If you've decided that you no longer want to be a member of the church, resigning on your own can result in unwanted contact from church leaders and multiple requests before your resignation is finally processed. We provide a free service that lets you resign without the hassle.
Consequences of leaving
Outright apostasy of members will lead to a church disciplinary council, which may result in disfellowshipment or excommunication. However, members who ask for their names to be removed from church records or who have joined another church are not subject to a disciplinary council.
The Book of Mormon contains this reassuring promise from the Lord: “Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me” (Mosiah 26:30). If you sincerely repent, you can always be forgiven. God wants you to feel the hope and joy that come from receiving forgiveness and trusting in Him.
If you're certain that you'll never want to re-join the Church, write a letter to the Bishop and request to have your name removed from church records. Write out a list of reasons why you are leaving the church. Make sure you want to do this permanently. Some find it helpful to consider why they joined the church.
Alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee and drugs
These are all specifically banned in the Word of Wisdom, except for drugs. The prophets have made it clear that drugs, other than for medical use, are also banned. Mormons are also strongly discouraged from drinking soft drinks containing caffeine.
Kimball stating that the church does not "condone nor approve of" measures of contraception which greatly "limit the family".
According to the church, adult Mormons are required to wear special garments, a type of underwear that covers the shoulders and upper thigh, at all times after their first temple visit. However, Section 21.1. 42 of “Handbook 2” states that the garments may be removed for swimming.
Reasons for disengagement can include lifestyle issues and problems with social integration. The LDS Church does not release statistics on church activity, but it is likely that about 60 percent of its members in the United States and 70 percent worldwide are less active or inactive.
Members of the Latter-day Saints can divorce or marry again, but it can get a little more complicated if one had been married in the temple. Extra efforts can be needed, for example, a person who was divorced can marry again in the temple if he is granted permission by Church leaders.
67 percent of those surveyed from the Baby Boomer and Silent Generations believe that doctrine. Riess also found that while 75 percent of older Mormons are staying in the church, only 46 percent of millennials are being retained.
The policy of companionships staying together at all times serves to discourage these activities. While missionaries may interact with members of the opposite sex, they may never be alone with them or engage in any kind of intimate physical or emotional activity (e.g., kissing, hugging, holding hands, flirting).
Islam and Mormonism have been compared to one another ever since the earliest origins of the latter in the nineteenth century, often by detractors of one religion or the other—or both.
According to a 2019 University of Utah Survey, 61.5% of students who grew up LDS left the church while attending school, with the majority becoming agnostic, atheist, “spiritual but not religious,” or “nothing in particular.”
There's no pressure, and it takes very little preparation. Most parents and Church leaders are happy to see young people gather with positive friends and stay in groups. Such activities can promote feelings of acceptance and inclusion that are necessary and good.
According to the Washington Post, Mormons tend to live longer, with a life expectancy of more than 86 years for women and 84 years for men in one long-term study — compared to life expectancies in the early 80s for women and mid-70s for men who were not Mormons. Want to live like the Latter-day Saints?
In keeping with the Mormon belief that heaven is full of millions of spirits awaiting an earthly body, birth control and abortion are also forbidden.
“Do not date until you are at least 16 years old. Dating before then can lead to immorality, limit the number of other young people you meet, and deprive you of experiences that will help you choose an eternal partner.” For the Strength of Youth, 24. “The Lord has made us attractive one to another for a great purpose.
In 2020 the annual growth rate in membership was 0.6% and in 2021 annual membership growth was 0.85%, lagging the world population growth rate which was around 1.05% in 2020 and 1.00% in 2021.
The church's humanitarian work primarily helps those in need who are not members of the church. Key humanitarian initiatives include clean water, vision treatment, wheelchair provision, neonatal resuscitation, and disaster relief.
Local clergy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serve as volunteers, without pay. But “general authorities,” the top leaders in the church, serve full-time, have no other job, and receive the living allowance.
The church did not — and does not — have any rule about clothing at church, but the cultural expectations of dresses and skirts on women have been strong and fairly uniform. The 2012 pants promotion was intended as the first act of All Enlisted, a group dedicated to increasing gender equity in the church.
Mormons are taught not to drink any kind of alcohol (see D&C 89:5–7). Mormons are also taught not to drink “hot drinks,” meaning coffee or any tea other than herbal tea (see D&C 89:9), and not to use tobacco (see D&C 89:8).
Mormon undergarments must be worn day and night by members who have received the ordinance of the temple endowment to remind them of the commitment they made to God, according to Brigham Young University. The LDS Church's handbook states the garments also “provide protection against temptation and evil.”