Skip to content
  • Join
  • Login
wasmormon.org

wasmormon.org

Stories of mormon faith transitions. Share your truth – own your story!

  • Profiles
  • Create Profile
  • Questions
  • Blog
  • About

Hi, My name is Bill Reel

I love to read books, listen to podcasts, and learn new things. I love Faith Development, Mormon History, My family, and being with the most awesome friends on the planet. I was a Mormon.

After living in Sandusky, Ohio for the first 36 years of my life I have lived in Washington, Utah for the last 4 years.
Bill Reel profile image for wasmormon.org
  • Facebook
  • twitter
  • other

About me

I was a 17 year old convert to the Church. Got married in the Washington D.C. Temple, served in leadership calling after leadership calling and at 29 years old was called to serve as a Bishop of a small mid-western ward in Ohio. I have an amazing wife and 4 incredible children and the best friends on the planet. I founded a charity "Mormon Discussion Inc." and am the host of several podcasts operated within it. Please, get in touch with me via email at MormonDiscussionsPodcasts AT gmail dot com.

On my shelf

  • Adam-God
  • blacks and the priesthood
  • Book of Abraham Translation
  • Book of Mormon anachronisms
  • Fanny Alger
  • folk magic
  • historicity of book of mormon
  • treasure digging
  • the first vision
  • temple endowment
  • succession crisis
  • LGBTQ issues
  • polygamy
  • peep stones
  • polyandry
  • November policy
  • Joseph Smith's polygamy

On the Mormon Spectrum

  • Atheist
  • Church Historian
  • Skeptic
  • Intellectual
  • Excommunicated
  • Exmormon
  • Apostate
  • Apologist

# Why I left More stories of 'Why I left' the Mormon church

I learned Mormonism had a messy and complicated past early on in my time in the Church. But as time went on I came to grips with other issues that further complicated my beliefs. I started my podcast "Mormon Discussion" as a believer and sitting Bishop, with the goal to explore Mormon history. Over the span of 5 years I learned so many things the Church chose not to tell me that deeply pointed to it not being what it claimed. First I learned the Church was causing real harm to people who did not fit the mold. The LGBT community was deeply at risk. Others included members who had doubts as well as members who concluded the Church was not what it claimed and left. I sensed just how precarious relationships are between people who loved each other but for which their doubt or disbelief led to believing family stepping back from full inclusive love. I learned the Church was not a safe place for many. Second was that I had to come to grips that the Church shielding its members and the public generally from learning the complicated history was at least in large part intentional. This was hard. Once I dealt with that I was opened up to whether the truth claims of my beloved faith truly held up against the history and against thinking rationally and logically. Over about a 6 year period I slowly deconstructed my entire belief system and lost Faith in Mormonism's truth claims and in Mormonism's ability to be healthy to others if those healthy interactions would damage the institutional Church.

In the beginning I thought I was having a faith crisis. That wasn't true. I wanted Mormonism to be truth more than anything else. If anything maybe I cared too much. Instead the Church had a truth crisis. And in my own personal growth and development, the Church no longer represented my values. I wasn't less than. I didn't want to sin. I wasn't lazy. I had outgrown Mormonism and it was no longer a safe place for me and the truths I held to voraciously.

Questions about Mormons My Answers to Questions about Mormonism

#Link to this answer of 'What are the blessings of your faith transition?' by Bill Reel What are the blessings of your faith transition? See more answers about 'What are the blessings of your faith transition?'

It can be scary wondering what now when you deconstruct the faith you grew up in and/or had your identity tied to. For me and my family, we are happier. We live more abundantly. Outside the Church we can love each other and other humans more fully. We welcome diversity and differences. We have learned what makes us different is way more real than what makes us the same. People are broken but such is not bad. Outside the Church we have been able to be more vulnerable. More authentic. More real. And we make safe space for others to do the same. We show up. We lean in. And we try to be present each and every moment.

#Link to this answer of 'What do you believe now?' by Bill Reel What do you believe now? See more answers about 'What do you believe now?'

I believe in humanity. I believe there is mystery in the universe but I don't feel adequate naming it. I make space for people to believe differently and hope they give me the same with complete respect. I love people's stories and hope you recognize your story has value. Don't let anyone tell your story inaccurately. You have a right to your story being told. So with that I wish you the best on your journey.

