Tag Archives: I Was a Mormon

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"Out of sheer spite, I found an exmo YouTube channel and binged it. That was the beginning of the end. I have since read the CES letter, read various biographies and writings of exmos. I have begun thinking for myself. I have let my children think for themselves. And we are happier than ever. My joy is mine to determine. My life is in my own hands." - Freidom's "I was a Mormon" story at wasmormon.org
"Out of sheer spite, I found an exmo YouTube channel and binged it. That was the beginning of the end. I have since read the CES letter, read various biographies and writings of exmos. I have begun thinking for myself. I have let my children think for themselves. And we are happier than ever. My joy is mine to determine. My life is in my own hands." - Freidom's "I was a Mormon" story at wasmormon.org
"After I discovered my then-husband's "dark secret life" (his words for explaining his interests in other women). When I left him, no one gave a fuck. No one visited. No one called. Not the bish. Not his counselors. Not the RS or missionaries or elders quorum. Not my own mother. I went through my divorce fumbling alone. I lived in squalor, a tiny 600sq ft 2bedroom apartment for me and my three kids. No one offered help. No one visited. No one cared. I was so pissed!!! Why had I wasted so much time, effort, money, on an institution that didn't care about me." - Freidom's "I was a Mormon" story at wasmormon.org
"After I discovered my then-husband's "dark secret life" (his words for explaining his interests in other women). When I left him, no one gave a fuck. No one visited. No one called. Not the bish. Not his counselors. Not the RS or missionaries or elders quorum. Not my own mother. I went through my divorce fumbling alone. I lived in squalor, a tiny 600sq ft 2bedroom apartment for me and my three kids. No one offered help. No one visited. No one cared. I was so pissed!!! Why had I wasted so much time, effort, money, on an institution that didn't care about me." - Freidom's "I was a Mormon" story at wasmormon.org
"I never knew anything other than mormon life. So much praying! The mormon church told me how to dress, how to eat, what to eat, what to drink, what I could not drink. They told me when I could date and who I was allowed to date. My days, my weeks were planned with all mormon activity at the church, the temple, or "reactivating" the less-active. I had to give 10% of my income, instead of taking my children to a movie or circus. It was in every aspect of my life. Including my sex life!" - Freidom's "I was a Mormon" story at wasmormon.org
"I never knew anything other than mormon life. So much praying! The mormon church told me how to dress, how to eat, what to eat, what to drink, what I could not drink. They told me when I could date and who I was allowed to date. My days, my weeks were planned with all mormon activity at the church, the temple, or "reactivating" the less-active. I had to give 10% of my income, instead of taking my children to a movie or circus. It was in every aspect of my life. Including my sex life!" - Freidom's "I was a Mormon" story at wasmormon.org
"I had blind, trusting faith. I was taught the Prophet was unfalible. I was taught that stake presidents and bishops were always inspired. I had faith of a child. I asked questions but was told so many times to "just stop". So I asked questions quietly, apologizing for my lack of faith." - Freidom's "I was a Mormon" story at wasmormon.org
"I had blind, trusting faith. I was taught the Prophet was unfalible. I was taught that stake presidents and bishops were always inspired. I had faith of a child. I asked questions but was told so many times to "just stop". So I asked questions quietly, apologizing for my lack of faith." - Freidom's "I was a Mormon" story at wasmormon.org

A Fig For Polygamy?

Early church leaders (Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and Orson Pratt among others) allegedly had a change of heart for polygamy. At first, they reportedly resisted the practice but later on accepted it and vehemently defended it. Did they really resist in the first place or are these just retro-active stories and manipulation in order to …

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"In 1974 my father left the church. He wrote a book about it in 1984 and spent the remainder of his life writing books and traveling the inter mountain west preaching and giving seminars on Mormonism." - Erin | https://wasmormon.org/profile/erinkucera2/
"In 1974 my father left the church. He wrote a book about it in 1984 and spent the remainder of his life writing books and traveling the inter mountain west preaching and giving seminars on Mormonism." - Erin | https://wasmormon.org/profile/erinkucera2/

Don’t Say Mormon

Marc Oslund and John Dehlin discussed Russell M. Nelson’s “Victory for Satan” talk on Mormon Stories Episode #1424. They discuss that the blind belief in only the living prophet’s words is unsustainable and Nelson’s war on ‘Mormon‘ has been his own personal pet peeve from the beginning. The message from President Nelson that using the …

