About Us
ex·po·si·tion (n.)
1. A setting forth of meaning or intent.
2a. A statement or rhetorical discourse intended to give information about or an explanation of difficult material.
2b. The art or technique of composing such discourses.
The Mormon Expositor is a biweekly podcast leveraging a panel discussion format and focusing on Mormon doctrine, practices, culture, and history. Our regular panel / board of directors is made up of both believers and non-believers. We value honest and frank discussions that entertain and enlighten while remaining respectful. Additionally, we strive to present accurate information supported by reliable and accessible sources.
Finally, for some fun, check out the original Mormon Expositor — a periodical from the 1800s cataloged by the Library of Congress. Like the Nauvoo Expositor, it turned out only one issue before disappearing. Scroll to the bottom of the document for a write-up that is easier to read. Note: The content of the Mormon Expositor publication hasn’t been verified.
Contributors
Amy
Amy’s interview with Mormon Expression: Voices
Amy grew up in a blended family of Mormons-one half were 5th generation and the other half were converts. Raised by her extremely devout mother and step-father (converts) in Fresno, California, she lived the typical Mormon life: mutual activities, youth temple trips, YW’s callings, SM talks, Firesides and early morning seminary. She always felt something was “wrong” with the Church but was made to believe the problem was in her. This led to severe depression, anxiety and general unhappiness. As she approached her 18th birthday she was told that since she was soon to be an adult she could use her free agency and stop attending Church however the consequence would be that she could no longer live at home. Two weeks after her birthday she left home to live with her biological father and step mother in SLC, UT. She has not attended Church as a believing member since 1991. It wasn’t until nearly a decade later that she began to unravel the numerous historical problems and lies of the LDS Church. Amy currently identifies as agnostic-atheist. She stumbled across Mormon Expression through the blogosphere and became a fan and eventual panelist. This led her to the Mormon Expositor podcast.
Amy currently lives in downtown Salt Lake City with her betrothed of many years, her 13 yr old daughter from a previous marriage and their pit bull, Lola. She has an employment history in nonprofit women’s health services, community education and is currently finishing her BS in Sociology with plans to work with victim advocacy groups.
She is a UFC fanatic, loves Malcolm X and will knit for tattoos. Seriously.
Brandt
Brandt’s interview with Mormon Expression: Voices
Brandt is a active, believing, second-generation lifelong Mormon from Detroit, Michigan. Both of his parents were converts, so Brandt has been the “first” for all things Mormon in his family. Brandt served his mission in South Korea, and still longs for the subtle nuances of kimchi and fried rice, along with sleeping on the floor. Brandt met his wife in typical BYU-fashion while playing a rousing game of Ultimate Frisbee, and they were married in the Mt. Timpanogos temple a year later. He graduated from BYU-Idaho with a BS in Business Finance, and currently works in the automotive sector while preparing for graduate school. Brandt has served as an Elder’s Quorum President and first counselor, and is now in his second tour of duty in the Young Men’s Presidency of his ward (his favorite calling, by far).
Clay
Clay’s interview with Mormon Expression: Voices
Clay was born and raised in northern New Mexico in a very Mormon family. After some rowdy teenage years, he had an in-your-face, ground-shaking, born-again experience, and he abandoned fun and prepared for a mission. He served an LDS mission in Venezuela and returned and completed a B.S. in geology at BYU – Idaho; there, he met his wife and got married. While completing an M.S. in geology at the University of Wyoming, he felt deeply, intellectually and emotionally compelled to abandon faith. He now resides in Tucson, AZ, with his wife and two children, where he is finishing up a Ph.D. in geology at the University of Arizona.
Greg
Greg’s interview with Mormon Expression: Voices
Greg grew up in an active Mormon family in Southern California. He enthusiastically followed the spirit to an awful year at BYU, an incredible mission in Southern Italy, and then to meet his fantastic future wife complete with the requisite lightning speed engagement. 11 years later, with four kids, four years as an early morning seminary teacher, three years teaching Gospel Doctrine, and a mighty effort to be as consecrated as possible, Greg found himself on a long drive confessing to his wife that he was beginning to suspect the Church might not be True. It turned out his thesis was correct and now he and his family have the good fortune to be living a life more exciting and fun than they could have previously imagined.
