Originally, I wrote this in the year 2000 shortly after having formally resigned from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was long and tedious and filled with factual errors - much to my regret. So I updated it in 2006 with annotations to correct the numerous errors, however, it was still very long and very tedious. Therefore, I am herein abridging it in the hopes that my story will not only be factually accurate but brief and interesting.

I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints April 24, 1971 while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Thailand. My soon to be wife, a native of Thailand, had been converted a year earlier. She was instrumental in my meeting the missionaries and in my subsequent conversion. The missionaries did not have a “golden contact” in me. I challenged and researched the doctrines and scriptures the missionaries taught. Once I was finally baptized I became a devoted advocate for the restored gospel. Two months after my baptism my wife and I were married in a civil ceremony in Korat, Thailand. It was officiated by one of the missionaries who had taught my missionary discussions. In December of 1971 we moved to America.

During the next twenty-five years of membership my wife and I brought four wonderful children into the world. We were sealed in the Washington D.C. Temple June 3, 1975. I was ordained an elder, then a seventy (back in the days when it was a local missionary calling) and finally I was ordained a high priest in 1985. Lest anyone think I was semi-active or a “social” Mormon, may I mention that, in addition to my priesthood ordinations, I served as a stake (diocese) missionary, a counselor in the elder’s quorum, a ward (parish) mission president, an assistant high priest group leader and a counselor in two bishoprics. In addition, I have taught just about every conceivable class including Gospel Essentials, Gospel Doctrine and five years as an early morning Seminary teacher. More often than not, in our small Ohio ward, I held two and even three callings simultaneously.

In 1995, I began to have troubling doubts about Mormonism. After considerable research I became convinced that the church to which I had devoted my life to was not what I thought it was. Therefore, on January 17, 2000, I submitted a formal request to have my name removed from the records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some time later I received an acknowledgement of my resignation.

What follows is my reason for leaving the church. Some may assume that I became offended or disgruntled. On the contrary, I remained active with many friends in the church until the day I submitted my resignation. There may be those who will think I left the church as a result of the influence of so-called “anti-Mormon” literature. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was not until my thoughts were solidified and my decision to leave the church finalized that I began to look for support in the writings of those who have spoken out against Mormonism.

As stated above, I began having doubts about Mormon doctrine in 1995. At the time, I was teaching the Gospel Essentials class which I truly loved. Gospel Essentials is a class for investigators or prospective converts considering joining the LDS Church or for newly converted members most of whom were adults. The lesson manual, Gospel Principles, has two lessons (Chapters 5 & 6) devoted to “The Creation” and “The Fall of Adam and Eve”. From time-to-time I would be asked challenging questions about the conflict between the story of the creation in the scriptures and the theory of evolution. In an effort to improve my knowledge of both subjects, I began reading as much as I could about cosmology and evolution. It did not take long for me to recognize that there was a real gap between creationist literature and the consensus of scientific opinion. The more I read, the more I began to understand that Mormon doctrine as regards the creation was at odds with real science. The more I read, the more doubts I had about the validity of Mormon doctrine.

Above I mentioned that my earlier version of this biography was fraught with errors. You may be wondering how it is that I could justify having resigned from Mormonism based on so many wrong ideas. Well, here is something that I learned from my study of science. A scientist looks at evidence that raises a question in his/her mind. He then formulates a theory in an effort to explain that evidence. Then he tests the theory to see if it provides an explanation of the evidence at issue and, if so, he adopts the theory as valid. If it fails, it is discarded. One must go where the evidence leads. My study of science raised a lot of questions about Mormon doctrine. Through a considerable amount of prayer and fasting, reading and research, I developed the theory that Mormonism was little more than a man-made religion. Based on that evidence, I resigned from the church. Subsequently, however, I have tried and tested my theory and have had it confirmed time and again. Though my initial ideas were, admittedly, muddled, nevertheless, I have been vindicated in my conclusion that Mormonism is a religion of human invention.

Ironically, there is a verse in Mormon scripture that even advocates the course of action I followed. It is Doctrine and Covenants 88:118 which states: “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith”.

Mormon ideas about cosmology, astronomy, evolution, sociology, anthropology and history are based on obsolete notions or just plain confabulation. Rather than change and adapt to new information and evidence, Mormonism clings tenaciously to outmoded, invalid and corrupt doctrines. The God of Mormonism does not exist. The Jesus of Mormonism never did exist. The Book of Mormon, as well as other latter-day scriptures are fictional fabrications of Joseph Smith and his associates. The so-called Mormon priesthood has no more authority than that given to it by faithful members. The General Authorities are just ordinary men with important sounding titles who run a business disguised as a church. They have no calling from God and no divine authority.

The most important thing I want to say, in conclusion, is that my twenty-nine year experience in the church was for the most part a positive one. I owe much of who and what I am to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I came to know and love some wonderful Mormons who are, indeed, worthy to be called saints. I hold no ill will against anyone. I left the church with a clear conscience. Having said all that, I must emphasize that, in spite of the good the church does, at its core its doctrines are false. Mormonism is built on a foundation of falsehoods, myths and deception.

As I look back at the years since leaving The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have no regrets. These years of freedom from Mormonism have been among the best of my life. I have no doubt that I made the right choice.