Originally Posted By melekalikimaka Ouch, that was lame of me. Sorry. So, it *really* wouldn't get me anywhere!
Originally Posted By jdub What we need here are some honest questions (and answers) about the Water Buffaloes.
Originally Posted By Elderp "That number is purposely inflated. I've been trying to have my name removed from their roles for the last 13 years and they won't do it." All you have to do is write a letter to your local Bishop with your name and DOB and a callback number. The Bishop will call you back and confirm your wishes and that will be it. As an Elders Quorem President I don't understand tolerating your name on the church records if you don't want to be there. I have seen some Bishops be a bit wishy washy on this, if this is your case, write directly to SLC. If you need the address let me know. I know this sounds very unmissionary, but my opinion is no one(you or the church) needs the bother of unwilling members.If you want to come back later, so be it, it will be a little bit harder but right now it can't be a good thing to be a member in limbo.
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf I agree Elderp and I (and many others I know) have tried all these tactics without success. Frankly, I've given up. When home teachers call for a visit or missionaries drop by I give them the scoop and that stops the visits for a while.
Originally Posted By dsnykid Two good books about the history of Masonry and it's connection to religion, the knights Templar, and even the Shroud of turin are "The Hiram Key" and "The Second Messiah" by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas.... both very good and interesting reads.
Originally Posted By ChurroMonster Elderp: "All you have to do is write a letter to your local Bishop with your name and DOB and a callback number. The Bishop will call you back and confirm your wishes and that will be it." That may be the official line but the reality is quite different. You can make dozens of such requests and the church simply won't drop you. I, like many others on this board, am a member of the church against my will.
Originally Posted By Mr X Why does that matter to you, Churro? I suppose I could write a letter to my church and request to be dropped from their books (if I'm even on them), since I've not practiced the faith in decades and probably never will again...but I don't see why I should bother.
Originally Posted By PetesDraggin "Why does that matter to you, Churro?" It may sound ridiculous to some, but if your name is still on the records of the church, you are still considered to be Mormon. You are counted in the official numbers of the church. People from church come by your house frequently to try to convince you to come back. It's basically a personal thing, but it's frustrating that the church is so unwilling to respect people's wishes in order to artificially inflate their own membership numbers. How attractive would the church sound to potential members if the membership numbers dropped year-to-year because of people requesting that their names be removed?
Originally Posted By Mr X **People from church come by your house frequently to try to convince you to come back.** THAT might motivate me to want my name removed. Have you threatened to sue for harassment? Bet that would get your name dropped quick!
Originally Posted By PetesDraggin "Have you threatened to sue for harassment?" That is one tactic that many people have had to resort to, but the church generally only gives in if correspondence actually comes from an attorney. But why should I have to do that? Why should I have to get a lawyer just because I don't want to be Mormon anymore? I know there are some church leaders that are more accomodating in these situations, but I have yet to find one.
Originally Posted By jonvn "People from church come by your house frequently to try to convince you to come back." I bet they'd stop in my case. Just a vague feeling on my part.
Originally Posted By PetesDraggin "I bet they'd stop in my case." I'm sure they would. They don't come by my house much anymore, either. I was polite, but I told them they would just be wasting their time by coming over.
Originally Posted By Mr X Is it always the same people? If so, you'd think they'd be good enough to take no for an answer.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad <<<I bet they'd stop in my case. Just a vague feeling on my part.>>> jonvn, lol man you crack me up so often, I jump on topics sometimes just to see what you have posted. LOLOL
Originally Posted By PetesDraggin "Is it always the same people?" No, not always. Sometimes it's the missionaries and sometimes it's home teachers (two adult males who are assigned to visit members on a monthly basis). They have been nice, but I know what they want and it's not going to happen. And each time it's the same question: "What can we do to get you to come back to church?" Which, by the way, is the same question I have gotten from my father several times.
Originally Posted By fkurucz << "What can we do to get you to come back to church?">> Would they throw in a BMW? ;-)
Originally Posted By DVC_dad To me the greater question that should be asked is, "Why did you leave?" or "How can we fix what is broken that made you feel as if you had to go?" Anyway, why DID you leave?
