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 …

Distorted Reality

Religious zealotry distorts reality by imposing rigid, dogmatic worldviews that demand absolute obedience. High-demand religions, like Mormonism, instill a black-and-white perspective where faithfulness equates to righteousness, and doubt or dissent signals moral failure. This absolutism fosters an “us vs. them” mentality, making it nearly impossible for devout believers to see those who leave as anything …

Spencer Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight

Spencer grew up immersed in the Mormon faith, surrounded by the teachings and traditions that defined his childhood. Born into an intensely religious family in Michigan, he was the quintessential believer—faithful, devoted, and utterly convinced of the church’s truth. For him, the church was perfect, unchangeable, and divinely guided. He couldn’t imagine leaving. But life …

What is Cognitive Dissonance?

Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person experiences discomfort due to holding conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. To reduce this discomfort, individuals often try to reconcile these inconsistencies, either by changing their beliefs, justifying their actions, or avoiding information that exacerbates the conflict. Leon Festinger Social psychologist Leon Festinger coined the term “cognitive dissonance” in the 1950s in …

"The Greek root of the word crisis is “to sift.” As in to shake out the excesses and leave only what’s important. That’s what crises do. They shake things up until we are forced to decide and hold onto what matters most." - Carry On Warrior, Thoughts on Life Unarmed: To My Friend, on Her First Sober Morning, by Glennon Doyle | wasmormon.org
"The Greek root of the word crisis is “to sift.” As in to shake out the excesses and leave only what’s important. That’s what crises do. They shake things up until we are forced to decide and hold onto what matters most." - Carry On Warrior, Thoughts on Life Unarmed: To My Friend, on Her First Sober Morning, by Glennon Doyle
A Mormon Faith Crisis can actually be one of the greatest gifts of your lifetime – helping to: • Improve your overall mental and physical health. • Strengthen/deepen your family relationships. • Improve your marriage or your relationship with a significant other. • Find more meaningful and fulfilling friendships and community. • Improve your parenting effectiveness (for current and/or future children). • Develop a more authentic connection with yourself and your life. - John & Margi Dehlin, and Natasha Parker | “The Gift of the Mormon Faith Crisis” Podcast | wasmormon.org
A Mormon Faith Crisis can actually be one of the greatest gifts of your lifetime – helping to: • Improve your overall mental and physical health. • Strengthen/deepen your family relationships. • Improve your marriage or your relationship with a significant other. • Find more meaningful and fulfilling friendships and community. • Improve your parenting effectiveness (for current and/or future children). • Develop a more authentic connection with yourself and your life. - John & Margi Dehlin, and Natasha Parker | “The Gift of the Mormon Faith Crisis” Podcast
Mormon Faith Crisis - A state of intense emotional distress resulting from the discovery of “uncorrelated” Church history facts that do not align with the traditional LDS narrative. This distress—and ensuing analysis of LDS truth claims—often results in members losing literal belief in the LDS truth claims. | wasmormon.org
Mormon Faith Crisis - A state of intense emotional distress resulting from the discovery of “uncorrelated” Church history facts that do not align with the traditional LDS narrative. This distress—and ensuing analysis of LDS truth claims—often results in members losing literal belief in the LDS truth claims.