Leaving LDS

Thanks to anjala for linking to Mormons Resigning Despite Strong Heritage, Citing 'Hatred' by LDS Church.

Mormons continued to register their resignations with, and post resignation letters to Signing for Something this week, citing "hatred" and "discrimination" among their chief reasons for quitting the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These resignations come among the continuing backlash against the Mormon Church's involvement in passing California's Proposition 8 last week to take away the right of civil marriage for gays and lesbians.

Excepts of a few recent letters are posted here, with links to the full letters. (...)

Andrew Callahan's diary:

Since the LDS church has decided to VERY PUBLICLY extend their hatred beyond their realm I’ve decided that the time has come to make my voice heard, too. I resigned membership recently as has one of my friends from California who was recently married to his partner of 28 years.

More from: SigningforSomething.org:

But now I see that there isn’t a community or a place for me. There’s not a place for the people I love. The Church is not a place for anybody who believes in equal rights and the Constitution of the United States of America. The Church is not pro-marriage, it is anti-gay. The leadership fights for bigotry and hate. The God I grew up with was perfect in His Love and Justice. Shame on the men who act so disgracefully in His name. See complete letter here: http://signingforsomething.org/blog/?p=2015

Families alienated over the church's approach to "protecting" them:

As a member of the LDS church I was always taught to love one another and to treat everyone with a certain amount of respect. The position the church took on this particular issue went against everything I learned from the church. Not only was the church’s position discriminatory, but it was also hateful.

I found it extremely strange that it took the church 14 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act to allow black members to hold the priesthood. I just excused this inaction as a mistake, but now as I see history repeat itself I realize that it wasn’t a mistake and the Mormon Church will always discriminate.

My whole family has been traumatized by the church’s efforts and will be sending in letters of resignations. See complete letter here: http://signingforsomething.org/blog/?p=2038

And one more:

For 45 years I served in every calling I was asked, in leadership, in service, in every capacity. I did it because I knew I was serving my Heavenly Father, a loving God. I continue to serve him and in doing so, I am resigning from this organization that I believe to be corrupt from the egos of mere men, that has strayed so far from its’ original mission to serve God and His people. See complete letter here: http://signingforsomething.org/blog/?p=2027

Thank you, guys. Thank you for not letting your church hierarchy speak for you, for not letting them spread lies and fear in your name. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints may not be listening to you, but you sure as heck got my attention.

For those of you who aren't sure yet whether the church is flat-out wrong, check this out. 11 Scriptural Reasons Latter-Day Saints Should Oppose California's Proposition 8. You can find more resources along the same lines at SigningforSomething.org.