Elena Thurston returns to share with us how the PoS, the new LDS LGBT Policy Handbook update dubbed the Policy of Silence, still affects families and children who want to serve missions. There has been no update, no clarification regarding children of “same-sex attracted” parents and the requirement that they disavow that parent in order to serve a mission with the LDS Church. This existing policy continues to cause excruciating emotional damage to children and families. Members who “suffer from same-sex attraction” are still encouraged, forced or feel no other choice than to seek out conversion therapy to “fix” their homosexual attractions. A practice that results in youth 8.4x more likely to attempt suicide. GLAAD reports “San Francisco State University found that “compared with LGBTQ young people who were not rejected or were only a little rejected by their parents and caregivers because of their gay or transgender identity, highly rejected LGBTQ young people were:

* 8.4x more likely to report having attempted suicide

* 5.9x more likely report high levels of depression

* 3.4x more likely to use illegal drugs

* 3.4x more likely to be at high risk of HIV and STDs”

Links mentioned in the episode:

* Patreon FULL VIDEO of Elena’s Episode

* Elena’s Amazing Ted Talk about Her Experience with Conversion Therapy

* Elena’s Love Story on MHH

* GLAAD Discusses Efficacy and Consequences of Conversion Therapy

* VENMO for Mormon Happy Hour one time donations

* Music by bensound.com and by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

* Transition pieces found here

 

Amidst the Letter to the IRS Whistleblower attention, a very important update to Handbook 2 was released by the LDS Church and then revised a few days later. This update contains heavy-handed silencing and further exclusion and denial of the existence of the LGBTQIA community. It isn’t “faith-promoting” as they say, and it is a policy dictating that we obey, conform, and cease to mention “personal characteristics” that detract from the focus of Jesus Christ because Mormon Jesus is a bigot. Join Blaire Ostler, a voice of passion and love who will not be silent when speaking of the LGBT brothers and sisters of this world.

Links mentioned in the episode:

* FULL VIDEO of this conversation on Patreon

* KSL: Handbook, Latter Day Saints shouldn’t talk politics, sexual orientation ‘in a way that detracts’ from meetings’ focus on Christ

* Blaire Ostler’s Guest Post on Exponent II Blog: Living in Silence

* Blaire’s FB Post RE: PoS and Oaks

* LDS Church: Summary of Handbook Updates

* Blaire’s FB that her Bishop made her delete, republished

* VENMO for Mormon Happy Hour one time donations

* Music by bensound.com and by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

* Transition pieces found here

 

Ryan McKnight joins me to talk about one of his very favorite topics, LDS Church Finances, and the incredible documents leaked in the “Letter to the IRS Director” where a whistleblower alleges the LDS Church has hoarded over $100 BILLION in charitable donations from it’s members, aka tithing. Did you know the LDS church has been stockpiling $8 billion tithing funds annually in an account since ’97, now amassing a total of $124 BILLION and has allegedly only dispersed these funds twice? Why are they collecting this money? Why are they not transparent? How do YOU feel about the information that has been collected in this whistleblower leak?

Links mentioned in the episode:

* Washington Press: Mormon Church has Misled Members on $100 Billion Tax-Exempt Investment Fund, Whistleblower Alleges

* 7 Minute Video: Letter to an IRS Director

* 1 hr Video: Extended Video: Letter to an IRS Director

* PDF Document: Letter to an IRS Director

* Mormonleaks: $32 Billion Investments

* VENMO for Mormon Happy Hour one time donations

* Music by bensound.com and by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

* Transition pieces found here

 

There comes a time for many of us who have moved on from Mormonism that we feel ready to move on from the community that validated us when we left Mormonism. We are done with the triggers and are ready to embrace joy, happiness, and filling our lives with other interests! Up next in this series to share with us her own story of exploration, trauma and an exciting new adventure is Terina Maldonado. She is full of experience and loves helping others find themselves after a trauma.

Links:

* VENMO for Mormon Happy Hour one time donations

* Music by bensound.com and by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

* Transition pieces found here

 

Have you discovered the intriguing and glee-inducing world of subversive cross-stitch? It is from this creativity that I bring you the inspiring talent behind Bad Bible Stitches, a collection of art found on Instagram that showcases the more…colorful verses of holy writ for beautiful display. That creative woman is Jessica Hartle, who is also an incredible aerial performer! Join us as Jessica walks us through growing up amongst the FLDS in rural Utah, raised with certain modesty and purity ideas as are common within Mormonism, to a faith transition that encouraged her to use her art to help others explore what their faith is really all about. In a transformative and healing journey, she is also active in the Utah Performance community, finding and loving herself in talented, artistic dance. If you’d prefer to watch this conversation instead of just listen, head over to Patreon and watch the full video!

