Tag Archives: I Was a Mormon

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wasmormon.org profile format for sharing exit stories.

Since none of this evidence exists, I then did research on the brain, belief, and spiritual experiences and testimonies, and science again explained how these experiences occurred within a person’s own brain, without association to outside reality, e.g. Religious Tolerance. Indeed, all humankind has spiritual experiences and feelings, believing their own mutually exclusive faith is true, which is an impossibility. I learned that spiritual experiences and feelings are unreliable and insufficient as valid tests of truth. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
Since none of this evidence exists, I then did research on the brain, belief, and spiritual experiences and testimonies, and science again explained how these experiences occurred within a person’s own brain, without association to outside reality, e.g. Religious Tolerance. Indeed, all humankind has spiritual experiences and feelings, believing their own mutually exclusive faith is true, which is an impossibility. I learned that spiritual experiences and feelings are unreliable and insufficient as valid tests of truth. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
After I was grounded in science, then I started with real church history. I read about the multiple contradictory versions of the First Vision, and Joseph's face-in-the-hat translation method. The final straw was reading about Joseph Smith's marrying a 14 year old, and his polyandry with married women. After reading the heartrending story of Zina Diantha Huntington and Henry Jacobs, I was in tears. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
After I was grounded in science, then I started with real church history. I read about the multiple contradictory versions of the First Vision, and Joseph's face-in-the-hat translation method. The final straw was reading about Joseph Smith's marrying a 14 year old, and his polyandry with married women. After reading the heartrending story of Zina Diantha Huntington and Henry Jacobs, I was in tears. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
In many conversations with apologists and scientists, I have yet to see any credible scientific evidence of Book of Mormon civilizations. These are not events that occurred in the realm of the metaphysical, as these civilizations supposedly took place in the real world, and as such, there would be evidence to support these claims, yet there is none. That started my reading frenzy through about 100 science and religion books in about 6 months. It became undeniably clear that science proved the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham to be fakes. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
In many conversations with apologists and scientists, I have yet to see any credible scientific evidence of Book of Mormon civilizations. These are not events that occurred in the realm of the metaphysical, as these civilizations supposedly took place in the real world, and as such, there would be evidence to support these claims, yet there is none. That started my reading frenzy through about 100 science and religion books in about 6 months. It became undeniably clear that science proved the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham to be fakes. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
What started my disbelief? It started with science. Beginning in seminary and throughout the years, I was taught that "someday science will find proof for the Book of Mormon", so I put it on a shelf and waited. However, as science progressed, my dissonance grew. After watching a dozen archaeology shows on PBS where nothing in the Book of Mormon was ever mentioned, I called a faithful BYU science professor and asked if there was any archaeological evidence for the Book of Mormon, and how did he handle the dissonance between science and religion? I could tell by his carefully worded responses that he was no longer a believer. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
What started my disbelief? It started with science. Beginning in seminary and throughout the years, I was taught that "someday science will find proof for the Book of Mormon", so I put it on a shelf and waited. However, as science progressed, my dissonance grew. After watching a dozen archaeology shows on PBS where nothing in the Book of Mormon was ever mentioned, I called a faithful BYU science professor and asked if there was any archaeological evidence for the Book of Mormon, and how did he handle the dissonance between science and religion? I could tell by his carefully worded responses that he was no longer a believer. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
I was born-in-the-covenant, lived in Utah my whole life, returned missionary to England. I hold an M.Ed. and a cum laude B.S. in Education; both education degrees are from BYU. I married in the Provo temple and held a myriad of callings. I have always had an extremely strong conscience that kept me on the straight and narrow path, always striving to do right, and never rebelling. I was a Mormon. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
I was born-in-the-covenant, lived in Utah my whole life, returned missionary to England. I hold an M.Ed. and a cum laude B.S. in Education; both education degrees are from BYU. I married in the Provo temple and held a myriad of callings. I have always had an extremely strong conscience that kept me on the straight and narrow path, always striving to do right, and never rebelling. I was a Mormon. - Dianne's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/dianne-ormond/
This is a spotlight on a profile shared at wasmormon.org. These are just the highlights, so please find the full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/. There are over a hundred more stories of Mormon faith journeys contributed by users like you. Come check them out and consider sharing your own story at wasmormon.org!
This is a spotlight on a profile shared at wasmormon.org. These are just the highlights, so please find the full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/. There are over a hundred more stories of Mormon faith journeys contributed by users like you. Come check them out and consider sharing your own story at wasmormon.org!
