Yearly Archives: 2024

(Page 39)
"There was a lot of deconstructing of my faith that had to happen. I had to come to understand the biology behind being a queer individual & how they are born the way they are. We are still struggling to rebuild our lives. Yet, even in the midst of recovering from Mormonism, we experience a feeling of great joy & freedom. I am still a good person with good values who loves helping others & advocating for the marginalized. The more emotionally healthy I become, the more I realize how unhealthy Mormonism is/was (for ME). I acknowledge we all have different paths in life & that is totally valid & okay (at least, to me)." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"There was a lot of deconstructing of my faith that had to happen. I had to come to understand the biology behind being a queer individual & how they are born the way they are. We are still struggling to rebuild our lives. Yet, even in the midst of recovering from Mormonism, we experience a feeling of great joy & freedom. I am still a good person with good values who loves helping others & advocating for the marginalized. The more emotionally healthy I become, the more I realize how unhealthy Mormonism is/was (for ME). I acknowledge we all have different paths in life & that is totally valid & okay (at least, to me)." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"I have studied & prayed intensely. I came to realize that there are too many troubling aspects to church history, doctrine etc. I just don't believe a loving God would obligate me to believe in something that actively harms people (such as how polygamy harmed women & children... and how the church harms LGBTQ+ individuals/youth). When there are so many problems with the history (& so many things about the doctrine/teachings/policies are so incredibly unhealthy), there is no way any God would ask me to believe in such a thing. That would be abusive, in my view." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"I have studied & prayed intensely. I came to realize that there are too many troubling aspects to church history, doctrine etc. I just don't believe a loving God would obligate me to believe in something that actively harms people (such as how polygamy harmed women & children... and how the church harms LGBTQ+ individuals/youth). When there are so many problems with the history (& so many things about the doctrine/teachings/policies are so incredibly unhealthy), there is no way any God would ask me to believe in such a thing. That would be abusive, in my view." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"A bishop suggested when I was 23 that I didn't need professional therapy, even though I was raised in a moderately dysfunctional family. I believed he was inspired because that's what I was told to believe. He wasn't inspired." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"A bishop suggested when I was 23 that I didn't need professional therapy, even though I was raised in a moderately dysfunctional family. I believed he was inspired because that's what I was told to believe. He wasn't inspired." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
This is a spotlight on a profile shared at wasmormon.org. These are just the highlights, so please find Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/. There are over a hundred more stories of Mormon faith journeys contributed by users like you. Come check them out and consider sharing your own story at wasmormon.org!
This is a spotlight on a profile shared at wasmormon.org. These are just the highlights, so please find Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/. There are over a hundred more stories of Mormon faith journeys contributed by users like you. Come check them out and consider sharing your own story at wasmormon.org!
"I spent a lot of time being single in the church. I passed up an opportunity to date someone I really cared about solely because he wasn't Mormon. I married a Mormon man at age 38. He was also a convert. I didn't really marry for the right reasons. I knew I was going to descend into depression if I didn't marry & have children. We had 2 beautiful children we both adore. I sought to be the mom/wife the church told me I must be, constantly struggling to make it to sacrament meeting on time, study scriptures as a family & do all the "stuff." I definitely wasn't happy." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"I spent a lot of time being single in the church. I passed up an opportunity to date someone I really cared about solely because he wasn't Mormon. I married a Mormon man at age 38. He was also a convert. I didn't really marry for the right reasons. I knew I was going to descend into depression if I didn't marry & have children. We had 2 beautiful children we both adore. I sought to be the mom/wife the church told me I must be, constantly struggling to make it to sacrament meeting on time, study scriptures as a family & do all the "stuff." I definitely wasn't happy." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"I came to terms with the fact that my biological father was narcissistic. I realized I had gone straight from a controlling father to a high control organization. I decided I wasn't going to make it to the celestial kingdom & that was going to be okay. I just wanted us all to be happy in this life. I wanted my children to be happy & healthy. The top tier Mormon heaven wouldn't be the same without my child. And I felt arrogant in thinking I could make it there & someone else couldn't, knowing that I also couldn't live up to the impossible expectations." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"I came to terms with the fact that my biological father was narcissistic. I realized I had gone straight from a controlling father to a high control organization. I decided I wasn't going to make it to the celestial kingdom & that was going to be okay. I just wanted us all to be happy in this life. I wanted my children to be happy & healthy. The top tier Mormon heaven wouldn't be the same without my child. And I felt arrogant in thinking I could make it there & someone else couldn't, knowing that I also couldn't live up to the impossible expectations." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"I was a convert brought into the church by a wonderful LDS couple. The church filled some unmet needs at the time. I served a foreign LDS mission as a new convert. I am a poet & writer. I was a Mormon." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"I was a convert brought into the church by a wonderful LDS couple. The church filled some unmet needs at the time. I served a foreign LDS mission as a new convert. I am a poet & writer. I was a Mormon." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"I had to realize also that my spiritual experiences were not necessarily tied to the LDS church (even though I had been led to believe they were). I now believe that any religion should be taken with a grain of salt (or not "taken" at all). I am much happier now than when I was in the church. I am struggling to find community though. That is the part that is hard (leaving the community). But I have a lot more joy than I ever had trying to check all those Mormon "boxes" that I could never get quite right, it seemed. We spend more quality time as a family. And I am learning to reclaim my own self. I see myself becoming happier & happier." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"I had to realize also that my spiritual experiences were not necessarily tied to the LDS church (even though I had been led to believe they were). I now believe that any religion should be taken with a grain of salt (or not "taken" at all). I am much happier now than when I was in the church. I am struggling to find community though. That is the part that is hard (leaving the community). But I have a lot more joy than I ever had trying to check all those Mormon "boxes" that I could never get quite right, it seemed. We spend more quality time as a family. And I am learning to reclaim my own self. I see myself becoming happier & happier." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"My precious teenager came out as queer. This child had never believed in the church either. I knew she wasn't going to stay in the church & I knew she was going to live an authentic life as a queer person. So where would this leave us as a family? I couldn't take it anymore." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/
"My precious teenager came out as queer. This child had never believed in the church either. I knew she wasn't going to stay in the church & I knew she was going to live an authentic life as a queer person. So where would this leave us as a family? I couldn't take it anymore." Read Lindee's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lostinbetween22/