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"I went to college and built a life for myself across the country.  I don’t think I could have done this if I stayed in my hometown. I feel a sense of loss about what Mormonism took from me as a child and a sense of loss for the relationships with family that are now more fragile. We love each other, but from a distance. Still, I wouldn’t change leaving the church. I needed to live my truth." - Lucky | https://wasmormon.org/profile/lucky/
"I went to college and built a life for myself across the country.  I don’t think I could have done this if I stayed in my hometown. I feel a sense of loss about what Mormonism took from me as a child and a sense of loss for the relationships with family that are now more fragile. We love each other, but from a distance. Still, I wouldn’t change leaving the church. I needed to live my truth." - Lucky | https://wasmormon.org/profile/lucky/
"I thought and cried and prayed and grew to know that Mormonism was not something that I could believe in. When I was 18 I met with my bishop and asked for my name to be removed from the records. I told my parents after the fact." - Lucky | https://wasmormon.org/profile/lucky/
"I thought and cried and prayed and grew to know that Mormonism was not something that I could believe in. When I was 18 I met with my bishop and asked for my name to be removed from the records. I told my parents after the fact." - Lucky | https://wasmormon.org/profile/lucky/
"As a teen I had lots of questions about the church and did lots of searching. This was pre-internet, so I saved babysitting money to go to the local Christian Supply bookstore and Powells to buy books about Mormonism." - Lucky | https://wasmormon.org/profile/lucky/
"As a teen I had lots of questions about the church and did lots of searching. This was pre-internet, so I saved babysitting money to go to the local Christian Supply bookstore and Powells to buy books about Mormonism." - Lucky | https://wasmormon.org/profile/lucky/
Why don't I leave the church alone? The authoritarian leaders inside of Mormonism are the ones most frequently asking this question. It is in their interest to tamp down any and all criticism or exposure of origins of and the real beliefs propagated within LDS/Mormonism. Their demands that we "leave the church alone" is like a bank robber telling the witnesses to be quiet, and not complain about or expose the heist. Of course having such an expectation is absurd in a world where one human being should be concerned with the well-being of any another human being and where all should want truth and justice to be the norm." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
Why don't I leave the church alone? The authoritarian leaders inside of Mormonism are the ones most frequently asking this question. It is in their interest to tamp down any and all criticism or exposure of origins of and the real beliefs propagated within LDS/Mormonism. Their demands that we "leave the church alone" is like a bank robber telling the witnesses to be quiet, and not complain about or expose the heist. Of course having such an expectation is absurd in a world where one human being should be concerned with the well-being of any another human being and where all should want truth and justice to be the norm." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"Mormonism is a fraudulent rip-off and perverted imposter of orthodox (small "o") Christian ideas, practice and history. When you think you are healed, de-programmed, free, or fully awakened... you probably aren't, yet. Am I happy? Yes, Exceedingly! More importantly, I am available to experience and embrace joy, grace, wisdom and truth through open seeking of it." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"Mormonism is a fraudulent rip-off and perverted imposter of orthodox (small "o") Christian ideas, practice and history. When you think you are healed, de-programmed, free, or fully awakened... you probably aren't, yet. Am I happy? Yes, Exceedingly! More importantly, I am available to experience and embrace joy, grace, wisdom and truth through open seeking of it." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"This was a bit of a surprise to me as my participation was approaching zero. Despite all of the propaganda about preparation, all that was really required was a body temp near 98.6F. Today, I wish that I had somehow already developed some swagger with which to respond to the Bishop. However, "No thank you. I have other plans..." might be all that I could muster. Subsequently, I earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and two advanced degrees, and I earned the titles "Colonel" and "Captain" in military and civilian aviation careers respectively." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"This was a bit of a surprise to me as my participation was approaching zero. Despite all of the propaganda about preparation, all that was really required was a body temp near 98.6F. Today, I wish that I had somehow already developed some swagger with which to respond to the Bishop. However, "No thank you. I have other plans..." might be all that I could muster. Subsequently, I earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and two advanced degrees, and I earned the titles "Colonel" and "Captain" in military and civilian aviation careers respectively." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"The more socially preferred boys in the local Mormon society had no plans for their future. They were merely on the Mormon conveyor belt awaiting their processing into their servitude and then a continued infantilism of outwardly only doing what they were told to do, while inwardly, doing whatever they could get away with. My mother told me that the Bishop would like to have a meeting with me. By this time, I had recognized that the Bishop no longer had any sway of authority over me, as I had previously perceived him to have. At the meeting, the Bishop informed me that he had in front of him, on his desk, my Mission Calling paperwork. " - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"The more socially preferred boys in the local Mormon society had no plans for their future. They were merely on the Mormon conveyor belt awaiting their processing into their servitude and then a continued infantilism of outwardly only doing what they were told to do, while inwardly, doing whatever they could get away with. My mother told me that the Bishop would like to have a meeting with me. By this time, I had recognized that the Bishop no longer had any sway of authority over me, as I had previously perceived him to have. At the meeting, the Bishop informed me that he had in front of him, on his desk, my Mission Calling paperwork. " - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
