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THE MORMON CURTAIN
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2008 Exmormon Foundation Conference Oct. 17 - 19, 2008
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The time is flying! And time to remind everyone again about the Exmormon Foundation coming up October
17-19, 2008.
Please join us for our annual weekend of education, enlightenment, personal stories, and mingling with a group of interesting and brave people who are exploring life after Mormonism.
Embassy Suites Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT Click here for details: http://www.exmormonfoundation.org/200....
Amazing line up of activities and speakers for 2008, including Steven Hassan - mental health counselor and expert on cults!
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EX-MORMON FOUNDATION
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The Exmormon Foundation is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization dedicated to supporting those in transition from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As truth-seekers, we provide balanced information to supplement the often incomplete data provided by the LDS church.
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Hi to All!
Just wanted to add a little more information to the details about the conference. At the time of my last announcement, some of the agenda was not complete.
First of all, we will be having two concurrent break-out sessions during the mid-afternoon on Saturday. They will be led by Blair Watson, and Arza Evans. A lot of you are probably familiar with Arza'a book, The Keystone of Mormonism. It's been instrumental in leading many, many people to the truth about Mormonism. He will be addressing issues of post-mormonism, such as fear, grief, confusion, anger and freedom. Blair Watson is a long-time member of the Foundation, and has spent significant time study the issue of how being a Mormon affects one's self-esteem. These should both be wonderful workshops -- and since they will be smaller groups, there will be more chance for group discussion.
In addition, our Sunday morning session is going to be extra special this year - entitled "The Road Less Traveled". I have asked four people to give a formal presentation about their lives -- during and after Mormonism. So far, I have 3 of the 4 "on-board", and those are Dennis Farley - Salt Lake City, former Bishop and Stake Presidency member, Jarom Smith - San Diego, CA, frequent poster to the Exmormon list - who always contributes "deep thoughts" for everyone to contemplate, and Kathy Worthington - Salt Lake City, who has done such wonderful work helping people resign from the church with her website, MormonNoMore.com. The fourth party is "pending" at the moment, and I will let you know as soon as that's confirmed.
One more thing -- when I made the announcement that Arza Evans had contributed 100 of his books, and that we would be giving out one to the first 90 who registered, and saving the other 10 for a raffle, he graciously wrote and gave us 10 more so that the first 100 people who registered could have one. I am keeping track, as registrations are rolling in! Check the website, www.ExmormonFoundation.org for all the info about registering.
This promises to be as great or better a conference as we've ever had! We're hoping to break the record of 230 people we had last year!
Sue,
Conf. Chair
| The search for peace is the driving force in the lives of most people. Peace, contentment, the enjoyment of a life well-ordered are their goals. The ability to feel that life is a good thing and well worth its living. Even the very beginnings of the birth of America says that we are in the, "pursuit of happiness." It doesn't necessarily say we are entitled to happiness, just that we are entitled to seek it.
Peace in the heart is a worthwhile goal. It sometimes comes easily. Other times, it must be fought for and worked out with dedication. Peace is not easily defined for individuals because each person will find peace in a different way. Some find it in a belief in a god. Others find it in the mountaintops of the beautiful earth we live in. Others in the solace of a good book or a friend or lover.
For some, peace is fleeting, coming in moments and departing. These moments are to be treasured and recreated as opportunity presents. For others, peace can stay for long periods of time with minor disruptions. Time brings its variances and I suppose that is as normal as life can possibly be. Yet, the search for peace of heart and mind is a worthwhile pursuit for all.
Whatever your definition of peace, it is appropriate to seek it outside the birthright which may have been given to you as a child. The beliefs of parents and childhood friends may not have brought you the peace you desire as an adult. It only means the search for peace has not been completed.
| It's hard to believe there are only 7 weeks to go before the annual Exmormon Foundation Conference begins again - October 13-15 at The Embassy Suites, Salt Lake City. The program has been finalized, and it has something for
everyone. Two of our featured speakers are Brent Metcalfe, Editor of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology, and Co-editor of American Apocrypha: Essays on the Book of Mormon; and Simon
Southerton, PhdD, author of "Losing a Lost Tribe - Native Americans, DNA, and The Book of Mormon". Throughout the weekend, we will be hearing from other speakers about various subjects such as Mormonism and self esteem, the post Mormon metamorphosis, sexual abuse within religious communities, problems with the Book of Abraham, and other personal stories during our panel on Sunday morning.
