Posted on 10/23/2013 11:12:44 AM PDT by Colofornian
A former Brigham Young University professor is sharing the story of how she and her husband, along all of with her children, left Mormonism for Christianity through God’s work of grace in their life.
Lynn Wilder is the author of the book Unveiling Grace: The Story of How We Found Our Way out of the Mormon Church, released in late August of this year. Until March 16, 2008, Wilder was a professor at Brigham Young University and a dedicated member of the Latter-Day Saints.
In a recent article in the Daily Beast, Wilder provided a condensed overview of her personal testimony, which occurred over a two-year period as God worked in the hearts of her family members.
Wilder states that in 2006, she and her husband Mike decided to visit a Christian church, but were careful to choose a gathering two hours away where no one would recognize them.
“We were paranoid, worried that if someone from Brigham Young University saw me at a non-denominational Christian church, I would lose my ecclesiastical clearance and my job as a professor,” Wilder wrote. “Only at BYU would someone lose their academic position for finding salvation outside the Mormon church.”
During this same time, Wilder’s son Micah became a born-again Christian. He announced to his fellow Mormon missionaries that he did not believe that men are saved by the works that Mormons require, and was sent home as “unworthy” to be a missionary. Just days later, Micah began serving a Christian organization in missions instead.
In the time that followed, Lynn Wilder began searching the Scriptures for answers. She states that the word of God opened her eyes to the truth.
“I read my Bible, sometimes hours a day, and truly felt I was being washed,” Wilder explained. “In its pages, I met a Jesus who was able to save me from my life of working to be ‘good.’”
Writer Sharon Lindbloom of Mormonism Research Ministry also notes that Wilder’s was impacted when she read 2 Corinthians 11:4, which states, “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another Gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”
“Another Jesus!” Wilder said to herself. “That’s exactly what we have.”
The movie Luther, which focuses on the life Protestant reformer Martin Luther and his repudiation of the requirements imposed under the Roman Catholic religion, hit home for Wilder as well. She knew full well of following man-made requirements under Mormon rules.
“I was simply overwhelmed by the Spirit,” she said. “I went face down in surrender to Christ.”
The Brigham Young professor then set out to buy herself a cross necklace to show her love for Christ, but there was one problem—crosses were taboo at the university.
“Mormons don’t revere the cross. They see it as an instrument of death, not the place where Christ became the savior,” she stated. “[I]f I was caught, I would be called in by my superiors and lose the ecclesiastical clearance I needed to work there.”
So, Wilder hid it under her clothing with the hopes that no one saw.
Months later, Wilder requested a leave of absence and took another job in Florida. On March 16, 2008 (3/16/08), she submitted her resignation in honor of John 3:16. Both Wilder and her husband had renounced Mormonism and turned to Christ.
“We lost a religion, but we gained Christ,” Michael Wilder stated in the 2011 documentary Unveiling Grace. “And that’s a good trade.”
When word broke, Wilder says that she received a lot of criticism, but states that her joys outweigh her sufferings.
“I was stupid, a liar, an adulterer, a drug addict, and had committed gross sins,” she said. “Despite the rejection I faced from 30 years of friends, despite the fact that I lost status, position, money, might lose children and our home, I walked away and never feared again.”
Now, Wilder is sharing her story with the world in spoken word and pen, and several of her children are likewise sharing the Gospel through the music ministry Adam’s Road—including her son Micah.
“Words cannot describe the feeling of finally knowing the Lord Jesus Christ in a way that you’ve always wanted to,” he said, becoming tearful. “Reading His word for the very first time and being washed clean by that word and understanding what his Gospel really was–that’s what changed my life. … I’ll never be the same.”
Wow!
Maybe the Democrats are right about bigotry on the Right, judging by these postings.
Maybe we can burn these Mormon heretics.
Then we can go after the Papists.
Then them Jews.
Maybe we could wear some kind of uniforms to show our Christian purity, like white sheets.
And have some symbols, like burning crosses to show our burning desire for the true cross of Jesus.
If only "good" were the qualification for entrance to Heaven, only dogs could go there.
Uhh, Mormons ARE NOT Christians.
Mormons ARE pagans.
Rather, they believe in an infinite number of gods and sons of gods and so forth, so the "Christ" they believe in is not the only-begotten Son. No Trinity. Thus they have neither the same God nor the same Christ as historic Christianity.
(By 'historic Christianity' I mean, of course, the Catholic and Orthodox churches, plus those other Christians who have retained the basic elements of the Creed.)
Do you believe that Christ is God eternal or do you believe that he's a product of "heavenly relations" between a heavenly father and mother?
Do you believe that Christ is the literal spirit brother of satan because of those "relations" taking place in heaven?
Do you believe that Christ is only there to check your balance due and pay the difference once you arrive at the gates or did he pay it ALL on the cross?
Here is an example right out of the BoM that gives a pretty accurate and not so subtle description of the mormon christ...he's OT style vengeful.
In the Book of Mormon, Jesus brought death and destruction with him to the Cross. In 3 Nephi, Chapters 8 and 9, it details the events testifying of Christ's crucifixion. It describes the desolation of the great city of Zarahemla by fire, and the city of Moroni "did sink into the sea and the inhabitants thereof were drowned... the earth was carried up upon the city of Mornihah...there was great and terrible destruction in the land southward......terrible destruction in the land northward....the highways were broken up....many great and noble cities were sunk and many burned and many shaken till the buildings thereof had fallen to the earth.....all these great and terrible things were done in the space of three hours."
