Best place to be on a Sunday. Reading and still dealing with 45 years of the Cult.

We moved last year to a small coastal town. Went for a beach walk today, then sat at a local beach bar, shared a burger and had a beer. Part of out convo I said to my partner, ‘I had a client asking me about Mormons now wanting to be call Latter Day Saints’, since I told him I moved from SLC. I responded to the client ‘everyone knows them as Mormons, they can try to rebrand themselves all they want. But it doesn’t roll off the tongue, and they’re still just Mormons’. Cue stranger sitting next to us chuckling out loud. Fellow former Mo. Ended up chatting for a while and making a new friend.

I seriously cannot believe the words that were coming out of his mouth! We women of the church should…

Forgive our cheating husband…

Adopt the baby our husband Sired through a much younger woman….

And raise the child as our own?!…

😬 😳 😣

Seriously? This is what’s wrong with the church! These men who hold great power have no compassion, sympathy, or even kindness towards women! So seriously, completely cruel! Talk about ruining a woman’s life, while letting the man get off Scott free,…. while most likely he’s going to go do it again, and again, and again! Not to mention, he manipulated and groomed a younger woman who isn’t capable of consenting to an affair. I’m trying so hard to stay in the church, but at every turn, something stupid, cruel, and dumb, comes out of their mouths!

The entire first presidency and president of the Q12 can’t walk unassisted anymore.

Getting an abortion was the right decision. You do not need a man to tell you that you were wrong for having an abortion. If TBM members attempt to shame you, set boundaries. I can’t believe how awful women are treated in this church.

I had to listen to all the sessions of conference today. The thing that I found most disturbing was Andersen's story about the woman who convinced her husband's mistress not to have an abortion and raised the illicit child. The man was apparently subject to church discipline, but the wife stayed with him AND raised his illegitimate child. What in the handmaid's tale?

It reminded me of a story my bishop told several years ago in institute. The story was about a man who cheated on his wife repeatedly and gave her STDs. The man was excommunicated, but his wife stayed with him. My bishop didn't even tell the story as if this were unusual and she was an especially patient and forgiving wife. No, it was just expected that she would stay with this absolutely horrible man. And she stayed--and he was rebaptized in a year. Barely any consequences for this man. Did we hear anything about the wife and what she suffered because of the STDs he gave her? Nope. Doesn't matter.

Men in the church continue to tell these stories where women put up with absolutely horrific things, perpetuating the narrative that this isn't even special behavior for a woman to put up with this. That is just what is expected from women in the church: to put up with any amount of horrible, abusive, or unfaithful behavior from their husbands. It doesn't matter if he gets excommunicated, even. She has to stay. She has to bear the burden of his evil behavior.

It shouldn't surprise me that in 2025, the legacy of Joseph Smith and BY and their horrific abuses of women carries on. The church was made by abusive men, for abusive men. And abusive men take full advantage of this fact today.

I don't claim that all men in the church are abusive. Many are truly good men who would never take advantage of their wife like this. But, the church as a system is rife with abuse on every level. Men abusing women and women being required to tolerate it is literally part of doctrine. See D&C 132, which is STILL CANONIZED SCRIPTURE, if you think I'm being extreme.

I’m not LDS

I’m not a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

There I said it and it feels good.

My nevermo wife and I make a quick trip to Utah to visit my parents and sister and her husband - all TBMs. We went to eat lunch together at a local steakhouse and my nevermo wife ordered tea off the menu.

Our waitress immediately said “we don’t offer tea.” Puzzled, my wife showed her the tea option on the menu. The waitress was clearly surprised and said “oh - let me check.”

A few minutes later she came back with a cup with two tea bags (and no milk) and some hot water and set it down on the table. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I didn’t even realize we had tea, no one has ever ordered it from me before.”

I’ve never seen a server think that something wasn’t available because they didn’t realize it was even on the menu - much less something as simple as tea!

We got a pretty good laugh out of that on the drive back. Only in Utah….

This is making the rounds on TBM Facebook pages and it’s killing me not to post something snarky.