We now have the full agenda up on the website, http://www.ExMormonFoundation.org. Go there for a complete overview of the weekend, and for the all the information you will need for registration and
hotel reservations.
One important fact that I always like to make note of is that every single year we have a huge number of people who are there for the first time, and many who have come alone. Don't be nervous if you haven't been before. By the time we're done with introductions on Friday night, we feel like a family. Even with over 200 people last year, we didn't lose that connection. Our weekend is a combo of fascinating presentations and hours of just socializing and trading stories. We also have a roommate co-ordinator for those who will be coming alone, but would like to share the expenses of a room with someone. Easy to do at The Embassy Suites, as most accomodations there have double beds in the bedroom, and also a fold-out couch in the living area.
Don't hesitate to write me with any questions.
Sue Emmett
Conference Chair
| One of speakers this year at the conference is Linda Walker, one of the founders, along with Flora Jessup, of the website, childpro.org. She and Flora have worked together for years in the cause of exposing ecclesiastical sexual abuse of children, and Flora, in particular, has worked for years with the women and children coming out of polygamy. She is an escapee of polygamy herself.
I have seen Flora interviewed several times on national TV, and she seems to be one of the "go-to" people that the press interviews when polygamy issues come up. She's been interviewed several times recently with the Warren Jeffs things so prominent in the news. Here are some links to a couple of articles about her, or news pieces that quote her, etc.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupd...
http://helpthechildbrides.com/stories...
Linda has just informed me that she has invited Flora to join her at the confernce, and they will be driving up from AZ together. Altho Flora will not be one of our featured speakers, having her at the conference will be a wonderful opportunity to talk with her about her experiences. Linda and I have talked about her giving Flora a few minutes of her scheduled time, and that might just happen.
I just thought that those coming to the conference or thinking about it would like to know this. I can't wait to finally meet her!
| I am still getting e-mails from people who haven't registered for the conference yet, and now want to do so. Registrations this week are more than welcome!! - but there are some caveats at this point.
1. Please do not mail any more registrations, as they will not get here in time. We will have no way of knowing that your money as been sent. If you do this, and we have no record of it, you will need to pay at the door.
2. If you can use PayPal, please use that method to pay, and then send the information for your name tag to Louwags@yahoo.com.
3. If you don't have a PayPal account, you may pay at the door.
4. HOWEVER!!! If you intend to register for the dinner on Saturday night, I need to have that information by Wed. evening, as I give the count to the hotel Thurs. morning. After Wed., we cannot guarantee any dinners, altho the hotel prepares a few extra, and they MAY be available when you come Fri. evening. Regardless, to be guaranteed dinner, you must let me know by Wed. evening, and if you commit to dinner, you will be obligated to pay, even if you don't show.
If you're still "waffling" - cut if out!! You won't be sorry if you come! :-)
Sue
Conf. Chair
| On Friday, October 13, 2006, the Exmormon Foundation annual conference commenced. The Foundation is "dedicated to supporting those in transition from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"; we provide these recordings free-of-charge for download in order to support that mission.
Disclaimer: The Exmormon Foundation is a non-profit educational foundation. The opinions of the speakers below are their own, and not necessarily the opinion of the Exmormon Foundation, its officers, or members. We provide the forum, they provide the content.
Friday
- Introductions and Announcements:
Note: The open-mic sessions will not be recorded this year, out of respect for the privacy and intimacy of the setting for those present.
Saturday Sessions:
- Bob McCue: "The Post-Mormon Metamorphosis: How to Maximize Creation and Minimize Destructon".
- Bob Part Deux: The Lunch Session.
- Linda Walker and Flora Jessop: "The Church, Child Abuse and the Law: Case Studies of Civil Complaints".
- Simon Southerton, Ph.D.: "Losing a Lost Race: From Radishes to DNA and Outer Darkness".
Saturday Breakout Sessions:
- Blair Watson: "How Mormonism Wounds Self-Esteem and What You Can Do About It".
- Arza Evans: "Post-Mormon Feelings, Challenges, and Freedoms".
- Bryan Johnson of Bacchus Bartending: "The Art of Fixing and Mixing"
- (Not recorded; we could only record two breakouts at the same time. And besides, a class on how to mix drinks? That's a hands-on activity!)
The Exmormon Foundation Business Meeting was not recorded.
