Hosting stories of faith deconstruction, crisis, and transition out of the Mormon church. Consider creating your own profile and adding your own story to the growing collection. We’re on a mission to destigmatize doubt and normalize those who leave the church by providing a platform for all of us to tell our own story – if we don’t share it, they will. What you have learned about Mormonism? What broke your shelf? Where are you now and how did you get there? wasmormon.org is the new mormon.org, patterned after the old one where we used to share.
Latest Profile Updates
Telling your story and learning about others’ experiences are both therapeutic and cathartic. Be part of improving the harmful stigma around doubt in LDS culture and your own healing. Check out these latest profiles – they speak for themselves:
Yeshua_DiabloI was a Mormon.
francisnh12I was a Mormon, Missionary, Married in the Temple, Father, Teacher, Engineer. Wanting to be the author of my own life, I could not make Mormonism work for me. Then I discovered the willful, intentional deception about Church history by Church leaders.
RyanBarkdullI was LDS for 44 years, the last 7 being inactive. I found it easier to lose all faith, then to go to the LDS church. No church should tell you how or how not to live. The pressures for so many years, made me feel not good enough. Like Christ said to the fishermen "Come follow me". It is really that simple. Works dont do anything for you, but by your faith the works will follow.
hsavannah5h6I was a mormon.
Noal DavisBorn & raised in Norther Utah, I quickly learned that my personal value was only connected to my obedience to the Mormon faith. I was, but am no longer, a Mormon
Rodney-James-McGuireI love logic and reason. I love my family. I was a mormon.
AmethystI love books, hairstyling and the forest. I'm a lesbian. I'm an artist, poet and writer. I'm an over opinionated, cussing, sarcastic teenager with a load of anxiety and terrible mental health. I was a Mormon.
TimI'm a single father of two boys. I love art and the natural world. I was a mormon.
KMNicholsI was a Mormon for many years. I am a retired chemical engineer. Although I loved the church, and still feel grateful for all of the good it provided to me and my family, I came to a point where I could no longer feel okay within myself, continuing as a member.
Paul-Snow-CarpenterWithin the next few weeks I hope to find time to fill this space with excepts from my autobiography which will describe my long religious journey, my life with my wife and family, my 50-year international career, 30 years of it overseas, and my life in retirement. To be continued…..
DawnieI live in beautiful Washington state. I am married with six grown children and three grandchildren. I am an educator, artist, curious learner, lover of board games, puzzles, and animals. I WAS a mormon for 30+ years. 
Grace18I was in an LDS splinter group from birth until middle age.
ShayleeI'm an instructional designer, a wife & mom, and so much more. On the side, I enjoy drinking tea & collecting teaware, reading Tarot, knitting, crocheting, sewing, gaming, and photography. I was a Mormon.
dejj79I was a Mormon but have chosen to be honest to myself and embraced my doubts by researching the truth claims of the church. 
PattyI am a daughter, wife, and mother who once lived with untreated OCD. I was a Mormon.
MikeI am a husband, father, teacher, reader, questioner, thinker, traveler and I am living my best life. I was a mormon.
kendallI love good music, good food, skiing, and spending time with my spouse and crazy kids. I was a Mormon.
ChelseaI am a lover of coffee, dogs, and life. I was a Mormon.
ShayI was a Mormon.
ArtCI am a father, widower, author, retired educator at Weber State University and a former Mormon.
wemb1995I’m violently progressive, I’m a proud, loud, queer punk. I was a mormon.
truthfinder23I am a writer, jazz pianist and fraud investigator.
shanecor23I was a mormon.
AllyI am fifteen. I have been PIMO — physically in, mentally out of the church — for close to two years. My family doesn't know.I was a Mormon. And now, I am hiding.Also check these powerful video stories:
DougI'm a physicist, engineer, educator, nature worshiper, father, grandfather, and I was a Mormon.
Jim ThompsonI am an Exmormon
Christopher DavisThis is my LDS Journey. I was a mormon.
