ExMormon

An ExMormon, or Ex-Mormon, is a person who was formerly a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but who is no longer a member of the Church.  Rarely, members of the Church can be excommunicated from the Church for serious sin.  Serious sins are more serious when a person has made covenants in the temple, since he or she is sinning against light and knowledge.  Serious sins include fornication, adultery, other serious sexual sins, felonies against the laws of the land, and apostasy.  Excommunication is meant to be part of the repentance process, and ideally, the person, his family, and his church leaders work together to help bring the person’s life in line with the commandments of God.  Repentance includes confessing the sin to a church leader, making recompense for the sin if at all possible, forsaking the sin, and endeavoring to live in accordance with biblical commandments of chastity, temperance, and honesty.  As with all processes in the Church, this one lacks any form of coercion.  Therefore, some people choose to commit to a lifestyle that is opposed to recovering Church membership.  Some even think the Church should change its policies to allow them to continue in full fellowship in their chosen sins.

The Church can excommunicate a person for apostasy, but not for his beliefs.  A member of the Church might have beliefs that are not in line with gospel doctrine and still be an active member of the Church.  There is no discipline, then, for “heresy.”  Apostasy entails proselyting those beliefs, which is destructive to the well-being of other members and congregations.

It is important to understand how the Mormon Church differs from other churches.  The Church is the restoration of Christ’s ancient Church, and its power, authority, and doctrines come from Christ Himself through revelation to a prophet.  Thus, if a person disagrees and desires to somehow change the Church to a form more agreeable to him, there is no place for that.  The person either has to believe or reject the prophet and the Church.  If he is an apostate, he certainly might be happier in another faith or with no faith at all, so he can find his own way, as he desired in the first place.

Unfortunately, because Christ leads the Church, it is difficult to abandon the Church without turning against it.  Joseph Smith, founder and first prophet of the restored Church, said,

“There is a superior intelligence bestowed upon such as obey the Gospel with full purpose of heart, which, if sinned against, the apostate is left naked and destitute of the Spirit of God, and he is, in truth, nigh unto cursing, and his end is to be burned. When once that light which was in them is taken from them they become as much darkened as they were previously enlightened, and then, no marvel, if all their power should be enlisted against the truth, and they, Judas-like, seek the destruction of those who were their greatest benefactors” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p321).

Because of this, ExMormons often become anti-Mormon.  In their rebellion, they seek to damage the Church and justify themselves.  Anti-Mormons often lie about the Church and its doctrines and practices.  In Joseph Smith’s day, ExMormons who lied about the Church, its policies and doctrines, brought serious persecution upon the members of the Church, resulting in loss of life and property.  As the Prophet said, these were the ones who had received the most light and then turned against it.

Some, however, do this “innocently,” because they never really grasped the gospel and never really committed to practicing it.  An ExMormon might hate the Church, for example, because his bishop or a member of a congregation said something that offended him.  The person stays away, sometimes for years, because of something that really has nothing to do with the gospel of Christ.  He sets himself outside the blessings of the kingdom in order to nurse his wounds.  These people often come back into activity in Church.