Statements of Disbelief

We're Mormon. I was raised Mormon and Omar is a convert. My siblings were also raised Mormon, but a couple of them are struggling with that right now, which is really hard on my family. They say they don't believe the Church is true, that's their "Statement of Disbelief".

I'm not sure, however, that they realize what that necessarily means they are saying they DO believe. It's really easy to focus on the doubts and questions, and let that cloud what is good and we find to be true.

For example, if you say the Church is not true, you are also saying that you don't believe in Eternal Families or Eternal Marriage. That doctrine is unique to Mormonism, so if the Church isn't true, there is no such thing. But there is more to it than that, even.

• If the Church isn't true you believe either that Joseph Smith was a skilled conman or crazy.


• Okay, that may be easier to believe, it's far removed, but that also means that Gordon B. HInkley must have been a very talented liar, as well as our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson.


• It also means the Book of Mormon was crazily written in short amount of time with all kinds of details that Joseph Smith had to have guessed, that went against the current knowledge of the time and then have later proved to be true.


• Also, the doctrine that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are distinct individuals is Mormon only doctrine, so that's out, too.

And maybe they really are ready to make these positive statements of belief, but I doubt it.

I don't have a perfect knowledge about all things. Do any of us? I have to go on faith a lot of the time. But there is so much I DO believe, that I'm sure enough of that I can't let go of them. And then helps me through the times I have questions.

I do believe in Eternal Families. I believe that Joseph Smith was a good man, telling the truth, and that he was a Prophet of God. And the same goes for Gordon B. Hinkley and Thomas S. Monson, now. I believe the Book of Mormon is divine, and truly the Word of God. I find the things in that book to be good, and they bring me closer to Christ, they make me a better person, and they bring me peace. That can't have come from a big scam. I believe the church is truly God's church. I've found that be living my life that way, I find happiness.

And for the record, I've always found my questions answered eventually. It's often after the trial of my faith, but the answers are there. For the more historical or philosophical questions, I've found the FAIR wiki to be a wonderful resource. Other answers have come from conference, or the scriptures, even my sweet husband sometimes.

If any of you are not ready to get into the fringe stuff, but just want to know more about these unique Mormon doctrines, please check out mormon.org.