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ExMormon Bookclub

ExMormon Bookclub

By Sabrina Smith

A friendly chat about what it is like to grow up in Mormonism and leave the faith. The fun, the struggles, and the frustrations.

A chat with an Ex-mo and her never mo (mormon), fringe-mo, and formerly mormon friends.

Humor mixed with rage, but mostly fun times. For never-mo's and ex-mo's alike.
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Currently playing episode

Amy's Anger. Not A Bad Thing.

ExMormon BookclubJul 12, 2022

00:00
50:33
Finding Peace in the Woods With Alex

Finding Peace in the Woods With Alex

Never Mo Alex tells us about her retreats to the woods and finding her own spirituality.
Aug 27, 202247:14
Amy's Anger. Not A Bad Thing.

Amy's Anger. Not A Bad Thing.

Amy grew up in an abusive Latter-Day Saint home and was made safe and at home by a black neighbor. Decades later the contrast of safety and danger teamed with racist and homophobic church doctrine to lead to her exit from the LDS church.
Jul 12, 202250:33
Welcome Back Friends!

Welcome Back Friends!

Kicking off Season 3 of Ex Mormon book club with a solo Episode Host Sabrina discusses the changes in spiritual leanings she has experienced over the past 8 months, updates on family life, and big thoughts on connection, vulnerability and breath work. 

Jun 14, 202243:47
Faith Crisis? Nah! Doubt Your Doubts And Trust Your Gut!

Faith Crisis? Nah! Doubt Your Doubts And Trust Your Gut!

Sabrina and Meredith trouble shoot a post Mormonism faith crisis, wading through how much to believe in and what and who to trust or not trust and the importance of Mindfulness. 

Nov 16, 202101:16:35
Love. Love? Love! With Ali

Love. Love? Love! With Ali

We talk a lot about toxic Mormon culture- meat, soda, soaking, and how true happiness is found by being your authentic self.  If it works for you, Mormonism can be great. If it doesn't, it can do a lot of harm.      From Southern Utah, Ali joins to talk about conference weekend and all the latest pop culture mormons stuff blowing up on LIzzy the Lezzie and  Vice of all things. 

Oct 10, 202101:01:32
Processing the Anger with Stacy

Processing the Anger with Stacy

Today we have someone who is in the process of leaving the church, and is still in that very raw anger phase. Join us as Stacy shares this part of her journey.

Sep 15, 202101:09:37
Dear StakePrez.Com by Royce

Dear StakePrez.Com by Royce

Our old friend and fellow Aggie, Royce, stops in for a visit to tell us about his new website turned Reddit subthread Dearstakepresident.com and we discuss the wild rides Mormonism has brought into our lives and those of our families during the pandemic and before.
Aug 29, 202157:18
Sarah Smith- Be Who You Are.

Sarah Smith- Be Who You Are.

Sarah Smith talks to Sabrina about growing up in a part member convert family, and how the military played a role in her exit from the church.
Aug 10, 202159:24
Pie and Beer Day with Scarlet

Pie and Beer Day with Scarlet

TW: Kidnapping, sexual abuse, mental and physical abuse, Child abuse.... Pretty much, if something dealing with horrible things that can happen to people in life trigger you, this is not the episode for you. 

Scarlet was the youngest of 21 kids in a very Mormon family. She was kidnapped as a college student, and basically went through a lot of shitty stuff from birth until a couple years ago.  The church had a negative impact and some correlation with some of these events.  occasional breaks for pie and beer for the 24th of July  ex-mormon  mock Utah state holiday, even though we aren't in Utah any more and don't have to deal with pioneer day. 

Jul 27, 202101:01:39
Best Two Years My ASS!!! With Skylar

Best Two Years My ASS!!! With Skylar

Skylar had some crazy experiences on her mission, and at a church school. But the thing that ultimately lead her out of the church? Meeting her wife and finding a piece of herself she was previously unaware of. 

Jun 27, 202157:59
To Pioneer Trek or to Star Trek? A very Sci-Fi influneced convo with Kyle

To Pioneer Trek or to Star Trek? A very Sci-Fi influneced convo with Kyle

Kyle, Host of a Doctor Who podcast Joins us to talk about his experienced growing up Mormon, and why he left.  Come geek out with us!