Book of Mormon Invites Criticism

Hugh Nibley (1910–2005) was an American scholar and prominent figure in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was known for his contributions to LDS scholarship, particularly in ancient history, languages, and religious studies. Nibley held a Ph.D. in ancient history and wrote about ancient civilizations, religious history, and Mormonism. Nibley’s influence extends …

Continue reading “Book of Mormon Invites Criticism”

"Some things in life we have little or no control over. These have to be endured. Some disappointments have to be lived with in love and in marriage. These are not things anyone wants in life, but sometimes they come. And when they come, we have to bear them." - LDS Apostle, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, BYU Devotional 2000 | wasmormon.org
"Some things in life we have little or no control over. These have to be endured. Some disappointments have to be lived with in love and in marriage. These are not things anyone wants in life, but sometimes they come. And when they come, we have to bear them." - LDS Apostle, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, BYU Devotional 2000
"Then in 2013, I moved from the heavily Mormon area in the Phoenix area I'd lived most of my life to Texas, and found myself working with openly gay coworkers for the first time. Getting to know actual people in the LGBTQ+ community, combined with a church scene where I no longer had the comfortable friendships I'd made with other more progressive and nuanced Mormons even as the things being said over the pulpit and in Sunday School and Priesthood got more narrow-minded, only intensified my concerns, and I started struggling to find the motivation to stay involved." - Anja's "I was a Mormon" Story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/anjaisagirl/
"Then in 2013, I moved from the heavily Mormon area in the Phoenix area I'd lived most of my life to Texas, and found myself working with openly gay coworkers for the first time. Getting to know actual people in the LGBTQ+ community, combined with a church scene where I no longer had the comfortable friendships I'd made with other more progressive and nuanced Mormons even as the things being said over the pulpit and in Sunday School and Priesthood got more narrow-minded, only intensified my concerns, and I started struggling to find the motivation to stay involved." - Anja's "I was a Mormon" Story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/anjaisagirl/
"I've had deep spiritual experiences my whole life. I've always felt the love of the Divine strongly, and if anything that's gotten stronger since I left the church. My name, Anja, was given to me by Spirit after I'd realized I was trans and was starting my transition - it means "grace". Even with the ongoing genocidal attacks on trans people in America right now, transitioning and living as my fullest self has brought me more peace and joy more consistently than I ever found in the LDS faith." - Anja's "I was a Mormon" Story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/anjaisagirl/
"I've had deep spiritual experiences my whole life. I've always felt the love of the Divine strongly, and if anything that's gotten stronger since I left the church. My name, Anja, was given to me by Spirit after I'd realized I was trans and was starting my transition - it means "grace". Even with the ongoing genocidal attacks on trans people in America right now, transitioning and living as my fullest self has brought me more peace and joy more consistently than I ever found in the LDS faith." - Anja's "I was a Mormon" Story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/anjaisagirl/
"When the church began openly pushing against gay marriage in the late 90's and early 2000's, I struggled to reconcile that with the 11th Article of Faith, where we supposedly allow all others to worship according to their own conscience. But I believed in following the prophet, so I mostly kept my doubts to myself. - Anja's "I was a Mormon" Story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/anjaisagirl/
"When the church began openly pushing against gay marriage in the late 90's and early 2000's, I struggled to reconcile that with the 11th Article of Faith, where we supposedly allow all others to worship according to their own conscience. But I believed in following the prophet, so I mostly kept my doubts to myself. - Anja's "I was a Mormon" Story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/anjaisagirl/
