* I snapped this photograph on a trail run when I was struggling through my own faith crisis, after walking away from my religion.
I have a public confession to make to all my Substack subscribers. I’ve withheld this information for way too long, and it’s time to come clean. I take full responsibility for this, after all I was a grown man when I willfully engaged in these deeds. I hope you will have an understanding heart. The best way to do this is to itemize my misdeeds. Here goes nothing:
I watched the High School Musical film… all three of them… like, four times each… okay, maybe six!
Do you remember the Justin Bieber movie, Never Say Never? Probably not. I do. I watched it in the theater… twice.
There was also a One Direction movie, This Is Us. Yep, I saw that one a couple times too.
And if all that isn’t enough, I once sneaked into a Walmart with a baseball hat and sunglasses, and actually purchased an Orlando Bloom poster for her birthday!!
Are you horrified? You may be wondering why a grown man would do such things. The answer: my daughter Jessica. They grow up fast! She has an MSW and a career in social work, but once she was a pre-teen, in love with Zac Efron, Justin Bieber, Harry Styles and Orlando Bloom. Of course, Taylor Swift has always been a staple.
This past week, another pre-teen heartthrob that enamored Jessica was in the news. David Archuleta. Remember him? David Archuleta became an overnight American Idol sensation at age 17 (now 34), he also became a default “ambassador,” like it or not, for the Church of Latter-day Saints, in which he had been raised his entire life. His 2008 song “Crush” climbed the Billboard charts to #2.
Occasionally, Archuleta has popped up on the radar here and there. David Archuleta, grew up in Utah as a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church. After his third album, he went on hiatus for two years to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile.
But last week, David Archuleta, released a new song that set off a firestorm, particularly in the Mormon church. The song is titled, “Hell Together”. A portion of the lyrics reads:
“Bow your head, don't be bold
You'll survive by doing what you're told
Said love is earned and we can't choose
But the more you grow, you know the truth”
Like many people, David Archuleta has struggled with his sexuality. In 2014, he came out as gay to his family. But sorting out one’s sexuality isn’t straightforward for everyone. Archuleta wrestled with whether he might be bi-sexual, and had been in significant relationships with women, including three instances in which he was engaged to be married. His inner struggle escalated to a near mental breakdown and suicidal thoughts, and he called off his last engagement.
In June 2021 David Archuleta revealed he was part of the LGBTQ community. In 2022 during a Christmas concert in Utah, the highest Mormon population state in the U.S., he opened up about his queer identity. He also discussed on the Jennifer Hudson show how being gay put him in conflict with his Mormon faith. David Archuleta has indicated that he has had a boyfriend, and that he sees himself marrying a man one day.
That’s all I’m interested in reporting about David Archuleta’s sexual orientation, as he ha shared publicly. I do so for the purpose of giving you a context for this article. I’m sure it’s not pleasant as a public figure to have your personal sex life trending in social media. I have no desire to go on an excavation dig into anyone’s sexuality. My real interest here is to discuss the “faith crisis” Archuleta says he experienced in working out these matters for himself as a Mormon, and now an ex-Mormon. To do this I need to say a few words about Mormonism.
Understanding Mormonism
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is technically considered a “Christian” denomination, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. They currently have over 17.2 million members and over 72,000 full-time volunteer missionaries. The Mormon Church has 6.8 million members in the U.S. making in the fourth largest Christian denomination. Most recent statistics indicate that the Mormon church is currently undergoing a growth spurt.
There is a history to Mormonism worth exploring if you really want to understand it. In a nutshell, according to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), the Garden of Eden in which God placed Adam and Eve is located in Jackson County, Missouri, near the town of Independence. Jackson County is supposed to be the place the faithful will come back to when Christ returns to Earth to usher all faithful saints up to heaven, where they will live forever with their families in a state of perfection known as “Zion.”
According to the Book of Mormon, Jesus appeared in the Americas after his crucifixion in 33 AD and preached to a group of Nephites, descendants of ancient Israelites who traveled to the continent around 600 BC. Joseph Smith Jr. was born in Vermont on December 23, 1805. When Smith was 14, he said he received a vision from God and Jesus that told him not to join any Christian denominational churches.
