In this special Valentine’s episode, we are joined by Kolby Reddish (a rando on the internet), Nemo the Mormon, Carah Burrell (from Nuancehoe), Julia Sanders from Analyzing Mormonism and John Dehlin for a conversation that might surprise you. Yes - We are critics of Mormonism. Yes - We’ve experienced pain, disillusionment, and deep deconstruction. And yet… we can hold two different truths at once. In this episode, we model something that feels almost taboo in exMormon spaces: expressing gratitude for the things Mormonism gave us –while still being honest about its harm. In this episode we discuss: - Rituals that shaped our identities - Community and why it’s hard to leave - Awe, wonder, and valuing the body - Agency and free will as an act of faith - Why compassion and justice often lead people OUT of the church - Whether we wish to destroy the church or make it better There are so many good people inside the Mormon church. The people are often beautiful while the system is complicated. As Richard Rohr once said: “Nobody does first half of life better than Mormons” –and we all share deep gratitude for that first half. This episode does not erase the negative things about the church. It doesn’t minimize harm. But it DOES ask whether we can be mature enough to acknowledge the good without surrendering our integrity. Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/what-exmormons-love-about-mormonism/ Timecodes: 00:00:00 Introduction to the panelists 00:05:34 John address what he said about attending the church once in a while 00:14:55 When was the last time everyone on the panel went to church? 00:25:14 Viewing other people as agents with agency 00:33:55 Viewing Spirit and Body as connected things 00:41:41 Rituals in Mormonism 00:45:24 Carah reading from a speech given at the Mormon church 00:51:14 Building a life based on connection 00:55:01 Mormonism provides a community and fosters a desire to have a community 01:06:47 The value of integrity in the Mormon church 01:15:31 Why many people leave the church - compassion, love, and support for those marginalized 01:17:35 There are two camps inside of Mormonism 01:19:43 Daily reflection, pausing and centering 01:29:12 Mormonism helps people have Self-Control 01:38:48 Having a value system that says “Wow!” To sunsets, etc. 01:41:16 Obtaining knowledge, building upon a love of learning 01:44:47 Mormonism used to respect science 01:48;21 Songs and Hymns Game 02:08:44 Final Thoughts from each of the panelists 02:12:55 Should we destroy the Mormon church or make it better? 02:20:09 How to connect with the panelists ___________________ At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117