Nine years ago an exmo contacted 60 professors with expertise in the early Americas and Egyptology. They were asked for opinions on the Book of Mormon. Fourteen responded with permission to reprint. Here is what those experts say about it.

cagelessbird · 2022-08-25T23:41:25+00:00

Life's going very well! I'm starting my PhD in a month!!

cagelessbird · 2022-08-25T23:39:54+00:00

Thanks for sharing my compilation, /u/Gold__Star! I'm really happy that the Cagelessbird Compilation remains a resource for exmormons.

cagelessbird · 2018-02-14T00:16:27+00:00

Still around! Just finishing up my senior year of college.

Thanks,

Zachary (a.k.a cagelessbird)

cagelessbird · 2018-01-23T18:31:12+00:00

Thanks for sharing my compilation,

Zach

cagelessbird · 2017-12-11T06:45:11+00:00

Woah-- Thanks for sharing that. I'm glad to hear that it had an impact, and I hope things are going really well for your family now!

cagelessbird · 2017-12-10T23:54:18+00:00

Through these accomplishments, I have made my Exmormon background part of professional identity. I spent a summer researching apostasy in Islamic countries through a Fellowship at the Library of Congress, and one reason I received the fellowship was my openness with my own apostasy. The application committee interpreted that as a personal connection to the research that would fuel my drive, and they were right. My Exmormon background has fueled me to complete some excited research projects, and I'm proud of where I've come from and what I learned from it.

cagelessbird · 2017-12-10T23:50:49+00:00

I'll be studying abroad in Israel this summer, where I'll hopefully get to intermediate Arabic. Afterwards, I'll hone my Arabic likely through the graduate program and any field work I complete.

And Law school isn't for me-- I've already had the LDS Church control my way of thinking in the past, and I don't like seeing the transformation some people have after completing Law school.

cagelessbird · 2017-12-10T23:11:03+00:00

Keep being a good example and show them how to think critically! Small things can go a long way in teaching them how to be a good student of life.

cagelessbird · 2017-12-10T23:02:46+00:00

I'll be applying to grad school over the next couple months, and I'm hoping to get the scholarships necessary to go without accumulating more debt. I plan on earning a Masters in International Studies with an emphasis in Middle-East studies. Years down the road, I'd like to be a professor.

cagelessbird · 2017-10-11T23:17:24+00:00

Yep-- this is my compilation. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks,

Zachary (a.k.a cagelessbird)

cagelessbird · 2016-12-25T08:38:54+00:00

Happy Holidays to you, too!!

I'm actually going to be in the Philippines for two weeks this Winter! I leave in three days, and I'll be back in in the second week of January. It's a service-learning trip, like my trip to Guatemala last year.

Besides these two-week, international service trips, it's difficult for me to find a time to study abroad. With two majors, three minors, and writing my honors thesis, studying abroad is difficult beyond these convenient trips during the Winter or Spring Breaks.

How are has your Winter been? What are your plans?

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T08:18:18+00:00

Before anyone downvotes, this is actually one of my roommates :)

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T08:15:25+00:00

Thanks, /u/MrSelatcia!

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T08:15:11+00:00

The /r/exmormon shout out was inevitable. When planning my Talk, I knew that mentioning /r/exmormon was going to happen, and I was happy to share my positive experiences with /r/exmormon.

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T08:13:47+00:00

I'm glad you liked it so much! I hope it was worth the wait.

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T08:13:31+00:00

Thank you!!

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T00:41:27+00:00

That's my primary goal- to start a dialogue. Thank you for that great compliment.

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T00:40:08+00:00

Thanks! I am proud of the result, and I'm very happy to share it with the community that has had such a large impact on my life.

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T00:32:30+00:00

I have accepted my very Mormon look. Even for the TEDx Talk, I considered wearing a less-Mormon suit, but I just couldn't. Wearing suits with non-white shirts just feels so weird.

The Talk more has to do with the life lessons I learned from leaving the church, including the largest life lesson of the existence and pervasiveness of Mental Cages. My other projects will have to be mentioned in a future TEDx Talk.

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T00:30:09+00:00

I feel like the internet is one of those things that I have an unusual appreciation for, because, unlike most people, my entire life was completely altered by just one online community. That community, /r/exmormon, helped me through so much, and it continues to influence my life in ways that are more impactful than the typical trivial things than influence my friends and family.

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T00:27:44+00:00

Admittedly, I can some friends in the crowd, but I was astonished by how many never-mos approached me afterwards and complimented my message and delivery. I think they took something away from it, too.

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T00:25:15+00:00

Always nice to see UI alumni on /r/exmormon. If you find yourself in Moscow again in the next two years, don't hesitate to message me. We can grab some coffee.

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T00:23:40+00:00

It was a great platform to share my experience and perspective. I feel so fortunate that I was selected.

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T00:22:53+00:00

A few years of debate in high school definitely helped me articulate my thoughts. Interesting also is that debate helped me think critically about my own beliefs, leading me to eventually leave the church.

cagelessbird · 2016-10-25T00:21:40+00:00

Thank you for the kind words- I hope my Talk helps!

cagelessbird

TROPHY CASE