Sydney found the CES letter both devastating and relieving. She followed up with her most sincere prayer ever but received no answer. There’s only one conclusion at that point. “I did my research, from sources inside the church and out. The breaking point, as I’m sure it was for many, was the CES letter. I …
Continue reading “Sydney Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Ella bravely considered the scary question. “What if the church isn’t true?” In the end, everything makes more sense once we consider that conclusion. “I finally had the thought; What if it isn’t true? I’d read the gospel topics essays when they came out. I’d served a mission. I’d seen miracles and felt the gift …
Continue reading “Ella Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Jordan found happiness in authenticity, even though it meant leaving the mormon church behind. “It never felt congruent with who I knew I was internally. It felt inauthentic to my internal reality.” “I have never been as happy as I am now that I am allowed to be the person that I always knew I …
Continue reading “Jordan Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Jude found the absurdity when BYU instructors ridiculed him for now fully grasping mormon theology and dove in deep. “when I went to BYUI for my sophomore year of college, I got CALLED OUT by my accounting professor who spent like 80% of our accounting class preaching. How dare I not know the answers to …
Continue reading “Jude Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Jim isn’t the only profile to mention the “Dark night of the soul” experienced during a faith crisis. He shows resilience in growing through it while also admitting that it does take some time. “To have been forced into a “Dark night of the soul” was, at first, devastating. But it did teach me to …
Continue reading “Jim Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Katie cuts to the chase with the simple acknowledgment that mormon culture is toxic. It’s not worth staying, she doesn’t even have to consider the other reasons. “Why I left: The culture is toxic.” Continue reading the full wasmormon profile at https://wasmormon.org/profile/ktsheets/ Find on social media:
Robbie feels abandoned by God when leaders promise blessings and nothing happens. His only relief is found in accepting that there are only men playing god. “I looked at my watch — they had started my disciplinary council at 7pm and it was now midnight. I went home to a cold dark house. Despite my …
Continue reading “Robbie Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Nate has two issues and could potentially forgive the first (the church being fictional) if not for the second issue of the church just didn’t work for him. It is fiction and it also doesn’t work. “Besides it being completely fictional, the church just did not work for me.” Continue reading the full wasmormon profile …
Continue reading “Nate Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Shelby knows that if she wasn’t born into the church, there’s no way she would believe it. Tradition keeps many people in the church. Luckily, her husband stumbled on the CES letter and she didn’t take much convincing after reading it. “I’d always said ‘If I wasn’t born into it, I wouldn’t believe it.’ I …
Continue reading “Shelby Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Becca admits that her shelf was loaded with questions and her church leaders were not comfortable with them. Presumably, because they couldn’t answer them, and even permitting space to ask them was too risky for them. The CES letter was bold enough to answer these questions. “I always had more questions than my leaders were …
Continue reading “Becca Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Olivia noticed that the promises from the church were empty as she did everything asked and saw the double standard applied to leaders and founder Joseph Smith. He didn’t live the sexual standards of the church. “My main concern has been sexuality— how it’s controlled in the personal lives of members, especially those who are …
Continue reading “Olivia Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Beth could not rationalize the mental gymnastics required to stay mormon. “My faith transition was not something I took lightly. I spent several painful years trying to make the church work for me. Over time, it became more and more difficult to defend and justify certain things about church history, doctrine, teachings, and culture. I …
Continue reading “Beth Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
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 …
Continue reading “Shawn Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
We’ll start spotlighting profiles in the blog section with some memorable quotes in graphics format. First up, a concise snippet from Francis. He found that the church was not what it claimed to be. Remaining a mormon would require betraying his own values. “My reasons for leaving the church are most succinctly explained this way: …
Continue reading “Francis Was a Mormon, an Exmormon Profile Spotlight”
Have you experienced a faith crisis or transition? Many people have (and some tell their story), perhaps including Albert Einstein. What has the experience taught you about God or your belief in God? Has it transformed how you view God or what you mean when you refer to God? Do your current thoughts still align …
