Grinding the Faces of the Poor

I have been reading the stories on the Biography Board at exmormon.org. I have enjoyed finding that the reasons I am leaving the LDS Church are the same reasons that others have left. And I feel less alone realizing that it is as hard for them to leave as it is for me.

I am starting to think of actually resigning. There are form letters and advice to get on resigning from the LDS Church. I think I will start working on the letter in March.

I am starting to feel constricted about being a member, even just in name only. I feel like the Church still owns me. It is a frightening feeling. I feel also, that if I don't resign, I will be haunted by persons trying to reactivate me, and I may experience some kind of LDS Church discipline, which is very harsh. Basically, from all accounts I know of, the leaders can actually try to re-brainwash you in any meeting you have with them from the date that you question the church or say you are leaving it. I feel it is safer to send in a resignation. Then, in a few years, I can see to the difficult task of getting my name removed from the records.

I think that the LDS Church is a bunch of bullies. They bully people into participating in their religious traditions. They can't just invite someone and accept it if a person thinks the Church isn't for them.

I am also appalled by the fact that they try to collect tithing from everybody, even people who are on government welfare, even though it is supposedly church policy that people on SSDI do not have to pay tithing. And not only do they expect tithing on 10% of your income from everyone. They also expect everyone to pay fast offerings. You are really only supposed to have to pay a few dollars of fast offering each month. But they would like to you to pay much, much more. Members have been urged to pay more.

What is worse is the fact that some members never get good welfare help, either because the Church thinks these members have brought their problems themselves, or because these members won't attend 100% of their church meetings or pay 10% tithing money. These members need welfare, so why do they need to extract money from them?

The year 2007 is the last year I paid any tithing to the LDS Church. According to an official statement that was sent to my home, I paid $1.28. Basically, the bishop was able to buy breath mints because of me. I'm so generous!

I feel good about giving the Church such a miniscule amount. That is about how much truth I've gotten out of it the past three years. One dollar and twenty eight cents worth.

I believe that the LDS Church is taking too much tithing money from the individual wards. After all, they need the money to keep up shopping malls and proselytize to poor people who are down and out and vulnerable to joining cults.

It should be noted that the church gives humanitarian aid. However, they spend more on their business ventures, PR, and other things to make them look good. They spend almost nothing to make the church run well. They bankrupt and take advantage of low and middle income people who barely have the time or money that each member is required to give. They are blood suckers!

I have read too many stories on exmormon.org. I have also seen that the poor people in my wards never got richer. The church grinds the face of the poor.