Tag Archives: I Was a Mormon

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"That was the beginning of the end of my testimony. I told my wife and she did not take it well. So I continued going and going… for years. I stopped taking callings unless they directly impacted my kids. Primary pianist is easily the best calling in the church. I still went to Elders Quorum but instead of listening to someone read me the manual I would read books on my phone. I never again brought up the loss of faith in the church with my wife." - Alan's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/alan/
"That was the beginning of the end of my testimony. I told my wife and she did not take it well. So I continued going and going… for years. I stopped taking callings unless they directly impacted my kids. Primary pianist is easily the best calling in the church. I still went to Elders Quorum but instead of listening to someone read me the manual I would read books on my phone. I never again brought up the loss of faith in the church with my wife." - Alan's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/alan/
I'm happier now than I ever was in the church. As a Mormon, I perpetually felt like I wasn't good enough. My family was often in conflict over how to live the standards of the church and I was passing on the feelings of inadequacy to my children. Now, as an atheist, I'm free from all of that, I am me. I don't need to be someone else. I'm the father of my children and I can choose to teach them what I truly feel is right, not what some old white dude says I should teach them. I can simply focus on my own goals and I can forgive myself of my own mistakes. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
I'm happier now than I ever was in the church. As a Mormon, I perpetually felt like I wasn't good enough. My family was often in conflict over how to live the standards of the church and I was passing on the feelings of inadequacy to my children. Now, as an atheist, I'm free from all of that, I am me. I don't need to be someone else. I'm the father of my children and I can choose to teach them what I truly feel is right, not what some old white dude says I should teach them. I can simply focus on my own goals and I can forgive myself of my own mistakes. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
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/adamj/. There are stories of Mormon faith journeys contributed by hundreds of 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/adamj/. There are stories of Mormon faith journeys contributed by hundreds of users like you. Come check them out and consider sharing your own story at wasmormon.org!
I couldn't in good conscience continue pretending that it was true. What we were taught in church on Sundays was so drastically different from the history that the church itself had recorded that there was no way to excuse the church. It was readily apparent that the church was intentionally deceiving members and covering up evidence of the truth. So I left. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
I couldn't in good conscience continue pretending that it was true. What we were taught in church on Sundays was so drastically different from the history that the church itself had recorded that there was no way to excuse the church. It was readily apparent that the church was intentionally deceiving members and covering up evidence of the truth. So I left. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
Other things came up over the years. Rumors that the endowment was based on Free Masonry. Questions about whether prayer could change the behavior of an all-knowing, all-powerful God. Non-member friends highlighting the absurdity of the Jaredite barges. Even moments of clarity when I realized my "spiritual experiences" had mundane explanations. These and many others went straight to the shelf. I dismissed them with thought-stoppers and as a result, never felt like I was wavering at all. I thought I had such a firm foundation. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
Other things came up over the years. Rumors that the endowment was based on Free Masonry. Questions about whether prayer could change the behavior of an all-knowing, all-powerful God. Non-member friends highlighting the absurdity of the Jaredite barges. Even moments of clarity when I realized my "spiritual experiences" had mundane explanations. These and many others went straight to the shelf. I dismissed them with thought-stoppers and as a result, never felt like I was wavering at all. I thought I had such a firm foundation. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
The thing that brought everything crashing down was actually an attempt at apologetics. In a classic evening of wiki wandering, I read about ancient Egypt and Israel, including a page about the Dead Sea Scrolls. I realized that we have a complete copy of Isaiah from ~150 BC. In my mind, this copy of Isaiah should have matched the Book of Mormon Isaiah chapters much more closely than the King James Version of the Bible does. I thought I would be able to use this to prove that the Book of Mormon was true. However, upon researching, I learned the exact opposite. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
The thing that brought everything crashing down was actually an attempt at apologetics. In a classic evening of wiki wandering, I read about ancient Egypt and Israel, including a page about the Dead Sea Scrolls. I realized that we have a complete copy of Isaiah from ~150 BC. In my mind, this copy of Isaiah should have matched the Book of Mormon Isaiah chapters much more closely than the King James Version of the Bible does. I thought I would be able to use this to prove that the Book of Mormon was true. However, upon researching, I learned the exact opposite. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