May 26, 202101:02:20
Scott part 2: In the Name Of Dolly

Scott part 2: In the Name Of Dolly

Scott and I continue our discussion, hitting the importance of story telling for humans, and the importance of finding the positives as well as the negatives in our lived experiences, especially as it relates to our Mormon background and culture. Badbelievers: find on Instagram- @badbelieverpodcast Scotts instagram:@scott_strolls Scotts facebook: @ScottSessions
May 02, 202139:47
Scott Part 1: A Mormon Reformation? Please!

Scott Part 1: A Mormon Reformation? Please!

In part 1 of a two part series we talk to Scott, a gay man from the Salt Lake Valley who grew up believing and has searched for a way to connect to his culture and redefine his faith and beliefs after leaving the church.  In part 1 we learn about some of the events that shaped him and lead him to want to become a chaplain.   Links for Scott and things related to this episode will be available in part 2. 

May 02, 202144:23
A Non-Mormon Goes To Utah State University

A Non-Mormon Goes To Utah State University

Nancy, Originally from Illinois, goes to Utah States and meets the love of her life and learns all sorts about mormonism.  Also in this episode, an introduction to a different kind of Jesus. What is the penal substitutionary atonement? We don't really find out, but we find out the atonement /savior isn't the only version for Jesus being our spiritual figure. 

Apr 19, 202101:19:53
Murder, Mormonism, Nihilism and Freia

Murder, Mormonism, Nihilism and Freia

A true crime fan, and a woman that loves to learn about religion just to understand the culture. Our chat with Freia was an adventure like no other, just like her journey in and out of Mormonism. 

Mar 24, 202144:17
Ex-Mormon TiK Tok With Aunt Lydia
Mar 04, 202151:22
Elle- Master of Divinity, Polyglot of Religion

Elle- Master of Divinity, Polyglot of Religion

Elle Milles-Warner grew up in a jack mormon home, tried to give the church a real run but the ridiculousness of Kolob and Missionary work brought out her dramatic side. In the end, she got a masters degree in Divinity and became a speaker of many religious languages and beliefs.
Feb 22, 202101:00:08
A Mixed Faith Marriage, With Keith

A Mixed Faith Marriage, With Keith

Keith was all in, until racism, church history and finally homophobic policies and church actions destroyed all hope of "staying in the boat." But what do you do when your shelf breaks and your wife's doesn't? Can you stay together? Keith has found a way to make it work.
Feb 06, 202101:05:44
Britton and Carolee

Britton and Carolee

Britton and Carolee are our first married couple on the show. Both return missionaries they are in the process of an official church exit now.
Jan 22, 202101:21:55
The Queer Ward- With Ver

The Queer Ward- With Ver

Ver is a non-binary asexual young adult that is finding zer way to stay active in the church by taking it a la carte and figuring out what zie wants to keep, and what zie does not want to keep. Oh by the way, all of Zers siblings are LGBTQ as well and have only recently come out. How are zer parents who are active and believing mormons dealing with this? How is the ward handling it? And what resources has Ver found along the way that would be helpful to others? Zie tells us all about it in this episode of ex-mormon bookclub.
Jan 06, 202101:03:44
Noah Isaacs: Find The Box Thats Gay And Throw A Fab Party On Your Mission!

Noah Isaacs: Find The Box Thats Gay And Throw A Fab Party On Your Mission!

Noah Isaacs was a queer LDS guy in Utah, struggling to find a testimony and a place to fit in. Eventually he found his spot, still in Northern Utah, but outside of the Mormon faith of his parents.
Dec 25, 202058:23
Quite A Spiritual Trip! With McLean Taylor

Quite A Spiritual Trip! With McLean Taylor

Decended from a Prophet, a Divorce and the CES Letter was the beginning of the end for McLean. Or was it just a new beginning?
Dec 11, 202057:45
Everyone Is Going To Hell! Growing Up Evangelical With Leslie

Everyone Is Going To Hell! Growing Up Evangelical With Leslie

Leslie is a Never-Mo Member of the IRL book club.  Grew up in the Quaker and a couple of Evangelical churches and eventually broke free. In the last of our Non-Member November series we take a look at some similarities and difference between Mormons, Evangelicals, and Quakers. 