Three years later, Smith claimed that an angel named Moroni appeared to him. Moroni revealed that Smith had been selected to translate the Book of Mormon, a sacred text that was written around the 4th century and named after Moroni’s father, Mormon. Smith also asserted that John the Baptist appeared to him while he was translating the Book of Mormon and instructed him to restore the church by preaching the true gospel.
After the Book of Mormon was published, Mormonism began to spread and grow rapidly. Though the Mormon religion began in New York, it quickly spread west, through Ohio and Illinois and later to the contested frontier of Utah. Missionaries, who immediately became an important part of the church, were one reason for the expansion.
Smith was criticized and persecuted by many for teaching his new ideas, including polygamy, which Smith claimed that since Abraham, Isaac, Joseph and all Biblical patriarchs were polygamists, that this was God’s divine will. In February 1844, Smith and his brother were jailed on charges of treason. On June 27, 1844, both Smith and his brother were murdered in jail by an anti-Mormon mob in Carthage, Illinois.
After Smith died, the church divided. Many Mormons followed Brigham Young, who became Smith’s successor. During the 1850s, Young organized the migration of about 16,000 Mormons from Illinois to Utah. He founded Salt Lake City and became the first governor of the Utah Territory. Young was named the President of the Church and kept this title until his death in 1877.
Church members view senior Church leaders — Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and the presidents of the Church that followed — as prophets of God in the same way they view Abraham, Moses, Isaiah and the apostles in the day of Jesus Christ. Russell M. Nelson is the current president and prophet of the Church.
The history of the LDS or Mormon Church would obviously be impossible to cover in a few paragraphs. The history of Mormonism and Joseph Smith are refuted and debated in many circles. Here are a resources to consider if you’d like to learn more:
Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Lyman Bushman
A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women's Rights in Early Mormonism by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
American Zion: A New History of Mormonism by Benjamin E. Park
One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church by Richard Abanes
Early Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn
An Insider's View of Mormon Origins by Grant Palmer
What do Mormons Believe?
Latter-day Saints believe the Book of Mormon is a sacred text with the same divine authority as the Bible; both are considered complementary to each other. Other Mormon sacred texts include the Pearl of Great Price and Doctrine and Covenants, which are also recognized as scripture.
Because Jesus Christ is a central figure in their theology, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have always considered themselves Christians. Their name, “Latter-day Saints” references the fact that members of the “primitive” church in New Testament times were called Saints. “Latter-day” also refers to the doctrine that members are living in the “latter days”, before the Second Coming of Christ, and is used to distinguish the members of the church, which considers itself the restoration of the ancient Christian church.
Mormons differ from other Christians in many ways, including the addition of sacred texts on par with the Bible, such as the Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price. Like most Christians, Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Creator of the World. However, Mormons hold the unique belief that God the Father and Jesus Christ are two distinct beings. Mormons believe that God and Jesus Christ are wholly united in their perfect love for us, but that each is a distinct personage with His own perfect, glorified body.
According to Mormon theology, men and women are the spirit sons and daughters of God. We lived in a premortal spirit existence before birth. Mormons do not believe in human depravity. We are not implicated in Adam’s fall. We are basically good in our eternal nature, but prone to error in our mortal nature. The human is a being in conflict, but also a being with infinite potential.
The goal of Mormon salvation is not about escaping wrath as much as it is about maximizing our growth and ensuring our happiness. Salvation is finding our way back to God the Father and recalling our forgotten first estate as his premortal spirit children.
Mormons believe they are the only people on earth authorized to use Priesthood Authority passed down from Jesus Christ himself, by the laying on of hands often from father to son for generations since Joseph Smith, and that they must receive all of many priesthood ordinances to attain Eternal Life in the Celestial Kingdom. The first ordinance is baptism by immersion, usually occurring at age eight. The other ordinances happen inside the Mormon temples, including temple “sealings” which are the distinctive eternal marriages practiced by the faith.
The LDS Church has 350 temples in various phases, which includes 189 dedicated temples (with 184 operating and 5 previously-dedicated, but closed for renovation), 45 under construction, 7 scheduled for dedication and 108 others announced (not yet under construction).
