Have you seen the 1999 film, The Matrix? The Matrix is an excellent movie for deconstruction. Anyone familiar with The Matrix trilogy knows it presents a complex philosophical and even religious worldview. Even ordinary people, who had no education in philosophy, metaphysics, or neuroscience, came away from viewing those fanciful stories, asking themselves, “What is reality, anyway?”
The Matrix is a sci-fi action film set in a dystopian future where humans unknowingly live in a simulated reality created by intelligent machines to keep them docile while their bodies are harvested for energy. The story follows Neo, who learns that the world he knows is an elaborate illusion, that his previous life was a facade, and is forced to confront the unsettling truth about his existence, his identity, and the nature of reality itself. Neo must decide whether to continue living in the comfortable lie of the Matrix or to embrace the harsh reality and seek his true purpose in a war for human freedom. As Neo uncovers the mysteries of the Matrix, he embraces his role as “The One,” a prophesied savior who holds the power to liberate humanity from its prison.
There are many overt and thematic religious references in The Matrix. Analyzing the film in the context of deconstructing faith and leaving a high-demand religion like Mormonism provides a rich metaphor for the journey many people experience when questioning their beliefs.
Awakening and Questioning Reality
The Choice of the Red Pill
In The Matrix, the protagonist, Neo, is contacted by a secret organization that he has been trying to understand that seems to understand the answers to some of the questions that plague him. Trinity finds him and gives him a heads-up that the answer will find him if he allows it.
Trinity: I know why you’re here, Neo. I know what you’ve been doing… why you hardly sleep, why you live alone, and why night after night, you sit by your computer. You’re looking for him. I know because I was once looking for the same thing. And when he found me, he told me I wasn’t really looking for him. I was looking for an answer. It’s the question, Neo. It’s the question that drives us. It’s the question that brought you here. You know the question, just as I did.
Neo: What is the Matrix?
Trinity: The answer is out there, Neo, and it’s looking for you, and it will find you if you want it to.
Trinity & Neo, The Matrix, 1999
Neo then hears from Morpheus and is instructed that he must choose to learn more. This is a step of courage and determination to understand the truth no matter the cost. If his whole previous understanding is off base or totally incorrect, he’s willing to give it up in order to understand the truth. Neo is offered a choice between two pills: the blue pill, which would allow him to remain in his familiar, constructed reality, or the red pill, which would reveal the truth about the world he inhabits. Morpheus guides him as he discovers that everything he thought he knew was a lie.
I don’t know if you’re ready to see what I want to show you, but unfortunately, you and I have run out of time. They’re coming for you, Neo, and I don’t know what they’re going to do…
What you know you can’t explain, but you feel it. You’ve felt it your entire life, that there’s something wrong with the world. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad…
Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself…
This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes…
I’m trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. You’re the one that has to walk through it…
I imagine that right now you’re feeling a bit like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole…
Welcome to the real world.
Morpheus, The Matrix, 1999
This moment is analogous to the initial stages of faith deconstruction. For many former members of the Mormon Church, the “red pill” represents the decision to critically examine the teachings, history, and practices of their faith. It’s a step toward confronting uncomfortable truths and rejecting a comforting but potentially false narrative.
The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you’re inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it…
There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.
Morpheus, The Matrix, 1999
The Matrix as a Constructed Reality – Recognizing the Illusion
The Matrix itself symbolizes a fabricated reality designed to keep people obedient and unaware of the actual world. Similarly, for those deconstructing Mormonism, there may be a realization that the worldview they were taught—a tightly controlled narrative involving doctrines, church history, and prophetic authority—could be seen as an artificially constructed framework meant to shape their perceptions, emotions, and behavior. Just as Neo learns that the world he knew was a deception, former Mormons may begin to see their religious teachings as a system designed to control and limit their understanding of reality.
Boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead… only try to realize the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Boy: There is no spoon.
Neo: There is no spoon?
Boy: Then you’ll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.
Neo, The Matrix, 1999
Defenders of the System
Within The Matrix, “Agents” are programmed to protect the system and neutralize any threats to its stability. In the context of faith deconstruction, these agents can represent those within the church who seek to protect its integrity—leaders who warn against questioning, the strengthening members committee, apologists who defend its teachings, or even family and friends who attempt to dissuade one from exploring alternative perspectives. The presence of “agents” serves to maintain the status quo and discourage dissent, reinforcing a sense of discomfort, fear, or guilt around the pursuit of truth outside the established boundaries.
I’d like to share a revelation that I’ve had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species. I realized that you’re not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area, and you multiply, and multiply, until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet, you are a plague, and we are the cure.
I hate this place. This zoo. This prison. This reality, whatever you want to call it, I can’t stand it any longer. It’s the smell, if there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I’ve somehow been infected by it.