TBM spouse had several inactive family members over to watch 2nd Saturday session - a "missionary opportunity" she was pretty hopeful about. They are very much pro choice (as am I - 50M PIMO member.) Anderson's talk caused them ALL to walk out - total backfire. Wonder how many other non-members invited to watch tuned out or left at that moment... to say nothing of the fact it seems like a Trump endorsement without coming out and saying so - something that probably turned off a few more. Anderson is such a nitwit (met him before - let's just say calling him an asshole would be an insult to assholes...)

My best and closest friend is pagan, my second closest friend is non denominational Christian, in fact, only one of my friends is LDS, and he's more of a Jack Mormon. All the rest are either atheist, pagan, Christian but not Mormon.

I guess I'm surrounded by mortal devils!

According to the official report, the church donated $1.45b in humanitarian aid, which is... 0.5% of their net assets. Congratulations Nelson, you're 0.5% of the way towards doing what Jesus would do.

Ronald A. Rasband

• Lies about the church's growth, claiming "record numbers."

We all know the vast majority of these numbers are inactive or got baptized and rarely attended again.

• "That growth is being repeated across the continents and isles of the sea."

Not really. The church is still very isolated and very local to certain parts of the world.

Basically the whole talk is a blatant marketing campaign for church universities and missions (i.e. give us money and be grateful).

• "I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment."

Great, now every TBM is going to be riding the non-existent hype-train.

Neil L. Anderson

• Gives a story about a girl who accidentally became pregnant from her boyfriend, but was lovingly accepted by her ward...

Except this isn't the reality for most people is it? He doesn't mention the immense mountains of lifelong shame and guilt that the church has heaped upon so many for consenting to premarital sex.

• Church officially comes out as pro-life.

I don't know if the church has done this before so brazenly, but I wonder if we'll see anyone leave the church over this particular alignment with the republican party.

I feel inclined to push back against some of Anderson's arguments. Scientists have found that it's not until the fetus stage of development (2-3 months) that they can remember, learn, and respond to stimuli. Before then, they are likely just a clump of cells. If clumps of cells are so important, then why isn't God consistent in this belief? Christians don't feel horrible when they step on a mushroom, or wash away an ant, or swat a fly. They don't feel horrible about cutting down a tree, or eating a slaughtered cow. So what exactly is so precious about an embryo that they feel the need to protect it before it even gains the capacity for memory and perception? In this aspect the trees and the cows have more worth than an embryo. This is a serious inconsistency in doctrine.

Even regardless of the contradictions, the mother's life has more worth than the fetus's life, since the mother has hopes and dreams and actual cards in the game. Anderson addresses this but then brushes it off by making an exception only in "considerable danger."

Mark Palmer

It's remarkable to me how a leader of the church can be so incredibly disconnected from the actual concerns of doubting members and ex-members.

• Testimonies dwindle for "uniquely personal reasons."
• He acts as if "loving invitations" are the only thing stopping people from becoming active.
• Those who leave pay "an extremely heavy price."

No, actually we get a 10% raise and an extra day off. He's trying to brainwash us into thinking we're dependent on the church.

• Overall he de-legitimizes those with substantial concerns as "leaving home" or falling into sinfulness.
• Implies that those who leave just "find the teachings hard."

No, we find the teachings bullshit.

Hans T. Boom

• Apparently we should be ashamed that we don't believe our TBM parents, because they've had so many experiences of faith.

This is a manipulative tactic, he does not realize how remarkably easy it is for human beings to be wrong about something they know for certain. When someone is certain of something, they are more likely to be wrong, not less likely, because they won't question themselves. We realized that and walked away.

• Per usual, he asserts that missions are a "commandment of the Lord" for men.

I don't buy it, gender-segregated commandments make no sense because they assume everyone of the same gender is the same. Individuals vary more than genders do, but none of the GAs ever stop to consider individuals' concerns about missions. I've seen the gaslighting this "commandment" has supposedly justified, tearing young men away from 2 years of their life even though they're in pain from doubt.

While we're on the topic of gender segregation, can we have a petition to burn the family proclamation and allow women, transgender, and non-binary to have the priesthood? if men can administer the power of God, then women can too.

