Dissenters are apostates, those who break away or desert the cause of truth—the “spiritually challenged” of the Church. Once they come to know the inner workings of the kingdom and then intentionally rebel, they do become more hardened and impenitent and entirely forget the Lord their God. Elder Neal A. Maxwell described them:
“There are the dissenters who leave the Church, either formally or informally, but who cannot leave it alone. Usually anxious to please worldly galleries, they are critical or at least condescending towards the Brethren. They not only seek to steady the ark but also on occasion give it a hard shove! Often having been taught the same true doctrines as the faithful, they have nevertheless moved in the direction of dissent… . They have minds hardened by pride.”64
From Mormon’s Map (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 2000).
Courtesy John L. Sorenson.