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A review by keisenbraun
Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith by Martha Beck
5.0
Holy cow, this was riveting. Martha Beck’s story about leaving the Mormon church is astonishing, horrifying, yet hopeful. I’m a big fan of Beck’s so I knew about her Mormon upbringing, but I didn’t know the extent of the abuse and trauma she suffered, first at the hands of her father and then other family members and church leaders who told her both that nothing happened to her and she couldn’t talk about it.
Martha’s position as the daughter of a highly respected Mormon apologist may have protected her during a period when several of her colleagues at Brigham Young University were excommunicated or disfellowshipped for publishing scholarly work that was considered “intellectual and feminist.” Martha and her husband John both separately decided to leave the church shortly thereafter.
A true spiritual seeker, Martha mined other religious traditions and her own beliefs to arrive at a different interpretation of God, one that is loving and not shrouded in dogma and deception. One that values truth and authenticity over tradition and belonging.
Martha’s position as the daughter of a highly respected Mormon apologist may have protected her during a period when several of her colleagues at Brigham Young University were excommunicated or disfellowshipped for publishing scholarly work that was considered “intellectual and feminist.” Martha and her husband John both separately decided to leave the church shortly thereafter.
A true spiritual seeker, Martha mined other religious traditions and her own beliefs to arrive at a different interpretation of God, one that is loving and not shrouded in dogma and deception. One that values truth and authenticity over tradition and belonging.