Response From Salt Lake

We received a letter from church headquarters in Salt Lake yesterday (25 June) in response to our request to have our names removed from the membership of the church. They basically said they couldn't process our request without the input of local leaders, the stake president and ward bishop. I was kind of expecting this response. The same time I was reading this letter I received an email from the bishop stating that he had received our letter and basically wanted to get together to discuss it. He was under the impression that we were just disgruntled with the ward and were going to attend somewhere else. I will admit that this was what I had originally intended to do. But after investigation into claims that the church is not what it claims to be (the true church of Jesus Christ) I no longer wished to be a member. My family quickly agreed that we wanted our names removed from the membership records. Frankly I think the bishop was shocked by our request. I don't really blame him, though. I would be shocked too. He mentioned that he would honour our request but he felt it was in our best interest to reconsider. But I've come to the conclusion that the fact that when I saw an exit (leaving the church) and was so quick to choose the exit, that I really didn't need the church anymore. I always thought when I was younger that the church was the greatest thing that ever happened to me (next to my wife and son). It certainly changed my life in a lot of positive ways and looking back I don't really regret joining. For that time in my life (late 20's) it was what I needed. But I don't need it anymore. I no longer believe it is the true church of Jesus Christ. I don't believe Joseph Smith was a prophet and I don't believe there is a prophet today. We don't really need a prophet today. I also believe now that the Book of Mormon is a fabricated story written by a very clever man in the 19th century. A very clever man who deceived a lot of people. But the church deceives a lot of people today. They keep truth from its members and the church is based on false principles. That being said, it is not all bad. There are many members who are good people who will continue to be good people and be good influences on others and show Christlike love to those around them. I don't want to destroy anyone's testimony. I just wish the church was more truthful to it's members. More forthcoming with the knowledge of it's early history. They need to know the whole truth, not the whitewashed version that the church publishes today. But the church leadership's fear is that if they give the members the full truth that many would leave the church, just like my family is doing. Again I can't really blame them, but what they are doing is wrong and I can no longer be a part of an organization that is not truthful to its members. I still feel betrayed and lied to. I cannot and will not ever fully get over that. My time in the church is done. I'm waiting for the bishop to respond to my email stating that we don't want to discuss anything further, that it would not be productive. We are leaving the church because we no longer believe it is true and that should be reason enough for us to have our names removed. Take care, J.T.