Keynote
- Brent Metcalfe: "Re-Visioning the Book of Abraham: Criticism Beyond Apologetics & Polemics"
Note: At about nine minutes into Brent's presentation, we began receiving significant interference on our FM radio gear. Unfortunately, this tainted the source recording, and there's just no effective way to remove it. It sounds like a commercial of some sort. It goes away a minute and a half later.
Sunday Morning:
- Panel: "The Road Less Travelled", with Jarom Smith, Dennis Farley, Sandy Crain-Gilkeson and Tracy Bachman
http://exmormonfoundation.org/2006ConferenceReport
| We need your help!
During the 2006 conference, The Exmormon Foundation began production of a video documentary featuring interviews with several individuals who explain their reasons for leaving Mormonism. The generosity of these individuals is greatly appreciated!
This documentary will soon be available on DVD for general distribution for a nominal fee to cover the costs of production. Each interview will also be available on the website for free at a significantly lesser quality but without compromising the actual content of the interviews.
At this time, however, The Foundation is in need of your financial support in order to complete the production of the DVD. If you feel this is a project which you can support, please go to the website at http://exmormonfoundation.org/donate for assistance in making a contribution. A mailing address is provided for donations by check and a PayPal link is provided if you wish to donate via credit card or PayPal.
As The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations are generally tax deductible for this project. Check with your CPA for specifics about your personal situation.
As always, please only contribute within your means. The Foundation does not wish for you to overextend yourself financially for any Foundation cause.
Best wishes,
Louis Wagner
President
The Exmormon Foundation
| A few weeks ago we announced to several of the Ex-mo lists that the Foundation had made a decision to fund and produce a documentary that would be viewable on our website, and also in DVD form. We are about 2/3 of the way through that project which is being produced to assist others who have just left the church or thinking about making that leap. There are many stories on the internet, but we believe being able to "see" a person as they tell their story will be even more powerful.
Today, our videographer flew into Salt Lake again to do some background shooting that he wasn't able to do when he was there during the conference -- he was too busy doing several interviews. This week he has been in Seattle to capture several more interviews (which I've been told went smashingly)!
A couple of interviews I had scheduled have fallen through just today -- so I'm putting this out to all of you with the invitation that if you are in the Salt Lake area, and would be interested in telling your "exit" story for the cameras, I would love to have you contact me immediately. This process is really not a "Barbara Walters" type of interview -- it's more like a few initial questions and then allowing the interviewee to "free-flow" their story and tell what is important to them.
Bob is especially interested in a couple of more interviews from people who were converts -- not born in the church -- but that's not mandatory. Bob will be there until Tuesday morning, so we can schedule time Sat., Sun., or Monday.
If you are interested, or would like to ask me some questions about it, send me a quick e-mail with your phone number, and I will call you.
Let me know!
| Some of you may have heard that the Exmormon Foundation is in the middle of new and exciting project. Last October at the conference, we began the filming of a documentary which will eventually be placed on our website for free viewing, as well as DVD's produced for purchase at a very reasonable price. This documentary is a compilation of Ex-mo's personal stories. Most of the interviews have now taken place and the filmmaker is in the process of the final compilation and editing. We hope to have it ready within the next 6 weeks or so -- no promises, however! :-) But soon. We've already had queries from others outside the Exmo community about wanting to acquire a copy. For your info, I'm posting here a link to a short trailer the filmmaker made for us to give us an idea of what's coming! I think you'll enjoy seeing this - you'll recognise some of your favorite people! We're very, very enthused about this project, and hope it's just the first of many we can do in the future. Here's the link - enjoy!
http://www.messermedia.com/ExmoTrailer.html
| We have a "new publication" brewing over at the Exmormon Foundation, which we have named "The New Expositor". Following is a request sent tonight by the editor, Ed Bliss. I told him I would copy it over here:
As many of you know, the Exmormon Foundation board has approved the
publishing of a newsletter, and a committee has been appointed to get it up
and running. It will be known as The New Expositor. Anyone familiar with
early church history will understand why the name was chosen.
We are now in process of gathering material for the first issue. If you
have suggestions concerning content, please send them along. We will
publish a list of all local and regional Exmormon groups we are aware of,
and would welcome news from or about any of them. If you are a member of a
group not listed on the Foundation website, please let us know. And if you
have any thoughts about what should be in an Exmormon newsletter, send them
along.