Did you know that the first Matrix was designed to be a perfect human world? Where none suffered, where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program. Entire crops were lost. Some believed we lacked the programming language to describe your perfect world. But I believe that, as a species, human beings define their reality through suffering and misery. The perfect world was a dream that your primitive cerebrum kept trying to wake up from. Which is why the Matrix was redesigned to this: the peak of your civilization.
Agent Smith, The Matrix, 1999
In The Matrix, when Morpheus tells Neo that “many are not ready to unplug from the system,” he is speaking to a profound truth about human nature, which reflects both the story’s fictional world and the real-life metaphysical condition of society. The “system” in The Matrix is a metaphor for the Illusion—an artificial construct designed to control and subdue humanity by giving them a false sense of reality, much like how many live today trapped in the illusions of society, unable or unwilling to see beyond the veil of lies, manipulation, and control.
Morpheus understands that, for many, the comfort of the system is preferable to the unsettling and often painful process of awakening to truth. People have become conditioned, through years—sometimes generations—of indoctrination, to accept the world as it is presented to them. To unplug from this system is to face a harsh, sometimes unbearable, reality that everything they thought was real is, in fact, a lie. This requires courage, a willingness to embrace discomfort, and most importantly, the readiness to let go of what one thought to be the truth.
Morpheus also knows that those still plugged into the system are often its most ardent defenders. Why? Because the system has become their identity. Their sense of self, their beliefs, their values—all are tied to the illusions and constructs of that system. To threaten it is to threaten everything they hold dear. For many, it is easier to defend the system than to confront the possibility that they have been deceived.
Defending the System: A Psychological Reaction
When Morpheus says that “many will fight to protect it,” he’s speaking to a psychological truth: cognitive dissonance. When presented with information that contradicts deeply held beliefs, people experience discomfort. Instead of questioning the belief or the system itself, they will often reject the new information to protect their ego and sense of security. This is why people who are still plugged into the system will vehemently defend it, even when evidence suggests that it is corrupt, failing, or based on lies.
For those who are not ready to unplug, the system represents safety, order, and familiarity. It’s the comfortable prison of the mind, and to face the truth would mean losing not only this sense of safety but also their role within the system. The Illusion provides them with structure and predictability, and they will fight to preserve it, even at the cost of their freedom and truth.
Defending the Illusion: The Role of Fear
The strongest weapon of the system is fear—fear of the unknown, fear of losing status, fear of being wrong. This fear causes people to defend the illusion vehemently. They project this fear outward, attacking anyone who threatens to disrupt the illusion they’ve built their lives upon. This is why Morpheus says they will fight to protect it. They are not fighting for the system because they believe in it—they fight because they fear what lies beyond it. They fear the truth.
In Hermetic philosophy, fear is rooted in ignorance, and the antidote to fear is knowledge—gnosis, the direct experience of truth. When one begins to see beyond the Illusion, the fear starts to dissolve. The system’s control weakens because its power lies in keeping people in the dark, disconnected from their true essence. Those who cling to it do so not because the system serves them, but because they do not know who they are without it.
The Nature of the Matrix as a Metaphor for Control
In the context of Hermetics, the system represents more than just societal control—it represents the materialistic and external focus that keeps people trapped in ignorance of their true nature as divine consciousness. The system fosters division, fear, and separation. It teaches people to focus on external validation, material success, and power over others. But in truth, as Hermetics teaches, we are all connected, and the real power lies in knowing and mastering the self.
To unplug from the system means to transcend these lower, ego-driven desires and awaken to the deeper spiritual truths that govern the universe. It’s about recognizing that the external world is but a reflection of the internal state. When we unplug, we reclaim our sovereignty and align ourselves with the higher principles of wisdom, truth, and love.
But those who cling to the system remain blind to this truth, often because the system rewards conformity and punishes deviation. They see anyone who unplugs as a threat, not because those individuals are dangerous, but because they challenge the false security the system provides.
![“The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work. When you go to church. When you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth... What is the Matrix? Control. The Matrix is a computer-generated dream world, built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into [a battery].” - Morpheus, The Matrix, 1999 | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Matrix-Morpheus-the-matrix-is-everywhere-its-all-around-us-when-you-go-to-church-the-world-pulled-over-your-eyes-to-blind-you-from-the-truth-the-matrix-is-control.jpg?resize=640%2C640&ssl=1)
Finding Support and Redefining Reality
Morpheus and the Crew – Finding a New Community and Support
Morpheus and his crew provide guidance and support to Neo as he navigates the newly revealed world. Similarly, for those leaving Mormonism, finding a supportive community is crucial. This might be a group of people who have also left the church, online forums, or ex-Mormon support networks. Just as Neo learns from others who have already walked the path, former Mormons often find strength and understanding in shared experiences, helping them navigate the complexities of a new worldview.
