When individuals leave the Church they are often overwhelmed with negative emotions: anger, betrayal, hurt, lose and loneliness to name a few. While righteous indignation can seem cathartic at first, hosting negative feelings can begin to feel burdensome. Based on his many years working with individuals in faith transition, John will discuss ways to move …
Speaker: John Larsen
Ex-Mormonism and the Alt-Right: A comparison of Counter-Culture Movements
Recent years have seen the rise of online communities that unite a disaffected group whose shared identity is formed around counter culture. Ex-Mormons and the Alt-Right are two of these groups. We will look at their methods, tactics, and sub-cultures to see what comparisons and conclusions can be made. John Larsen
The 10 Things Donald Trump can Teach us about Joseph Smith
Trump’s rise from outside pariah to the presidency of the United States gives us insight into the phenomenon of charismatic leaders such as Joseph Smith. A comparison of the two men can shed light on the nature of revolutionary leaders and what characteristics it takes (or doesn’t take) to stage an inside revolution. Looking at …
Old Habits Die Hard Mormon Paradigms Post Belief
While those leaving the Church may reject the truth claims of their erstwhile faith, some of their thought patterns remain. This session will discuss the most common “Mormon” paradigms that ex-Mormons tend to retain and how it impacts their worldview. John Larsen
Hyper Vigilance In Post Mormon Communities
A common symptom of post traumatic stress disorder is hyper-vigilance. The act of leaving one’s faith can cause emotional trauma and sometimes PTSD. In this session, we will discuss how hyper-vigilance in particular is manifest as a characteristic of the communities themselves and how this impacts the individuals and the communities at large. John Larsen
PODCASTING FROM THE EDGE: THREE YEARS WITH MORMON EXPRESSION
John and Zilpha Larsen have been the hosts and directors of the Mormon Expression podcast. They will reflect on their experiences and misadventures as amateur podcasters in the Mormon digital underground and share their observations on the growth and culture of the ex-Mormon world through the online medium. John Larsen, Zilpha Larsen
THE IROQUOIS AS THE LAMANITE: AN ARGUMENT FOR A CONTEMPORARY READING OF THE BOOK OF MORMON
Apologists have argued for ancient settings of the Book of Mormon in the American continent. In this presentation, I argue that the description of Lamanites portrayed in the Book of Mormon is consistent with nineteenth-century understandings of the Iroquois and the archaeological interpretation of artifacts commonly found in the New York State area during the …
Mormonism And The Prosperity Gospel
The Prosperity Gospel is the Christian belief that God wants to reward his followers with material prosperity and wealth. This philosophy continues to rise in prominence among many Christian adherents following its foundation in the latter half of the twentieth century. I compare this theology with similar strains of thought in the Mormon paradigm and …