At the last Exmormon Foundation conference a number of photos were taken. I
would appreciate your sending me, by email or snail mail, any you have that
you think might be worth considering for publication. We will not, of
course, show photos of anyone without their express permission.
We believe the New Expositor will be a useful adjunct to the Foundation's
informative website. Your input can help make it happen.
http://www.exmormonfoundation.org/
Ed Bliss
4134 Oakwood Ct., Lompoc CA 93436
(805) 733-0198
| Elections for board members of The Exmormon Foundation has concluded. Per Sam Mikel,
"Good afternoon everyone.
The time for voting has come to a close. We had 36 Foundation members participate in the election of your new Board.
Your new officers are:
Lou Wagner
Matt Barnson
Ken Roach
Sue Emmett
Brian Madsen
Sandy Crain
Chad Spjut
Congratulations everyone.
Sam Mikel"
I believe I speak for all of the board when I say that the board of directors of The Exmormon Foundation hopes to accomplish a great many things during the upcoming year!
I add my congratulations to the members of the board and I look forward to working with all of you!
Best wishes,
Lou Wagner
President Incumbent
The Exmormon Foundation
| Hi Everyone!
I'm pleased to give you the first detailed information about what is in store for those attending the next Exmormon Foundation Conference, October 12-14, at The Embassy Suites in Salt Lake City. We've been working on the agenda for several months now, and the Foundation is excited about what we've lined up. I think you will agree that this will be another interesting and entertaining conference. The agenda is almost 100% complete, and here is the line-up at this point:
A return performance by Bob McCue -- as last year he left everyone hungering for more of his steller scholarship and philosophy regarding the Ex-Mo experience. He has titled his presentation: "Damage Control, Healing and Growth in Post-Mormon Relationships: Sisyphus, Icarus and the Holy Grail"
Since it is the 150th Anniversary of the darkest moment in Mormon History - the Mountain Meadows Massacre - we have asked Brian Patrick (U. of U. Film Studies Professor) to return to talk about his experiences filming the first documentary made about the MMM, and to show us his film. With the non-mormon community finally beginning to find out about this horrible event. hearing Brian's experiences with church authorities and the Fancher family while filming his documentary should be especially interesting.
Another presenter will be Art Vanick, one of the authors of "Who Really Wrote The Book of Mormon". Art has been interviewed many times on radio programs about his book, and has lectured to groups about the research that was done for this book. F.A.R.M.S. has taken the time to write a 130-age rebuttal to the book -- must have pushed SOME buttons!! This presentation should prove to be very, very interesting.
Our dinner speaker will be Dan Fischer, D.D.S. - and former member of the FLDS church. While maintaining his dental practice, along with research and development of dental materials and procedures, he has created Smiles for Diversity, a nonprofit foundation committed to preventing hate crimes by promoting diversity and multicultural awareness. As a child, Dan was raised in a third-generation polygamous home. Eleven years ago, he left the FLDS religion, and as part of his dedication to promoting understanding among diverse cultures, he has become deeply involved in helping the young boys (some as young as 13) who are literally kicked out of their polygamous communities and abandoned by their polygamous families. Known as The Lost Boys, they find themselves on the streets of Salt Lake without education, without money, and without hope.
On Sunday we will have a presentation by Bill Gardner, former CES employee, and Janet Jacobson (former Molly Mormon, and now Liberated Lady) -- they will be talking about the way we can learn to leave guilt behind and find passion for life again after Mormonism. A significant amount of time will be given to involving the audience in questions, discussion, and interaction with the presenters and each other.
We will also be sponsoring a "First" for the conference. During the weekend, we will have an Exmormon Art Show, displaying works from our very own Exmormon community. If you're a visual artist, and would love to share your art with all of us, stayed tuned for more information on this event.
In addition to all of the above, we will have a wonderful time meeting each other, socializing, trading stories -- and just having a fun time! Last year we had approximately 250 people who joined us for the weekend -- and a very high percentage of them were there for the first time -- so don't be shy. If you've never come before, you won't be the only one! You definitely do not have to be a Foundation member to come -- I get a lot of questions about that every year. Mark your calendars and make plans to join us!
I will let you know when we've placed the necessary information about registration, fees, hotel, etc. on the Exmormon Foundation website. Embassy Suites is a beautiful facility, and the staff there works overtime to make our weekend "A Plus".
