Kari & Kyle Hanks share their journey of leaving the secretive 2x2 church, a religious group with no official name, written doctrine, or corporate structure. They discuss their upbringings, struggles with faith, the exclusivity of the religion, and the trauma they endured. From discovering the church’s hidden history to creating a support group for ex-members, they expose abuse scandals, strict doctrines on women, and emotional suppression within the group. Their deconstruction was influenced by the Mormon Stories Podcast, COVID-19, and personal revelations about belief, identity, and autonomy. Now, they advocate for informed consent and support those leaving high-control religions.

Show Notes

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After five years of reflection, Kate opens up about her journey growing up in a strict Mormon household, serving a mission in Argentina, and working for the LDS Church. She shares pivotal moments of doubt, her experiences in church administration, and the troubling realities she uncovered in the Confidential Records department. From questioning church discipline policies to witnessing firsthand how the institution handles abuse cases, Kate's story reveals the struggles and insights that ultimately led her to leave the church. Join us as she discusses faith, disillusionment, and life after Mormonism.

Show Notes

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00:00:00 Beginning

00:03:40 Kate Lyn’s Mormon story begins

00:10:20 Confessing "sins" to her bishop

00:16:44 Decides to serve a mission

00:30:37 Hardest parts of mission

00:39:58 “Golden investigator” on mission was con man

00:47:33 Started working for the church

00:49:00 Worked with high level leaders

01:14:25 People trying to steal from the church

01:18:53 Confidential Records department

01:22:46 Reading about bad things in the discipline documents

02:13:12 Becoming PIMO (physically in mentally out"

02:15:56 Woman excommunicated for sleeping with her bishop at 14 years old

02:24:37 “I don't think I would have left the church, if I didn’t work for the church”

02:39:40 On Mormons who look down on people

Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today:

• One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox
• Support us on Patreon
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Our Platforms:

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Contact us:
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PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

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On March 12, 2025, Church educator and BYU professor Jared Halverson released an Instagram short where he stated: “One of the statistics that has worried me the most of late, comes from a survey that was done in 2023 and it’s suggesting that for the first time that I can think of, more women are leaving religion than men are.” Is this true? Why are more women leaving Mormonism than men are? Join us today as we gather with Katie Rich (author of Fifty Years of Exponent II), Amy McPhie Allebest (of the Breaking Down Patriarchy YouTube channel), and Abby Maxwell Hansen (who was threatened with excommunication for her profile on Ordain Women in 2013 and an Exponent II blogger since 2019), as well as writer and columnist Jana Riess to discuss this growing phenomenon.Jared Halverson is an associate professor of Ancient Scriptures and served for over 20 years in the Church Education System. Halverson earned his BA in History and MA in Religious Education. He has been a featured speaker in devotionals as well as in academic settings. He is the host of the YouTube channel and podcast titled “Unshaken.”You can view Jared Halverson’s original video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TevsIrw1nqsShow Notes: https://www.mormonstories.org/why-are-women-leaving-the-mormon-church/