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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!!

Thoughts of Nancy

chanson, September 3, 2008October 20, 2010

It’s kind of a strange family history claim to fame: My great-great-great-great aunt, Nancy Winchester, was one of Joseph Smith’s youngest teen brides. She was fourteen or fifteen years old in 1842(3?) when she married the prophet; he was in his late thirties and was killed a year or so…

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More about the LDS Church’s efforts on Proposition 8

chanson, August 15, 2008

John Remy has posted a letter In Which [he is] asked by LDS Church Representatives to Support Prop 8 Canvassing Efforts. Jana also has some comments on love and families. MoHoHawaii weighs in on the latest [press release] from 50 E N Temple St. And John Dehlin talks about preventing…

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The Lord Helps Those Who Help Smite His Enemies

chanson, August 8, 2008October 20, 2010

Remember California’s Proposition 8? Well, I hardly know what to make of this post…

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Radio edition!

chanson, July 27, 2008

I was just interviewed by Minnesota Atheists Talk Radio about my novel Exmormon! You can download the interview and listen to it as a podcast here. As I said on my personal blog, my interview was fairly Mormon-friendly — download it and see for yourself. My mom even said I…

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Interracial marriage still not OK for LDS either…?

chanson, June 26, 2008November 9, 2011

Apparently not according to this year’s Aaronic Priesthood manual. Here’s a quote from Aaronic Priesthood Manual 3, Lesson 31: “We recommend that people marry those who are of the same racial background generally, and of somewhat the same economic and social and educational background (some of those are not an…

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This close to paradise (conclusion of Polygamist)

chanson, June 16, 2008

“Thank you so much.” “No problem,” he said. “Now just lay low, and I’ll see you tonight.” Then he went back to the house. As soon as he was gone, I knew immediately where I wanted to go. Riding on the local bus the other day, I had noticed a…

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Who cares what Brigham Young said? (Polygamist continues…)

chanson, June 9, 2008

I woke from my fitful sleep to a light in my eyes. As I was groggily sitting up and regaining consciousness, I heard Spencer say “See? I knew we’d find him here.” Then Spencer and Sam both squeezed into the tiny room, standing the flashlight up to point at the…

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An Uncertain Destination (Exmormon: Part V begins)

chanson, June 2, 2008

I sat back in my chair as I listened to the teacher recite the same story of Joseph Smith that he had been repeating to us all week. The handful of other students in my class looked just as bored. The the teacher turned and asked, “Now who can tell…

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Advice from the armchair marriage counselor

chanson, May 21, 2008June 25, 2024

Suppose your marriage is afflicted with that everyone’s-talking-about-how-they’re-suffering-in-silence Mormon epidemic know as “your husband’s porn addiction.” Suppose you’re absolutely convinced that that is the problem, and if he won’t stop, then your marriage will be destroyed — nothing can persuade you otherwise. But he can’t seem to stop, or refuses…

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Introducing “The Visitors’ Center”!!

chanson, April 30, 2008

Have you ever heard people say “your body is a temple, not a visitors’ center”? Well now there’s a new blog for Mormons that asks the question “can’t it be both?” It’s called The Visitors’ Center!!! Stop by and have a look at my post Unrealistic Expectations? which will be…

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  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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