Please feel free to post to any exmo group that you belong to that doesn't receive this announcement. Thanks!
Sue -
Conference Chair
| 2007 Exmormon Foundation Annual Conference:
transition Unlocking The Secrets To A Post-Mormon Life
Article Archived: Thursday, Jun 7, 2007, at 07:40 AM
Stored Under Topic: EX-MORMON FOUNDATION
Outside Link To Article: RIGHT CLICK - COPY LINK LOCATION
Original Author Of Article: Brian | TOP | |
Please join us for our annual weekend of education, enlightenment, personal stories and a chance to mingle with a group of interesting and brave people who are exploring life and the world after Mormonism. This weekend has proven to be life-changing for many who come, and you will be energized and healed by the people you meet and the presentations you hear. It's a weekend of shared experiences, and a chance to meet some incredible people. You do not have to be a Foundation member to attend, but Foundation members do get a discount on the registration.
Embassy Suites Hotel
110 West 600 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84101-2701
Telephone: (801) 359-7800
Fax: (801) 359-3753
Rooms have been blocked at a special rate. Be sure to ask for the rate for The Exmormon Foundation ($95.00). That includes a full cooked-to-order breakfast each morning in the beautiful hotel atrium. Call (801) 359-7800 for reservations. Our block of rooms will be held until the last week of September. After that, there is no guarantee that rooms will be available. Parking at the hotel is free, including for those who live locally and don't stay at the hotel.
Following is our agenda for the weekend. See below for more detailed information about our presenters and our first art exhibit.
Agenda
Friday |
| 4:30-6:30PM |
Registration, dinner on your own |
| 6:30-7:30PM |
Social Hour, Cash Bar |
| 7:30-8:00PM |
Welcome & Introduction To Conference Sue Emmett, Conference Chair
Greetings Sandy Crain, President, The Exmormon Foundation |
| 8:00-10:00P |
Open Mike for Conference Attendees |
| 10:00-1:00AM |
Hospitality and Socializing Time |
Saturday |
| 8:30-10:15AM |
Brian Patrick Burying the Past: Legacy Of The Mountain Meadows Massacre |
| 10:30-12:30PM |
Robert McCue Damage Control, Healing and Growth in Post-Mormon Relationships: Sisyphus, Icarus and the Holy Grail |
| 12:30PM-1:30PM |
Lunch on Your Own |
| 1:30-2:45PM |
Art Vanick Who Really Wrote The Book of Mormon? |
| 2:45-4:30PM |
Panel A Road Less Traveled |
| 4:00-5:00PM |
Exmormon Foundation Business Meeting
Everyone invited to attend and discuss future plans |
| 5:00-6:00PM |
Open Time |
| 6:00-7:00PM |
Social Hour, Cash Bar |
| 7:00-7:45PM |
Dinner |
| 7:45-8:45PM |
Dan Fischer Life as a Fundamentalist: Recovery and Rescue |
| 9:00PM-1:00AM |
Hospitality and Socializing Time |
Sunday |
| 9:30AM-Noon |
Bill Gardner, Janet Jacobson: The Path from Fear to Passion
Presentation, followed by Questions and Full Group Discussion. |
| Noon |
Closing Remarks/Announcements |
Conference Presentations
Featured Speakers and Panelists
Bob McCue will be returning for his 2nd presentation,
as last year he left everyone hungering for more of his stellar scholarship and
philosophy regarding the Ex-Mo experience. He has titled his presentation
Damage Control, Healing and Growth in Post-Mormon Relationships: Sisyphus,
Icarus and the Holy Grail.
Since it is the 150th anniversary of the darkest moment in Mormon
history the Mountain Meadows Massacre we have asked U. of U.
Film Studies Professor Brian Patrick to return to talk about
his experiences filming the first documentary made about the MMM, and to show
us his film.
With the release of September Dawn
and the non-Mormon community finally beginning to find out about this horrible
event, hearing about Brian's experiences with church authorities and the Fancher
family while filming his documentary should be especially interesting.
Another presenter will be Art Vanick, one of the authors of
Who Really Wrote The Book of Mormon. Art has been interviewed
many times on radio programs about his book, and has lectured to groups about
the research that was done for this book. F.A.R.M.S. has taken the time to
write a 130-page rebuttal to the book must have pushed SOME buttons!!
This presentation should prove to be very, very interesting.