"Then in 2013, I moved from the heavily Mormon area in the Phoenix area I'd lived most of my life to Texas, and found myself working with openly gay coworkers for the first time. Getting to know actual people in the LGBTQ+ community, combined with a church scene where I no longer had the comfortable friendships I'd made with other more progressive and nuanced Mormons even as the things being said over the pulpit and in Sunday School and Priesthood got more narrow-minded, only intensified my concerns, and I started struggling to find the motivation to stay involved. - Anja's "I was a Mormon" Story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/anjaisagirl/
"Then in 2013, I moved from the heavily Mormon area in the Phoenix area I'd lived most of my life to Texas, and found myself working with openly gay coworkers for the first time. Getting to know actual people in the LGBTQ+ community, combined with a church scene where I no longer had the comfortable friendships I'd made with other more progressive and nuanced Mormons even as the things being said over the pulpit and in Sunday School and Priesthood got more narrow-minded, only intensified my concerns, and I started struggling to find the motivation to stay involved. - Anja's "I was a Mormon" Story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/anjaisagirl/
I grew up immersed in the Mormon faith. I was homeschooled (due to academic concerns, not faith reasons), which meant the church was my entire community. I was a model Aaronic Priesthood holder, served an honorable full-time mission. I realized I was a queer trans woman in June 2020 and started transitioning immediately. I was a Mormon." - Anja's "I was a Mormon" Story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/anjaisagirl/
I grew up immersed in the Mormon faith. I was homeschooled (due to academic concerns, not faith reasons), which meant the church was my entire community. I was a model Aaronic Priesthood holder, served an honorable full-time mission. I realized I was a queer trans woman in June 2020 and started transitioning immediately. I was a Mormon." - Anja's "I was a Mormon" Story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/anjaisagirl/
"We have to remember, that these people are just simply us who haven't yet learned the truth. I don't know what the answer is. Part of me thinks if we stop talking about it and just love them. Maybe. Maybe that's the answer. Maybe we quit dogging Joseph and Brigham. Those people have heard it. They know. They've just been brainwashed. They can call it whatever they want but that's what it is... Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for the love that you've made my family feel in a time where they felt nothing. You don't know what you've done for me." Mormon Bishop in Mississippi Resigned - Says Thank You | wasmormon.org
"We have to remember, that these people are just simply us who haven't yet learned the truth. I don't know what the answer is. Part of me thinks if we stop talking about it and just love them. Maybe. Maybe that's the answer. Maybe we quit dogging Joseph and Brigham. Those people have heard it. They know. They've just been brainwashed. They can call it whatever they want but that's what it is... Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for the love that you've made my family feel in a time where they felt nothing. You don't know what you've done for me." Mormon Bishop in Mississippi Resigned - Says Thank You
"I owe it to my ward family, to hear it from me. I've asked to be released. Not because of some sin. Not because I'm hiding something. Not at all. There's just a few things that I've been required to do that I personally cannot morally stand by. I can't. So I need to step down." - Mormon Bishop in Mississippi Resigns at Pulpit | wasmormon.org
"I owe it to my ward family, to hear it from me. I've asked to be released. Not because of some sin. Not because I'm hiding something. Not at all. There's just a few things that I've been required to do that I personally cannot morally stand by. I can't. So I need to step down." - Mormon Bishop in Mississippi Resigns at Pulpit