When a scientist wants to understand something, they use the scientific method to work towards finding truth. The scientific method follows a few basic steps: observe something, ask a question, make a hypothesis, create an experiment to test the hypothesis, and then analyze the results. If the findings confirm the hypothesis, then the experimenter may want to do more tests or report the results if they are confident in them. If the findings do not support the hypothesis, then they will analyze what was wrong with the question or the experiment and repeat the process until they find truth.
In the church we like to think we use a similar process to find out if the Book of Mormon, and consequently the Church, is true. You should read the Book of Mormon and then pray about it to ask God if it is true. If you get a confirmation (a good feeling), then that means the book is true. If your answer is that the Book of Mormon is not true or if you do not get an answer, then you are told to redo the process because you did something wrong—perhaps you weren’t worthy of an answer or you weren’t listening properly. Instead of figuring out what is wrong with your test or what is wrong with your question, you are supposed to assume the answer is, “Yes, it’s true,” and that you messed up the experiment.
There are more problems with this process than just the presupposition that the Book of Mormon is true. This method ignores the fact that the church split into multiple sects after Joseph Smith died. Therefore, a confirmation that the Book of Mormon is true is not a confirmation that the LDS church is God's only church, but rather it would be a confirmation of the truthfulness of the book itself. If all of these different sects teach that the Book of Mormon will let you know that their church is true, then really we must ask if any of them are true. Another flaw in this method is that it is based on circular logic. The Book of Mormon gives the instruction to pray about the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Mormon tells you what you will feel to know that the Book of Mormon is true. Again, for this to work, you are required to assume beforehand that the book is teaching truth in order to determine whether or not it is teaching truth.
Let's expound on this: I believed that President Nelson was a prophet because Brigham Young was a prophet, and he was one because Joseph Smith was one, and he was one because he translated the Book of Mormon, and I knew the Book of Mormon was true because it says the spirit will tell me it's true if I pray and feel good, and I know that the feeling when I pray comes from the spirit because the Book of Mormon tells me that the feeling is from the spirit, and I know that feeling is from the spirit because the Book of Mormon is true, and I know the Book of Mormon is true because I feel something, and that something I feel is spirit and I know that the feeling is the spirit because the Book of Mormon is true and because I felt something that tells me it is true... Can you see the circle in this logic? Instead of having a clear test that anyone can do to find out if the Church is true, the only way to find out if Mormonism is true is to already believe some aspect of Mormonism is true before you test anything.
Once I looked into the history of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, I started to question whether or not they were actually prophets. They both did things which don't align with the commandments taught in the Bible or the Book of Mormon, which makes it hard for me to believe they were actually prophets. When that belief crumbled I could then see that assuming the Book of Mormon is true so that I could use 'Moroni's test for determining truth' was circular logic, I had to believe Joseph was a prophet to determine whether or not he was a prophet. I wanted another way to evaluate the truthfulness of the Church, so I decided to heed the scripture in Matthew that teaches, “Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them.” Through my study of church history, I could see that the fruits of the newly restored church were mixed at best with some good parts and some bad. Even the fruits of the modern church are mixed. They do some good around the world—feeding people, digging wells, providing education—but there are also bad fruits—hoarding money, gaslighting the members, discriminating against minorities, covering up sex scandals
Because of the many hypocrisies committed by the leaders past and present and the problems with how the current church operates, I am no longer willing to assume that the Book of Mormon is true and therefore cannot trust in the promise written in Moroni to give me answers. Looking at the fruits of the church as the Bible teaches has also left me with doubts. I now feel I can only rely on the scientific method in my search for truth.
When members or investigators still have doubts after following Moroni’s challenge and looking at the fruits of the Church, they are directed to live a principle in order to gain a testimony of its truth. General Conference is filled with stories of people who, despite their skepticism, decided to follow the Word of Wisdom or the Law of Tithing and received blessings as a result. These blessings became a confirmation that the principle was true.
I have tried to live the gospel my whole life, but I have always felt miserable at church, never felt secure financially and struggled to be happy. So, last year I decided to do my own experiment. My hypothesis was that if I stopped living the principles the church taught, then surely I would notice that my life was worse. I started drinking coffee, and I have felt better and more focused. I see that the Word of Wisdom as taught by the church is not true. I haven't given tithing to the church in almost 18 months, and I've gotten a raise, a promotion, my stocks have increased in value, and my 401k is booming. I have more money to do fun things with my family, and I have less stress in my life worrying about how I'm going to pay bills. I am saving more, and I have even paid off my mortgage. Giving tithing to the church is not a true principal. I have been giving what I was giving to the church to my local food bank and a few other charities I believe in, and I am happier about the money that I give. Finally, I stopped going to church. I'm in a mixed faith marriage so Sundays are still incredibly difficult, but I no longer feel constant shame and guilt about every little thing in my life. I am happier, less stressed, and richer even though I'm not living the commandments.
Based on my tests, I can only conclude that my life is better without the LDS church controlling it.