The Training Program – Unlearning and Relearning
Neo must undergo intense training to unlearn his previous assumptions and adapt to his new reality. This phase parallels the period of unlearning and relearning that occurs after leaving a high-demand religion. For many, this includes re-evaluating moral frameworks, redefining personal values, and critically examining doctrines once accepted without question. It involves a transformation of self-identity, moving from a faith-defined existence to one where new beliefs and principles are consciously chosen. Many refer to this phase as a detox.
Facing the Architect – Understanding the System’s True Purpose
In The Matrix: Reloaded, Neo encounters the Architect, the creator of the Matrix, who reveals the purpose behind the system. This moment mirrors the experience of those who dive deep into church history, policies, and practices, uncovering truths that may have been obscured or selectively presented. Understanding the church’s origins, financial dealings, and real-world motivations can be a critical step in breaking free from its influence, similar to how Neo’s encounter with the Architect helps him see the Matrix for what it truly is.
Embracing Personal Power and Autonomy
I know you’re out there. I can feel you now. I know that you’re afraid… afraid of us. You’re afraid of change. I don’t know the future. I didn’t come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell how it’s going to begin. I’m going to hang up this phone, and then show these people what you don’t want them to see. I’m going to show them a world without you. A world without rules or controls, borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you.
Neo, The Matrix, 1999
Neo ultimately becomes “The One,” a savior who realizes his potential and transcends the Matrix’s control. For former Mormons, this can represent the point at which they reclaim their power and autonomy, embracing a new identity outside the church’s narrative. It is the moment they recognize that they are the authors of their own story, free to choose their beliefs, values, and path forward without external coercion.
Life After Deconstruction
Clinging to the Illusion in Today’s World
In today’s world, this concept is strikingly relevant. The system can represent various elements of modern society—political ideologies, economic structures, societal norms, and even religious dogma. Those who cling to the system often do so out of fear, ignorance, or a desire for control. Through media, education, and government institutions, the system programs people from an early age to accept it as reality. It offers a narrative: if you work hard, follow the rules, and accept your place within it, you will succeed, be happy, and fulfilled. But we know this is not true for everyone.
The awakening process requires breaking away from these narratives and questioning the very foundation of what is accepted as truth. This is the essence of Hermeticism—the practice of questioning the surface to find the deeper truths hidden beneath. However, those who cling to the system will often ridicule, attack, or ostracize anyone who dares question its authority. Why? Because to question it is to question the very fabric of their own reality.
Unplugging: The Difficult but Necessary Process
Unplugging from the system, much like in The Matrix, is a metaphor for waking up from the collective dream that has been sold to the masses. It’s about peeling back the layers of illusion to see the world as it truly is, rather than how we’ve been told to see it. Yet, this process is not easy. It involves dismantling years of conditioning and societal programming. It means facing uncomfortable truths about the world and, more importantly, about ourselves.
For those ready to unplug, the journey is one of liberation—of freedom from the mental and spiritual bondage that the system imposes. But for many others, the fear of the unknown, the discomfort of confronting deep-seated beliefs, and the pain of letting go of long-held illusions are too overwhelming.
The Ongoing Battle – Navigating Life After Faith Deconstruction
Finally, The Matrix ends not with a utopia but an ongoing struggle against the forces that seek to control and subdue. Leaving a high-demand religion like Mormonism is rarely a single event; it often involves a continued effort to rebuild and adjust relationships, navigate emotional fallout, and reconcile new beliefs with past experiences. Just as Neo continues to fight for freedom, those who leave the church may continue to grapple with the legacy of their faith, striving for authenticity and a deeper understanding of their own truth.
Moving Beyond the System
For those who have unplugged or are in the process of doing so, keep in mind that not everyone is ready. Much like Neo, we must navigate the world with the awareness that many are still prisoners of their own minds, held captive by the illusion. But the task is not to force anyone to awaken; rather, it is to continue living in truth, as beacons of light, planting seeds for those who are ready to see beyond the veil.
Morpheus’s words hold an eternal truth: many are not ready to unplug because they are not ready to face the chaos of the real world, where their perceptions, beliefs, and identities must be re-examined. And those who cling to the system will continue to defend it until they find the courage to look beyond it.
The Matrix serves as a powerful metaphor for deconstructing faith and leaving Mormonism, or any other high-demand religion. It captures the courage required to face uncomfortable truths, the challenge of breaking free from a controlled narrative, and the journey toward personal empowerment and authenticity. Much like Neo, those who choose to “take the red pill” confront a disorienting and often painful reality, but ultimately, they gain the freedom to define their own lives.
What about you? Have you gone down the rabbit hole? Taken the red pill? What was your experience like? Consider sharing your own “I was a Mormon” story at wasmormon.org!
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