness...

[Snow]

Originally Posted by beefche

Am I the only person who wonders what it would take for me to leave the church or denounce my faith?

No, I too worry about what it would take for you to leave the Church.

My guess? 2 talls of Coors Light and a pack of Lucky Strikes.

[hordak]

Unanswered prayers, death of a loved one etc.
As an "on again, off again, " member , and maybe some of our resident atheists can help me here, i can tell it isn't little stuff that causes people to lose their faith. The little stuff is a symptom of losing the faith.

It's the loss of faith that cause one to give up the little things not the other way around.


Think of it like this, why do people leave other faiths?

[Seminarysnoozer]

I agree with Hordak. It kind of depends on where one starts though. It is like the parable of the sower (Matthew 13). If one is not rooted well, like being planted in stoney earth, the seed is easily scorched. Or if it is rooted well but one surrounds themselves with thorns or thorny thoughts then it might choke out one's testimony. Verses 21 through 23 explain the scenarios that change a person's testimony. I have seen many in my own family that get easily offended and leave the church but most often they are those that haven't rooted themselves well. I have others in my family that rely on their secular education for answers, professors and doctors, who let the thorns of that education choke out the truth or those pursuits become more important than the gospel. I think it varies for everyone, the best prevention is root yourself well in the truth and listen to the spirit and bear fruit, then when these challenges come it won't kill the 'seed'.

[Prodigal_Son]

Reminds me of President Uchdorf's talk about having our compass set just one degree off...

[candyprpl]

In primary, we sometimes pose situations to the kids that gives them ready defenses when faced with a problem -- all the 'what ifs' in our lives. I think it's wonderful to think about those 'what ifs' and have ready plans.

When I first joined the Church and was reading the Book of Mormon for the first time through, a scripture hit me like a ton of bricks. I was having questions about how to stay faithful and would I be able to, etc. And then I read Alma 24:30
"And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things."

That verse scared me to death -- I knew how hard my heart had been before and I could see how it would have to become even harder after falling away. It was one of the first scripture verses that I marked and because I always wanted that reminder I wrote in the front of my scriptures on the blank page, "reason to not fall away!"

I have family members who have fallen away and I see the truth of this scripture in their lives now.

About 3 weeks after my baptism I was out in Ca. visiting my daughter (who is not a member). She is a recovering addict and I went with her to a celebration of someone else's 1 year sobriety birthday (as they call it). It was a dinner party and quite a few people were sitting at this long table. Across from me and my daughter sat this young woman and I caught part of her conversation when she mentioned having been married in a mormon temple. I started listening to her -- it was really quite sad to hear her talk badly about the church and temple marriage in particular. I leaned over to my daughter and told her that what she was saying was not the truth. My daughter looked at me with sadness in her eyes and said, 'even though I don't know anything about the mormon church I can tell she's just bitter.' I still wonder about that young woman -- I still wonder, had she stayed steadfast how would her life be different? I mean clearly it would have been. So sad. She is still in my prayers today.

For me personally, I think you must remember the little things and stay on top of them. Some of us are too easily swayed and we must be prepared for the lies of the deceiver.

[Moksha]

Originally Posted by Snow

My guess? 2 talls of Coors Light and a pack of Lucky Strikes.

Nay, Beefchee would not even leave for a pack of Fatimas and a sixer of Polygamy Porter beer! She would chain herself to green pastures and not want.
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One thing we need to remember is that everyone who voluntarily leaves does so for their own reason and they should never be cast with a negative label. God still loves them. They should never fear reentry thinking they will burn up. The Prodigal Mormon can return.

[Maya]

The only thing I can say is that the does all he can to get us out of the Church! I hate to critizise anyone or should I say I hate critizising.


I think that is a blessing! Anyone without foult....

[havejoy]

I became angry at God when my children were not protected from harm as I had prayed they would be. I left the church for 12 years. During those years I missed out on a lot of blessings that could have been mine had I not been so hard hearted.
I never doubted the power of the priesthood or the blessings that come with tithing, obeying the words of wisdom, laws of chastity, etc., but I was angry and felt as if God had turned His back on me.
The first time I prayed after 12 years of silence I felt comforted so I now know it was only I who turned my back.
I don't think I could ever turn away again......that was a long and miserable 12 years.