EX-MORMON

'Ex-Mormon' refers to a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or any one of the , colloquially and collectively called "Mormonism." Ex-Mormon may also refer to various aggregations of ex-Mormons who comprise a social movement. Ex-Mormons may or may not overlap with Jack Mormons ("dry-Mormons"), who often have no philosophical disagreement with the LDS church but do not participate, or Cultural Mormons who consider non-belief irrelevant to their adoption of the Mormon lifestyle and identity. Most ex-Mormons tend to view themselves as conscientious objectors to the religion's teachings or practices, regardless of cultural or social influences. The latter applies as some ex-Mormons later find themselves socially separated from their Mormon friends and family after their exit.^[1]
Many ex-Mormons leave Mormonism at the expense of family relationships or friendships,^[2] often missing family events such as temple weddings which are limited to active members of the LDS church meeting certain requirements of the religion.
Ex-Mormon is sometimes abbreviated as "exmo." Similarly, the term 'nevermo' is sometimes colloquially used to refer to people who never were members of LDS church. The term is mainly used by exmos to describe a spouse, relative, or friend.
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other churches in the Latter Day Saint Movement, someone who willingly abandons the religion may be referred to as an "apostate".

Contents

Reasons for leaving

Post-disaffiliation issues

Religious

Social

Psychological

Latter-day Saint views of ex-Mormons

Ex-Mormon community groups

See also

References

External links

Reasons for leaving

:''See also Criticism of Mormonism
Most ex-Mormons disaffiliate for multiple reasons,^[3] and a majority join other Christian churches.^[4] Other reasons for leaving include intellectual appraisal, change in beliefs, conversion to other faiths, life crises and perceived alienation by Mormon leaders or congregations.^[5] Maxine Hanks, one of the September Six, cites the perceived spiritual status of blacks, polygamy, and the role of women in society as additional factors, especially for those who adopt humanist and/or feminist perspectives.^[6]

Post-disaffiliation issues

After their decision to leave Mormonism and the LDS church, ex-Mormons typically go through a significant adjustment period as they re-orient their lives religiously, socially, and psychologically.

Religious

Some ex-Mormons become adherents of primarily Protestant Christian religions, while others become non-religious, atheistic, or adherents of other faiths.^[7] Ex-Mormon attitudes toward Mormons and Mormonism vary widely. Some ex-Mormons actively proselytize against Mormonism, while others merely provide support to others leaving the religion. Other ex-Mormons prefer to avoid the subject entirely, while still others may try to encourage dialogue between adherents of their new faiths and active Mormons. Attitudes of ex-Mormons also differ regarding their church membership. Some formally resign, which the LDS church refers to as "name removal," while others simply become inactive.

Social

Ex-Mormons who publicly leave Mormonism often face opposition in their decision. Based upon a belief that those who leave the LDS church are in danger of negative eternal consequences, Mormon peers, church officials, and family members are strongly encouraged by leaders in the faith to attempt to regather those who have left the faith.^[8] Sometimes these efforts succeed, and ex-Mormons can rejoin their church after an extensive interview with a church leader.

Psychological

Leaving a religion can have positive and negative psychological implications. Some ex-Mormons have compared their symptoms to divorce.^[9] Ex-Mormons have also reported feeling self-doubt and depression.^[10]
Leaving a religion has also been reported to have positive effects on a person's psychological state. Some psychological research shows that those who are true to their own ''intrinsic'' spirituality, "those who internalize their beliefs and live them regardless of the consequences," demonstrate significantly improved wellbeing indicators in areas such as anxiety, tolerance, responsibility, intellectual efficiency, and sociability.^[11] Whereas, those who adhere to a religion for ''extrinsic'' reasons, those who are part of a religion "as a means of obtaining status, security, self-justification, and sociability," demonstrate significantly lower well being indicators in the same areas.^[11]

