Archive
Reason #126: A fictional account of losing faith in Mormonism
In the previous item on the "365 Reasons" blog I described the situation that caused me to lose faith in Mormonism. I have tried to describe this in a fictional account, too: my novel, Latter-day Cipher. In this passage, an LDS man who is a spokesman for...
Reason #125: The Point of No Return in Deciding to Leave
The previous post used an analogy to describe the feelings that many have when discovering that Mormonism's claims of divine origin are false. I'll use a quote from my book, The Mormon Mirage, that describes the end of that process for me, when I was confronted with a...
Reason #124: Emotional Impact of Discovery
When I spoke last fall at the Ex-Mormon Foundation's annual conference, I compared the shock of discovery that Mormonism was composed of lies to pornography. (Though that was not the theme of my speech, you can see the entire video: Out of the Mormon Mirage here.)...
Writing begins with Noticing
Writing begins, I think, with the art of noticing. One of my earliest memories is this: I am standing at the end of a peach orchard in Farmington, New Mexico, in which my parents have cleared spaces to make a trailer park. Many of the trailers sit on blocks because...
Reason #123: Eternal truth is…always true
About two months ago I sat at a restaurant with a college student who had grown up Mormon as she recounted to me her growing doubts about Mormonism. I shared that when I was an LDS college student, I also had to make some decisions about Mormonism. But things were...
Reason #122: Because LDS history has been continually whitewashed
When I was a Mormon, the first of Joseph Smith's dozens of wives, Emma, was portrayed as his only wife. Not only that, their relationship was always depicted as loyal and loving -- though LDS scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants showed that Emma had difficulty with...
Reason #121: LDS politicians still believe they'll save the US
Although I agree that somebody needs to step in and save the US government, I don't believe that the LDS church is the one to do it. However, a candidate for the governorship of Idaho is holding meetings to discuss the LDS prophecy that the US Constitution will "hang...
Reason #120: Rest in Peace, Oral Roberts? Maybe not…
A researcher has uncovered the LDS proxy baptism and other proxy records of televangelist Oral Roberts. Old news, you might say. Mormons "dead dunk" famous deceased people all the time. The problem? Oral Roberts passed away this week, December 15, 2009. He...
Reason #119: Because “fastest-growing” isn't a reason to believe
Recently on a messageboard I ran across this chart and explanation. Anyone want to check the math (or talk about the implications?): HOW TO USE THESE CHARTS The statistics with white backgrounds are ones reported by the church itself. The statistics with...
Reason #118: Is the Mormon Jesus the Reason for the Season? Is he Jesus?
Mormon Outreach has an interesting listing of Mormon sources that adamantly counter the identity of Jesus as portrayed in the Bible -- particularly the details of His birth. Take a look here and see what you think. As for me, I'm putting all my hopes on a virgin-born,...
Reason #117: Getting Married to a Church
When I was a teenager in the Mormon Church, my MIA leader showed a film to all the girls about the importance of temple marriage. It emphasized the superiority of temple marriage over civil or other-religious marriage. If I recall correctly, one scene of the movie...
Reason #116: Testimony Sleight of Hand?
At the most recent LDS conference, LDS leader Jeffry R. Holland held up a copy of what he claimed was the actual Book of Mormon that was read by Joseph and Hyrum Smith the day they died in a jail cell in Carthage, MO (related in D&C 135:4- 5.) Mormons would like...