Ricardo P Gimenez

• We shouldn't do good things for the sake of good things, rather they are merely "the means to connect with the Savior."

Imagine how patronizing this is to someone who genuinely wants to do good things, to tell them that they don't know the real reason why they do what they do. And Christians say that atheists are the ones who lack a sense of morality... Good is good because it's good, not because it's focused on Jesus.

• All the answers to everything are in Jesus' life, apparently.
• "Be immune" to ideas which contradict the Gospel.

It wouldn't be General Conference if there wasn't at least some cult-like messaging, after all.

Dale G. Renlund

This one's not even worth talking about, it sounds like he's just trying to shelter TBMs from exmo content. At some point he hints at the importance of individuality (good!), but then ruins it by asserting it's all dependent on the Savior.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

• If there are mistakes in the Book of Mormon, "they are the fault of man, do not condemn the things of God."

Well, I guess that settles it then, the Book of Mormon was written by Joseph Smith, because pretty much the whole thing is riddled with mistakes.

Other than that, this was probably the best talk, since it it encouraged inclusivity and love on a more unconditional basis.

Disclaimer: some things are paraphrased since I was taking notes live

Edit: re-arranged some of the talks

In the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 9), Jesus Christ burns, drowns and buries thousands of people alive, including children. Every day, Jesus Christ allows or causes millions of children (born and unborn) to suffer and die from cancer, disease, starvation, and horrific abuse. Why do pious Mormon “prophets”shame women for ending a pregnancy, while Mormon Jesus supervises a plan that contains so much innocent and meaningless childhood suffering.

This is one more example of how blindly hypocritical the leaders (and many members) of the LDS church are.

Welcome back to "Late Night with the Latter-day Auditors"—the show where logic goes to hide and reason cries itself to sleep.

Folks, I've just spent hours—hours I'll never get back—watching something called the LDS General Conference. Or as I now call it, "The Superbowl of Awkward Religious Contracts." Let’s dive into the best hits from Saturday’s session:

First, "Covenants"—Because God apparently needs a good lawyer.

Apparently, God—almighty, omnipotent, creator of galaxies and platypuses—spends His divine free time drafting contractual fine print. The word "covenant" popped up so frequently, I thought I was watching a real estate seminar run by the Holy Ghost.

It feels like heaven is actually an elaborate, celestial timeshare—very hard to get into, even harder to leave, and there's always some guy named Elder Dave knocking on your door for renewal.

Next up: "Ministering," or "Heaven's HR Department."

So, you’re told repeatedly that your heavenly status depends on how much you "minister." Basically, salvation is a performance review at a job you never technically applied for. Because nothing screams divine love like logging your spiritual overtime.

I imagine God walking around heaven’s cubicles: “Hey, Peter, did you see these ministering numbers? We need to incentivize these souls—maybe a pizza party?”

Russell M. Nelson—Not just a prophet, he’s THE brand.

If you watched the conference, you’d think Russell M. Nelson was competing with Apple for keynote presence. It wasn’t about following Jesus; it was about following this guy. They mentioned Nelson's name like he was the Harry Styles of Mormonism.

There’s something truly American about saying your eternal fate depends on getting buddy-buddy with a guy who looks like your friendly neighborhood pharmacist—except his prescriptions are slightly more...eternal.

Atonement: God’s Extremely Complicated Credit Card Reward Program

The repeated references to "atonement" have convinced me that Mormon heaven runs on some kind of divine debt relief system. Humanity messed up once, thousands of years ago, and ever since we've been trying to boost our credit score with Jesus.

If God is all-powerful, couldn't He just...cancel the debt? Why crucifixion? Feels like an overly elaborate banking scheme, and honestly, the interest rates are brutal.

Unverifiable Numbers—Heaven’s Accounting Scandal?

Throughout the conference, there were big claims—explosive church growth, miracles, incredible spiritual achievements. And guess what they provided as evidence? Nothing. Zero. Nada.

Are these statistics locked away in a heavenly Excel file guarded by angels? Because right now, this accounting looks about as transparent as the CIA’s lunch expenses.