Spotlight on Bill Reel

  • I was a 17 year-old convert to the Church. Got married in the Washington D.C. Temple, served in leadership calling after leadership calling and at 29 years old was called to serve as a Bishop of a small mid-western ward in Ohio. I love to read books, listen to podcasts, and learn new things. I love faith development, Mormon history, my family, and being with the most awesome friends on the planet. I was a Mormon. - Bill Reel https://wasmormon.org/profile/bill-reel/
  • "I learned Mormonism had a messy and complicated past early on in my time in the Church. But as time went on I came to grips with other issues that further complicated my beliefs. I started my podcast "Mormon Discussion" as a believer and sitting Bishop, with the goal to explore Mormon history. Over the span of 5 years I learned so many things the Church chose not to tell me that deeply pointed to it not being what it claimed." - Bill Reel https://wasmormon.org/profile/bill-reel/
  • "I learned the Church was causing real harm to people who did not fit the mold. The LGBT community was deeply at risk. Others included members who had doubts as well as members who concluded the Church was not what it claimed and left. I sensed just how precarious relationships are between people who loved each other but for which their doubt or disbelief led to believing family stepping back from full inclusive love. I learned the Church was not a safe place for many." - Bill Reel https://wasmormon.org/profile/bill-reel/
  • "I had to come to grips that the Church shielding its members and the public generally from learning the complicated history was at least in large part intentional. This was hard. Once I dealt with that I was opened up to whether the truth claims of my beloved faith truly held up against the history and against thinking rationally and logically." - Bill Reel https://wasmormon.org/profile/bill-reel/
  • "I slowly deconstructed my entire belief system and lost faith in Mormonism's truth claims and in Mormonism's ability to be healthy to others if those healthy interactions would damage the institutional Church. In the beginning I thought I was having a faith crisis. That wasn't true. I wanted Mormonism to be truth more than anything else. If anything maybe I cared too much. Instead the Church had a truth crisis." - Bill Reel https://wasmormon.org/profile/bill-reel/
  • "The Church had a truth crisis. In my own personal growth and development, the Church no longer represented my values. I wasn't less than. I didn't want to sin. I wasn't lazy. I had outgrown Mormonism and it was no longer a safe place for me and the truths I held to voraciously." - Bill Reel https://wasmormon.org/profile/bill-reel/
  • "It can be scary wondering what now when you deconstruct the faith you grew up in and/or had your identity tied to. For me and my family, we are happier. We live more abundantly. Outside the Church we can love each other and other humans more fully. We welcome diversity and differences." - Bill Reel https://wasmormon.org/profile/bill-reel/
  • "What makes us different is way more real than what makes us the same. People are broken but such is not bad. Outside the Church we have been able to be more vulnerable. More authentic. More real. And we make safe space for others to do the same. We show up. We lean in. And we try to be present each and every moment." - Bill Reel https://wasmormon.org/profile/bill-reel/
  • "I believe in humanity. I believe there is mystery in the universe but I don't feel adequate naming it. I make space for people to believe differently and hope they give me the same with complete respect. I love people's stories and hope you recognize your story has value. Don't let anyone tell your story inaccurately. You have a right to your story being told. So with that I wish you the best on your journey." - Bill Reel https://wasmormon.org/profile/bill-reel/
  • Read Bill Reel's exmormon story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/bill-reel/ - wasmormon.org
  • Share this profile

  • Share link on Facebook
  • Share link on twitter
  • Share link on reddit
  • Share link via email
Contribute your own story
Back to the Directory
Random Profile
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Reddit
  • Bluesky
  • Mastodon
  • Twitter
  • RSS Feed

Register or Log In

Lost your password? Register

Forgotten Password

Cancel

Register For This Site

A password will be e-mailed to you.

Profile Details

Thanks for signing up!

Are you ready to start your profile now? You can always add/update your profile later, and in order to display on the website you’ll still need to complete your account setup and sign in.

Cancel

Subscribe

Sign up to receive the monthly newsletter!
wasmormon.org

Though this site discusses mormonism, topics related to mormons, the mormon church and people who refer to themselves as unorthodox mormons, ex-mormons, post-mormons or any other form of wasmormon, it is not officially affiliated with or managed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or even the Corporation of the Presiding Bishop. They don't want to be called mormon anymore anyways. All of the content, stories or opinions expressed, implied or included in this site are solely credited to those sharing their own personal stories and not those of Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Privacy Policy
  • Stories
  • Questions
  • Blog
  • Images
  • About
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • How To Help
  • Community Guidelines