Couples must be married in a Mormon Temple to have an eternal marriage. Most baptisms happen at Mormon churches, officiated under priesthood authority. Several Mormon rites and ceremonies take place in Temples. Because of the importance of baptism in the Temple, baptisms for the dead must take place in a Temple. Mormons keep detailed genealogical records so that their ancestors can be properly baptized. By one estimate more than 100 million deceased persons have been baptized by proxy baptism in Mormon temples. Those who received this baptism are free in the afterlife to reject or accept what has been done on their behalf.
Death in Mormon thinking is seen as another beginning, complete with opportunities to respond to postmortem preaching in the world to come. We will live in the spirit world, and at some point our spirit and body will be reunited forever.
There are four divisions in the afterlife. The Lake of Fire is reserved for the Devil, his demons, and those who commit the unpardonable sin. The “Telestial Kingdom” is where the wicked go. It is a place of suffering but not like the Lake of Fire. Most people go to the Telestial Kingdom where they are offered salvation again. The lukewarm-not quite good, not quite evil-go to the “Terrestrial Kingdom” when they die. This Kingdom is located on a distant planet in the universe. The “Celestial Kingdom” is for the righteous. Here God’s people live forever in God’s presence. We will live as gods and live with our spouses and continue to procreate. This is the aim and the end of Mormon salvation.
If you want to explore Mormon beliefs, directly from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, exploring this site would be useful.
An Honest Admission
I need to get a few things off my chest about the above section on what Mormon beliefs. First, I have an academic background in theology, but I am in no way an expert in Mormon beliefs. In my personal investigation into Mormon beliefs, I have come to question and refute many aspects of Mormonism, such as:
The legitimacy of Joseph Smith and his visions and revelations as the founding prophet of Mormonism.
The claims of sacred authority made about the Book of Mormon, and the veracity of its claims
The coherence and believability of Mormon theology, under the scrutiny of critical thinking and scholarly critique
However, to be fair I question many of the same aspects of traditional Christianity. I can’t seem to make Mormon theology makes sense, but neither can I make Evangelical theology make sense. I question what many Christians claim about he Bible, as I do what Mormons claim about the Book of Mormon. When it comes to Mormonism, I am often left with the frustration of what I know and experience of most everyday Mormons, and my misgivings about the Mormon patriarchs, authoritarian high-control environments, and the history of Mormon Church corruption and abuses.
The Optics of Mormonism
We’ve all heard of Mormons, right? These are the young guys wearing button-up shirts and ties, riding bikes, and knocking on doors in order to disseminate the message and literature of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. After high school, the children of Mormon families are encouraged to participate in some sort of two-year mission, which could include knocking on your door. Door-knocking as a Mormon missionary is not for the faint of heart, but a matter of devotion to their faith.
Like all religions, Mormonism is complicated because it’s not a monolithic enterprise. Just as there can be many different versions of “Christianity” with 42,000 different denominations around the world, so the denominations, beliefs and practices identified as “Mormon” can de diverse. The common denominator among all Mormon groups is tracing their origins to Joseph Smith.
Many people have opinions about Mormons. United States Senator Mitt Romney is Mormon. You may not agree with his politics, but most people see him as a relatable and decent human being. But when people think of Mormonism, they probably aren’t thinking Mitt Romney, they are thinking Warren Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) and serving a life sentence for a list of sexual crimes against children. If you haven’t by now seen one of the many documentaries about Jeffs and FLDS, you may be in the minority.
An important distinction to be made here is that the FLDS, essentially identified as a cult, is not the same as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. A comparison might be referring to the Branch Davidians of David Koresh as “Christian”. Right? The members of the Presbyterian church down the street will not take too kindly toward being compared to what we remember about Waco, Texas.
