Why are you sharing your story?

I want people to understand I left the church to save my life. The church was killing me, destroying me emotionally and mentally. Anyone who is sad for me is pointing their grief in the wrong direction.
Religious shame controlled my life. I hid my faith transition for years but have found healing in talking about my experience. There is a lot of stigma around people who choose to leave. I’m proud I found the courage to live authentically.

bethlundgreen

I've really been needing to talk it out. I hope any potential converts or dissatisfied converts will inquire even more thoroughly that I did. I appreciate the chance to share my experience.

serene

People need to know. When I was a member, I believed that anyone who left did so because they were offended. This couldn't be farther from the truth.

darthyagi

I'm sharing my story not because I'm still angry at the Church or because I want to tear people down. I'm sharing my story because I know there are thousands of people in my situation. People who feel hurt, unheard, or broken. I hope my story will be a small step in helping people gather up their broken pieces. I know that's what other people did for me when my shelf broke--I hope I can be there in a similar way for others.

blee34

I’m very new to ‘leaving the faith’. There’s a lot I still value from the church. I still plan on playing church volleyball every time I can no matter where I live. It’s a good community. But I also want to find a community where I can heal, where I can be safe as I choose what to keep from being LDS. And where I can be safe choosing to do things that the church disagrees with & has stated not to do by male leaders or church culture. Most of all, I’ve felt extremely alone as this has all happened rapidly & specifically to me. I don’t know anyone who’s chosen to worship a God & Goddess as creators of this world, and I don’t know anyone who’s had remotely the same ‘shelf breaks’ I have. But being here helps me see that some of the more general things we have in common. If anything in my story has resonated with you, that’s why I shared it. I don’t want anyone else to feel alone in their difficult faith journey.