The Book of Mormon matches the KJV much more closely than it does any older writings. In fact, the BOM contains text that was written long after 600 BC. I panicked and tried to rationalize this away. Every avenue I thought would help turned out to hurt more. Everything I researched about church history, Joseph's translation process, the testimonies of the witnesses, and so on turned out to point in the opposite direction. After about a month of digging through all the information I could find (from reliable sources only!) I had no choice but to leave the church. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
The Book of Mormon matches the KJV much more closely than it does any older writings. In fact, the BOM contains text that was written long after 600 BC. I panicked and tried to rationalize this away. Every avenue I thought would help turned out to hurt more. Everything I researched about church history, Joseph's translation process, the testimonies of the witnesses, and so on turned out to point in the opposite direction. After about a month of digging through all the information I could find (from reliable sources only!) I had no choice but to leave the church. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
Looking back, I see that many, many items went on my shelf over the years. The first was actually during a conference talk by Gordon B. Hinckley. He explained how we invite members of other faiths to bring the truth they have and add ours to it. I was just a teenager, but I had a rare moment of insight. I envisioned a member of a Christian church being told that they only had part of the truth and that the Mormon's had the rest of it. It occurred to me that they would feel the exact opposite: that *we* were the ones who lacked the full truth. That went straight on the shelf. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
Looking back, I see that many, many items went on my shelf over the years. The first was actually during a conference talk by Gordon B. Hinckley. He explained how we invite members of other faiths to bring the truth they have and add ours to it. I was just a teenager, but I had a rare moment of insight. I envisioned a member of a Christian church being told that they only had part of the truth and that the Mormon's had the rest of it. It occurred to me that they would feel the exact opposite: that *we* were the ones who lacked the full truth. That went straight on the shelf. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
My life finally feels REAL. When I'm sad, I don't need to pretend that some supernatural being is making me feel differently. When I succeed, I don't need to attribute my success to a deity to avoid being prideful. When I'm upset, I can evaluate the true causes of my emotions, rather than being afraid that Satan is attacking me. My life is mine, and it's logical, rational, and real. I love it. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
My life finally feels REAL. When I'm sad, I don't need to pretend that some supernatural being is making me feel differently. When I succeed, I don't need to attribute my success to a deity to avoid being prideful. When I'm upset, I can evaluate the true causes of my emotions, rather than being afraid that Satan is attacking me. My life is mine, and it's logical, rational, and real. I love it. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
I was 100% in the church. I didn't doubt or question. I was obedient and faithful to the things I had been taught. I believed I had a firm testimony and had experienced many spiritual experiences to confirm that testimony. By the time I was 30 years old, I think I'd missed church fewer than 5 times in my life. At one point, we realized we'd missed paying tithing on a few paychecks, so we sold our couch, bedframe, TV stand, and keyboard (piano) in order to make the payment. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
I was 100% in the church. I didn't doubt or question. I was obedient and faithful to the things I had been taught. I believed I had a firm testimony and had experienced many spiritual experiences to confirm that testimony. By the time I was 30 years old, I think I'd missed church fewer than 5 times in my life. At one point, we realized we'd missed paying tithing on a few paychecks, so we sold our couch, bedframe, TV stand, and keyboard (piano) in order to make the payment. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
I'm a software developer who loves learning. I was raised in a very strict Mormon home. Among my siblings, I considered myself the most obedient. I never skipped. I didn't drink caffeine. I completed 4 years of seminary, went to BYU, served a mission, and got married in the temple. I was a Mormon. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
I'm a software developer who loves learning. I was raised in a very strict Mormon home. Among my siblings, I considered myself the most obedient. I never skipped. I didn't drink caffeine. I completed 4 years of seminary, went to BYU, served a mission, and got married in the temple. I was a Mormon. - Adam's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/adamj/
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/cdj319/. 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/cdj319/. 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!
