Historians generally agree on a distinction that is crucial for understanding Mormonism’s survival: martyrdom is not evidence of truth, but it is powerful social capital. Joseph Smith’s death did the opposite of what his enemies intended. It turned him into a martyr, and gave his followers resolve. Martyrdom provides a ready-made narrative of persecution and …
Tag Archives: deconstruction
Church Tentacles Reach For Wayward Children
Elder David Bednar recently received pushback for his response to a question posed during a devotional about families and the gospel. The question asked, “How do temple covenants help us when someone in our family uses their agency to reject the gospel or chooses not to be part of the family?” Bednar’s answer followed a …
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Nathanael Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Meet Nathanael, whose story demonstrates the profound courage required to choose integrity over comfort, even when it means dismantling the very foundation upon which you’ve built your life. As a descendant of Mormon pioneers with deep ancestral roots in the faith, Nathanael’s journey represents one of the most authentic and thoughtful deconversion stories we’ve encountered. …
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Christi Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Meet Christi Keller, a remarkable woman whose story exemplifies the courage it takes to pursue truth, even when it leads to uncomfortable places. As a mother of three and grandmother of six, Christi spent nearly five decades deeply committed to the Mormon faith—serving a mission to Uruguay, working at BYU-Idaho for thirty years, and holding …
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Why Didn’t Cowdery, Whitmer, or Harris Expose Joseph Smith as a Fraud?
![“Not one of the Three Witnesses [Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, or Martin Harris] ever denied his testimony of the Book of Mormon.” - Michael R. Morris, The Last Witness of the Three Witnesses, The New Era, January 2020 | [Oliver Cowdery] arose and addressed the audience present, admitted his error and implored forgiveness, and said he was sorry and ashamed of his connection with Mormonism. | “Smith, having become worldly and proud, has been forsaken of the Lord, and has become a knave and impostor.” - Martin Harris | “If you believe my testimony to the Book of Mormon; God spake to me again by his own voice from the heavens, and told me to separate myself from among the Latter Day Saints.” - David Whitmer | wasmormon.org](https://i0.wp.com/wasmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Not-one-of-the-Three-Witnesses-denied-his-testimony-Cowdery-sorry-and-ashamed-Harris-JS-a-knave-and-imposter-Whitmer-if-you-believe-my-testimony.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1)
A common apologetic argument in defense of Joseph Smith is that his closest early associates—Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris—never outright denounced him as a fraud, even after they left or were cast out of the church. The logic goes: if anyone would have known the “truth” behind the origins of the Book of …
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Joseph Smith’s Twice “Inspired” Translation of Matthew: Two Versions and Considerable Differences
Joseph Smith claimed to be a prophet, seer, and revelator—one uniquely gifted by God with the power to translate ancient scripture by divine means. Among his translation projects was the “Joseph Smith Translation” (JST) of the Bible, also known as the Inspired Version. But a close look at this work raises serious questions about the …
Did Sidney Rigdon Influence the Priesthood Restoration?
The modern LDS Church presents the restoration of priesthood authority—first the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist on May 15, 1829, and then the Melchizedek Priesthood by Peter, James, and John—as pivotal, well-documented events in church history. However, early sources and the timeline of doctrinal development tell a much murkier story, one that raises serious …
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Noal Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Noal’s journey is a testament to the incredible courage it takes to choose authenticity over acceptance. For 30 years, he lived a carefully constructed life—checking every Mormon box from baptism to temple marriage, from mission to fatherhood—all while knowing deep inside who he truly was. He gave everything he had to be loved and accepted …
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Bushman on Holes in The Priesthood Restoration Story
In Rough Stone Rolling, respected Mormon historian Richard Lyman Bushman examines the origins of the Mormon priesthood narrative. What he says should give every faithful truth-seeker pause. The church teaches that in 1829, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were visited by angelic messengers and ordained to the priesthood, first by John the Baptist on May …
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Luis Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Luis’s journey is a powerful testament to the cost—and the reward—of pursuing truth and integrity, even when it upends everything familiar. A convert to Mormonism, Luis threw himself into church life with sincerity, eventually marrying in the temple and serving in church leadership. But new information surfaced—thanks to the internet and resources like the CES …
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Erin Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Erin’s story is one many will recognize—rooted in faith, family, and a deep desire to do what’s right. Born in the heart of Mormon culture and raised in a devout, active household, she embraced the church with her whole heart. From the joy of girls camp and EFY to the dedication of serving a mission …
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Sermon on the Mount in Book of Mormon vs Joseph Smith’s Inspired JST Revisions
One of the most well-known teachings of Jesus comes from the Sermon on the Mount. As part of this sermon, Jesus declares, “I never knew you” to those who profess to follow Him in word but not in deed. This powerful statement appears in the King James New Testament book, Matthew 7:23, and is repeated …
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Anachronistic Quotes from The Book of Mormon
There was an email sent in the Mortdale Stake referencing a pilot program of informed consent. It was dismissed by the stake as a fake email, and their system had been hacked, but the email contained many troubling facts that members struggle with, similar to the CES Letter. This post highlights a point in the …
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Brian Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Brian’s story is one of courage, complexity, and personal truth. A vibrant personality, Brian embraced his life as a Mormon with sincerity, believing 100%, and even serving a mission in London at the age of 19. He faithfully followed the teachings, made sacrifices, and lived with conviction, while also navigating the unique challenges of being …
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Bishop Warren S. Snow’s Teenage Brides and The Castration of Thomas Lewis
