It’s that time of year!!! Time to chose the X-Mormon who had the biggest impact on 2013!!
As usual, I have been keeping an eye out for candidates all year, and weirdly, this year I haven’t found that many. Maybe with the “Mormon Moment” winding down, it’s famous former-Mormons are less likely to be identified as such…?
Anyway, here’s what I’ve come up with so far, and please add your own nominations in the comments!!
First off, the guy who won Survivor, and made a point to throw in a temple quote:
The only high-profile excommunication I recall from 2013 was Denver Snuffer.
Then there were the X-Mormons who won marriage rights: Kody Brown and his wives:
And the first gay couple to marry in Utah:
I’d also like to include Kate Kelly of Ordain Women. We’ve had complaints in the past about electing someone who’s an “X-Mormon” without actually being an Ex-Mormon — but she has probably really had the biggest impact this past year, hence should be on the list.
Any other ideas???
p.s. The Swedish rescue thing: that was 2012, wasn’t it? Was there a GA from that story or another who left the church in 2013…?
Hans Mattsson spoke with the NYT and Dehlin in June 2013. The actual rescue fireside was in 2010, I think, but it was with Mattsson’s high-profile interview that most of the other information about the rescue, including the audio and transcription, came to public attention.
Er, make that July.
OK, so it sounds like Hans Mattsson should be on the list. š
My vote, were it possible, would be for Judge Shelby! Truly a monumental decision to to reverse Utah’s LGBT’s discriminatory law!
@5 I thought about including Judge Shelby as well — but I couldn’t figure out if it makes sense to call him an “X-Mormon”. Do you know if he has any connection with Mormonism?
Definitely Hans Mattsson should be nominated.
I think Curtis Penfold deserves to be on the list for his LGBT & feminist activism while attending BYU – which resulted in his (coerced) decision to leave BYU even though it would cause him to lose his housing and employment. And he did this publicly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt3hHkBrKLs
I agree with all the nominees so far.
RE: Judge Robert Shelby
http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,1113670,1115520
On a RfM reddit thread I read this:
“High School Friend Says he is Exmo:
Came from Wisconsin, Skyview grad in Utah. USU. Convert, but now Exmo.”
However; on the same thread I read this:
“Re: Is Judge Robert Shelby a Mormon?
He’s not LDS, according to common friend”
Sounds inconclusive at best; I say let’s baptize him then excommunicate him then nominate him. :o) We have the authority.
@7 yes, definitely,
@8 Of course — I should have thought of him!
@10 Sounds like he’s close enough to count him. š
Also, some nominations collected from the Reddit:
* Chris Johnson: Discovered the connections between the Book of Mormon and the book “The Great War”
* Jeremy Runnells: Wrote the infamous CES Letter
* Nolan Mechan for his role as Brigham Young
* Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, for all his efforts in getting same-sex marriage ban overruled.
* Bishop (former Utah Attorney General) John Swallow for various ethics violations.
I will try to prepare the voting for later this week, along with the Brodies nominations — stay tuned!
Chanson, it’s Nolan Mecham. (Slight spelling error above.) Great nominees, btw.
@ 12 Thanks!
Hans Mattsson
Just want to say that I think Kate Kelly should be there. Seth Anderson and Michael Ferguson are a great nomination too.
@16 OK, let’s include her. š