Furthermore, there are other reasons why the average person may feel unfavorably about the Mormon or LDS Church, including:
Mormons tend to be a separatist group
Mormon ceremonies and rituals are shrouded in secrecy
Mormons meet in mysterious temples
Mormons are historically known for polygamy
Mormon leadership is mostly white men and highly authoritarian
Mormons live restricted lives, including abstinence from alcohol and coffee
Judging all Mormons unfavorably because of the above factors seems partly unfair. You can’t judge every Mormon on Warren Jeffs, FLDS and the past practice of polygamy, anymore than you can judge every Christian on Jim Jones, former Christian slaveowners, and the Crusades. There are obviously Mormons who are good human beings who denounce Warren Jeffs and FLDS. It’s true that I would fail miserably straight away in any attempt to be Mormon, based solely on my addiction to coffee.
On the other hand, many people who meet and know Mormons will also say they are some of the nicest and kindest people you will ever meet. It’s understandable why many people are drawn to the Mormon or LDS Church, which is highly family-oriented and a close knit community. I have found this to be true with the Mormons I know. That doesn’t dismiss that there have been many criticisms of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as a litany of horrific Mormon abuse cases.
It’s worthwhile to make a few final points about Mormonism distinctions. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) is considered the official “Mormon Church” or “LDS Church”, while the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) is considered a Mormon cult.
Within Mormonism (sometimes referred to as the Latter Day Saint movement) there are “denominations” (somewhat similar to Christianity). For example, there is the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), also referred to as the “Community of Christ”, which is an American-based international church, and the second-largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement. This Mormon denomination is viewed as more liberal, including female priesthood, and the ending of the doctrine of lineal succession. A spin-off from the RLDS is the “Remnant Church” denomination. Some say there are over 70 branches of Mormonism that trace their roots to Joseph Smith.
My Encounters with ex-Mormonism
There are a few things I need to share about my connection to Mormonism, which will have some influence and perhaps bias in writing this article.
First, I am not a Mormon and I have never been a Mormon. Anything written in this article is not based upon personal experience of ever being a practicing member of the LDS Church. I cannot speak of the impact of Mormonism on my life, good or bad, as a result of ever being Mormon myself.
My Ex-Mormon Connections
I have many friends who are ex-Mormons. Part of my professional work is doing religious deconstruction and religious trauma counseling, which has included working with people who have left Mormonism.
The reasons people leave the Mormon church are many, including:
Intellectual disagreement with core Mormon doctrine, including disbelief both in Joseph Smith as a prophet and in the Book of Mormon as a religious and historical document.
A “faith crisis” in which Mormon teachings become untenable in the face of real life challenges, difficulties and hardships.
The scandalous and abusive behavior of Mormon leaders and congregations.
Psychological and spiritual damage as a result of being subjected to a high-control religious environment.
In recent years, there have been more ex-Mormons coming out about their experience in the LDS Church. One of them is Heather Gay’s memoir, Bad Mormon: A Memoir. A recent documentary, Mormon No More, which tells the story of two married Mormon moms who fall in love and leave the faith.
There is a thriving and growing online presence of ex-Mormons on social media. The Mormon Stories Podcast is the longest-running and most successful podcast in Mormonism. The podcast often challenges Mormon culture and tells in-depth stories by former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For example, a few recent Mormon Stories Podcast ex-Mormon editions include:
Ex-Mormon Brittney Hartley - Brittney’s Mormon story, and her professional work with ex-Mormons who struggle with existential crisis and nihilism.
LDS Bishop Resignation - Mormon Bishop Nick Jones and wife Amanda Jones tell their story about Nick’s resignation.
Escaping Mormon Polygamy - Amanda Rae shares her story of escaping a Mormon polygamy group.
LDS Bishop Bill Reel Turns ex-Mormon - Bishop Bill Reel shares how he lost his Mormon faith.
Bible Scholar Rethinks Mormonism - Interview David Bokovoy, one of Mormonism's leading Bible scholars.
There is also Radio Free Mormon with Bill Reel, which is an ex-Mormon podcast on Mormon doctrines and teachings. One of the top episodes was: Radio Free Mormon: 199: The David Bokovoy Interview, Part 1 & 2.
