Leave The Church Alone? Would You Allow Others to Unknowingly Drink Poison?

If you saw a thirsty man drinking water from a well you knew to be poisoned, would you let him continue to drink or would you guide him to a safe well?

This analogy embodies a profound moral duty to intervene when we see others in harm’s way. It extolls the virtues of compassion, responsibility, and moral courage. When we encounter situations where others are misled or in danger, it challenges us not to stand idly by, but to take action—especially when the consequences are dire.

Guiding someone to a safe well represents not just a simple act of kindness but a commitment to truth and well-being over complacency or convenience. It acknowledges that sometimes, we must speak up or intervene, even when it is difficult or unpopular because the stakes are too high to do otherwise. This statement underscores the importance of empathy and moral clarity in our interactions with others, reminding us that to care about someone’s welfare is to be willing to guide them away from harm, even if it means challenging their beliefs or disrupting their sense of security.

I’m inspired by the analogy from Christopher Miller:
“If you saw a thirsty man drinking water from a well you knew to be poisoned, would you let him continue to drink or would you guide him to a safe well?” ~Christopher Miller
Steve Bloor: Open Letter to Helston Ward Members On the Occasion of the 40th Anniversary of Mormon Chapel in Helston. Ex-Bishop Stephen Bloor Reaches Out to his Mormon Friends
https://stevebloor.wordpress.com/2014/09/28/open-letter-to-helston-ward-members-on-the-occasion-of-the-40th-anniversary-of-mormon-chapel-in-helston-ex-bishop-stephen-bloor-reaches-out-to-his-mormon-friends/

You can leave the mormon church, but you can’t leave it alone. - Bishop Glenn Pace, Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric in General Conference April 1989

When the Mormon Church complains that some who leave the faith can’t leave it alone, they fail to recognize the deep responsibility many feel toward those still within its grasp. Imagine witnessing someone drinking from a well you know is poisoned—would you quietly walk away, or would you guide them to a safer source? For many who have left the Church, staying silent feels like allowing loved ones to continue drinking from a tainted well.

"They leave the Church, but they cannot leave the Church alone. Considering their ceaseless preoccupation, one wonders, is there no diversionary activity available to them, especially in such a large building—like a bowling alley? Perhaps in their mockings and beneath the stir are repressed doubts of their doubts." - Elder Neal A Maxwell, Mormon Apostle | wasmormon.org — “They leave the Church, but they cannot leave the Church alone. Considering their ceaseless preoccupation, one wonders, is there no diversionary activity available to them, especially in such a large building—like a bowling alley? Perhaps in their mockings and beneath the stir are repressed doubts of their doubts.” – Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Mormon Apostle

The Church’s desire to control the flow of information, discouraging members from exploring perspectives outside of official teachings, speaks to their fear of the full picture. They worry that if members are exposed to the entirety of the Church’s history and practices, they may choose to leave. This need for control suggests a lack of confidence in the Church’s ability to withstand scrutiny. Those who speak out do so not to harm but to protect others from being misled, hoping to offer a clearer view of the well from which they’ve chosen to stop drinking.

The analogy aligns closely with several teachings and actions of Jesus in the New Testament. One of the most direct parallels is found in John 4:13-14, where Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman at the well. He tells her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Here, Jesus presents Himself as the source of living water, contrasting it with the temporary and potentially harmful satisfaction of worldly sources. Pair this with Matthew 23, where Jesus confronts the Pharisees, criticizing them for leading people astray with their legalism and hypocrisy. He did not remain silent when He saw people being misled, even when it meant challenging the religious authorities of His time. His actions demonstrate the importance of guiding others toward truth and away from spiritual danger.

Just as Jesus offered living water to those who were spiritually thirsty and corrected those who were misled, the analogy calls for guiding others away from harm—whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual—and leading them to what is true and life-giving. No matter what you think about Jesus, these principles feel ethical and loving, juxtaposed to the example the church shows for deception, controlling information, and demonizing those who think differently than they do or than they want them to. Have you experienced leaving the church? Did you feel pressured to leave the church alone? Consider sharing your own story and thoughts at wasmormon.org.

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