Skip to content
Main Street Plaza

A Community for Anyone Interested in Mormonism.

Main Street Plaza

A Community for Anyone Interested in Mormonism.

Orem’s not so bad when you give it a chance. (OH continues…)

chanson, March 2, 2009

“Your family moved here so that you would date Mormon boys?”

“Essentially. When I told my parents I didn’t believe in God and didn’t want to go to church anymore, Dad completely flipped out. He blamed it on the kids at school being a bad influence on me. But apparently he’s not opposed to peer pressure per se as long as it works in a good direction and not a bad direction. He said that if I’d grown up in Utah like he did this never would have happened since I’d be surrounded by good Mormon kids who would teach me that it’s cool to go to church instead of being rebellious. Same for my younger brother and sister — he wanted to be sure to get them into a good environment before the same thing happened to them. So Mom and Dad both quit their jobs in New Jersey and found new jobs in Utah. Naturally Dad is hugely proud of himself seeing me go on a date with an Eagle Scout. Back at my old high school in Princeton I doubt that there was a single Eagle Scout in the whole school.”

“I didn’t really want to go for Eagle Scout, actually. It was my mom that wanted me to do it. Read the rest of the story »

ex-Mormon

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Related Posts

How Mormon values gave me courage to leave

July 3, 2009January 15, 2011

I have thought of my “exit” story as boring. Boring, but different. Rather than a narrative of the Once-Happy-TBM who unwittingly came across a troublesome theological or historical issue and lamented as it gobbled a once easy faith, my story has from early on featured something amiss…but what I’ve thought…

Read More

Why are Ex-Mormons So Angry (and other questions)? Part II

August 19, 2011August 18, 2011

This is the second part of what has turned out to be a surprisingly lengthy two-part series on the perception of ex-Mormons as being angry and causes and reasons for anger that may exist, originally posted at Irresistible (Dis)Grace here and here. Please read part I (if you haven’t already)…

Read More

Meanwhile… (after the Escape)

July 14, 2007July 14, 2007

As I sipped my champagne I just knew it couldn’t be this easy. What if the president stopped the plane? What if they let him come on board to talk to me? What if God made the plane crash? Three hours later in New York City I had to dodge…

Read More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Mormon Alumni Association Books

Brodie Awards!!!


X-Mormon of the Year!!

  • 2025: Rebecca Bibliotheca!!
  • 2024: Nemo the Mormon!!
  • 2023: Adam Steed!!
  • 2022: David Archuleta!!
  • 2021: Jeff T. Green!!
  • 2020: Jacinda Ardern!!
  • 2019: David Nielsen!!
  • 2018: Sam Young!!
  • 2017: Savannah!!
  • 2016: Jeremy Runnells!!
  • 2015: John Dehlin!!
  • 2014: Kate Kelly!!
  • 2013: J. S. Anderson & M. Ferguson!!
  • 2012: David Twede!!
  • 2011: Joanna Brooks!!
  • 2010: Monica Bielanko!!
  • 2009: Walter Kirn!!

  1. Donna Banta on LDS Leaders Should Excommunicate MAGA MormonsApril 5, 2026

    You had me at "hello." "The LDS church should excommunicate Mike Lee, Spencer Cox, Kai Schwemmer, Nick Shirley, and Bruce…

  2. chanson on LDS Leaders Should Excommunicate MAGA MormonsApril 4, 2026

    This is a really disturbing pattern that says a lot about the morals of the church. In my experience (15…

  3. Donna Banta on Devout by David ArchuletaMarch 25, 2026

    Thanks for the link, Monya! I just listened to it. What a beautiful song. I think you'll enjoy the book.…

  4. Monya Baker on Devout by David ArchuletaMarch 25, 2026

    Thanks for this, can't wait to read! There's been something so joyful in watching Archuleta come to his self, especially…

  5. Pam on Time to Vote for X-MoOTY and the Brodie Awards 2025!!January 10, 2026

    I have not watched even half of the content providers out there. I will be expanding my viewing now that…

8: The Mormon Proposition Acceptance of Gays Add new tag Affirmation angry exmormon awards Book Reviews BYU comments Dallin H. Oaks DAMU disaffected mormon underground Dustin Lance Black Ex-Mormon Exclusion policy Excommunicated exmormon faith Family feminism Gay Gay Love Gay Marriage Gay Relationships General Conference Happiness Homosexual Homosexuality LDS LGBT LGBTQ Link Bomb missionaries Modesty Mormon Mormon Alumni Association Mormonism motherhood peace politics Polygamy priesthood ban Secularism Sunstone temple

Subscribe


 

©2026 Main Street Plaza | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes