In Newsweek!

In Newsweek!

In our biggest media attention yet, we have been in Newsweek.

Just take a look at the comments -- the article is controversial among Mormons and Exmormons alike.  The existence of the groups that it talks about moreso.  There are five sections in the article:

1) Becky and Timmy do "Exmormon missionary work".
2) Utah therapists have to handle exmormon issues, because large numbers of people leave due to google
3) Timmy, a lifelong member, couldn't stay in the church, after a SL Tribune article and spending years researching the subjects
4) Coverage of "Liquor 101"
5) A brief history of Postmormon groups
6) The fun that Exmormons have together

The criticisms are that many exmormons feel that 1) and 4) misrepresent them.  Some feel that it presents exmormons as leaving the religion to drink.  The exmormons who do "missionary work" are a very small minority, and most feel like they want to just move on with their lives.  Those who do missionary work, do it because they feel royally screwed by the LDS church, and don't want others to feel the same.  However, those are the hooks for an international audience, for sensationalization.  No one outside of Utah has any idea that there would be people who do that.

Despite that criticism, points 2) and 3) are fantastic.  It points to there being real reasons that people are leaving the religion.  It tells the story about places that exmormons can go.  It points to resources to help people overcome their fears.  It makes leaving the religion a little less scary, for people who want to do so.

And, at the end of the day, it shows the weirdness of it all. Because mormons consider themselves "a peculiar people", leaving mormonism is also very, "peculiar".