AngelI represent those who are afraid to speak publicly. I'm an exmormon.
GloriaI was a mormon.
MattHarrisonI’m a truth seeker, a wanderer, a student of life, and I am very happily an exmormon.
DevinTeacher, Father, Gay, Ex-Mormon
Curtis PenfoldEx BYU Student, LGBTQ Ally, Feminist, Activist and I’m an Ex Mormon
Tom HopkinsMusician, Composer, Ex Mormon
Jackand I’m an Ex Mormon.
Nick Godfreyand I’m an Ex Mormon.
Pamela McCrearyand I’m an Ex Mormon
Kevin Milletand I’m an Ex Mormon.
Steve Lee35 years of prayer couldn’t get rid of my homosexuality. I am an Ex Mormon.
Heatherand I’m an Ex Mormon
Alex Stoutand I’m an Ex Mormon
Arianeand I’m an Ex Mormon.
Erik and Shaunalei AndersenOur marriage has survived a crisis of faith. We are the Andersen family, and we are Ex Mormons.Each of us has an important, interesting, and valid story. Participate and share your feelings, beliefs, and experiences with the community. It’s easy: just register, optionally upload an image and/or video, write a little about yourself and your journey. There are even prompts to follow. Come back to it later to add more or change it as needed. Share it with those you want to see it and stand proudly with others. Learn more about this site’s mission or browse contributed answers to specific questions.
Have Questions about the Mormon church?
Are you interested to learn first-hand answers to common Mormon questions from those who have lived it? See the list of questions and dive into user-contributed honest answers. Do you want to answer these questions yourself? Create a profile and answer as many questions as you’d like and see them included in the list.
Latest Spotlights
Nathanael Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile SpotlightMeet Nathanael, whose story demonstrates the profound courage required to choose integrity over comfort, even when it means dismantling the very foundation upon which you’ve…- Christi Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile SpotlightMeet Christi Keller, a remarkable woman whose story exemplifies the courage it takes to pursue truth, even when it leads to uncomfortable places. As a…
- Noal Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile SpotlightNoal’s journey is a testament to the incredible courage it takes to choose authenticity over acceptance. For 30 years, he lived a carefully constructed life—checking…
- Luis Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile SpotlightLuis’s journey is a powerful testament to the cost—and the reward—of pursuing truth and integrity, even when it upends everything familiar. A convert to Mormonism,…
Latest Blog Posts
I’ll Pray for You — Hate mailVisitors sometimes ask why wasmormon.org exists, or why former members don’t just move on. Fair questions deserve straight answers. Occasionally, though, the mail isn’t a question—it’s a script: pity, prophecy, and the old line that people who leave should leave the Church alone….- MLK Chapel of Morehouse College Honors Founder of Racist ChurchThe historically black Morehouse College campus in Atlanta, Georgia, includes an International Chapel that bears the name of the school’s most renowned alumnus, Martin Luther King, Jr. In 2023, the Chapel added a portrait of the then-president of the LDS…
- Prophet Sermons Are Mormon Scripture – Except When They’re Not – See Adam-God, Blood Atonement and RacismLatter-day Saints are often taught that prophetic authority is the foundation of continuing revelation—that God speaks through living prophets, and that their words carry divine weight. Few church leaders embraced that idea more boldly than Brigham Young. Unlike modern leaders…
- The Secret Wives of Mormon Guys: Joseph Smith – Polygamous ProphetThe practice of plural marriage by Joseph Smith Jr. represents one of the most documented yet deliberately obscured chapters in Mormon history. While the LDS Church now acknowledges that Smith had between 30 and 40 plural wives, this admission came…
- Joseph Smith’s Martyrdom Grew ChurchHistorians generally agree on a distinction that is crucial for understanding Mormonism’s survival: martyrdom is not evidence of truth, but it is powerful social capital. Joseph Smith’s death did the opposite of what his enemies intended. It turned him into…
- Church Tentacles Reach For Wayward ChildrenElder David Bednar recently received pushback for his response to a question posed during a devotional about families and the gospel. The question asked, “How do temple covenants help us when someone in our family uses their agency to reject…
The Personal Faith Crisis Report
- Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Introduction and OverviewThe Personal Faith Crisis Report was presented to Elder Uchtdorf in 2013 by Elder Jensen so leaders could better understand what is happening and take…
- Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Research SummaryThis report studies a faith crisis in detail along with an actual research survey of members who have left the church due to faith crisis…
- Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Faith Crisis StagesThe report defines the stages of such a faith crisis from a true believing member, through a catalyst and traumatization, and then either through a…
- Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Perpetual Cycle of DisaffectionThe report also analyses a perpetual cycle of disaffiliated members, where a member finds troubling information and through the age of information and the internet…
- Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Faith Crisis ProfilesThis faith crisis report next lists many anonymous faith crisis profiles each detailing the exit story of the member (along with precious statistics and demographics…
- Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Summary & Potential Next StepsThe report concludes with suggestions the mormon church can take to mitigate the further loss of members due to a faith crisis. This report shows…
Featured Posts
- Inventing God: The Human Origin Story of ReligionFor those of us raised in Mormonism, we were taught that our faith is the “one true church” restored through a prophet who saw God the Father and Jesus Christ…
- Green Flake, The Man and Slave Labor The Church Accepted as TithingToday, the LDS Church no longer condones slavery, and leaders assert that the church has always been against slavery and racism, but there is a hidden history of racism and even slavery…
- Jane Manning James: Faithful Servant, Denied Sisterhood, Sealed into SlaveryJane Elizabeth Manning James was a remarkable woman who exemplified deep faith and resilience, despite the racism and systemic exclusion she endured within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day…
- Renlund’s Boat Parable – Showcase of Demonizing Doubters and Dismissing ConcernsIn 2019, both Dale G. Renlund, LDS Apostle, and his wife, Ruth L. Renlund, gave a talk at a Worldwide devotional from BYU-Hawaii. They shared a colorful parable to marginalize…
- Playing Church History Whack-a-MoleIn 2019, both Dale G. Renlund, LDS Apostle, and his wife, Ruth L. Renlund, gave a talk at a Worldwide devotional from BYU-Hawaii. They shared a colorful parable and other…
- Bednar’s Evasive $300 Billion Answer Only Raises More QuestionsIn February 2025, the LDS Church released a new video featuring an interview with David A. Bednar at the Silicon Slopes Summit on September 28, 2023. The interview was conducted…
- Analyzing Henry B. Eyring’s PaystubThis paystub provides a detailed breakdown of Henry B. Eyring’s compensation and deductions, contradicting the LDS Church’s claim that it has “no paid clergy.” Let’s analyze each section: Earnings Breakdown:…
- Witnesses Saw Gold Plates With Spiritual EyesThe Three Book of Mormon witnesses offer a fascinating and contradictory window into the authenticity of Joseph Smith’s claims about the gold plates. The accounts of the witnesses—both official and…
- The Drawn Flaming Sword of Polygamy – Spiritual Abuse and ManipulationJoseph Smith secretly practiced polyandry and polygamy, or what the church later called plural marriage. The church freely admits this today (when forced) whereas previously it was all denied as…
- Mormons Expected to Stand Forever – Despite QuestionsChurch leader Lawrence E. Corbridge, an LDS Seventy, gave a BYU Devotional that addresses how to properly deal with questions. Corbridge explains that he’s read all the anti-Mormon literature out…
- Joseph Smith’s Rock in Hat Translation of the Book of MormonTraditionally, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church) depicts Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon in a manner that implies a reverent, direct reading…
- What is Cognitive Dissonance?Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person experiences discomfort due to holding conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. To reduce this discomfort, individuals often try to reconcile these inconsistencies, either by changing…
- The BITE Model to Cults from Dr Steven HassanSteven Hassan Dr. Steven Hassan is a prominent mental health professional, author, and advocate known for his expertise in cults and undue influence. Having experienced firsthand the effects of mind…
