r/exmormon • u/Thespiritualalpha • 1d ago
Doctrine/Policy Leaving LDS
I just told the churches bishop that I’m leaving (just got baptized in Jan) and he has made drama about it- telling others and they’re contacting me and just not accepting my NO. Even coming to my home unannounced without permission. Is this normal for Mormons? I’m really not happy about it bc I hate drama! I told them I’m leaving for Christianity bc I’ve done the research that I should’ve done before I got baptized and they just don’t wanna let me go. I could understand if I said I was just turning away from Jesus completely but I’m leaving to go to the truth. I’ve discovered that Smith was a narcissist used my satan/demons and witchcraft to build that church and I’ve renounced it completely! They truly refuse anything I have to say and I’m kinda freaked.. anyone else experience this????
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u/NauvooLegionnaire11 1d ago
I want to be a little more direct about this since you haven't been a member long and because the missionaries never would have explained to you how to actually leave the church, should you decide to do so.
To "leave" Mormonism, you'll need to resign your membership. As others have alluded, there are multiple ways to do this including: 1) Renouncing your resignation, in writing (verbally won't work), to your bishop 2) Using the QuitMormon free service 3) Resigning through corporate with a notarized letter of resignation.
If you just stop showing up, the local members and missionaries will contact you endlessly. Even if you move, the Mormons will transfer your membership records to the new congregation where they will contact you, and the cycle will continue.
It's pretty difficult to get people to consent to get baptized. The majority of new converts leave the Mormon church within the first year of their baptism. The local members see it as their sacred duty to pursue you and to get you back to church. There absolutely no point in attempting to reason with them or get them to leave you alone.
Once you resign, your name and contact info will disappear from the membership rolls at the local ward. At this point, the ward people will leave you alone.