My family and I had the opportunity to spend a nice long weekend in upstate NY. We were visiting our good friends who we met through church in Virginia. We truly missed them and decided we should pay a visit before Baby Bayer is brought into the world this July. Before traveling up there, we made a list of places we wanted to see while in the Rochester area. We chose Palmyra since I wanted to share my past belief to my friends.
I decided to share my thoughts after visiting Palmyra this past weekend. I hope this doesn't offend my LDS friends, but rather shares my side of the story as an "apostate" as I have been called from their Bishops before.
The first stop on our visit to Palmyra, NY was Hill Cumorah. I thought it was a great stop since this Hill has encountered so much LDS history. We stopped inside the Visitor Center where we were greeted from one of the lady Elders (missionaries). She brought us inside the room where a large statue of Jesus Christ is and shared her testimony in a soft spoken voice and then played a recording of Jesus Christ's voice. Sitting there was pretty uncomfortable for me since I didn’t want to tell them I am an ex-Mormon. It brought so many memories back to me as a Mormon and how my family would visit the temple often and sit through the same repeated "events."
The Elder then took us to the room where they would play a 20 minute video of Joseph Smith's history. It was the same video I once saw back in 2003-2004 and at that time it would make me ball. This time around, I did find myself crying but for a different reason. There wasn't an ounce of Christ in those videos but about a sinful man who many idol over. Joseph Smith was portrayed in the movie as a perfect guy who wanted nothing more than to find the "true church". It was pretty upsetting to see how the LDS faith views the Christian faith as a whole. In the film, you see Joseph walking around town with his family where those crazy Christian preachers were yelling at each corner "you must be saved" or "you’re going to burn in hell" etc. It's not a shocker they would illustrate the Christian faith this way. After all they are sectarian and view themselves as the only "true church". I actually ended up walking out of the film. Not because it was too much, but Isaiah was screaming and I wanted my friends to watch it in peace.
I waited in the Visitor/museum section of the place while Isaiah was running around screaming trying to grab everything in sight. As I was looking at everything, I found it shocking there are no artifacts from a suppose war on this Hill that resulted in tens of thousands of men from around 421 A.D. Not to mention, it was nothing but Joseph Smith history. You think they would explain their history from the battle from the Book of Mormon between the Lamanites and Nephites and share some type of visual proof. After my husband and friends exited the film, they were a little weirded out that the woman ended with saying "I can feel your soft spirits in this room" and later closed with her testimony. To me, it was normal of the LDS members to do this. I think it was just strange this time around that I was actually viewed as a "lost soul." Pretty funny really.
Before leaving the visitor center to make our hike up the Hill, I chuckled as I saw tissue boxes at each corner. I remember how sappy and sentimental my faith was. How I actually thought I could perfect myself and just have "faith" without the historical facts to back me up. It truly shows how the church operates through the deceitful heart of sinners. I remember this being my greatest weapon to further my distance from my relationship with God. I had a gushy spiritual feeling that was nothing but a load of crap. My faith was nothing different from Satan himself who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden to eat the fruit.
As we walked up the very top of Hill Cumorah, I remember questioning how a dude could walk alone down this tall hill with 50lbs of the suppose golden plates and make it home without someone seeing him for 3-4 miles? To me this makes no sense! Apart from no artifacts found on the Hill from the time of 421 A.D., this to me left many holes in their story, but I suppose the whole "faith" tactic could be used.
My friends were obviously clueless while on top of Hill when reading the statue of Angel Moroni, who was the Angel that placed the plates for Joseph Smith to later retrieve. The first 3 witnesses of the faith are no longer LDS…why was this? Was there something about their “true church” that didn’t necessarily appear true? And why is this never mentioned as much while at the Hill Cumorah? As we looked puzzled, there were young Elders at the top of the Hill who didn’t even approach us. Yet, they were flirting with the 3 young ladies up there and impressed them with running down the Hill. These are called missionaries? Anywho…we were thankful for the older Elders to hand out some flyers with dates, but it still left us scratching our heads.
Our next venture was to Joseph Smith’s log home, frame home, and the famous sacred grove. As we settled at the home, an older Elder saw us from the window and ran to the exit door in order to catch our attention by saying “would you like a tour?” We couldn’t resist, since he seemed willing and sweet. Again, Isaiah was cranky from no nap and ran around for the older ladies to feed him pretzels. They were very kind to him, which made him want to ditch us and hang out with them. Our tour guide (Elder Shumway…will never forget his name) first asked our small group of 5 adults “Are you guys part of the LDS church?” I was amazed they asked this, but obviously we did stick out a little. I didn’t bother saying I use to be, since I was afraid they would treat me differently. We all answered "no" and he then went into the history of the sacred grove, Hill Cumorah and Joseph Smith. He was such a patient sweet old man, but this made me sad for him. As he came close to the end of the tour, I asked how heavy the plates were and my husband asked where the plates were today. They were very simple, yet important questions. Elder Shumway seemed nervous, but did answer it the way any typical LDS would really. We already knew this, but just thought we ask to confirm. We didn’t bother debating nor fighting back with tough questions. Instead, we remained respectful since we were on their grounds, and let’s face it, 5 adults against one elderly guy? Wouldn’t seem fair!
After he ended the tour, he bore his testimony the way any typical LDS would, “I believe this is the true church of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, etc.” He then offered us a copy of the Book of Mormon along with other pamphlets. He noticed I had a son and my friend was pregnant and even made a point how the church is all about family. I knew they would, since it is an easy way to attract people. The pamphlets they handed out on family were nothing that would offend someone outside their faith. As a Christian, I think it’s great they try to practice strong healthy families, but this isn't religion really. It is similar how Christless groups and the LDS use the benefits as a way to lure people into their religion. It's quite sad really, because the gospel itself is what gives growth alone.
The adventure was a bit strange to me since I haven't stepped foot inside an LDS sacrament meeting for over 6 years. I did take myself off their roles prior to my baptism in May 2005 and received a letter from them discontinuing "blessings and prayers" for me. Is it even stranger that I have a file at home labeled "Mormon"?
Over all, the trip to Palmyra was a huge flashback on sad memory lane. Let me make it known that I love Mormons! It makes it even harder that my family that I love and respect dearly is caught up in this. They use the same theological vocabulary a Christian would, yet redefines the meaning.
The Bible ALONE is the written revelation of God, complete and sufficient in all respects. The Scriptures are "God-breathed" and therefore fully authoritative in and of themselves; they rely for their authority upon no church, council, or creed, but are authoritative simply because they are the Word of God. There is NO need of a "second Bible" that the LDS claim.
If you are an LDS friend reading this, I hope you actually study the Bible apart from the BoM. If you have questions and/or concerns with me, then please send me an email or even drop by my house. I would actually love to invite a Mormon family willing to discuss the scriptures into my home. Not to simply debate like dogs, but share both sides of the fence. I have heard the warm fuzzy testimony's they have given. I want some meat in your spiritual conviction, meaning deep theology and/or historical facts. Not a simple testimony recording you give the first Sunday of each month, but something with actual substance.
In closing, before Christ’s crucifixion, Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18). However, an LDS would argue that the gates of hell did prevail against Christ’s church since their Prophet Joseph Smith states all churches are wrong. Who should we believe?
Eternity is a long time to be wrong.