The ex-Mormon presence on social media is significant including:'
lifetaketwo TikTok (Ex-Mormon Jennie Gage: 362,000 followers. There are 2-8 million people who visit her ex-Mormon TikTok each month)
nononsensespirituality TikTok (ex-Mormon Brittney Hartley: 264,000 followers)
There is an ex-Mormon Reddit with 300,000 members
Several of the individuals mentioned in the above links I know personally. Both Brittney Hartley and Jennie Gage are in the process of publishing. Brittney’s book will be released this month, and Jennie’s book near the end of this year. In 2021, I founded the Center for Non-Religious Spirituality (CNRS), which is an online community for religion-leavers and a network of resources for people in the process of religious deconstruction and recovery from religious trauma. I have met many ex-Mormons in CNRS, and sent many to Brittney Hartley for religious deconstruction and trauma counseling.
As mentioned, in my work of supporting people in their ex-Mormon deconstruction, four books that I have recommended are:
Recovering Agency: Lifting the Veil of Mormon Mind Control by Luna Lindsey Corbden
How to Leave the Mormon Church: An Exmormon’s Guide to Rebuilding After Religion by Alyssa Grenfell
Leaving the Fold: A Guide for Former Fundamentalists and Others Leaving Their Religion by Marlene Winell
When Religion Hurts You: Healing from Religious Trauma and the Impact of High-Control Religion by Laura Anderson
Some additional ex-Mormon websites of interest are:
David Archuleta and his Faith Crisis
The LDS Church’s official policies describe their stance on homosexuality:
“If members feel same-sex attraction and are striving to live the law of chastity, leaders support and encourage them in their resolve. These members may receive Church callings, have temple recommends, and receive temple ordinances if they are worthy. Male Church members may receive and exercise the priesthood.”
In another section, same-sex marriage and intimacy is condemned:
“Only a man and a woman who are legally and lawfully wedded as husband and wife should have sexual relations. Any other sexual relations, including those between persons of the same sex, are sinful and undermine the divinely created institution of the family.”
There are several things David Archuleta has said about coming out as gay and the faith crisis he experienced. The suppression of his sexuality in order to remain devoted to his religious faith was traumatic. At one his lowest moments, Archuleta wrote, “I thought it would be a better choice to just end my life.” Explaining this further, he said:
“You just start feeling like, 'Oh, there's probably no point for me to live. I probably would be better off not living anyway. God would probably forgive me if I ended my life because it's better than what I could become, which is if I'm gay or LGBT of any sorts, I'm going to be in big trouble spiritually.’”
In an interview, Archuleta said, "I've had a faith crisis this year. So now I've had to deconstruct everything. I had to take a break from religion for my own sanity.” He said,
“It hurts me because my religion was everything for me. But you get to a point where you realize there are some things not right here. I can't keep putting myself in a place where it's so conflicting where they say, 'We love you so much, but at the same time, you must change who you are.’”
Archuleta said the Mormon Church was “very invested” in him after he rose to fame on American Idol in 2008. He said that shifted when, in June 2021, he announced that he was “maybe a spectrum of bisexual” after having come out to his family as gay in 2014. He said at the time he shared the news for those “who wrestle between being LGBTQIA+ and a person of faith.” Archuleta said leaders within the church, known as “apostles,” didn't listen to him when he discussed his sexuality and tried to change him.
Today, Archuleta, who now identifies as queer, is still healing. He has made some comments about life after Mormonism:
“I've allowed myself to love myself for everything I am, to not be conditioned to shame myself. Not to be ashamed of who I am feels wonderful because I didn't think it was ever okay to love myself.”
Life is not easy for many ex-Mormons. Ex-Mormons who publicly leave Mormonism often face social stigmatization. Although many leave to be true to themselves or to a new belief structure, they leave at a cost; many leave feeling ostracized and pressured and miss out on major family events such as temple weddings.
Story Behind Archuleta’s New Song
David Archuleta recently released a single titled, Hell Together.
What is the story behind the song? I’ll let David Archuleta explain it himself. Here’s a more extensive interview did about the song and his faith crisis.
*David Archuleta and his mother
Hell Together by David Archuleta
Bow your head, don't be bold
You'll survive by doing what you're told
Said love is earned and we can't choose
But the more you grow, you know the truth
And all I want is to make you proud
If I would run would I let you down?