Our dinner speaker will be Dan Fischer, D.D.S., former member
of the FLDS church. While maintaining his dental practice, along with research
and development of dental materials and procedures, he has created
Smiles for Diversity, a
nonprofit foundation committed to preventing hate crimes by promoting diversity
and multicultural awareness. As a child, Dan was raised in a third-generation
polygamous home. Eleven years ago, he left the FLDS religion, and as part of
his dedication to promoting understanding among diverse cultures, he has become
deeply involved in helping the young boys (some as young as 13) who are literally
kicked out of their polygamous communities and abandoned by their polygamous
families. Known as The Lost Boys, they find themselves on the streets of Salt
Lake without education, without money, and without hope.
On Sunday we will have a presentation by Bill Gardner, former
CES employee, and Janet Jacobson, former Molly Mormon, and now
Liberated Lady. They will be talking about the way we can learn to leave guilt
behind and find passion for life again after Mormonism. A significant amount of
time will be given to involving the audience in questions, discussion, and
interaction with the presenters and each other.
Art Show
We will also be sponsoring a first for the conference. During the
weekend, we will have an Exmormon Art Show, displaying works
from our very own Exmormon community. If you're a visual artist, and would love
to share your art with all of us, stay tuned for more information on this event.
Contact Information
Sue
Emmett
This year's conference is being organized by Sue Emmett.
If you have questions, please contact Sue via email at
<Sue97062@aol.com>.
Brian Madsen maintains this conference web page.
If you have any concerns about the content of this page (for example,
the PayPal buttons aren't working), please
let him know.
Spread The Word
Please share this information with friends and family who might be interested.
Help us get the word out!
| I can't believe how fast the summer is going! Today I looked at my calendar and realised how quickly October 12th is going to get here!
The plans for "Transition - Unlocking the Secrets to a Post-Mormon Life" are virtually complete. I am very excited to announce that I have completed the last segment I wanted to fill. We have two VERY interesting people who have accepted our invitation to tell their stories during the "A Road Less Traveled" panel. Our very own "A Musing Grace, Nanette Martin, has accepted an invitation to be part of the panel. When I found out a few weeks ago that she was from Oregon and lives in the same Stake I lived in for 20+ years, I knew I had to meet her! (A very interesting piece of this story for me personally is that I found out a couple of weeks ago that she is in my daughter's ward!!) I met with Nanette for the first time just two days ago after speaking on the phone a couple of times, and she has graciously accepted the invitation to come and speak.
In addition to Nanette, I have issued an invitation to Ray Hult, from Bountiful, Utah. Ray was very active in the church for years, and is both a former Bishop and spent 21 years as an FBI agent. I heard about Ray after reading a great review of a talk he presented to the Salt Lake Humanist group. I'm sure he has had a very interesting journey - and will have a story or two to tell us. This info will be added to the website in the next couple of days.
We have a very diverse and interesting program this year, and I'm enthused about what you're going to hear and who you're going to meet. Of course, the very BEST part of the weekend is the chance to meet and mingle with so many other people who share the challenges of leaving Mormonism. It's exhilarating, stimulating, and just a lot of fun!
In the meantime, all the information you need to register for the conference is on our website @ www.ExmormonFoundation.org. Hotel information is also there. Just call the number listed for the hotel and ask for the special rate arranged for the Exmormon Foundation. I highly recommend staying at the hotel if you can, as the total immersion of being there all weekend with so many others is one of the highlights of the weekend. Registrations have started to come in, and some rooms have already been reserved at the hotel. Our block will be held until the end of September. After that, availability will depend on whether the hotel can give us more rooms.
I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting all of you who will be coming for the first time. Don't worry if you're coming alone -- it won't last long! And don't hesitate to write me if you have any questions.
AND PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ANY OTHER BOARDS OR E-MAIL GROUPS YOU BELONG TO. THANKS!
Sue - Conference Chair
| Hello Fellow Exmos,
As is customary, we are announcing the new Exmormon Foundation board following our annual election. I would like to thank those who took the time to cast their vote and for those who put their hats in the ring for this election.
We would also like to express our profound appreciation for two parting board members who have served the needs of the Foundation for the past several years. Ken Roach as Membership Secretary and Brian Madsen as the Foundation Treasurer. Both gave of their time and talents in helping keep this little ship of ours afloat. We extend our thanks to them for the reverent manner in which they fulfilled their callings. I know, I know, old habits die hard.
