[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by cougarobgon

The reason for my post is that lately I have been thinking about two good friends that have fallen away from the Church. While I will not go into the details of the choices they made, it is interesting to me to see how two good men, whose talents and dedication at one time influenced the lives of many Church members, fell away from the Church. While they have completely fallen away, they remain my friends and I am sure each would do anything for me and my family as would I for them. They are both well educated, one is a doctor while the other is a college professor. The doctor was a counselor of mine in a bishopric while the other was a beloved mission companion. I see the doctor on a professional basis and he always speaks fondly about the Church, his time as my counselor, and other Church members. I gather from my conversations with him that he continues to believe that the Church is true, however, he does not see himself coming back to Church in the near future.

The college professor began to fall away from the Church during his days at BYU. He describes beginning to question the existence of God during his final years at the school and the answers given to him by his religion professors did not satisfy him. Further, his interaction with supposedly righteous members that lived contrary to their beliefs further turned him away from the Church. While he remains a friend to the Church, he no longer believes in God or any organized religion, but continues to support his wife who has remained active in the Church and ocassionally attends Church services with her.

While I respect their choices and new found beliefs, I can't help but wonder how these two individuals that were with me on several ocassions where I know the Spirit (for those of us that believe) was present, could turn away from what they had been taught all their lives and the experiences we shared. What makes it easier for me to respect their choices and new found beliefs, is that they remain friends of the Church and do not go out of their way to disparage that which I consider to be sacred.

Friedrich Nietzsche said philosophers and doctors are the mortal enemies of religion.