You said
If I have to live without you
I don't wanna live forever
In someone else's heaven
So let 'em close the gates
Oh, if they don't like the way you're made
Then they're not any better
If paradise is pressure
Oh, we'll go to Hell together
You and me, that's all we need
Blood is thicker than the pages that they read
I'm afraid of letting go
Of the version of me that I used to know
Crying tears in Sunday crowds
Took my hand, and we walked out
You said
If I have to live without you
I don't wanna live forever
In someone else's heaven
So let 'em close the gates
Oh if they don't like the way you're made
Then they're not any better
If paradise is pressure
Oh, we'll go to Hell together
Hallelujah, what's it doing for ya?
When it's in the way?
Hallelujah, wish we knew it sooner
Walking out with grace
You said
If I have to live without you
I don't wanna live forever
In someone else's heaven
So let 'em close the gates
If they don't like the way you're made
Then they're not any better
If paradise is pressure
Oh, we'll go to Hell together
In Summary
Religion has far too long condemned, oppressed and victimized the LBGTQ+ community in the name of God. Religion can never be right when it wanders from the preeminence and non-negotiable of love.
I have concerns with “Mormonism” but I have met many Mormons that are some of the best people I know.
People become ex-Mormon for many reasons, and sometimes it’s because they have been deeply traumatized by spiritual, psychological and sexual abuse.
Thank you David Archuleta for having the courage to walk away from religion for your mental health, spiritual well-being and self-acceptance, and all the good you are doing for others who share in these same struggles of faith.
“Re-examine all you have been told in school or church or in any book, and dismiss whatever insults your own soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem, and have the richest fluency, not only in its words, but in the silent lines of its lips and face, and between the lashes of your eyes, and in every motion and joint of your body.”
Walt Whitman
I mentioned my daughter in at the outset of this article. You know the one with whom I watched High School Musical and the Justin Bieber and One Direction movies. Truth is, I’d do it all over again, happily. I’d watch them again… a thousand times over. Below is Jessica and her guy.
I left the Mormon church six years ago, and my 4 grown children chose to do so, each on their own. Their dad, my first (ex) husband is gay, and came out in 2005, leading to our divorce after 11 years of marriage. Prior to our marriage, he served a mission and reported his same-sex attraction to his mission president who told him, “Go home, find a good girl, marry her in the temple, and everything will be OK.” So that’s what he did, meeting me just a few months after returning home, and marrying me two months later (typical timing of marriage in the Mormon church). He was the “perfect” priesthood holder, serving in church, supporting a growing family, doing everything he was told to do, suppressing his true sexual urges, until he couldn’t do it anymore. Following our divorce, he was excommunicated in a meeting he didn’t even attend.
There were many victims in this situation, and so much damage. The years I raised my kids I went through two other disastrous marriages and divorces as I tried to put a family back together that resembled the family the church had taught me to build my dreams on. It was impossible. I was on a path of change and growth that I now realize was meant to teach me the self-acceptance and love I had never had as a church member. I was learning the soul-driven lessons of letting go of everything that I had attached value to, and the things that had attached to me. Of all the reasons people let go of the church, my reasons are also my own, a complicated yet ultimately simple path of releasing what truly does not resonate as truth or serve my own divine heart.
I still have many friends and family members who are in the church. I also watch as more people around me join the ranks of the broken-hearted ex-Mormon population. I am open with all, my scarred heart is a beautiful thing, and my capacity for love has never been greater.
Thank you for such an open-hearted article about something I know and understand deeply, yet now rarely talk about, except when another friend asks me about my spirituality or my journey. The work of shedding all the layers that weighed so heavily on me for so many years has been profound, but now I feel light and new. This comment tu your post may be the first time I’ve written publicly about this journey, but I deeply feel it is time to share my story, as we heal ourselves and each other in this way. Thank you.
Left the Mormon church last year informally. My guess is they actually have 3-5 million active members. People remain in the count for a lot of social reason and because removing yourself literally takes a notary.
Like mainstream Christianity, Mormonism isn’t immune to people leaving their faith. Thank you for shedding light on this. Fabulous resources!