Unlike the Mormon Church, we are an all volunteer organization and everything accomplished by the Foundation board is through hard work, caring and most important, the generous volunteering of time and talent.
Our new board this year is as follows:
- Chad C. Spjut, President
- Sandy Crane, Vice President
- Kathleen Jones, Secretary
- Dianne Ormond, Treasurer
- Nathan Kennard, Membership (clerk)
- Sue Emmett, Conference Chair & voting board member
- Tom Donofrio, voting board member
- Jarom Smith, voting board member
We have a great board this year, and personally I am very excited to work with everyone on the projects ahead.
Now that I have announced the new board, I would like to get down to more important matters, that of the Foundation and the direction and focus for the future. I am writing this as an open invitation to you to tell us your thoughts and ideas regarding the present organization and what you would like to see the Foundation do and become.
I personally would like to see the Foundation membership more involved in what happens with the Foundation and the direction you would like to see us pursue. Since rejecting any claim to my former Mormon revelatory powers, it is now not uncommon for me to seek the counsel and advice from others and this is something I am asking of you.
Please let us know what you think of the Foundation now, and in the spirit of Exmormon authenticity, please be open and candid in your ideas and comments. We are very interested in knowing what we have done well, and where we could use improvement. For those of you who are already Foundation members, I would also like to know why you pay your membership dues each year? What makes you want to be a part of this organization, and how can we continue to earn that support from you and gain that trust and support from others?
In the scheme of things, we are a very small organization, but our potential for reaching out and being an organization of support and comfort is tremendous. In that vein of thought and action, there have been several websites and organizations which have grown as a means of reaching out to those who are questioning and or who have left Mormonism behind.
We would like to see those bonds strengthened between our varied organizations to be more effective in reaching out in love and support for those who need it, and as a source of information and direction for those seeking a way out of the maze of Mormonism.
With the increasing prevalence of the internet world-wide, we are now in the process of re-designing our website to be more user friendly and offering a means of greater connectivity for all things exmormon. We are aware that not everyone uses the internet in their day to day activities, but there are ever greater numbers who are utilizing the power of this modern wonder to escape the clutches of Mormonism through the vast amount of information available to them with only a few clicks of a mouse. My personal exit from Mormonism was made possible by the power of this readily available information and connectivity. So please provide us with your ideas and insights on how we can make this tool more effective in fulfilling our mission.
As many of you are also aware, we have a quarterly publication produced by the Foundation titled, The New Expositor. Many of you are already receiving this on a regular basis, but for those of you who do not and would like to receive a copy, please contact the Expositors editor, Ed Bliss to ensure that you receive your copy. You can reach him via email at: ed529c@verizon.net. There is no cost to you for the newsletter. For those of you who would like to have extra copies for distribution to local groups, please let Ed know how many copies you need and we will get those sent to you. Past editions are also available on the Foundation website as well. Interest in the newsletter has continued to grow and it has already proven to be an effective tool in reaching others who were unaware of the Foundation. If you have any input or information you would like to include in the newsletter, please contact Ed with your questions, comments and suggestions.
Sue Emmett has been hard at work preparing another excellent agenda for the Exmormon Conference to be held later this year. Expect an announcement very soon regarding the agenda and list of speakers and presentations. For those of you who have never been to a Foundation Conference, we hope this will be the year for you to join us, and for those who have already been, we hope to see you again. The Conference this year will be the third weekend of October on the 17th-19th at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Salt Lake City.
For those of you who are interested in joining the Exmormon Foundation, we would love to have you as a member. You can join the Foundation by visiting here: http://exmormonfoundation.org/node/3 The membership dues are $20.00 per person or $35.00 for two persons at the same address.
In closing, I want to thank you for your continued support of the Foundation, and with your ideas and input I believe we can move the Exmormon Foundation into an ever increasing position of effectiveness in the lives of Exmormons everywhere.
Sincerely yours,
Chad C. Spjut
President, The Exmormon Foundation
Please send any comments, suggestions and or ideas you have to:
Chad C. Spjut
360 West 1250 North
Centerville, UT 84014
or via email to: spjut1@msn.com
| It's time to send out the first information regarding the Foundation Conference coming up in October, cause we know you'll want to get your calendars marked! (It's a week later than usual this year) We have a great agenda planned for the weekend -- some exceptional speakers and activities!
