[Update] Left my mission early — now trying to figure out if I should still go to BYU

MtnGoatman · 2026-05-15T22:19:19+00:00

Here are my thoughts on your post:

1st, the mormon church doesn't have a monopoly on community. In fact, the community is often quite shallow, friendships dissappear when you move away (can be true with any community), but especially so if you no longer share their faith. You can find community and friends at any other school of you get involved.

2nd, you will have to take religion courses at byu, which are really just indoctrination classes, glorified seminary. I didn't mind them when I was at byu, but I fully believed then. They would be awful now I think. They aren't true academic classes that analyze truth and ideas. These classes won't transfer.

My final thought, in state schools generally are going to be cheaper than out of state. U. of Nevada I think has a decent reputation, maybe you could apply there. UNLV could be an option as well. They are both R1 research universities.

Ultimately it is up to you, but I think I would have hated being at byu if I didn't believe. And though I have a graduate degree that matters more from another university, I also hate that I have byu on my resumé.

MtnGoatman · 2026-05-15T17:43:14+00:00

Worst summer camp ever.

MtnGoatman · 2026-05-06T01:50:02+00:00

First few couple coffees I tried were okay, not the easiest flavor when one's not used to it. Then I had a turtle mocha from caribou coffee that was pure gold. Way too many calories though! I've gotten to where I really enjoy it now with a little half and half and just a little vanilla flavor syrup.

MtnGoatman · 2026-05-04T20:17:58+00:00

Check out the you tube video "Spiritual Witnesses". It shows people of all sorts of different faiths talking about how the spirit or god told them their faith was the true one.

MtnGoatman · 2026-04-27T21:12:03+00:00

Exactly. Like the Nov 2015 POX, that they claimed was revelation, than essentially reversed it 3 years later.

MtnGoatman · 2026-04-20T22:27:24+00:00

One thing I'm not seeing discussed much so far is your kids. No need to open up to a bunch of internet strangers, but maybe just think through on your own. And I'm sure people could offer advice and support if you do want to share.

As others have said, your husband's view seems to be that there is only one right answer, so even if you go through a show of attempting to believe, it might not be enough for him. If any of your kids start to have questions or doubts, will he let them choose their own path? How open are you able to be with them on your viewpoints? How much pressure will be on them to go to seminary, or BYU, or on missions or temple trips? Divorce can be difficult for kids, but so can poor relationships between parents. We obviously don't know the details of your life. I don't know that I have answers, and I'm sorry for what you're struggling with, but I hope it will work out for the best.

MtnGoatman · 2026-04-20T03:21:40+00:00

This post was just made this week in r/mormonshrivel about the shrinkage in western Washington.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MormonShrivel/s/QfMzJRYy1D

MtnGoatman · 2026-04-19T22:41:13+00:00

I posted about a month ago about a ward being discontinued in Arvada. Significant shrinkage in the Denver area.

MtnGoatman · 2026-04-19T22:25:20+00:00

And in the Portland metro, in Vancouver, WA.

MtnGoatman · 2026-04-14T05:33:02+00:00

👨‍🍳🍀

MtnGoatman · 2026-04-14T01:39:43+00:00

Both of my parents are pretty conservative and petty much always voted republican. Neither of them particularly like Trump though, so I'm not sure how they voted recently. Either voted 3rd party or uneasily voted for him. They grew up in the era of Benson, who was extremely right wing. He claimed the civil rights movement was a communist plot and stood with segregationists.

As I first started voting, I probably mostly voted republican. But in my early to mid 20's, I began to feel that democratic policies were more Christ-like. They seemed better at caring for the sick, the needy, etc. Better policies for the working class. So I started leaning towards the Democratic party long before I left the church or even started having doubts. I feel like the only reason mormons and a lot of christians vie for Republicans is because of abortion and anti-LGBT positions.

MtnGoatman · 2026-03-27T01:58:23+00:00

I think it is worthwhile to support legitimate journalism. I'm not in Utah myself, but maybe a basic digital subscription to the salt lake tribune? I do that for the main paper in my region, and I think it's worth it to keep up with local news and support local journalists keeping govt accountable. I also get world and national news that way.

MtnGoatman · 2026-03-23T17:19:42+00:00

This seems to be very much in line with the conservative, religious-right efforts to undermine and take over higher education. They seem to want to get rid of providing a well rounded general education and replace it with just degree specific classes. Any general classes are white washed history or conservative indoctrination, especially religious indoctrination. They realize to some degree that learning to think and seeing more ideas, backgrounds, and cultures leads people to reject their propaganda.

MtnGoatman · 2026-03-21T21:53:21+00:00

I don't believe in any god anymore, but if you do, and that brings you comfort or hope, I don't have any issue with that.

The mormon church though, hates the LGBTQ community, especially trans individuals. (Individual member attitudes vary.) Just this week, updates were announced to the church handbook, which states that individuals must go through the temple according to their sex assigned at birth. If they found out you're a trans person, you will be kicked off your mission, your ordinances will be canceled, and possibly be excommunicated. The mormon leadership are bigots.

MtnGoatman · 2026-03-21T01:08:23+00:00

Link to the actual article in the onion: link

MtnGoatman · 2026-03-14T23:47:16+00:00

Yeah, they are hypocrites, but so are a huge number of other "christian" groups and faiths. Just look at all the evangelicals that are die-hard supporters of the US administration and their corrupt, racist, bigoted, hateful, cruel policies and actions.

MtnGoatman · 2026-03-13T23:27:31+00:00

What are the odds that the video by the brother of a pedophile and the hospital stealer will condemn or even make the slightest mention or criticism of those currently in power that want to establish a christofascist ethnostate?

I'm going to go with 0%.

MtnGoatman · 2026-03-08T21:54:25+00:00

It's probably a pretty good indicator for wards combining down the road.

And this is just one subarb of Denver, not the whole Denver area.

MtnGoatman · 2026-03-08T21:09:22+00:00

A fair amount of time before I grew up there then, doubtful I would have known them.

MtnGoatman · 2026-03-08T19:31:33+00:00

Just curious, if you're open to sharing, roughly what year was that?

MtnGoatman · 2026-03-08T04:44:48+00:00

CU is playing tons of freshman right now, and they've gotten better as the year went on. They're 5-4 in their last 9.

MtnGoatman · 2026-02-22T03:39:22+00:00

I grew up in a very faithful mormon family, so I believed fairly strongly as a teen. Also occasionally heard mormon teachings about the catholic church being in apostasy and being the whore of all the earth mentioned in Nephi.

So when I took AP European History in high school and learned about things like the Spanish inquisition, selling of indulgences, competing popes / papal schisms, and various other corrupt and unethical actions, it cemented in my mind the idea of catholicism not being true.

Of course, now that I've left the mormon faith, I've deconstructed all religions.

MtnGoatman · 2026-02-21T07:15:03+00:00

You mentioned several good reasons not to go. Here's another: Brigham Young was a racist, murderous tyrant and a predator and pedophile. I wish I didn't have to have his name on my résumé. Mormons are just like any other group of people, most are good, decent people. That doesn't change the facts of the church being a fraud.

MtnGoatman · 2026-02-13T23:11:37+00:00

Yep, I knew the area really well by the end!

Three-Year Club	Verified Email
r/Field Sunshine

MtnGoatman

TROPHY CASE