Many testimonies come off like the bearer thinks that “I know” actually means “I really hope” or “I want to know”. When encouraged to bear a testimony to find it, this doublethink and newspeak almost makes sense. We gain or strengthen a testimony by bearing it. Someone even suggested that some testimonies are better gained …
Continue reading “Gain a Testimony By Pretending To Have One”
Salt Lake City, Utah January 29, 2002 Conducted by Helmut Nemetschek at 47 East South Temple, Prior To And In Preparation For, The “Mormon Winter Olympics” TRANSCRIPT REPORTER: President Hinckley, what are your expectations, your desires, your wishes, for the Olympic Games here in Salt Lake City? HINCKLEY: Well, I expect great things in the …
Continue reading “Gordon B. Hinckley Interview Transcript– ZDF German Television”
Punctuation Lesson An ellipsis (…) is used to omit unnecessary detail from a quote. It usually indicates an intentional omission of a word, sentence, or whole section from a text without altering its original meaning. (It also functions to indicate that the speaker has trailed off and left a sentence or thought unfinished. Like here… …
When an honestly mistaken man sees the truth, one of two things happens: (1) he will either cease to be mistaken, or (2) he will cease to be honest. For he will either accept the truth or he will reject it. If he accepts it, he is no longer mistaken; if he rejects it, he …
To Latter-day Saints there can be no objection to the careful and critical study of the scriptures, ancient or modern, provided only that it be an honest study – a search for truth. John A. Widtsoe, ApostleIn Search of Truth: Comments on the Gospel and Modern Thought(1930) No objection to the careful and critical study? …
Continue reading “No Objection to Careful and Critical Study – A Search for Truth”
It’s wrong to criticize leaders of the Church, even if the criticism is true. Elder Dallin H Oaks How can this be twisted to be seen in a good way? Is it wrong to call out errors our leaders make? No. It could be annoying, or even tactless to harp on every minor thing they …
Continue reading “Is it Wrong to Criticize Mormon Church Leaders?”
And make no mistake about it: the Lord directs His Church through living prophets and apostles. This is the way He has always done His work. … Too many people think Church leaders and members should be perfect or nearly perfect. They forget that the Lord’s grace is sufficient to accomplish His work through mortals. …
If we have truth, [it] cannot be harmed by investigation. If we have not truth, it ought to be harmed. J. Reuben ClarkJ. Reuben Clark: The Church Years. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1983, p. 24 Investigate the church, we invite the world (non-members) to investigate our claims. Those who are learning and considering …
Continue reading “The Truth Cannot Be Harmed By Investigation?”
Let me quote a very powerful comment from President Ezra Taft Benson, who said, “The Book of Mormon is the keystone of [our] testimony. Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the Church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The enemies of the Church …
Continue reading “The arch crumbles – Let’s not have any bizarre middle ground”
Each of us has to face the matter — either the Church is true, or it is a fraud. There is no middle ground. It is the church and kingdom of God, or it is nothing. President Gordon B. Hinckley – General Conference – April 2003 Many appreciated President Hinckley, but his binary way of …
Continue reading “There is no middle ground – It is the church and kingdom of God, or it is nothing”
President Oaks acknowledged that some Latter-Saint couples face conflicts over important values and priorities. Matters of Church history and doctrinal issues have led some spouses to inactivity. Some spouses wonder how to best go about researching and responding to such issues. “I suggest that research is not the answer,” he said. “But the best answer …
Continue reading “Dallin Oaks Teaches “Research Is Not The Answer””
Come tell your own story. Don’t let other people or the church tell it for you. They have a narrative about you and why you left. By far, the narrative they tell is not the truth. This is the story that is told currently, by an apostle of the church about those who choose to …
Continue reading “Mormon Apostle: Shame on Doubters For Playing “Church History Whack-a-Mole””
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 …
Come tell your own story. Why did you leave the boat? Don’t let other people or the church tell it for you. They already preach a narrative about you and why you left (and it’s not flattering). By far, the narrative they tell is not the truth. The church has a long history of telling …
Continue reading “Why did you leave? Tell your story or they will”
Addressing honest questions is an important part of building faith… To those of faith who, looking through the colored glasses of the 21st century, honestly question events or statements of the Prophet Joseph from nearly 200 years ago, may I share some friendly advice: For now, give Brother Joseph a break! Neil L. Andersenhttps://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/faith-is-not-by-chance-but-by-choice It …