I am especially pleased to announce that we have booked a very special guest speaker: STEVEN HASSAN, author of "Combatting Cult Mind Control", and "Releasing the Bonds - Empowering People to Think for Themselves". Many of you have suggested over the years that we inivite him to come, and this year we're doing it!! Steven is a former Moonie (back in the 70's when they were so prominently in the news). After almost 3 years of life in that cult, he had an accident which put him back in the care of his family -- and with their help he was able to finally understand what had happened to him. In the years after his "recovery", he obtained his Masters in counseling psychology, and has spent his life educating the public about mind control. He has appeared on NIghtline, 60 Minutes, Dateline, Oprah Winfrey and Larry King Live, to name a few! This should be an incredibly enlightening and interesting presentation for all of us, and he is looking forward to meeting all of you!
In addition, the program will include, KEN CLARK - with a presentation on the effects of "Lying for the Lord"; a panel discussion by three couples who struggled (sometimes for years) with only one of them out of the church; RICHARD TEERLINK and PAUL TRANE - sharing their experiences as Gay men in and out of the church, and revealing the church's history regarding Gays; "Banking on Heaven" (documentary about the Warren Jeffs communities); LYNDON LAMBORN -- the man who gave the church lots of "free" publicity in Mesa, AZ when his Stake Pres. wanted to announce his excommunication all over the Valley (publicity they'd loved to have done without); and DR. RICK ROBINSON - talking about his experiences with addiction and how it relates to the "pressures of perfectionism", etc.
In addition, we will have our usual amount of fun, non-stop talking/sharing, good food and meeting new friends. I will let everyone know when the full agenda and hotel info are up on the Foundation website.
For further information about some of the above, you may want to go here:
http://www.freedomofmind.com
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/stor...
http://www.bankingonheaven.com/
Mark your calenders -- it's going to be a great weekend! More info to come!
Sue Emmett,
Conference Chair
| Line Upon Line: Mormonism Transcended - A Documentary Produced by the Exmormon Foundation
In this moving documentary, you will see some very courageous people who once lived as devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As you hear them tell their personal stories of how and why they left the Mormon church, you will learn that leaving this religion is an agonizing decision, and for most people, done only after years of questioning and study. It usually means leaving the only community and way of life they have ever known. Additionally, they are often marginalized from family and friends who remain in the church, which makes their transition out even more difficult. It is our hope that by telling their stories, greater understanding will occur.
Click Here To View The Trailer.
Buyers in the United States: Order your copy today for $10 plus $3 for shipping and handling. The most convenient way to place your order is through PayPal.
Visit the Ex-Mormon Foundation To Order.
For orders in the US, each DVD is $10, and the shipping and handling charge is $3 for the first copy and $1 for each additional. (Example: One DVD = $13.00, two = $24.00, three = $35.00, etc.)
| I'm pleased to let you know that we now have all the information about the October Foundation Conference up on our website: www.exmormonfoundation.org. Dates for the conference: October 17-19, 2008. Click on the "Read More" link on the home page to get full information.
Included in that is a copy of the full agenda, and all the information you will need to know about registering for the conference and reserving rooms at The Embassy Suites.
I think you will agree that we have an incredible roster of presenters this year! Be sure to go take a look! We are especially excited to announce that Steven Hassan will give a major presentation on Saturday. Steven has been involved for many years with educating the public about mind control tactics used by some groups, especially those who try to negate basic human rights (as a very young man, he was involved with the Moonies). He has worked as a counselor for years helping people re-train their thought processes in order to have more integrated and positive approach to life -- and has been a guest on hundreds of television and radio shows, including 60 Minutes, Larry King Live, Oprah, NIghtline and Dateline. He is the author of: "Releasing the Bonds - Empowering People to Think for Themselves" and "Combatting Cult Mind Control". Even though the Foundation will incur some unusually heavy expenses to bring Steven to the Conference, we feel it is an unusual and important opportunity.
If you haven't been to one of the conferences before, THIS is the year to do it! Please feel free to e-mail me privately with any questions or "trepidations" you might be feeling about coming. Those of you who've been before know what a wonderful weekend it is! The agenda is important, but the best part is being able to socialize with people you talk to online, and meet other Ex-mo's from all over the world.
I will keep you updated with any other information needed as time goes on.
Sue, Exmormon Foundation - Conference Chair
http://www.exmormonfoundation.org/
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