Racist History Mormon Church Never Taught Me - Mariama Nadworna Pt. 2 | Ep. 2202
Description: What does it mean to grow up Black and Mormon in a predominantly white church?
In Part Two of our conversation with Mariama Nadworna, she continues her Mormon story with her decision to serve a mission in Leeds, England. She describes her first experience in the London Temple, the loss of her African identity she felt when receiving her temple name, and the racism she encountered during her mission.
After returning home, Mariama moved to Utah to attend BYU, where she experienced both the appeal of being at the center of Mormonism and the challenges of being Black in a predominantly white community. She discusses segregation in Utah wards, interracial dating, and eventually meeting her husband and marrying in the temple.
Her faith began to change after discovering Mormon Stories and reading the CES Letter. Mariama describes feeling betrayed as she learned more about Joseph Smith’s polygamy, conflicting accounts of the First Vision, and the history of racism in the LDS Church. She began sharing her experiences on social media and eventually wrote an open letter calling on the church to take greater responsibility for educating its members about its racial history.
Mariama and John also discuss the “Curse of Cain,” missionary work in Africa, the church’s relationship with African communities, and the broader questions of cultural colonialism and religious conversion. For Mariama, speaking openly about these issues has become part of her own healing—and a way to help others who may be asking similar questions about their faith and identity.
Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/racist-history-the-mormon-church-never-taught-me/
Timecodes:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:05:26 - Turning in mission papers
00:07:38 - Temple experience
00:18:01 - Leeds mission
00:25:00 - Finishing her mission
00:32:02 - LDS Business College
00:45:43 - Marriage
00:55:04 - Reading the CES Letter
01:01:55 - “Indoctrinated with fear”
01:07:44 - Joseph Smith’s polygamy
01:10:42 - The depths of racism
01:14:19 - Social media for connection
01:24:33 - Open letter to the church
01:29:34 - Process of writing the letter
01:35:44 - The Curse of Cain
01:40:05 - Missionary work in Africa
01:47:41 - Cultural colonialism
01:54:19 - Support Mariama
01:57:56 - Conclusion
___________________
At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.
Our overall mission is to:
1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology
2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis
3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions
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In Part Two of our conversation with Mariama Nadworna, she continues her Mormon story with her decision to serve a mission in Leeds, England. She describes her first experience in the London Temple, the loss of her African identity she felt when receiving her temple name, and the racism she encountered during her mission.
After returning home, Mariama moved to Utah to attend BYU, where she experienced both the appeal of being at the center of Mormonism and the challenges of being Black in a predominantly white community. She discusses segregation in Utah wards, interracial dating, and eventually meeting her husband and marrying in the temple.
Her faith began to change after discovering Mormon Stories and reading the CES Letter. Mariama describes feeling betrayed as she learned more about Joseph Smith’s polygamy, conflicting accounts of the First Vision, and the history of racism in the LDS Church. She began sharing her experiences on social media and eventually wrote an open letter calling on the church to take greater responsibility for educating its members about its racial history.
Mariama and John also discuss the “Curse of Cain,” missionary work in Africa, the church’s relationship with African communities, and the broader questions of cultural colonialism and religious conversion. For Mariama, speaking openly about these issues has become part of her own healing—and a way to help others who may be asking similar questions about their faith and identity.
Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/racist-history-the-mormon-church-never-taught-me/
Timecodes:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:05:26 - Turning in mission papers
00:07:38 - Temple experience
00:18:01 - Leeds mission
00:25:00 - Finishing her mission
00:32:02 - LDS Business College
00:45:43 - Marriage
00:55:04 - Reading the CES Letter
01:01:55 - “Indoctrinated with fear”
01:07:44 - Joseph Smith’s polygamy
01:10:42 - The depths of racism
01:14:19 - Social media for connection
01:24:33 - Open letter to the church
01:29:34 - Process of writing the letter
01:35:44 - The Curse of Cain
01:40:05 - Missionary work in Africa
01:47:41 - Cultural colonialism
01:54:19 - Support Mariama
01:57:56 - Conclusion
___________________
At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.
Our overall mission is to:
1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology
2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis
3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions
🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today
One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories
Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories
Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join
Our Platforms:
🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes
🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories
✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1
🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772
🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories
📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast
🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF
Contact us:
📧 MormonStories@gmail.com
📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 Close description