"I'm into art, music, modeling, and gaming! I was raised in the church by my grandmother, went to primary, YW, YW Camp, Seminary, Wednesday nights, etc! My mother and father's side are all Mormon except my father and I! I was a Mormon." - Bri's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/
"I'm into art, music, modeling, and gaming! I was raised in the church by my grandmother, went to primary, YW, YW Camp, Seminary, Wednesday nights, etc! My mother and father's side are all Mormon except my father and I! I was a Mormon." - Bri's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/
"I never understood the belief of women being lower than men and having to 'submit' to them. I never understood the lack of diversity (until seminary at least). I never understood their problem with LGBT+ people." - Bri's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/
"I never understood the belief of women being lower than men and having to 'submit' to them. I never understood the lack of diversity (until seminary at least). I never understood their problem with LGBT+ people." - Bri's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/
"There's so much I'm learning about the church after leaving, and so much I'm unlearning about the church's doctrine to better myself and my relationships everyday." - Bri's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/
"There's so much I'm learning about the church after leaving, and so much I'm unlearning about the church's doctrine to better myself and my relationships everyday." - Bri's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/
"Growing up in the church, I had a lot of questions. They were either never properly answered or the answer gave me doubts and made me have even more questions about what the hell was going on." - Bri's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/
"Growing up in the church, I had a lot of questions. They were either never properly answered or the answer gave me doubts and made me have even more questions about what the hell was going on." - Bri's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/supitsbreezy/
"My parents were very poor. I dropped out of school when I was 14 and went to another city to work as a nanny. I was very sad and angry but I was happy to get away from my village. At 16, I was sent to Singapore to work as a nanny. My heart was broken because my parents sent me to another country. I was lucky I was not trafficked and sold to be a sex worker. During this time in Singapore, my belief in God shifted. I didn’t like how he made my life so miserable. Other children went to school and enjoyed their teenage life, I was working – and getting scolded by my boss if I made a mistake. What did you do when you were 14 and 16? I worked. Full-time." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"My parents were very poor. I dropped out of school when I was 14 and went to another city to work as a nanny. I was very sad and angry but I was happy to get away from my village. At 16, I was sent to Singapore to work as a nanny. My heart was broken because my parents sent me to another country. I was lucky I was not trafficked and sold to be a sex worker. During this time in Singapore, my belief in God shifted. I didn’t like how he made my life so miserable. Other children went to school and enjoyed their teenage life, I was working – and getting scolded by my boss if I made a mistake. What did you do when you were 14 and 16? I worked. Full-time." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
This is a spotlight on a profile shared at wasmormon.org. These are just the highlights, so please find the full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/. There are over a hundred more stories of Mormon faith journeys contributed by users like you. Come check them out and consider sharing your own story at wasmormon.org!
This is a spotlight on a profile shared at wasmormon.org. These are just the highlights, so please find the full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/. There are over a hundred more stories of Mormon faith journeys contributed by users like you. Come check them out and consider sharing your own story at wasmormon.org!
"I was afraid to be like those old ladies waiting for a priesthood holder to bring them to the temple, so I decided to just marry someone who loved me unconditionally. One year after my mission I married my husband. He is an atheist. I was hoping to bring him to the temple. I was very hopeful. I never forced him. He is very kind and always supported me with the church activities. He always took me and picked me up from church. Then we moved to his country." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I was afraid to be like those old ladies waiting for a priesthood holder to bring them to the temple, so I decided to just marry someone who loved me unconditionally. One year after my mission I married my husband. He is an atheist. I was hoping to bring him to the temple. I was very hopeful. I never forced him. He is very kind and always supported me with the church activities. He always took me and picked me up from church. Then we moved to his country." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I didn’t really understand the church doctrines at first, but I kept learning. I felt so safe and loved in the church. I paid my tithing diligently and generously. Four years later, I served a mission and was called back to my home country. The mission was easy for me because I was used to living abroad and had a hard life. On the mission, I learned to be less fanatic. I started to dare to question the church doctrines in my head, but I never brought it up to other members or leaders. I was scared of meeting someone I knew from my village and them finding out that I had changed my religion, so I didn’t tell anyone besides my parents. My sister told me to not come home to my village because they found out I changed religion and they would capture me and never let me go. So, after I finished my mission, I went back to Hong Kong as a tourist. Life was difficult with limited money, but luckily there was a member kind enough to let me stay there until I found a job." