Quote:
Originally Posted by Lumosityfan
I've been thinking of leaving but I've heard horror stories of people being unable to leave peacefully even if the person did so in a proper way (treating them with respect, not causing a scene, etc.) In addition, I heard stories about people getting cut off from their friends inside the LC and I would still love to have connections with them as friends (although certainly not as LC members ofc). What would be the best way of doing so?
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Lum,
I'll tell you my experience, but I don't claim it to be the "best way". All I can say is that over two years later I still have peace about it and have seen the Lord's hand at work in awesome ways.
My wife and I just stopped showing up to meetings. Home meetings, Lord's Day Meetings, etc. I had regular fellowship with 3-4 Full-Timers (one and elder, others who were not) who had an understanding of my thought process to varying degrees. We NEVER had any conversations that would be considered disrespectful from either side. In fact, most saw it coming. One commented that they better introduce me to the high peak truths or else I would be out the door. They knew the system was deeply flawed, but had bought into the program and were working through the flaws - rather than admit the reality of their position.
I've shared this in other posts, but we were treated great in the LSM church. I used to joke that we were treated like rockstars. Invited to multiple people's homes each week, approached by the "saints" after each meeting, invited to fellowship with the cool kids and the top elders.
Then we stopped going.
No one, to this day, has reached out to me see how I was doing, ask me about my wife, kid, etc. These are people I met with, ate with, travelled with (I bet you can guess where we went in December), prayed with, sang with... then poof.
Nothing.
My wife did get a text from the "sister" who introduced her to the LSM church. She questioned why we weren't going and that people were asking about us. She told her that I felt it was best for our family if we left the LSM church and that we'd love to stay in touch and could chat more about it if she liked. She never took her up on that offer.
I've texted little "how are you doing bro's" here and there and get a polite one sentence response. But the fact is if you're not in the LSM church they don't have an interest in doing life together, no more workouts, lunches, dinner invites, you're cut off.
Now to be fair, a few months after leaving the church the Lord moved my family to a city with no LSM church (sometimes He has to make things really obvious for me - haha!). But since we had no interactions they didn't know for a long time (maybe to this day) that we weren't, literally, still right around the corner.
I found this site a couple months after leaving. It is a helpful place for many people.