I am a "Christian" the real deal. Not a convert from another religion. I have and always will be a follower of the true Christ. This is long and I am sorry. I didn't see another email that allowed for questions. I stumbled upon your site when researching for a friend.

The long story short is that I have met and fallen in love with a Mormon guy. 1 1/2 years ago when we met I invited him to church. I said "we can never date...our beliefs are different." He agreed. I said, "would you be willing to admit that Mormonism could be wrong, and perhaps study the "truth" with a pastor friend of mine". Yes was his reply. John is his name.

John studied once a week for about 2 months with my friend. We decided that he would continue to study and attend church with me "as friends". And that when he came to a decision of which religion he would choose to believe then we would decide where we stood in terms of a relationship. During the 2 month study process we began dating. The two study months went by and John informed me that he was going to stay Mormon and that he could not deny what he knows to be true. We continued dating. This dating was all behind my families back. My father threatened to kick me out since I was involved with a boy from a "cult".

Thru much pain and tears John and I quit speaking. Six months went by and we began hanging out again. Again we both claim that we should not be together. We say, "what are we doing, we can never get married, this is fun yet so hard, we must end, we must not see one another." We LOVE one another. We ask, "why would God allow us to love one another if He knew we couldn't be together". I think to myself...John is not right from me because he claims the wrong "truth". Then I sit there and say "but I am right for him cause I know the truth..therefore I am not bad for him" It just doesn't make sence.

My parents have no idea that we see one another. We sneak every day. I have asked him before...."will you always be Mormon, will you ever study my stuff again and so on." I joked which was wrong "if you love me then you will change" Just to see what he would say. He said I love God more then you..and I can not deny what I know is true. Please. I have read the abridged version of your book Beyond Mormonism and it was so touching. I just wish so badly and pray that John would come to know the TRUTH. What can I do? Is there hope? He is so sure that what he believes is right. I don't want my days to go by without him.

Sasha

No, not much hope. God is still a God of miracles, but this doesn't look good. You sound like someone who smoked for twenty years, got cancer, and now wants a healing from God. It can happen.

The only hope I can give you is this: If you break up with him you won't marry him and amplify your pain.

If I sound short with you it is because I answer these letters weekly where women date unsaved people, fall in love, and then want God to fix it.

There is a story about a woman who was walking up a mountain when she encountered a rattle snake alongside the road. The snake said, "Please take me up the mountain." She replied, "No, you are a snake, you will bite me." He told her that was silly because then he couldn't get up the mountain. So she picked him up and he bit her. She said, "How could you do this?" He said, "You knew what I was when you picked me up."

Of course, your friend is not a snake, but you really did know what he was when you picked him up and now you have been bitten. You knew the Word of God, you had godly advice from parents, but all was overcome by your hormones and now you are stuck.

As far as the question, how can God allow us to love one another if we can't be together... Please! If I commit adultery with my neighbor's wife and fall in love with her how is that God's fault? Grow up, Sasha.

Time to live in the real world. If his "love" is worth forty years of being yoked to an unbeliever go for it. If not, repent.

Jim