“One evening when I was at the factory entrance punching the time clock beginning my 2nd shift work, I encountered Brother P. as he was leaving the building and engaged me in conversation. He asked, "Mike, are you going to go on a Mission?" I said, "No, I am not. I am making preparations to go to University in the Fall, study Aerospace Engineering, enter the Air Force through ROTC and go on to fly jets." Brother P. replied, with a mix of disgust and disappointment, "Well, that's too bad!"” - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
“One evening when I was at the factory entrance punching the time clock beginning my 2nd shift work, I encountered Brother P. as he was leaving the building and engaged me in conversation. He asked, "Mike, are you going to go on a Mission?" I said, "No, I am not. I am making preparations to go to University in the Fall, study Aerospace Engineering, enter the Air Force through ROTC and go on to fly jets." Brother P. replied, with a mix of disgust and disappointment, "Well, that's too bad!"” - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"In my youth, before I physically left, I did not develop the personal sovereignty, nor the courage, nor even the idea, to say to my Mormon parent, "I don't believe in this, therefor, I am no longer going to pretend by doing the things I am 'supposed' to do there." Approaching that important male age of 19, I had other plans, going on a Mission did not align with the sense of truth and integrity that I had begun to develop. There was no way that I would participate in preparing for and then inflicting the Mormon sales pitch on fellow human beings. To do so would have been trying to sell them on a view of the universe that I did not believe." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"In my youth, before I physically left, I did not develop the personal sovereignty, nor the courage, nor even the idea, to say to my Mormon parent, "I don't believe in this, therefor, I am no longer going to pretend by doing the things I am 'supposed' to do there." Approaching that important male age of 19, I had other plans, going on a Mission did not align with the sense of truth and integrity that I had begun to develop. There was no way that I would participate in preparing for and then inflicting the Mormon sales pitch on fellow human beings. To do so would have been trying to sell them on a view of the universe that I did not believe." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"I left Mormonism at age 19. One might think that my exposure to the cult was therefore very limited, and, yes I am fortunate to have left when I did. However, I left still bearing many scars, wounds, confusions and emotional difficulties that were mostly hidden and not recognized nor understood by me. These things I sorted out over several phases of healing and genuine spiritual discovery throughout life, but not without trouble and tragedy in the interim. My family dynamics certainly contributed to those dysfunctions, but Mormonism acted to cement those dysfunctions and also prevented or greatly impeded other potential moderating or positive mentoring influences that would have otherwise been available from outside my family situation." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"I left Mormonism at age 19. One might think that my exposure to the cult was therefore very limited, and, yes I am fortunate to have left when I did. However, I left still bearing many scars, wounds, confusions and emotional difficulties that were mostly hidden and not recognized nor understood by me. These things I sorted out over several phases of healing and genuine spiritual discovery throughout life, but not without trouble and tragedy in the interim. My family dynamics certainly contributed to those dysfunctions, but Mormonism acted to cement those dysfunctions and also prevented or greatly impeded other potential moderating or positive mentoring influences that would have otherwise been available from outside my family situation." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
“My father was not a member, not a participant, not interested, generally did not openly express an opinion about how my mother was raising us "in the church," but on occasion said "do what your mother tells you." Per my mother's edict, our attendance and participation was a fundamental requirement of our existence. At "church" to my supposed peers, I was the quiet, skinny little kid who either didn't have a father, or even worse, whose father "wasn't a member!"” - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
“My father was not a member, not a participant, not interested, generally did not openly express an opinion about how my mother was raising us "in the church," but on occasion said "do what your mother tells you." Per my mother's edict, our attendance and participation was a fundamental requirement of our existence. At "church" to my supposed peers, I was the quiet, skinny little kid who either didn't have a father, or even worse, whose father "wasn't a member!"” - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"I am a husband, father, teacher, reader, questioner, thinker, traveler and I am living my best life. I was raised in a half-mormon household. This somewhat unique circumstance exacerbated the negative effects of Mormonism upon my psyche, yet may have allowed for an easier departure when that event occurred. I was a Mormon." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/
"I am a husband, father, teacher, reader, questioner, thinker, traveler and I am living my best life. I was raised in a half-mormon household. This somewhat unique circumstance exacerbated the negative effects of Mormonism upon my psyche, yet may have allowed for an easier departure when that event occurred. I was a Mormon." - Mike | https://wasmormon.org/profile/deserveliberty/