PostMormon Community

The PostMormon Community is a community to help support individuals who have left or are leaving Mormonism (LDS Church). The primary support mechanism of the community is the [http://postmormon.org PostMormon.org website] . [ [http://postmormon.org PostMormon Community Website] ]

In addition there are PostMormon chapters across the United States, Canada, Europe, Ecuador, New Zealand and Australia. [ [http://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/chapters/ Map of chapters] ]

The PostMormon community is probably best known to the wider public outside of the ex-mormon circles for using billboard and newspaper advertising in Utah, Idaho and Oregon [ [http://www.fox11az.com/news/topstories/stories/KMSB_20070410_apab_mormonsbillboard.d6d5dd0.html Billboard story] ] to raise public awareness. Their second billboard advertisement in Idaho Falls, Idaho, [http://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/members/comments/early_termination_of_billboard_posting/ was taken down early] by Lamar Outdoor Advertising, after the owner of the property on which the billboard is situated requested it be taken down. The owner of the property is an active member of the LDS Church. [ [http://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/members/comments/early_termination_of_billboard_posting/ Idaho Fall billboard comes down early] ]

History

The PostMormon community was founded by Jeff Ricks in 2002 in the Cache Valley area of Utah. [ [http://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/members/comments/st_george_newspaper_article_about_postmormonorg St. George newspaper article about PostMormon.org] ] Initially it was a support group for former members of the Mormon church, and a place for them to cultivate new friendships in this predominantly Mormon community. [ [http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_lds.html 85% of population Mormon in 1990] ]

The [http://www.postmormon.org community website] was created in 2004 [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20040215223650/http://www.postmormon.org/ The 2004 version of the PostMormon website in the Way Back Machine] ] and has become an anchor for the community. The website's bulletin board is heavily trafficked, and is a place for members of the community to chat, vent, and support each other. [ [http://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/discussions/viewforum/5/ The community forum] ] There are also pages for each chapter to help them coordinate their activities. [ [http://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/chapters/ch_home/269 The Cache Valley Chapter web page] ]

In 2005 the PostMormon Community registered as a corporation [ [http://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/members/comments/articles_of_incorporation/ Articles of Incorporation] ] and in 2006 they were granted non-profit status. [ [http://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/members/comments/wooo_hoooo/ Non profit status] ] In 2007 they started using billboards in places around Utah to advertise their group. The most recent billboard was put up in St. George, Utah. [ [http://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/members/comments/billboard_7_in_st_george/ 7th billboard in St. George, Utah] ]

Criticisms of the PostMormon Community

The most frequent criticism of the PostMormon Community is that it is an anti-Mormon organization whose purpose is to tear down the faith of active members of the church. [ [http://graceforgrace.com/2008/03/04/strengthening-against-apostacy/ Grace for Grace - Strengthening Against Apostasy] ] At least part of that criticism comes from some discussions on the community discussion board could be considered by faithful members of the church as sacrilegious or disrespectful of LDS Church beliefs and doctrines. It is often said, "they can leave the church, but they can't leave the church alone."

Response to Criticisms of the PostMormon Community

The PostMormon Community response to these allegations has been that they are engineered to dissuade active Mormons from further investigation. The Mormon article "strengthening against apostasy" mentions that debating doctrine is a door to apostasy; thus preventing any meaningful discussion of Mormon doctrine. Critics have suggested that the inability to meaningfully discuss doctrine within the Mormon Church has acted as a form of "mind-control". [ [http://mormonconspiracy.com/mind-control.html Mind Control LDS Mormon Church] ]

Non-Mormon historians have often encountered similar labels, such as "anti-Mormon", for their discussion church history "in so far as the reject that truth." [ [http://books.google.ca/books?id=5Hi-ZdfcuBgC&pg=PA135&lpg=PA135&dq=%22non-mormon+historians%22+anti-mormon&source=web&ots=ibC2sSTJW1&sig=xpMZiGBnw8yIEamAvhBVglJfVPQ&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result The American West] ] "That truth" being that the LDS church is God's one true church on the face of the earth. [ [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=024644f8f206c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=52b918e7c379b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 A Call to Serve - Joseph Fielding Smith] ] This is no surprise, considering the following by Mormon Apostle Boyd K. Packer: "there is no such thing as an accurate or objective history of the Church which ignores the Spirit.... Church history can be so interesting and so inspiring as to be a very powerful tool indeed for building faith. If not properly written or properly taught, it may be a faith destroyer...". [ [http://www.mormonismi.net/kirjoitukset/bkp_mantteli.shtml The Mantle Is Far, Far Greater Than The Intellect - Boyd K. Packer] ]

ee also

*List of Former Latter-day Saints
*Religious disaffiliation
*Ex-Mormon
*Mormon
*The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

References

External links

* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/02/us/02religion.html?ref=us New York Times] - Split Over the Mormon Church, but Maintaining Some Ties
* [http://www.fox11az.com/news/topstories/stories/KMSB_20070410_apab_mormonsbillboard.d6d5dd0.html Fox11AZ.com] - Ex-Mormons use billboard to reach others
* [http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,680193528,00.html Deseret News] - Post-Mormon sign removed
* [http://media.www.utahstatesman.com/media/storage/paper243/news/2008/04/09/Features/PostMormon.Community.On.Campus-3312730-page2.shtml The Utah Statesman] - Post-Mormon Community on Campus
* [http://sun.dixie.edu/index.php?pg=story&storyid=3019 Dixie Sun] - Post Mormon group supports those who leave LDS church
* [http://media.www.uvcollegetimes.com/media/storage/paper982/news/2007/11/19/News/Blog-Responds.To.Controversial.Speech-3110332.shtml The College Times, The Independent Sudent Voice of Utah Valley State] - Blog responds to controversial speech
* [http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/124886 East Valley Tribune] - Group uses billboards to reach out to ex-Mormons