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I didn’t really understand the church doctrines at first, but I kept learning. I felt so safe and loved in the church. I paid my tithing diligently and generously. Four years later, I served a mission and was called back to my home country. The mission was easy for me because I was used to living abroad and had a hard life. On the mission, I learned to be less fanatic. I started to dare to question the church doctrines in my head, but I never brought it up to other members or leaders. I was scared of meeting someone I knew from my village and them finding out that I had changed my religion, so I didn’t tell anyone besides my parents. My sister told me to not come home to my village because they found out I changed religion and they would capture me and never let me go. So, after I finished my mission, I went back to Hong Kong as a tourist. Life was difficult with limited money, but luckily there was a member kind enough to let me stay there until I found a job." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"After 3 years, it was getting difficult for me. I became disappointed that God sent me a non-member husband. I didn’t feel belonging in the new ward. I started to question the church doctrines – like the concept of families can be together forever. I didn’t get how are we going to be together when our children will have families of their own. Besides, I didn’t really want to be with my parents. I decided to be less active spiritually. I didn’t read the scriptures as often, and I wore my garments less often. In my head, I was tired of waiting for my husband to find interest in the church, while he was still so kind to me. And he is kind without expecting rewards from heaven. He is just kind, and it hit me so badly. Then I fell pregnant. I kept thinking about the future of my baby. What kind of life do I want her to have? And as I pictured it, I didn’t see the church as a happy place to stay." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"After 3 years, it was getting difficult for me. I became disappointed that God sent me a non-member husband. I didn’t feel belonging in the new ward. I started to question the church doctrines – like the concept of families can be together forever. I didn’t get how are we going to be together when our children will have families of their own. Besides, I didn’t really want to be with my parents. I decided to be less active spiritually. I didn’t read the scriptures as often, and I wore my garments less often. In my head, I was tired of waiting for my husband to find interest in the church, while he was still so kind to me. And he is kind without expecting rewards from heaven. He is just kind, and it hit me so badly. Then I fell pregnant. I kept thinking about the future of my baby. What kind of life do I want her to have? And as I pictured it, I didn’t see the church as a happy place to stay." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I'd been so fanatic that I only made friends with members, but after my mission, I started to be open to people. Discrimination is very high in Hong Kong with my type of work and having no education. Even the local church members are very discriminative towards people like me. The branch I belonged to was mostly women who worked in Hong Kong as migrant workers like me. So, finding a husband was hard. No men were interested in us lowly workers. Many members did online dating and some are fortunate enough to find a member husband from the US. Some don’t or just stay single until they turn old and wait to married in the afterlife." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I'd been so fanatic that I only made friends with members, but after my mission, I started to be open to people. Discrimination is very high in Hong Kong with my type of work and having no education. Even the local church members are very discriminative towards people like me. The branch I belonged to was mostly women who worked in Hong Kong as migrant workers like me. So, finding a husband was hard. No men were interested in us lowly workers. Many members did online dating and some are fortunate enough to find a member husband from the US. Some don’t or just stay single until they turn old and wait to married in the afterlife." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I met the missionaries. I wanted to know about Jesus since I was not religious at that time. I thought it was an answered prayer from God. Life in Hong Kong was lonely and the church introduced me to friends from Indonesia and other countries. The church was open every day besides Monday. Back then, I thought the church was the safest place in Hong Kong for a young girl like me. Four months later I got baptized. I broke the news to my parents and sister and they were miserable. I was angry too on my side. Why did they send me to another country to earn money for them? I'd decided to make use of my freedom and do whatever I wanted - they couldn't have anything to say because I sent them money every month." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I met the missionaries. I wanted to know about Jesus since I was not religious at that time. I thought it was an answered prayer from God. Life in Hong Kong was lonely and the church introduced me to friends from Indonesia and other countries. The church was open every day besides Monday. Back then, I thought the church was the safest place in Hong Kong for a young girl like me. Four months later I got baptized. I broke the news to my parents and sister and they were miserable. I was angry too on my side. Why did they send me to another country to earn money for them? I'd decided to make use of my freedom and do whatever I wanted - they couldn't have anything to say because I sent them money every month." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"Then one day I discovered how the masonry handshakes are similar to the temple handshakes. I already felt so weird about the handshakes in the temple and to find out about it online was so upsetting. I dug deeper and that led me to so much ex-mormon literature. It was difficult leaving the church. I'd already caused damage to the people in my life. I already lost my childhood friends and family, and now encountered the same experience leaving the church. But, I’m glad I’m out while I'm still in my 30s. Now, my life is pretty simple – focusing on the goodness of everyday life without making it complicated to think about life after death. Do good things and be a decent human being without expecting anything in return. Love selflessly." