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A Community for Anyone Interested in Mormonism.

Main Street Plaza

A Community for Anyone Interested in Mormonism.

Author: chanson

C. L. Hanson is the friendly Swiss-French-American ExMormon atheist mom living in Switzerland! See "letters from a broad" for further adventures!!

Sunday in Outer Blogness: Wrong Side of History Edition!

chanson, August 25, 2013June 23, 2015

There were two little tidbits of Mormon news this past week, and in both, the CoJCoL-dS couldn’t stop hamming up its role as villain. First off, there was a case of a gay author whose book was dropped from publication because he wanted to mention his partner in a book…

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Sunday in Outer Blogness: Life on the Fringes Edition!

chanson, August 18, 2013

This past week, Andrew S. tackled the question of why he sticks around Internet discussion groups on the fringes of Mormonism — a familiar topic for many of us in this space, and his answer is very similar to my own. It seems that for groups discussing Mormonism, it’s nearly…

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Sunday in Outer Blogness: Intellectual Exploration Edition!

chanson, August 4, 2013

The ripples “Swedish Rescue” continue to spread! Some Europeans described their experiences with information and the CoJCoL-dS and the faithful continue to seek strategies to blame the doubters and/or head off doubt. Some Mormons have identified “Correlation” as the problem, yet seem to think the solution is to have doubters…

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The trouble with answering questions

chanson, July 30, 2013

Runtu has added some new insights in the continuing discussion of LDS Doubt in the NY Times: It seems the church has learned at least a few things from the rescue experience. First and foremost, don’t send anyone official out to discuss the issues. Instead, they’ve sent out (or at…

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Sunday in Outer Blogness: Pie-and-Beer Day Edition!

chanson, July 28, 2013July 30, 2013

As many of you know (and perhaps celebrated), this past week there was a magical holiday — celebrated mostly only in Utah, and only truly appreciated by those of us with pioneer heritage — Pie and Beer Day!!! (Or something like that…) Time to reflect upon the sacrifices made by…

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Sunday in Outer Blogness: Musings Edition!

chanson, July 21, 2013

Aside from a few posts on the article in the New York Times, there wasn’t really one hot topic this week — it was more like a variety of interesting insights. I will try to group them as best I can: The “Relief Society” is something of a shadow of…

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The Baby and the Bathwater

chanson, July 15, 2013

When I first left the church (about 20 years ago), I kind of assumed that the experiences of people who left the church were pretty much like mine. Or, more precisely, I didn’t really have any idea of how other people’s experiences might differ, and — before discovering the online…

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Sunday in Outer Blogness: Royalty Edition!!

chanson, July 14, 2013

Mormon royalty, that is. With Pioneer Day coming up, it’s time to remember whether you are a direct descendant of Brigham Young or not. ‘Cause, being royalty makes things a little different. And while I’m interested in exploring my own pioneer heritage, I get how alienating this ancestor worship is…

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The Dangers of Obedience: Lawrence Pratt’s “Dark Deception”

chanson, July 13, 2013July 14, 2013

Imagine that a pair of fresh-faced young women show up at your door with a message of hope just as you’re trying to cope with the recent death of your baby. And they offer an idyllic community — a perfect Zion that seems too good to be true. And it…

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Sunday in Outer Blogness: Happy Gay Day Edition!!

chanson, July 7, 2013

A mighty cheer rang out across teh Interwebs and beyond, as the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the ironically-named “Defense of Marriage Act” and Proposition 8. Now same-sex couples can marry in California again (plus in a couple other new states that recently passed laws allowing it),…

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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. chanson on Thanks Gloria!September 20, 2026

    @Donna -- I wouldn't say you were one of the "dumb girls". You were a young starry-eyed convert who thought…

  2. chanson on New church schedule! Good? Bad? Inspired?September 19, 2026

    @Holly -- yes, I have absolutely felt that parallel in my life. I was fortunate enough to be able to…

  3. Holly on New church schedule! Good? Bad? Inspired?September 16, 2026

    You're no doubt right. Living in Trump's America right now feels to me the way I felt about the church…

  4. Donna Banta on Thanks Gloria!September 15, 2026

    There were years of cognitive dissonance, at least in my case. I told myself that the church was a compassionate,…

  5. chanson on New church schedule! Good? Bad? Inspired?September 14, 2026

    I can't help but feel like in today's church you wouldn't even have had the opportunity to mention Santa's not…

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