There are certainly many opinions flying about on the likely impact of the recent essay on members and the future prospects of the church. I am persuaded that a level of desperation is being felt at the COB.

However, in my opinion there is an opportunity here to reclaim some standing and re-assert your honesty, integrity and good faith among friends and family that have attacked or marginalized you as a lying apostate.

People of good faith need to recognize that they were dead wrong about you and repent, and perhaps too they will consider that you may be right about much more than merely polygamy.




Dear Family Members,

For XX years since leaving the church I have heard from you that I am an "anti" mormon and wish to spread lies about the church and about it's founder Joseph Smith.

More specifically, XXX and XXX told me to my face that when I said that Joseph Smith married teenagers, pairs of sisters, mothers and daughters, and women married to other men, that I was a liar and that I was possessed of Satan.

Now that the church has released a statement confirming that these assertions about Joseph Smith are in fact true, I am asking for an apology. (link)

Instead of believing that I was a person of honor and integrity and that my study and research was honest and factual, you were willing to slander and attack me as a liar when in fact my facts were true.

If you have any honor yourself, you will apologize to me and you will recognize that it IS possible that you are wrong when you assert without any study or investigation that I am misinformed when I bring up troubling issues about the church. I assure you again, that no one has been more careful and more detailed in study about these issues than I.

I hope you will demonstrate your own integrity in this matter.

Sincerely,

Attacked Apostate Family Member

I never had anyone call me a liar for introducing this information. Just skeptical responses or the occasional "so what?"

If you were attacked now you have your ammunition for a response. I'd let the bullets fly!

Here was my letter - less intense

Hi Sibs,
I just wanted to take a minute and share the recent church essays that have been published on lds.org over the past 10 months. As you all know, I don't consider myself a member of the church. My family are members of XXXXXXXXXXXX. Some of my concerns with the faith of my tribe are directly addressed in these new essays. I generally view them as a positive step forward for the church, one of greater transparency and better communication. In that light, I though it was important for you to be aware of them as well. I find all the documents below to be interesting reading.

The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage
https://www.lds.org/topics/the-manifesto-and-the-end-of-plural-marriage

Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo
https://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marriage-in-kirtland-and-nauvoo

Mountain Meadows Massacre
http://www.lds.org/topics/mountain-meadows-massacre

Book of Mormon and DNA Studies
https://www.lds.org/topics/book-of-mormon-and-dna-studies

Spalding Manuscript
http://www.lds.org/topics/spaulding-manuscript

First Vision Accounts
http://www.lds.org/topics/first-vision-accounts

Are Mormons Christian?
http://www.lds.org/topics/christians

Book of Mormon Translation
http://www.lds.org/topics/book-of-mormon-translation

Race and the Priesthood
http://www.lds.org/topics/race-and-the-priesthood

Plural Marriage and Families in Early Utah
http://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marriage-and-families-in-early-utah

Becoming Like God
https://www.lds.org/topics/becoming-like-god?lang=eng

Book of Abraham
https://www.lds.org/topics/translation-and-historicity-of-the-book-of-abraham?lang=eng