Hi, I'm Stewie or Stewart
Currently still a member of record
About me
Have been an LDS member since 1965. My vocation has been that of a metal worker until my retirement a few years back.
On my shelf
# Why I left More stories of 'Why I left' the Mormon church
Not so much left as stopped participating except attending the Sunday School ritual and quorum discussions about talks given by current leaders. I recently applied Archimedes test to the Plates of Golden appearance and had my calculations verified by an Engineer acquaintance. Used Joseph Smith Jr.s statement of 6" x 8" x 6" in metal plate size along with his wife Emma Smith statement of about 40lb and Joseph Smith Sr. stated about 30lb. Titanium is the only metal that fits those constraints, obviously lack of access to this material or the means to work it, discounts this. Therefore the plates were Copper that were Mercury gilded and the sealed section was hollow, reducing the weight to 40lb. All of which was accessible to 19th Century scammers. The engravings, noted by witnesses, were the work of Emma. These two executed a brilliant con that has grown into a multi-hundred billion dollar corporation :)
Very difficult to read the stories of those who have been "othered", hugs to you all
Delighted at the number of new profiles
Questions about Mormons My Answers to Questions about Mormonism
#Link to this answer of 'Where will you go?' by stewie Where will you go? See more answers about 'Where will you go?'
As with all those who've already declared where they've been, I also found people who were interesting and some of whom were interested in what I could do with them or their groups.
Once I had calculated the impossibility of the Plates with the Appearance of Gold, everything fell into place. For the last couple of decades I've disassociated myself from being a participating member. Communities from the Southern Highlands to Greater Campbelltown have had the benefit of my skills. Sure there were difficult people to work with, TAFE was an extraordinary experience, learning new stuff got me back into further education and meeting new people, University was a challenge, scattering the ashes of a close work associate was a bit of a heart wrenching episode. But it all got my mind working to the point where the deceptions of High Demand religions became easy to identify, the bible for all the respect it has gained over the centuries is still a collection of writings largely by men who managed to persuade me to accept a state of Cognitive Dissonance. The question of Evolution or Survival of the Fittest when pitted against Intelligent Design is also now resolved in my mind. I now have a much more simplified theology, God is the Intelligent Designer and is unchanging. Didn't intend to get preachy but there is sufficient evidence that the son of Mary was a real person and a few statements He made are a source of comfort to me. The story of the Prodigal as a metaphor for we who live such short lives has given me more scriptural reassurance than all of the pontificating from Utah. Establishing a city on the shores of a lake that has no outfall has to be the dumbest thing anyone has ever done. To dump all Urban, Rural and Industrial waste into it for the last Hundred years before my birth was the most un-prophetic decision I've examined. Continuing to remain there and not address the pollution tells me all I need to know about the leadership of this organization that has milked its members for some 200 years.
Hey, but I'm not bitter! I am getting close to drawing my last breath and am content with where I'm at, I've a multi-faith family who get along as many families do, not perfectly harmonious but still family. If you've made it through this, be at peace and try not to do all those unwise things us older ones have done. You probably will but it does not diminish your worth to your community, family or friends. We are all worth loving.