Here are links to the Official LdS BoM chapters that detail these events:
3 Nephi, Chapter 9, tells of further wrath as the Lord also destroyed the cities and inhabitants of Gigal, Onihah, Mocum, Jerusalem, Gadiandi, Gadiomnah, Jacob, Gimgimmo, Jacobugath, Laman, Josh, Gad, and Kishkumen. (a total of 16 major cities) Who did all this killing to testify of our Lord's atonement on Calvary?
3 Nephi 9:15 reveals the murderer of approximately 2 million innocent inhabitants of the Book of Mormon lands, "Behold, I am Jesus Christ the son of God. I created the heavens and the earth and all things that in them are." He adds, (in verse 21), "behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world to save the world from sin." I guess the easiest way was to kill almost every living creature; at least the vast majority of that portion of his "other sheep have I." This Jesus was a god of wrath, exercising some form of Old Testament Judgment by the one who was supposed to be the end of the law.
2 Cor.11:3-5 tells us that there will be those who would teach a different Christ. Paul says of them, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ".
It is recorded in the BoM that the mormon christ massacred millions of men, women and children and destroyed at least 16, if not more cities. He did this to "save" mankind as the BoM states. Well, why did He sacrifice Himself on the cross then? What was the point of doing that if He can just wipe millions of people off the face of the planet?
Yet the Christ of the Bible, when He came back, "do not be afraid", "peace be upon you" recorded numerous times in the Bible. No hint whatsoever of Christ going on a murderous and destructive rampage in the ME.
I wonder, were there no evil folks in the ME for the Biblical Christ to destroy? Since the BoM is claiming all those poor souls the BoM christ destroyed were "evil" and without redemption, is it contended that all the folks in the ME were somehow, "special"?
They are not the same "Christ" and for mormons to persist in stating as much, even going to the point where they lay claim to "Christianity" is what raises the ire of many Christians.
I read the article and comments, praising God that an entire family came to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Where did you see any bigotry?
Maybe we can burn these Mormon heretics.
Nobody but you has mentioned that possibility.
Then we can go after the Papists.
By "Papists", I infer you mean Catholics. Catholics worship the same triune God that all other Christians worship.
Then them Jews.
If and when, "them Jews", start claiming to be the only true Christians, we'll do our best to enlighten them too.
Maybe we could wear some kind of uniforms to show our Christian purity, like white sheets.
Again, you're the only one suggesting that.
And have some symbols, like burning crosses to show our burning desire for the true cross of Jesus.
Christians carry their love for the Lord in their hearts, minds and souls and have an obligation to present it to others. The Christians on this thread are doing it quite well and I'm proud to call them my brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Because I'm certain that there is no way that anyone could identify my "offended" Mormon friend, I'll share that he was the most hardcore racist that I've ever met.
I know some mormons that are good solid people....but I think they are hoodwinked.
I have several Mormon friends. Unlike several drive-by posters on these threads, my Mormon friends understand that I love them even if I hate their Mormonism. While I grieve for their parents, I grieve even more for the children who are being mislead because their parents are deceived.
It is by their OWN declaration oldbill -
"In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints 'do not believe in the traditional Christ.' 'No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. He together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages.'" (LDS Church News Week ending June 20, 1998, p. 7).
It is better to keep your mouth shut and let people wonder if you are stupid than to open it and remove any doubt.
Bingo! Although this may actually be the awakening for oldbill, who clearly has been naïve and/or ignorant for far too long.
There is but one God and his name is Allah!
There, now we don’t have to worry about them multiple Jesuses.
Now, anybody know where I can get a good deal on them white sheets? I see a big market for them here on this thread.
The article also mentioned how this family was criticized and unfriended by the LDS friends.
I have personally known some Mormons and Mormon teaching is that the rest of us Christians ARE NOT really Christians.
Lastly you mention burning Mormons, simply because we don't agree. NICE TRY...but that wasn't even hinted at. That was something you chose to fabricate.
But lets look at some history of the Mormon church and the Mountain Meadows Massacre....
Wah wah wah...you come on this forum accusing and throwing mud and then when confronted you cry like a little...
Shame on you!
You are lying about what has been said on this thread, you are trying to stir up trouble and divert the thread. Why don’t you take your mean attitude somewhere else!
There, now we don’t have to worry about them multiple Jesuses.
Muslims don't claim to be Christian. That is the difference oldbill.
Bingo! How ya doin, brother?
This "it" with-so-much potential process outcomes somehow apparently existed forever regression-wise...
...& you now have to philosophically bow -- especially on most campuses these days -- to such materialistic naturalism as your impersonal lord & master...
...& -- given that humankind is continuing to generationally "evolve" and "progress" -- it must also somehow be removing the naturalistically unexplained evil present in humanity's soul.
Makes perfect sense to me. (And it takes even greater faith that I or most could possibly muster! Gotta commend your degree of faith, GreenOgre!)
Now go be a good venture capitalist and harness all that green wind power contained in tornadoes and hurricanes -- and make sure each tornado and hurricane delivers you an assembly line of newly-minted autos and watches. Yeah, we know...perhaps each tornado/hurricane MAY only deliver one segment of the entire "assembly-line" process needed to eventually create a car. But, hey, keep at your faith in such random processes...in multi-hundreds of millions of years, you might just have that 1976 Ford Pinto ready for shoppers! And then "natural selection" will bound to kick in...'cause everyone knows that a 1976 Ford Pinto would need to instantaneously reinvent itself as something else...or it wouldn't survive in any given year's market!
Your response has nothing to do with my question.
(Why that's funny...'questions' usually contain 'question marks' -- of which NONE existed in your previous post...do you always go about attempting to engage in historical revisionism of your previous remarks?)
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