Latter-day Saint views of ex-Mormons

LDS religious texts teach that Satan seeks to destroy the souls of men^[13]
[14] and that those who "depart from the truth" will be judged in the final judgment^[13] for being deceived by Satan.^[13] LDS doctrine maintains that those who openly disagree with church hierarchy are potentially condemned, while those who reject LDS doctrine or authority explicitly are "apostate".^[17] Apostasy of members may lead to church discipline, including disfellowship or excommunication. Officially, Latter Day Saints are told to have a loving and hopeful attitude toward apostates and to invite "the lost sheep" back to the fold.^[18] However, some LDS adherents view apostasy in terms of denying the Holy Ghost, which in Mormon theology is the most serious sin that can be made, although this doctrine is officially applied only to those who have had an "unshakable" spiritual witness of the truth of the faith.^[19]
Additionally, a Book of Mormon figure, Korihor,^[13] is shown preaching disbelief, challenging prophecies and church leaders,^[13] and was divinely struck deaf and mute for the acts. Some LDS apologists have compared both ex-Mormon authors^[22] and any reasoning that leads to disbelief in Mormonism^[23] with Korihor. LDS history points to trivial reasons why some members have left, such as the misspelling of a name in church records^[24] or inability to get a seat at a church service.^[25]

Ex-Mormon community groups

Local and Internet-based self-described support groups exist for people doubting their Mormon faith, to give them a place to discuss their departure from their faith with people who sympathize with their beliefs.^[26] Specifically, Internet-based communities range from historical forums and blogs to sites dedicated to "recovery from Mormonism", Mormon church membership resignation, newsgroups, and satire.

See also

★ Apostasy

★ Former Latter-day Saints

★ Religious disaffiliation

★ Anti-Mormonism

★ Jack Mormon

★ Cultural Mormon

References

1. William Lobdell, Los Angeles Times, Losing Faith and Lots More, December 1, 2001
2. Albrecht, S.L. & Bahr, H.M. (1990). Strangers Once More: Patterns of Disaffiliation from Mormonism. ''Journal of Scientific Study of Religion'' (28)2. 180- 200.
3. Albrecht, S.L. & Bahr, H.M. (1990). Strangers Once More: Patterns of Disaffiliation from Mormonism. ''Journal of Scientific Study of Religion'' (28)2. 180- 200.
4. Albrecht, S.L. & Bahr, H.M. (1983). Patterns of Religious Disaffiliation: A Study of Lifelong Mormons, Mormon Converts & Former Mormons. ''Journal of Scientific Study of Religion'' 22 D. pp. 366-379.
5. Reynolds, Leslie (1996). Mormons in Transition. Salt Lake City, Utah: Gratitude Press.
6. Maxine Hanks, Women and Authority ISBN 1-56085-014-0
7. Exmormon Survey
8. LDS General Conference, October 1999, Elder Ben B. Banks, Feed My Sheep
9. Winell, Marlene Ph.D. ''Leaving the Fold: A Guide for Former Fundamentalists and Others Leaving their Religion'' (New Harbinger Publications, 1993)
10. Life After Mormonism and the Double Bind
11. Bergin, A. E., Masters, K. S. & Richards, P. S. (1987). Religiousness and mental health reconsidered: A study of an intrinsically religious sample. ''Journal of Counseling Psychology'', 34, 197-204.
12. Bergin, A. E., Masters, K. S. & Richards, P. S. (1987). Religiousness and mental health reconsidered: A study of an intrinsically religious sample. ''Journal of Counseling Psychology'', 34, 197-204.
13.
14. http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,11-1-13-30,00.html
15.
16.
17. Brigham Young on personal apostacy
18. “The Lost Sheep,” The Friend (Liahona), Mar. 2002, 8

19. About Mormon beliefs
20.
21.
22. "Korihor's back, and this time he's got a printing press"
23. Countering Korihor
24. ''History of the Church'', 1, p. 261
25. George A. Smith, Journal of Discourses, 11:09
26. Shunned Ex-Mormons Form Own Communities

External links

★ The Exmormon Foundation - a non-profit, non-sectarian organization dedicated to supporting those in transition from Mormonism

★ Recovery from Mormonism - the most prominent ex-Mormon community on the web

★ SLC Recovery Group - Mormon Religious Transition Group in Salt Lake City, Utah

★ Mormons in Transition - Support group and Exmormon Community

★ Zarahemla City Limits - In-depth commentary and thoughtful essays written from a Cultural Mormon perspective

★ The Post-Mormon Community - Emphasizing a positive approach to life after leaving

★ lds-mormon.com - The webmaster was the first ever to be excommunicated for a website (see "Other" link on main page)

★ Keeping new members challenge for LDS Church - Salt Lake Tribune