John was a golden convert. He found comfort in the certainty. He also found the authority of the church exacerbated his anxiety into a real OCD and religious scrupulosity. The high-control authoritarian system was incredibly unhealthy for him throughout adolescence and a mission. John acknowledges that some may blame his OCD, but he knows it …
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The church has lately been making regular changes to church policy and the church handbook. Most of these changes are met with praise, such as 2-hour church services! Others seem to simply be bureaucratic noise. Retiring the Home and Visiting Teaching programs, only to replace them with a similar Ministering Program, a big push to …
In Germany, Tim was raised in an atheist family but was intrigued by the church. He met with missionaries and wanted to get baptized at 16 years old. At this age, he needed parental permission, which they did not give but he continued to investigate the church for two more years. He was baptized right …
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In the Mormon community, the practice of putting questions on a shelf refers to the act of setting aside doubts or concerns about the faith in order to maintain belief and avoid conflict with church teachings. Mormons are encouraged to trust in the leadership and authority of the church and to believe that answers to …
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Jen supported her family through trials and desperately wanted to be together forever with her mother who passed when she was a teenager. But between experiencing sexism in the church, her son coming out as gay, and her daughter struggling with the corporate sales tone of her mission it didn’t add up. She struggled with …
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Jean was impressed with the ‘true religion’ as taught by the missionaries and joined the church with her young family. After serving faithfully for a long time and even serving a senior mission to South Africa, she collected a few issues onto her shelf. She questioned why she and the other missionaries weren’t better protected …
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The story of Lehi leaving Jerusalem with his family and their struggles is central to the Book of Mormon. In the book (1 Nephi chapter 8), Lehi shares a dream with his family that is about a great and spacious building and a straight and narrow path, an iron rod, and a tree with fruit …
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Shawn feels that in leaving mormonism he has discovered real unconditional love! “I love now for love’s sake (not a transactional hope of reward, or fear of a God that shakes his finger). My self-identity is no longer enmeshed in a church, which I once looked to in co-dependence for my emotional/spiritual needs.” shawnmatheson Read …
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In a faith transition many face feelings of groundlessness akin to crisis level vertigo. They may feel that their life is completely falling apart; that nothing is what it seemed and they struggle to cope with such a huge shift. They face reprocessing every principle, every value and potentially every reason for every thing in …
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In honor of Star Wars day, I wanted to spotlight the moment of betrayal from Obi Wan and the parallel to my own faith crisis. Today is May the Fourth, also known as Star Wars Day – due to the “May the Force”, be with you pun. One thing we can learn from the prequel …
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All You Need Is Love President Nelson gave a talk at General Conference April 2019. He called out some popular ideas and songs as false hope. He doesn’t believe Love will get us anywhere it seems. Many know the song, but it doesn’t mean what President Nelson thinks it means… The Beatles’ iconic song from …