Dec 04, 202051:03
Living through the Moonie Experience With Author Lisa Kohn

Living through the Moonie Experience With Author Lisa Kohn

Lisa Kohn, author of To the Moon and Back shares her life experiences and compares notes between the Moonies and the Mormons

Nov 28, 202038:55
Jessie Shedden and the Plymouth Brethren Church

Jessie Shedden and the Plymouth Brethren Church

Jessie Shedden shares her experiences growing up in the Plymouth Brethren Church, how she left and talks about her memoir-Tomorrow's Never Promised
Nov 23, 202056:04
Finding Healing Through Music With Ben Grace

Finding Healing Through Music With Ben Grace

Ben Grace grew up in the Christadelphian faith. When that no longer worked for him, he used music to find healing and a help create a new faith home and community where others could also come, and heal
Nov 23, 202001:02:09
Leaving the Brotherhood

Leaving the Brotherhood

Season 2 of Ex-Mormon Book Club kicks off with Non-Member November and a chat with a former Catholic Dominican Brother.
Nov 05, 202044:18
Blessed Samhain

Blessed Samhain

Our Halloween episode takes a spiritual turn.
Nov 01, 202009:39
Fit To Be Loved

Fit To Be Loved

Misty Monday morning thoughts on self worth and boundaries
Oct 12, 202021:02
America! When West Side Story Breaks Your Shelf, with Henry.

America! When West Side Story Breaks Your Shelf, with Henry.

Henry has had one of the most interesting and unique journeys through and then out of Mormonism. Born in Arizona, with a good chunk of life in Sanpete County, UT and a mission to Pittsburgh. Henry has seen some things. But the most surprising thing of all? A trip to West Side Story was the beginning of the end not just for his testimony, but also his political views.
Oct 08, 202001:17:46
Kindness and Assholes

Kindness and Assholes

Sunday thoughts
Oct 04, 202015:26
Word To The Wise- Dumb! With Tricia Hansen

Word To The Wise- Dumb! With Tricia Hansen

We chatted with an exmormon convert who's whole family was impacted by her flirt to convert moment. Plus and I depth convo on the word of wisdom and how coffee is good! And a few important thoughts on worthiness interviews and the corporate nature of the LDS church.
Sep 26, 202001:00:17
When Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: Learning to Breathe In Bad Airq

When Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: Learning to Breathe In Bad Airq

Monday mindfulness thought episode with host Sabrina Smith
Sep 14, 202019:53
Eric Pratt, Ex-Radical Mormon

Eric Pratt, Ex-Radical Mormon

Eric Pratt is a Police Officer in Central Utah, a hopeful restaurateur, a return missionary and a self-identified ex-radical Mormon. How did he go from extreemly dedicated believer to science minded Anti-Theist in less than two hours? And where does he sit on the spiritual spectrum now? Join us as we get to know Eric and his story.
Aug 24, 202001:38:45
Broken Mirrors and Love

Broken Mirrors and Love

A Sunday thoughtfulness episode where our host discusses platonic love and embracing being human and imperfect
Aug 09, 202018:33
Sunday mindful ramblings, a worship service.

Sunday mindful ramblings, a worship service.

Thoughts and feelings about aligning with the universe, and my first experience as an ordanined minister of the universal life church (non religious affiliated) creating my own religious rite, a sage smudging walking meditation ceremony
Aug 02, 202029:08
Recovering Agency, With Author Luna Corbden

Recovering Agency, With Author Luna Corbden

Luna Corbden (Pen name Luna Lindsay) joins us to tell some of her personal story and journey, and talk about her book Recovering Agency: Lifting the Veil On Mormon Mind Control. We discuss Ants and God, Meditation, and what is a cult vs what is a high demand group.
Aug 01, 202049:35
Taking a Pause With Sara

Taking a Pause With Sara

Reiki Practicioner and nurse Sara talks about her new path and spiritual journey from a childhood raised in Utah as a Mormon to her spiritual rebirth in Seattle and continued journey in L.A.
Jul 04, 202001:18:56
"Honey, I Don't Think Utah Was Made For Me." Danessa Jones Colides With Utah.

"Honey, I Don't Think Utah Was Made For Me." Danessa Jones Colides With Utah.

