Reasons why I prefer not to be a Mormon that has nothing to do with their doctrine.

• The feeling of superiority. I'm not sure what else to call it. I was the only member of my immediate family that was going to church when I was a teenager. My parents totally accepted this and worked around my schedule. When I went to church, the members their always made me feel very special. Being the only member of my family attending at all. There were times that I felt sorry for my family. I felt like they were missing out on this wonderful thing that I had and they would be so much happier if they knew what I knew. Many times I would go home crying and run to my room before anyone saw me, I didn't want them to see me. Since leaving, I have realized that my family are wonderful just as they are and had very happy lives. I only regret that it took me so long to realize this and probably could have been more open to experiencing their lives as I was growing up.
• Having to choose between church and family. As mentioned before I was the only one that went to church in my immediate family and like I said they would accommodate my activities. But they had lives too. When I was a teenager my family owned a cabin near Heber, UT. My parents loved going there and often invited and encourage my brothers and I to come along. Driving from SLC they would plan overnight weekend trips there, so it would include Sunday. They would go maybe 2 or 3 times a month. I wanted to go with my parents, but often felt guilty if I missed church. I'm not sure why. I remember the church does emphasizing a priority for ones life; God, Family, Church. But it seems to me that attending church and it's functions was emphasized but also rewarded. For example, the “Duty to God” award requires a certain amount of attendance. Also, if you missed church, someone would also come by and ask where I was and that I was missed. When I was teenager I loved the church and the people, but I shouldn't have to feel guilty for wanting to be with my family even on a Sunday. The Church seems to work best if only all the members of the family are all going together. If for some reason one member of the family doesn't want to go or has different thoughts, they are made to feel out of place by other members of the family and by members of the church. This creates a division within the family. It seems to me that the family should always be number one, which means going out of their way to do activities that includes everyone, like going to the park or going to the museum and even doing some of these activities on a Sunday or other church functions to show that the family is more important then anything else.
• Temple Weddings leave out family who may not be “worthy” or family members who are not members. Weddings are important, not just the couple who is getting married, but also to the families of the couple. Everyone wants to participate in the joyous and happy occasion. This should be a time where all of the family can come together, yet in cases as cited, it can be a family separator. Being a faithful member at the time, I got married in the temple, due to our family circumstances not one family of mine nor that of my bride was able to attend the marriage ceremony. Our parents put on happy face and we did have a gathering for our families and friends later that day. At the time you feel that it was ok, because that is what you believe and of course as a Mormon your desire is to get married in the temple. It is what you have been taught and anything else is considered less. Our families supported and accepted us, but this practice does not accept nor support them. The LDS Church talks about “Family Togetherness”, but this is a family separator.
• You are not allowed to question LDS Church history, doctrine, nor the authorities, even if they are wrong. Where would be if Galileo was not allowed to question the things he saw through his telescope that he probably built himself? As a matter of fact he wasn't allowed to question, he was put under house arrest and his ideas where locked up for 100 years. Yet, he was right, the church authorities were wrong. If people are not allowed question then the pursuit of truth will surely die. The understanding of the universe, natural history and all sciences begins with a question. It is difficult for me to fathom of just accepting something that somebody says, that is wrong. You would think that seeking the truth would be welcomed in a church that says that it is the “True Church”.
• When I was in my late teens I loved being in the LDS Church. One of those reasons was I believed it had the truth. I have always believed that the truth is the truth no matter where one finds it. Since I believed that I belonged to the “True Church” it would welcome and encompass all truth. I would come to find out that the LDS Church would often hide the truth or change it's teachings to conform to truth that is being found by science. I don't want to get into detail so I'll just list those have effected me. The Mountain Meadows Massacre, the act and how it was done is disturbing. Whether or not Brigham Young was directly involved is still up for debate, but what is known is that he help hide the truth for close to 20 years which is also disturbing. How the church have dealt with the blacks. The Mormon church ordained a black to the priesthood, Elijah Abel, in 1836. When Brigham Young became ahead of the church all of that changed and doctrines was put place to justify this decision. From my understanding of human history I don't believe blacks should ever be considered less in any way. I think what the church has done is disturbing. Ever since I was in the church I was taught that the American Indians were the direct descendants of the Lamanites. There is no physical evidence to support this, the archeology, anthropology and most recently the DNA evidence all suggest something else. The church has realized this and trying to figure out what to do, they even changed the introduction to go from saying that the Lamanites were the “principal” ancestors to the being “among”. I believe this will continue to be an issue for the church for several years to come.