Hello, I'm Jim.
After 35 years of devotion with numerous major callings, I had a near-death mid-life crisis and decided I had to start over with a "zero-based budgeting" approach to my beliefs. I was a Mormon.
About me
I was born in Idaho in a tiny remote town, my parents later divorced, Mom remarried an inactive Mormon, I was nudged into the Church at age 12, became devout, gave 100% (mission, branch president, high counselor, stake president) and that nearly killed me, so I was either going to die or do something else. So I started over again reading widely in history, cosmology, physics, astronomy, chemistry, psychology, anthropology, archeology, evolution, evolutionary psychology, management, religion, physiology, brain chemistry, genetics, childhood development, and other related fields. 20 years later, I wrote the book mentioned below.
I was fortunate to travel the world with my work. I've read all the major scriptures. I wanted to leave a global perspective on humanity's creation of religions and provide an alternative. Each of the ASOH books end with reflective questions rather than dogma. "So, my child, what do you think?" And "Of course, new science may modify our understanding." Rather than "And God said … So that’s the way it is! Period."
# Why I left More stories of 'Why I left' the Mormon church
From my baptism at age 12, I had a shelf of "unanswered questions" in my head. That shelf grew and grew over time. When things piled up at age 48 so high at home, work and church so that I could see tomorrow things were going to get worse, not better, I contemplated ending my life. I was released. Soon thereafter I was sitting in sacrament meeting listening to my former high counselors speak on "Be Ye Therefore Perfect Even As Your Father in Heave is Perfect" and "Even Your Thoughts Will Condemn You" and my body began to shake and tremble. I got up and walked out and never went back. Members tried to drag me out of my bed to church (literally). My wife spent three years thinking and feeling about what was going on. My four children were confused. My wife eventually stopped going--and now says she's happier than she's ever been. So am I. The full(er) details of my life and into-and-out-of-faith journey are included in my book. (Index: Sam) I admire those who were able to "see clearly" earlier than I. Who knows what other paths one might have walked? That said, I just do not believe in believing in things that aren't accurate/true. My motto is "In Truth We Trust." I wish I'd figured this out at age 15, not 48. When I joined I was going to be "all in" so I left my Elks Club very cool Boy Scout troop to join the Young Men's Program where the leader had a flag in the room and knew zero about Scouting. I went from Life almost Eagle to zero. I have come to believe that there are billions of defenseless children around the world being indoctrinated by the narcissistic fantasies of Bronze Age goatherds--despite what we've learned over the last 200 years. So I wrote my alternative. I realize it's an uphill battle.
After 20 years of reading stuff they told me not to read, in my retirement, I wrote "A SONG OF HUMANITY: a science-based alternative to the world's religions." 440 pages, 20 pp of references, 900 endnotes, 43 illustrations. Solid science.
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Genesis, Exodus, Gods, Prophets, Conquerors, Rights and Laws, Genes, VABEs, Intelligence, Mating, Children, Self, Families, Proverbs, Matter, Air, Water, Money, Culture, Apocalypse, Revelations, Index, References, Endnotes.
Structured in book/chapter/verse for easy reference and as a conversation between parents and a child. Easily available at Amazon (amazon.com/Song-Humanity-Science-Based-Alternative-Scriptures/dp/…) and Barnes & Noble. PDF copies in ten languages and audible files for $5.00 on my website: level3leadership.com. I wanted to do more than complain.