In 1857, just as tensions with the U.S. government were escalating toward the Utah War, a dark and largely forgotten episode of Mormon frontier justice played out in Manti, Utah. It involved a young man named Thomas Lewis, potentially an unnamed teenage girl, and Warren S. Snow, a high-ranking Mormon bishop and militia leader. What …
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Mormon Apologist Handbook: Argument does not Create Conviction, Lack of it Destroys Belief
Latter-day Saint apologetics—through institutions like FARMS, FAIR, and now the Interpreter Foundation—have largely operated on a defensive crouch, crafting arguments not to generate genuine conviction, but simply to keep belief from crumbling. Their aim isn’t to persuade the outsider or satisfy the seeker; it’s to keep the disillusioned member tethered, just barely. But Farrer warns …
Lance Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
A journey from orthodoxy to authenticity, Lance grew up in a large, orthodox Mormon family—the seventh of eleven children—and was fully committed to the faith he was raised in. From serving a full-time mission in Wisconsin, marrying in the temple, and raising a young family, to holding multiple leadership callings, Lance did everything the church …
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How to Let Religion Sabotage Your Life: A Deconstructing Mormon Perspective on Jim Palmer’s 16 Steps
Jim Palmer, a former pastor turned spiritual critic and trauma-informed coach, outlines 16 stark observations in his piece How to Let Religion Sabotage Your Life. For those deconstructing Mormonism, these steps feel less like satire and more like a checklist of lived experience: 1. Begin with the premise that there is something hopelessly and incurably …
Shane Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Meet Shane—a thoughtful seeker whose faith journey led him into the Mormon Church in his early 30s after years of sincere engagement with the missionaries. For a time, he embraced the LDS faith and fully identified as a Mormon. But like many others, Shane’s trust began to unravel when the SEC’s investigation into the church’s …
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Steven Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Steven’s story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and finally—freedom. Raised between worlds, with a non-religious mother who distrusted the church and grandparents deeply embedded in it, Steven was surrounded by conflicting messages about Mormonism from a young age. His early life was marked by both devotion to the church and personal trauma, making his eventual …
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Brian Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Brian’s journey out of Mormonism is one of awakening and courage. Born into the faith and raised under its doctrines, he spent years navigating an on-again, off-again relationship with the church, always holding onto the thought that it might be true. Like many, the deep-seated fear of questioning and doubting kept him tethered to the …
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Every Member ‘Who Has Means’ Shall Pay Tithing
For those then who are struggling in these difficult times, please consider Lorenzo Snow’s comments in 1899. The church uses this and the teachings of President Lorenzo Snow to preach tithing to members. Every Man, Woman and Child Who Has Means Shall Pay Tithing I plead with you in the name of the Lord, and …
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Mary Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Mary Kathryn’s journey out of Mormonism is one of transformation, resilience, and self-discovery. A devoted believer, she followed the prescribed path—attending BYU, marrying young, and having eight children by age 35. She dedicated herself fully to the faith, shaping her identity around the church’s teachings on womanhood, family, and service. However, as life unfolded—with personal …
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The Stages of Grief When Your Shelf Breaks
Losing one’s testimony is a deeply painful experience, tragically affecting both the individual and the community. Faithful members mourn the loss of a fellow believer, viewing it as a defeat or a sign of weakness—someone who will now be cast aside like chaff from the wheat. But the greatest hardship falls on the individual. They …
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Fast Food Orders vs Quitting Church – McDonald’s, Messed-Up Orders, and the Commoditization of Religion
A popular meme has been making the rounds. These memes read: “McDonald’s can mess up your order 101 times and you still keep going back… One thing goes wrong at church and you quit.” This suggests that people are more forgiving of mistakes at fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s than they are of issues with a church. It …
Kendall Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Kendall grew up in a loving LDS family in Texas, embracing his faith because he had no reason to question it. Like many devout members, he served a mission, married in the church, and dedicated himself to his callings. But beneath the surface, troubling questions about church history, doctrine, and racist teachings gnawed at him. …
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Lilburn Boggs’ Extermination Order and Mormon War
The Mormon-Missouri War (1838) was a conflict between the Mormon settlers in Missouri and their non-Mormon neighbors, culminating in violent clashes, forced expulsions, and the infamous Missouri Executive Order 44, also known as the so-called “Extermination Order.” While the Mormon Church often portrays itself as the innocent victim of religious persecution, the historical reality is …
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Life Beyond Mormonism: 10 Books and Resources That Might Help
Stepping away from a faith tradition—especially one that touches every aspect of life like Mormonism—can be both liberating and disorienting. If you’re navigating this path, you’re not alone. Many individuals have documented their experiences, researched the history, and formed supportive communities. Below are books and resources that countless people have found helpful in understanding Mormonism’s …
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The Church Steals Our Intuition And Sells It To Us As God’s Will
Intuition is one of the most powerful tools we have as human beings. It guides us, protects us, and helps us navigate the complexities of life. It is that inner voice warning us of danger, confirming truth, and pushing us toward growth. The church first convinces us that our own intuition is unreliable, then tells …
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Jacob Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight
Jacob’s journey out of Mormonism is one of self-discovery, questioning, and, ultimately, liberation. Born into a deeply entrenched Mormon lineage tracing back to Wilford Woodruff, Jacob was raised to be a devoted member of the church, participating in seminary and Boy Scouts and striving to live by the commandments. However, from a young age, he …
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