Voting Without Voting—Divine Democracy at Work

At one point, members were asked to "vote" by raising their hands in support of leadership—without any option to oppose. It's democracy as practiced by toddlers who scream, "Raise your hand if you love cookies!"

It's less like democracy and more like a hostage negotiation. "Raise your hand if you want to go home today."

And Lastly: Jesus™—The World's Most Recognizable Logo.

The sheer repetition of Jesus’s name makes you wonder—is He a divine being or a registered trademark?

This over-branding might be good marketing, but it cheapens any actual message. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if next year they offered "Heaven Points" redeemable for discounts at LDS bookstores.

So, what's the bottom line here?

If the LDS church were a company, their spiritual accountants would be getting nervous. Contracts without consent, obedience without questions, endless reliance on unverifiable growth, and a prophet who’s marketed like a tech CEO.

It’s religion presented as business—and not even a particularly transparent or ethical one. As I watched, I felt both drained and deeply worried. They might have packaged it as spiritual uplift, but underneath the smiling faces was a strange mixture of legal jargon, corporate jargon, and guilt-driven financial metaphors.

In short: it's like joining a gym, discovering they own your house, your kids, and somehow your eternal soul—and then still never giving you access to the pool.

That’s it from the Late Night Latter-day Auditors, folks. Remember, read the fine print before eternity—heaven’s got one hell of a cancellation fee.

I love when conference comes around so everyone gets new and improved cult messages to share on social media!

Stuck watching Conference? Laugh through the pain over in r/exmormonmemes!

Yesterday I asked my mom how general conference went. She just responded with good, not really elaborating besides talking about how Uchtdorf gave a talk...and not getting into it. I'm convinced she isn't paying attention or is and just doesn't care.

I decided to get a little exercise in before doing my best dodging of Gen conf while my kids and husband are glued to it. Anyways, went for a walk at the local park and now watching as congregants gather, play music, socialize, enjoying time in nature, etc. I could hear the drums and keyboard as I was walking back to my car and felt the “spirit” more than at any time inside a Mormon church or temple. I don’t know where I stand with religion anymore, but if there’s a god, I’m pretty sure this is how he’d want it done. Not stuck inside a stuffy building, wearing stuffy clothes, singing with no soul, listening to people ramble.

I was curious and saw that they reported 91,617 new children of record which I assume is baby blessings or membership issued to new born babies. They also announced a membership of 17,509,781. Based on these numbers I compared this to the average USA birth rate and there should've been roughly 187,000 babies born. This could mean a few things but the easiest explanation is that I think there are only 8,000,000 or so active members in the church. The assumption of active members is even worse though if we assume the birth rate for Mormons is higher then the general public. This could lower active population down to ~7,000,000.

Just an interesting thought, I never considered using their own reported numbers to deduce active membership until I just thought that birth rate looked really low compared to total numbers.

There were ten women invited to a great celebration. They were asked to wait with lamps lit, for no one knew the hour when the Bridegroom would arrive.

Five of the women brought flasks of oil and sat near the gates, clutching their lamps and watching the horizon with solemn faces. They whispered among themselves about preparedness, worthiness, and the importance of being chosen. They guarded their oil carefully, lest any part of it be taken or “wasted.”

The other five women also brought lamps—but they did not stay put. Upon seeing a traveler injured along the road, one knelt to bandage his wounds. Another shared her oil to light a stranger’s way. A third gave her cloak to a mother and child shivering in the cold. The fourth stopped to listen to the sorrow of a friend, and the fifth spent her evening in laughter and joy with those who had been forgotten.

When the Bridegroom finally arrived, the five waiting women cried out, “Lord, we have been wise! We have saved our oil and waited obediently.”

He looked past them.

The other five arrived late, their lamps flickering low, soot smudged on their faces and their clothes worn from the road. The waiting women scoffed, “They are fools! They were not ready!”

But the Bridegroom smiled and opened the gate wide. “They were with me,” he said. “When I was in need, they came. When I was weary, they brought joy. When I was lost, they lit the way—not just for themselves, but for others.”

And so the five “foolish” women entered the celebration with open arms, while the self-proclaimed “wise” remained outside, still clutching their oil, wondering why the gate did not open for them.