What an incredible sight this must have been yesterday, when thousands of Mormons surrounded the LDS Church in Salt Lake City, Utah to submit their official resignation letters:

According to reports, there were more than 2,500 in attendance, with the majority announcing their plans to quit in the wake of the Church’s bigoted stance toward gay couples and their children:

Over 1,500 resignations were filed today, with another 2,000 requests processed by attorneys from individuals who weren’t able to attend. Lawyers were on hand to help the hundreds of people waiting in line to get their resignation forms filled out. … People out here say the Church has targeted groups for years and say they aren’t going to stand by any longer. That’s why so many, as hard as it may be felt it was the right decision to walk away from the religion. “It’s not easy, but on the same token I have to stand up for humanity and stand up for the right thing, and to me supporting these people here and their effort to understand those of us who are in mixed families. All families matter, all lives matter,” said Aaron Rosen.

Church President Thomas S. Monson made a plea on Twitter for those people not to quit, but it clearly didn’t have much of an effect on them:

I plead with you to avoid anything that will deprive you of your happiness here in mortality and eternal life in the world to come.

When threatening people with eternal damnation doesn’t work anymore, you know you’ve lost them.

Not to mention that marrying someone you love, even if they’re of the same gender, and not disavowing you gay parents is something that brings happiness to quite a few people.

My favorite image, though, may be the sight of a mailbox filled with letters of resignation.

Congratulations to the soon-to-be-official ex-Mormons. I don’t care whether or not you’re atheists; it’s still a tremendous leap forward.

(Top image via Imgur. Thanks to Karl for the link)



