As I'm sure most of you know, it takes quite a long time to 'escape' their clutches via residential and telephone information. I moved half way across the country to avoid their interruptions. I started using a prepaid phone so they couldn't harrass me. Just got a phone call. I am so freaking furious right now. I left the church 19 years ago. Any advice re: keeping sanity?

If you haven't had your name removed from church records sounds like now is the time to do it.

Sounds like you are going to threaten legal action. Have you officially resigned? If not, that would be your first step. I would also write a strongly worded letter to the bishop where you live, the stake president, the church headquarters and if you know a lawyer, cc: Bob Jones, Attorney-at-law. I used to cc my dad, who was a lawyer, all the time because people would see that on the bottom of my letter and know I was serious.

Say you have been asked to be left alone and any further contact from representatives of the Mormon church will result in a lawsuit against the individual contacting you, the ward and the church in general. They are scared of spending money on legal actions and getting unpleasant media attention. So tell them you will ensure that it gets full media coverage as well. Threaten the individual calling you with a restraining order to boot. That would go on their record, if you decided to do it so it should scare them. Finally, I'd find out who is giving them your telephone number - your mom, an uncle, your cousin LaRee - and then tell that person to knock it off. Or, give them the prepaid phone number only and treat yourself and the people you trust with your real phone number. But hunt down the source of the snitching, because that will be the best way to stop them in the future.

Is Amway calling again? Did you mean to post this on mormonmommies. ?

Who is harassing you? Is it like official church harassment or is it your family? Also, have you had your name removed? If you've had your name removed 19 years ago then you aren't showing up on local roles.

You have to use a prepaid phone?? Clearly somebody you know is sending people your way... If it's missionaries, then maybe someone you know sent them.

19 years ago?

That makes me think. I sent them a letter many years ago telling them I wanted out, and I wanted no further contact. I didn't really follow up on it but it must have worked because they haven't bothered me in years. Now I'm wondering -- is there a discreet way to find out if your name is still on their membership roles? I don't really want to talk to anyone about it as I would rather let sleeping dogs lie. Everything is cool now and I don't want to muddy the waters (to use yet another cliche).

"The Church" or whoever, stalled for several months, before they finally sent me the letter which confirmed that I was "off their rolls"--meaning "resigned" in normal human-talk.

I had called the COB several times, and had spoken to Greg Dodge. Well, I called one more time, and told Greg Dodge that the reason I was resigning was that the church refused to give me a temple divorce. My temple husband beat me, and put me in the hospital several times. The last time, he strangled me until I stopped breathing. I gave the name of my ex-husband and of his very prominent Apostle relative. I told Dodge that the Apostle had prevented my temple divorce. I said that my wife-beater ex still thought he owned me--and my children (by my second husband) as well. I told Dodge that my ex had been in prison for assault and battery (on other people), that he was a stalker, and that I feared for my life. I said that my family and attorneys were aware of this, and that if any attack happened on my person, that we would hold the LDS church responsible, and would not only sue the church, but we would expose the many other dirty family secrets about this Apostle. Within a week, I got my letter. You are welcome to use my story, or some variation, if you want.

My children and I live in Salt Lake, and we were harassed by our Mormon neighbors--to the extreme! My bishop, home teacher, an old Scouting friend, and a guy from the singles--all of them threatened me, in my own home! They said the same thing: that if I left the church, God would withdraw His blessings, and I would get sicker, and that my children would fail in life. They made me cry. I never let them in again, or spoke to them again. I got better, and my children are doing great. The bishop and his son lost their business and his house (son was living in the basement) and his wife has been in and out of the psychiatric hospital several times.

Men came to my door late at night, after 9:00 in groups of two or three, stalking me and my children. For my sons: Scouts, priesthood leaders, ward and stake athletic coaches. For my daughters: YW leaders, camp directors, girls bringing cookies. When I said that my children had moved out, they hounded me relentlessly for their new addresses and phone numbers. I told them that I would not give out my children's private information. My visitors were: the stake presidency, the bishopric, the missionaries, the sister missionaries, the stake missionaries, visiting teachers. People knocked on our door inviting us to the summer neighborhood party, the 4th of July primary parade, "trunk or treat", the high priest dinner (?) Christmas open houses. This added up to a ton of Mormons coming over to our house, in just a few months! What made me the maddest were the birthday harassment stalkers--they wouldn't leave us alone on our birthdays, damn it!!!

Yes, it is crazy-making. We were able to cut this down to almost zero:

1. Formally resign
2. Offer to explain exactly WHY you left the church. Offer them facts, and details. This sends them running scared.
3. Threaten to take legal action. Restraining order, lawsuit. Tell them that they are trespassing.
4. Use caller ID, and don't answer the phone. On the phone without caller ID, I hang up as soon as I hear "This is Elder--or Sister--BAM. Hang up.
5. Don't answer the door. Get a peep-hole. We got a new front door with no windows in it.
6. Put out a "No Solicitors" sign. If the Mormons challenge that, say, "You want my tithing money. That is soliciting."
7. Very important--stay away from Facebook! That's how the Mormons tracked down my children who moved away.


You can get rid of the Mormons, even in a Mormon neighborhood like ours. It did take some effort, though.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2012 02:19AM by forestpal.

If you don't want to resign, just get a new phone.

And don't give your number to your family - you have to know that they were the ones who ratted you out.

Damn, I feel bad. Nobody ever calls my prepaid phone except for India based pharm companies and my prepaid phone carrier telling me how cheap my prepaid phone is.

I feel more slimed and replused than angry when they come round knowing they're not welcome.

You have a 100% right to say who can contact you in the privacy of your own home.

Mormons are illegal trespassers if they continue to harass after you've left their church.

"Hello?"
"Hello is that Brother Szonic?"
"Yes, I'm Brother Szonic. How can I help you?"
"We're from the Church."
"what Church?"
"Sorry, we're from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. How are you today?"
"Oh Hi! I've been waiting for your call, I'm SO excited my prayers have been answered!"
*Missionary silently fist pumps to his compainion*
"We'd like to..."
*Szonic interupts*
"Yes, I wrote to the Church demanding my tithing monies back, it came to about $10,000. Do you have the cheque?"
*crestfallen and wondering why the Holy Ghost has deserted them*
"Errm, no, we don't know anything about..."
*Szonic interupting again*
"What? You don't have my cheque? Right, give me your names so that I can pass them on to my lawyer..."
"Err...well...we've got to go right now, have a nice day"
*cut to dial tone*