Greg has a degree in business marketing and succeeded in landing the best job of his life within just a few months of quitting paying tithing. Given that such a large percentage of the population just ignores the cultural benefits around here, life in Utah is just getting better and better. He is still working to make up for a half lifetime of delusional living, but prospects are looking pretty good.
Heather
Heather’s interview with Mormon Expression: Voices
Heather grew up in a devout Mormon home in south-central Idaho. Despite being raised by goodly parents and being taught somewhat in the learning of her father, her relationship with the church has always been tenuous. Although she believed the church was literally true, she struggled to play the role of a faithful LDS gal. After nearly resigning at 18 over her inability to accept the church’s doctrine of polygamy, Heather spent her 20s mired in a religiously fueled funk until, despite still believing, she set aside her religion to fall in love with a baby-eating atheist given to loud laughter and lightmindedness.
While unable to pinpoint the beginning of her disillusionment, Heather believes her loss of faith began soon after college and culminated in October of 2010 when she chose to be offended by a story about a kitten in a grade school classroom. Now in her thirties, the only illusion Heather operates under is that George Lucas retired the Star Wars empire after completing Return of the Jedi, leaving only the Star Wars trilogy that we used to know.
Matt
Matthew left Mormonism in 2010, but has been active in the LDS internet community for more than a decade. His time as contributor and occasional host on Mormon Expression began in the summer of 2011 Episode 150. He is most proud of his roles as husband to his smart and beautiful wife of nearly 14 years and dad to his three formidable children. Matthew continues to enjoy processing his Mormon experience through blogs, message boards and podcasts and believes that understanding always has the opportunity to increase through discussion and engagement. He doesn’t really dislike anyone, not even Brandt. No, really. And the music you hear on the way in and out of the podcast? That’s him.
Mike
Mike is the child of two LDS converts. He grew up in the Church but took it for granted until he served in the Scotland Edinburgh Mission under Joseph Fielding McConkie in 1990. It was then that he found his testimony through Moroni’s promise.
He has been faithfully defending the Church online since 2006 or so. He is familiar with all of the the problems the church’s critics like to complain about, but he sees no reason to lose faith. A fan of McConkie and Nibley, Mike’s take on Mormonism is likely not one you hear from other believers you know. Conversations with him are never dull.
When he isn’t plying his trade, decrying liberalism, or preaching repentance to apostates, Mike is posting interesting things on his Facebook wall, watching superhero movies, and talking music. He has been happily married since 1993 and is the father of three. He recently started teaching seminary, and couldn’t be happier about the calling.
Richard
Richard’s interview with Mormon Expression: Voices
Richard was raised in several U.S. locations before settling in Las Vegas, where at 21 he repented of a sinful life and served a mission to Norway. He returned with minimal honor and married a Norwegian-return-missionary-Bishop’s-daughter. After 3 years in sin city, they moved back to Norway where he now resides with his TBM wife and 5 kids.
Long faithful but studious and open-minded, Richard devoured every book he could on Mormon history while serving in high-profile Ward callings until eventually concluding the church was not what it claimed, and he could never be the Stake or Mission President his Patriarchal Blessing predicted.
Richard is now officially ex-Mormon and serves the community in every way he can, usually with his web skills or by throwing money to good causes, instead of calling it Tithing.
Troy
Troy is a lifelong member of the LDS Church who grew up in West Bountiful, Utah, where he learned to believe and practice his own unique brand of Mormonism. He considers himself a “WBM” — West Bountiful Mormon.
Troy now lives on the East Coast with his wife and four kids where he still goes to church, listens to the Allman Brothers, and drinks a lot of Diet Mountain Dew.
*Mormon Expositor is a joint venture between Clayton Painter, Brandt Malone, Amy Padgett Blosch, Heather Clarkson, Greg Rockwell and Matthew Crowley.
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