Links mentioned in this episode:

* FULL VIDEO of Jessica’s interview on Patreon

* Bad Bible Stitches on Instagram

* Persephone Aerial Arts on Instagram

* The Moxy Movement

* CALL Mormon Happy Hour at 435-494-1427

* VENMO for Mormon Happy Hour one time donations

* Music by bensound.com and by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

* Transition pieces found here

 

This week I catch up with Sam Young, the Former LDS Bishop who asked the LDS Church to stop asking children sexually explicit questions during Bishop Worthiness Interviews. Sam Young created a petition, collected survivor stories, organized a march in Salt Lake City and survived a 21 day Hunger Strike with firesides each night to bring awareness to the dangers of these interviews. After all this, the LDS Church excommunicated Sam Young for his efforts to protect children from harm.  Over the next year, Sam continued to turn his frustration at The Church’s response to raising awareness of the need to Protect Every Child. He turned his campaign into a national effort to Protect Every Child, not just LDS Children. Listen in a Sam shares what his efforts have entailed during the past year, including many mountains climbed, many conversations, and a march 3x his original march in SLC. If you’d prefer to watch this interview instead of just listen, visit Mormon Happy Hour on Patreon and support the podcast today!

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

* CALL Mormon Happy Hour at 435-494-1427

* VIDEO of this episode on Patreon

* VENMO for Mormon Happy Hour one time donations

* MHH02: Sam’s 1st Appearance on Mormon Happy Hour

* MHH29: Sam Announces Hunger Strike

* MHH33: Sam After Hunger Strike

* MHH50: Sam Reacts to TAL Episode about Protect LDS Children

* Protect Every Child Website

* Protect LDS Children Website

* SNAP Article about Sam Young

* Music by bensound.com and by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

* Transition pieces found here

Lindsay and her husband Matt are in a Mixed Faith Marriage, and they are thriving! Not only have they figured out together a thing or two about what makes a marriage like this work better, but they have also built an amazing support system to share what they have learned with other couples. Lindsay shares with us today her own journey out of being an active Mormon woman to a well-seasoned and wise Post Mormon. She highlights the things that brought strength, stability and growth in their marriage. Write down any questions you have or places you’d like more support, Lindsay would love to return, with Matt, to answer even more of your questions.

Links mentioned in this episode:

* Lindsay and Matt’s Mixed Faith Marriage Coaching Site

* VENMO for Mormon Happy Hour one time donations

* Music by bensound.com and by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

* Transition pieces found here

I’m doing it again, I have things to tell you, so here they are! I felt The Spirit during LDS Conference Weekend, did you?? I also am sharing with you a deeeeelicious drink recipe, Tropical Jungle Juice for a crowd! Be careful with this one, it goes down easy and packs a punch, a tropical punch! I have now attended and hosted a Full Moon Drumming circle, and I’m thrilled to share the experiences! And, I have an update for you on medical cannabis, the truly wonderful things I have learned while using it, and how it has changed my behavior. In case you missed it, I threw in my own story for National Coming Out Day, Bi Visibility for the win!

Links mentioned in this episode:

CNN: Religious Thoughts Trigger Rewards Systems, Feeling TheSpirit

Jungle Juice post on MHH Instagram

The Strange and Unusual Podcast

Up next in my series all about leaving Mormonism AND ExMormonism, I chat with my childhood friend Valerie all about her experiences growing up Mormon, Ricks College (yes, before it was BYU-I), converting and marrying her husband, and falling down the rabbit hole and leaving Mormonism. It’s a crash course, with some great wisdom at the end of the conversation. Please don’t miss all the photos I posted of our favorite childhood moments, can you believe I found photos to go along with the things Valerie brought up? Writing the names of all the guys we’ve kissed on the wall at girls camp? Check! The deer head someone used to terrorize us? Check! Attempting to dye our hair with kool-aid? You know it! Girls camp was where the memories were made! If you’d like to watch Val and I catch up on Growing Up Mormon, head on over to Patreon for the full video of this conversation! 

 

 

Links mentioned in this episode:

* VIDEO of this chat on Patreon

* VENMO for Mormon Happy Hour one time donations

* Music by bensound.com and by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

* Transition pieces found here

 

There comes a time for many of us who have moved on from Mormonism that we REALLY want to move on and not stay in the community that validated us when we left Mormonism. We are done with the triggers, the constant repeating drama, the never-changing harm that pours out of the LDS Church. We are ready to embrace joy, happiness, and filling our lives with other interests! First up, to share her own journey out of Mormonism, and out of ExMormonism, and what she has done to fill up her life. She’s a novelist, with a alter ego pen name Delaney Darco. She is thriving in a mixed-faith marriage that is full of love, respect, and deep conversations.

Links mentioned in this episode:

* VIDEO of Jessica’s Story on Patreon

* Confessional videos this week on Patreon HERE and HERE

* Delaney Darco on Mormon Happy Hour HERE and HERE

* Find Delaney Darco on Twitter Facebook Instagram Website

* VENMO for Mormon Happy Hour one time donations

* Music by bensound.com and by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

* Transition pieces found here