- Elevation and Other Elevated EmotionsMany people who have left the church report still feeling the “spirit” just as they did when they were active members. This feeling is linked to a phenomenon called “Elevation…
- Confirmation BiasConfirmation bias refers to the cognitive tendency of individuals to interpret or seek out information in a way that confirms their preexisting beliefs or hypotheses. When someone experiences confirmation bias,…
- Moroni’s Promise – A Lesson in Confirmation Bias and Elevated EmotionsIn the Book of Mormon, Moroni offers a promise often cited by members of the LDS Church to confirm its truthfulness. This promise is foundational for many Mormons, providing a…
- The Wives of Lorenzo Snow – Polygamous Prophet 5Lorenzo Snow Lorenzo Snow was born April 3, 1814, in Ohio. He joined the church in June of 1836 at 22 years of age. In 1837, he was called on…
- Mormon Bishop Resigns at Pulpit in Mississippi Sacrament MeetingA Mormon Bishop in a Mississippi Ward resigned from his calling during a message he delivered in sacrament meeting in front of his ward. He asked to be released from…
- Will the Church Ever Have Sufficient To Stop Requiring Tithing?Is tithing a forever part of the Mormon church? Or will there be a day when it will have enough funds in the bank and in the “rainy day fund”…
- Major Victories for SatanLDS Church leader, Russell Nelson, has for decades wanted to do away with the nickname of the church. It seems to have been a pet peeve of his, and he…
- Truth and History are Anti-MormonOne could define a faithful perspective as supporting the church’s truth claims at all costs. Anything that is outside of that faith-promoting mindset could be argued to be anti-mormon, because…
- Never Take Counsel From Those Who Do Not Believe – Says Russell M NelsonIn the October 2023 General Conference, President Russell M Nelson spoke to the church membership by way of a previously recorded message. He was unable to attend the conference because…
- Elder Ballard Gave Mormon Tithing Records to Tim Ballard as Potential OUR DonorsTim Ballard has been a topic of discussion with his separation from O.U.R., the release of the Sound of Freedom movie, hint at running for US Senate for Utah, and…
- The LDS Church and The November Policy of Exclusion – POX 2015In November 2015, eight years ago, the church leaders intended to quietly institute a policy they had thought through deeply as a reaction to the United States deeming same-sex marriage…
![[He] chose to be a perpetual doubter. As one concern was resolved, another one was found. “Church history whack-a-mole.” The children’s game where a mole pops up from a board and as soon as you hit it, another mole pops up in another place. - Dale G. Renlund, LDS Apostle, and Sister Ruth L. Renlund, Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults • January 13, 2019 • BYU–Hawaii - Church History whack-a-mole | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Dale-G-Renlund-church-history-whack-a-mole-08-one-concern-resolved-another-is-found.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
![“[To] the people who want to tell us how to spend the money, I would just emphasize one undergirding principle. The assets of the church are primarily income consuming; they are not income producing.” - David A. Bednar, LDS Apostle & Ryan Smith, Qualtrics/Utah Jazz Owner Silicon Slopes Summit, September 28, 2023 'What Does the Church Do With Tithing Money?' Church Video | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/David-A-Bednar-church-assets-are-income-consuming-not-income-producing.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
![Martin was in the office when I [John H. Gilbert, typesetter for most of the Book of Mormon] finished setting up the testimony of the three witnesses, I said to him, “Martin, did you see those plates with your naked eyes?” Martin looked down for an instant, raised his eyes up, and said, “No, I saw them with a spiritual eye.” - Martin Harris, Witness of the Gold Plates | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Martin-Harris-Witness-not-naked-eye-spiritual-eye.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
Mormon shelf issues:
Mormon Spectrum:
The First Presidency
The highest governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Listed in order of seniority
Church Presidents
All presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in chronological order
