Deconstructing my experience in the church

I spent most of my life as a devout mormon. My entire worldview was framed around the idea that Jesus came to the earth, formed a church, died for our sins, and then after a short time that church fell into apostasy. In 1820, God and Jesus appeared to Joseph Smith and started him on a path that would lead to the restoration of God’s one true church on the earth. This church is led by apostles and prophets who could speak to God and enact His will, had genuine priesthood authority, and we must follow all their instructions. If we are faithful and get married in the temple, our family could be together forever. However, leaving the church would break those eternal bonds, leaving an empty seat as the rest of the faithful family members live out eternity in celestial glory. Many people who leave end up divorced as their spouse prefers being married to someone they could spend eternity with. Others are ostracized by their family, lose a big chunk of their social circle, and could even lose their job if it depended on their membership.

One thing is certain, leaving the church will radically change your life, your family, how you see the world and what is really important. The hardest thing I’ve had to do was see my entire worldview shatter all at once, and then slowly sift through the rubble pick out each individual piece, and see if it still belongs. This site is dedicated to things I’ve learned as I go through this process.