LDS: How have Anti-Mormons influenced your life?

Answer 1

They bring me much needed laughter, and a healthy exercise to my faith and understanding.

Answer 2

Yep, everyone has their own opinion. There are those that do leave the church for one reason or another. You must also remember, no prophet of the Old or New Testament was infallible, save Jesus Christ. None of our latter day prophets has ever claimed to be infallible or sinless. As matter of fact, Spencer W. Kimball (President and Prophet 1973-1985) actually told a congregation that he prayed for forgiveness everyday. Now, why would a prophet of God say that if he believed he was infallible. Joseph Smith was rebuked by the Lord for ignoring his direction about the 116 pages that were lost. God took away, for a while, his ability to translate the characters on the Gold Plates. Polygamy was not a crime in the U.S. until 1870. Only a few Mormons practiced it and they did it reluctantly, even Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. If Joseph Smith kept it hidden, then how is it common knowledge. Also, how is polygamy a sin when you are married to that other wife. Adultery and fornication, two separate types of sin where one is having relation with a married person, but are not married to him/her. Fornication is sex between two unmarried individuals. Anti-Mormon rhetoric if anything has made me more research on the matter. It has also built up my testimony in the truthfulness of the church. I always remember, the Gospel is true and sinless, man is not and makes mistakes.

Answer 3

They have provided the much-needed "balance" in the debate of the LDS Church, and the extent to which its claims are "true."

The LDS perspective is about half-true, the anti-Mormon perspective is about half-true, and the real truth is somewhere in the middle. I'm currently in the middle, and making up my mind on what is true and what isn't.

If the anti-Mormons didn't exist, when I found out that the Church's claims had flaws, I probably would have just left the church entirely, rather than to continue to search and find partial truth.

Some people like to point out the mite in my eye, and say that because I challenge "some" of the Church's claims, that makes me anti-Mormon. But to be honest, I probably pay a more honest tithe than some of them, attend church more frequently than some of them, serve more diligently in my calling than some of them, and make my family more of a priority than some of them. I guess it depends on what your definition of "apostate" or "anti-mormon" is, but I can honestly say that I am happier today as an "intellectual" Mormon than I ever was as a "believing" Mormon.

Answer 4

2 have made thanksgiving uncomfortable because my father-in-law and mother-in-law are Anti-Mormon. But we love them and we can still enjoy the part of the Holiday they refrain from attacking us on our beliefs.

Other than that -- no impact

D

BTW -- my brother that left the LDS church a decade ago is NOT anti-Mormon and NEVER attacks.

Answer 5

I wouldn't say THEY influenced me in any way, but their attacks and way of thinking make me feel so grateful to be a member of this church. The gospel makes SO much sense to me, of course I don't understand it perfectly and most likely never will, but the restored gospel just "fits" and I know that it is true. I have come to gain that knowledge through many spiritual experiences...
I love the gospel and love the church! It is SO obvious that satan even knows the gospel is true or there would not be so much hate against it...

Answer 6

Well, ex-mormons had more of an influence on me than anti-mormons (and contrary to popular belief, the two are not always one in the same). Ex-mormons who are simply ex-mormons will tell you why they left, they will tell the whole truth to include the good, the bad and the ugly and everything inbetween. Ex-mormons who are anti-mormons are usually Christian, so they have just replaced one religion with another and people who are anti-mormon who have never been mormon should mind their own business, it doesn't hurt them if someone is mormon.

Liesel.

Answer 7

They have made my testimony of the gospel much stronger. Their lives must be very sad and lonely that all they can do is put someone else down for practicing their God-given and Constitutional right to worship as they choose. I actually pitty them because they have not seen the truth and they may never know how much happiness can be brought into their lives by learning about and understanding the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Answer 8

Things are sometimes clearer to me because of them. I Think about what they say and as I am studying the gospel, I always find answers to their objections that make more sense than the objections. That may sound weird, but that is how it is.

Sometimes they do make me crazy though when they are really not telling the truth. The ex mormons are the ones who really make me crazy- sometimes they will say things that you know they know are incorrect if they were LDS

Answer 9

The song "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera(who ACTUALLY was raised in the church....but I'm not sure if she's baptised in it or not) sums it up...

"After all you put me through
you'd think I'd despise you
but in the end I want to thank you
cuz you make me that much stronger"

"So I wanna say thank you

Cuz it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me, a fighter"


They helped me quickly realize the truth by making me research things and finding out so much more about the church! Now, thankfully by finding R&S I can say I've heard a lot of the anti-mormon stuff out there, and I've researched it, and I was like "no...it says right in our scriptures *this and that*"

Answer 10

I think a little persecution can actually strengthen a community, but too much can bring it down. Here's an interesting video of anti-Mormons at work: http://www.allaboutmormons.com/ENG_Video62.php. I personally have had to walk past people like this on my way to Church.

Answer 11

Two thoughts occur to me in answer to your question. First: they are part of the refiner's fire [how does the refiner of silver know the silver is pure? when he can see his image in it]. How I treat them and respond to them certainly shows my progression [or lack there of].
Secondly: a good friend of mine has a saying that goes something like this: 'When I reach the other side and see Joseph, I will want to talk to him and shake his hand... and comment on what he went through to attain his glory... And then Joseph turns and looks him in the eye, nodding... "and what did you do?"...
In order for the righteous to be purified, the wicked must also do what they must to be condemned. When I see their comments, I study them to make sure I don't see within them the weapons of my own rebellion --