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"Then one day I discovered how the masonry handshakes are similar to the temple handshakes. I already felt so weird about the handshakes in the temple and to find out about it online was so upsetting. I dug deeper and that led me to so much ex-mormon literature. It was difficult leaving the church. I'd already caused damage to the people in my life. I already lost my childhood friends and family, and now encountered the same experience leaving the church. But, I’m glad I’m out while I'm still in my 30s. Now, my life is pretty simple – focusing on the goodness of everyday life without making it complicated to think about life after death. Do good things and be a decent human being without expecting anything in return. Love selflessly." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I’m from Indonesia and I was a Muslim and a Mormon. I grew up in a Muslim community just like being Mormon in Utah I think. From family, friends, school, everything in my life until 16 y/o was Muslim. I never enjoyed being Muslim but I was a good Muslim. I went to a Muslim school and studied the Arabish. I had very good grades and my teachers were impressed - they wanted me to memorize the whole Quran. I declined the offer." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I’m from Indonesia and I was a Muslim and a Mormon. I grew up in a Muslim community just like being Mormon in Utah I think. From family, friends, school, everything in my life until 16 y/o was Muslim. I never enjoyed being Muslim but I was a good Muslim. I went to a Muslim school and studied the Arabish. I had very good grades and my teachers were impressed - they wanted me to memorize the whole Quran. I declined the offer." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"Singapore was hell for me. When my boss fired me on my 18th birthday, I went back to Indonesia with little money - I was afraid to go home. My parents only wanted to see my money. Four months later, I went to Hong Kong to work as a nanny again, but there my life began. I had holidays and my boss was nice. During holidays, I could go wherever I wanted. My English was very bad, so I liked to go to the library during holidays to read free books and play on the computer." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"Singapore was hell for me. When my boss fired me on my 18th birthday, I went back to Indonesia with little money - I was afraid to go home. My parents only wanted to see my money. Four months later, I went to Hong Kong to work as a nanny again, but there my life began. I had holidays and my boss was nice. During holidays, I could go wherever I wanted. My English was very bad, so I liked to go to the library during holidays to read free books and play on the computer." - Lilik's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/lilik-choi/
"I let go of claiming, as many religious people had in the past, that my feelings confer ultimate truth. I let go of certainty. I made no claim to know if there was an afterlife or a supreme being. I don’t believe suffering is a lesson from God to help us grow. Sometimes bad things just happen, and there is no supernatural explanation. People experience injustice and needless suffering. Leaving the church created a greater urgency in me to learn about injustice, social policy, and community action. If God isn’t here to end world hunger, slow climate change, or welcome asylum seekers at the border, who is?" - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
"I let go of claiming, as many religious people had in the past, that my feelings confer ultimate truth. I let go of certainty. I made no claim to know if there was an afterlife or a supreme being. I don’t believe suffering is a lesson from God to help us grow. Sometimes bad things just happen, and there is no supernatural explanation. People experience injustice and needless suffering. Leaving the church created a greater urgency in me to learn about injustice, social policy, and community action. If God isn’t here to end world hunger, slow climate change, or welcome asylum seekers at the border, who is?" - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
"I read memoirs of other people leaving their childhood religions and searched for how they made sense of their life afterward. I learned about cults and how we humans justify our beliefs. I learned about how we make decisions — about how susceptible we are to biases, fallacies, and overconfidence. I dove into evolutionary psychology to understand human nature from a broader perspective, learning how group behaviors, snap judgments, and intuition can be both adaptive and maladaptive." - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
"I read memoirs of other people leaving their childhood religions and searched for how they made sense of their life afterward. I learned about cults and how we humans justify our beliefs. I learned about how we make decisions — about how susceptible we are to biases, fallacies, and overconfidence. I dove into evolutionary psychology to understand human nature from a broader perspective, learning how group behaviors, snap judgments, and intuition can be both adaptive and maladaptive." - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
"So what am I now? A Jaded exmo? A Godless commie? You could probably say atheist or agnostic. But those have a lot of negative connotations here in Utah. The label I’m most comfortable with is Secular Humanist. Humanists believe we can be moral and find fulfillment without a belief in God. I wholeheartedly endorse their 10 commitments which they use as an alternative to the ten commandments. The beauty of letting go of dogmatic and unquestionable beliefs is that I can be flexible and simply follow the evidence. I can practice intellectual humility." - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/
"So what am I now? A Jaded exmo? A Godless commie? You could probably say atheist or agnostic. But those have a lot of negative connotations here in Utah. The label I’m most comfortable with is Secular Humanist. Humanists believe we can be moral and find fulfillment without a belief in God. I wholeheartedly endorse their 10 commitments which they use as an alternative to the ten commandments. The beauty of letting go of dogmatic and unquestionable beliefs is that I can be flexible and simply follow the evidence. I can practice intellectual humility." - Veronika's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/veronika-tait/