"The Sunday before we all graduated, our bishop came in to talk to our class about our next steps. It was filled with the most misogynistic bullshit I had ever heard! He told us that we would all be wives and mothers before we knew it (nothing about education except that it MIGHT be a good idea in case something happened to our husbands). He told us that we needed to make sure that our appearance was desirable and reminded us to maintain that in our marriages. He told us that we should wake up before our husbands and make sure we look pretty for them, make sure to get everything ready that they need for the day and make sure they have a nice clean home to come home to every day. I can't make this up! But I didn't want to get in trouble so I just set it aside yet again." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"The Sunday before we all graduated, our bishop came in to talk to our class about our next steps. It was filled with the most misogynistic bullshit I had ever heard! He told us that we would all be wives and mothers before we knew it (nothing about education except that it MIGHT be a good idea in case something happened to our husbands). He told us that we needed to make sure that our appearance was desirable and reminded us to maintain that in our marriages. He told us that we should wake up before our husbands and make sure we look pretty for them, make sure to get everything ready that they need for the day and make sure they have a nice clean home to come home to every day. I can't make this up! But I didn't want to get in trouble so I just set it aside yet again." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"The very first time I had an issue with church leadership was when I was 16 years old and brought into my bishop's office to have a check-in "interview" where we talked about driving and, of course, dating. The two big milestones when you turn 16! I remember feeling so excited about those two new privileges. My bishop talked to me about general safety and joked that he would stay off the roads for a little while. Then we started talking about dating. He advised me to go out in groups and never be alone with a boy. Then he said something that resonated with me negatively. He said "please make sure that you dress in a way that will not distract any young man from straying from the path" I didn't mind dressing modestly so that was fine, but why was it MY responsibility to keep HIM from going off the path? My bishop has good counsel, so I decide to push my feelings aside and just listen. My first item on the shelf." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"The very first time I had an issue with church leadership was when I was 16 years old and brought into my bishop's office to have a check-in "interview" where we talked about driving and, of course, dating. The two big milestones when you turn 16! I remember feeling so excited about those two new privileges. My bishop talked to me about general safety and joked that he would stay off the roads for a little while. Then we started talking about dating. He advised me to go out in groups and never be alone with a boy. Then he said something that resonated with me negatively. He said "please make sure that you dress in a way that will not distract any young man from straying from the path" I didn't mind dressing modestly so that was fine, but why was it MY responsibility to keep HIM from going off the path? My bishop has good counsel, so I decide to push my feelings aside and just listen. My first item on the shelf." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"The next Sunday, I got called into my bishop's office and he was very upset with me. I did not follow the teachings of the church and that "was simply unacceptable." He told me I needed to apologize to the girls' parents for telling them things that didn't coincide with our leaders. I told him no and asked him to go and ask the girls who were in my group how the lesson made them feel instead. What did I do that was so bad? I walked out of his office and thought that maybe I should have just done what they asked so I wouldn't have gotten in trouble. Guilt started to set in and I didn't tell anyone. Another heavy item on my shelf." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"The next Sunday, I got called into my bishop's office and he was very upset with me. I did not follow the teachings of the church and that "was simply unacceptable." He told me I needed to apologize to the girls' parents for telling them things that didn't coincide with our leaders. I told him no and asked him to go and ask the girls who were in my group how the lesson made them feel instead. What did I do that was so bad? I walked out of his office and thought that maybe I should have just done what they asked so I wouldn't have gotten in trouble. Guilt started to set in and I didn't tell anyone. Another heavy item on my shelf." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"I pulled out a brand new $20 bill and started to ask the girls what they would buy with it. After they gave me their answers, I crumpled it, stomped on it, rubbed it in the dirt, tore a small piece off of a corner, and taped it back together. I turned back and asked, "now what can you buy with this?" They all looked confused and gave me the same answers. I told them that it didn't matter how dirty, broken, or crumpled they felt, they would always be worth the same amount. The female leaders thought it was great, but the priesthood leader who was listening did not and immediately called my bishop." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"I pulled out a brand new $20 bill and started to ask the girls what they would buy with it. After they gave me their answers, I crumpled it, stomped on it, rubbed it in the dirt, tore a small piece off of a corner, and taped it back together. I turned back and asked, "now what can you buy with this?" They all looked confused and gave me the same answers. I told them that it didn't matter how dirty, broken, or crumpled they felt, they would always be worth the same amount. The female leaders thought it was great, but the priesthood leader who was listening did not and immediately called my bishop." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"A few months later, we got a new bishop in my ward. One of my leaders had asked me to give a lesson on self-worth and to include a small thing about purity because it might be less awkward coming from someone the girls really look up to. I said I would and looked for examples, but all I could find were terrible things involving fear. So I changed my plan and didn't tell anyone. I taught a lesson and on the importance of standing up for what you believe in and determining your own worth for yourself." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"A few months later, we got a new bishop in my ward. One of my leaders had asked me to give a lesson on self-worth and to include a small thing about purity because it might be less awkward coming from someone the girls really look up to. I said I would and looked for examples, but all I could find were terrible things involving fear. So I changed my plan and didn't tell anyone. I taught a lesson and on the importance of standing up for what you believe in and determining your own worth for yourself." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"Almost 2 years later, I was about to graduate from high school. I was the Laurel president and managed to not make any more waves since I got in a lot of trouble. Every time I felt the need to question something or speak up about something I disagreed with, I forced myself to push it aside because that feeling of guilt hit me. More little items were added to my shelf over those years. " - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"Almost 2 years later, I was about to graduate from high school. I was the Laurel president and managed to not make any more waves since I got in a lot of trouble. Every time I felt the need to question something or speak up about something I disagreed with, I forced myself to push it aside because that feeling of guilt hit me. More little items were added to my shelf over those years. " - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"I am a lover of coffee, dogs, and life. I was born in raised in the PNW. I have 2 siblings, wonderful parents, and a life that I now love very much. I grew up Mormon. I wasn't a part of a cookie-cutter Mormon family and I wasn't always a perfect example but I held myself to impossible standards and landed myself in therapy all these years later. I was a Mormon." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org
"I am a lover of coffee, dogs, and life. I was born in raised in the PNW. I have 2 siblings, wonderful parents, and a life that I now love very much. I grew up Mormon. I wasn't a part of a cookie-cutter Mormon family and I wasn't always a perfect example but I held myself to impossible standards and landed myself in therapy all these years later. I was a Mormon." - Chelsea's I was a Mormon Story | wasmormon.org

Rosanna Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight

Growing up in Utah within a devout Mormon family, Rosana inherited her parents’ beliefs but soon found herself grappling with the suffocating pressures of conformity and cultural expectations. Despite her upbringing in a community steeped in faith, Rosana’s experience with church rituals and teachings left her feeling disconnected and disillusioned. The rigid standards imposed by …

Continue reading “Rosanna Was a Mormon, an Ex-Mormon Profile Spotlight”

"I'm queer. I'm not cisgender or heterosexual and that's a huge problem in this religion. When I was finally able to accept myself for that, I realized the mormon religion would never accept me for it and I'd never be happy where I'm not even accepted." - Frey's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/frey/
"I'm queer. I'm not cisgender or heterosexual and that's a huge problem in this religion. When I was finally able to accept myself for that, I realized the mormon religion would never accept me for it and I'd never be happy where I'm not even accepted." - Frey's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/frey/
"I received a patriarchal blessing. It was generic and the life it foretold made me miserable to think about. The patriarch used what little knowledge he had about me to make a few statements, saying things like "you have the gift of love, service, empathy, and listening", "if you cling to your covenants, you will rise above all your challenges", "when the time comes you will find an eternal companion and enter the temple and get sealed", "you'll have lots of kids who will all look to you as an example of faith" (which was one of my worst nightmares), "you have a duty to do missionary work", and "you'll be resurrected". I was still trying to believe at the time and this "blessing" disappointed me and gave me a lot of anxiety. It didn't mean anything to me and it eventually became one of the items on my shelf." - Frey's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/frey/
"I received a patriarchal blessing. It was generic and the life it foretold made me miserable to think about. The patriarch used what little knowledge he had about me to make a few statements, saying things like "you have the gift of love, service, empathy, and listening", "if you cling to your covenants, you will rise above all your challenges", "when the time comes you will find an eternal companion and enter the temple and get sealed", "you'll have lots of kids who will all look to you as an example of faith" (which was one of my worst nightmares), "you have a duty to do missionary work", and "you'll be resurrected". I was still trying to believe at the time and this "blessing" disappointed me and gave me a lot of anxiety. It didn't mean anything to me and it eventually became one of the items on my shelf." - Frey's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/frey/
This is a spotlight on a profile shared at wasmormon.org. These are just the highlights, so please find Frey's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/frey/. There are hundreds 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 Frey's full story at https://wasmormon.org/profile/frey/. There are hundreds 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 had so many concerns and questions that were either not answered, or the answers were not logical. I'd never even wanted to get baptized in the first place, and when I started trying to leave apparently an 8 year old was old enough to make a decision about joining but a 16 year old wasn't old enough to make the decision to leave and I "didn't know what was best for me"." - Frey's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/frey/
"I had so many concerns and questions that were either not answered, or the answers were not logical. I'd never even wanted to get baptized in the first place, and when I started trying to leave apparently an 8 year old was old enough to make a decision about joining but a 16 year old wasn't old enough to make the decision to leave and I "didn't know what was best for me"." - Frey's "I was a Mormon" story. Read more at https://wasmormon.org/profile/frey/