Danessa is a queer person of color, originally from New York, currently living in Utah. She covers her experiences with racism, sexism, homophobia, and more and asks for people to not only listen and not dismiss her experiences, but be prepared to act in every day situations, not just march in protests
Jun 20, 202001:15:50
Ditching the Cult and Tackling Life, Leaving the Witnesses And Becoming a Pro Athlete With Erica

Ditching the Cult and Tackling Life, Leaving the Witnesses And Becoming a Pro Athlete With Erica

Ex- Jehovas Witness member, pro football player, and Transgender rights activist Erica tackles a conversation about leaving her childhood religion, owning her life as an out and proud transgender woman, and athlete. We also discuss things we have learned and watched and read this week as Black Lives Matter protests and activism swept our country in one of the most fitting starts to LBGTQ pride month since Marsha Johnson (a Black Trans Woman) lead the stonewall riots. We talk intersectionality, systemic issues, myths about trans women and as always the religions we grew up in, and how our world views shifted from those beliefs.
Jun 11, 202001:26:13
Covering All The Bases, With Steve

Covering All The Bases, With Steve

Steve joins us to talk about his journey in to and out of Mormonism, being a journalist in Utah, Church history issues, being the parent of a transgender child in mormonism, mormon racism history and issues, surviving Covid-19, and the possibilities of soccer, baseball and a review of tasting that Jim Beam Budwiser larger at our very last in person book club meeting.
May 31, 202001:32:09
Setting boundaries, aggressive grandparents and your kids, with Olivia.

Setting boundaries, aggressive grandparents and your kids, with Olivia.

Olivia talks about her journey out of the church and we trouble shoot grandparents aggressively trying to baptize her kid against her wishes.
May 22, 202051:54
Finding Your Own Spiritual Path With Carmen

Finding Your Own Spiritual Path With Carmen

Never-Mormon Carmen talks about growing up in the south, going to Christian school, and finding her own spiritual path. Plus a discussion on the reality TV Netflix binge Love Is Blind, and Glennon Doyle's master piece of a book- Untamed.
May 10, 202040:47
Game Night With The Ethical Slut: Polyamory with Seth

Game Night With The Ethical Slut: Polyamory with Seth

Seth joins us to discus how he became polyamorus, why he left the Mormon church, how to deal with jealousy, and why you should read The Ethical Slut. tw: suicide is discussed,
Apr 28, 202042:53
Mommy's Tired, Fast For Jesus

Mommy's Tired, Fast For Jesus

Sabrina has a conversation with two Never-mormons trying to understand the churches World Wide Fast on Good Friday. The group also discusses the Word of Wisdom, EFY and Mormon pop music, and how to survive quarantine during Covid-19.
Apr 13, 202001:30:48
Holding on to the Good and Letting Go of the Bad With Darkwing

Holding on to the Good and Letting Go of the Bad With Darkwing

We talk about choosing to watch Tiger King over General Conference. To fast or not to fast? And how to stay in the church and not be of the church when you disagree with racism and homophobia in the church and its policies.
Apr 12, 202055:04
Kissing on the A, and Cans of Gold: Becoming Rich in Friendship With Royce

Kissing on the A, and Cans of Gold: Becoming Rich in Friendship With Royce

Royce recaps his adventures with Utah State's Conference Championship victory, and trying to get back home mid-COVID-19. He shares his story, growing up in a Mormon family of ten kids, and leaving the church as the eldest male of the brood. We talk food storage mid apocalypse. Is wheat the new gold? Find out in this episode of ex-mormon book club.
Mar 31, 202001:02:35
Just Don't Bother! With Moana

Just Don't Bother! With Moana

Moana, a Pacific Iander who grew up in Utah discusses privilege, racism, sexism, and family within Mormon culture. Laughter lightens this heavy episode and helps us all weather lives ridiculousness, storms, and social isolation.
Mar 25, 202001:06:25
A Crime Walk and A Drunken Ramble With Hillary

A Crime Walk and A Drunken Ramble With Hillary

1st generation Never-Mo Hillary Joins our host on a local tour of 911, the coroners office, and a meet up with the bomb squad. After we talk death and mormonism over a beer.
Mar 12, 202049:56
Booze and Magical Frogs with Jessica

Booze and Magical Frogs with Jessica

Jessica, a never-mo friend, talks about serving our host her first wine tasting, working for budwiser, and seeing the Book of Mormon on Broadway.
Mar 05, 202021:17