The Deconversion as Conflict Hypothesis
Institutional Affiliation
George Mason University (Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution)
Start Date
3-11-2023 11:30 AM
End Date
3-11-2023 1:00 PM
Proposal Type
Presentation
Proposal Format
On-campus
Proposal Description
The retention rates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) have dropped significantly in the Millennial generation: from 72% retention of Boomers to 46% of Millennials (Jana Riess, 2019, p. 6). While religious deconversion is imbued with various types of conflict—from the intrapersonal conflict beginning at the moment of faith crisis to the interpersonal conflict beginning at religious exit—there exists no theory connecting conflict to deconversion. This study triangulates root narrative analyses, focus group interview data, and the author’s insider experience to produce a theory of deconversion-conflict (conflict that produces and is produced by deconversion). Using root narrative analyses (see Solon Simmons, 2020) this study compares the discourse of the LDS Church and Ex-Mormons from their respective primary gathering places (i.e., General Conference and the R/ExMormon Subreddit). The analyses of group discourse and focus group interviews find that the parties’ moral grammars are combative. The LDS Church’s moral grammar is securitarian (their primary moral-political value is the spiritual and physical security of society). To attain security, it is imperative to believe orthodox principles, defend the LDS Church’s social norms, and obey its leaders. Ex-Mormons’ moral grammar is dignitarian (their primary moral-political value is the dignity of minoritized groups such as LGBTQIA+, women, and racial minorities). To attain dignity it is imperative to dispute the LDS Church’s social norms, deconstruct their faith, and challenge their leaders' bigotry. Thus, while the LDS Church sees its norms and covenants as central to salvation and the stability of society, Ex-Mormons narrate these same norms and covenants as instruments of abusive power that distribute human value to some and withhold it from others. The parties are stuck in what Oliver Ramsbotham (2011) calls radical disagreement, and their disagreement produces a discursive trap—what one sees as their primary method of overcoming abusive power, the other sees as an abuse of power. Therefore, the parties are stuck in a state of conflict wherein neither can pursue their moral interests without producing the other's grievance. The focus group interviews illustrate this occurs before the loss of faith and may drive the loss of faith as well as interpersonal conflict.
The Deconversion as Conflict Hypothesis
The retention rates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) have dropped significantly in the Millennial generation: from 72% retention of Boomers to 46% of Millennials (Jana Riess, 2019, p. 6). While religious deconversion is imbued with various types of conflict—from the intrapersonal conflict beginning at the moment of faith crisis to the interpersonal conflict beginning at religious exit—there exists no theory connecting conflict to deconversion. This study triangulates root narrative analyses, focus group interview data, and the author’s insider experience to produce a theory of deconversion-conflict (conflict that produces and is produced by deconversion). Using root narrative analyses (see Solon Simmons, 2020) this study compares the discourse of the LDS Church and Ex-Mormons from their respective primary gathering places (i.e., General Conference and the R/ExMormon Subreddit). The analyses of group discourse and focus group interviews find that the parties’ moral grammars are combative. The LDS Church’s moral grammar is securitarian (their primary moral-political value is the spiritual and physical security of society). To attain security, it is imperative to believe orthodox principles, defend the LDS Church’s social norms, and obey its leaders. Ex-Mormons’ moral grammar is dignitarian (their primary moral-political value is the dignity of minoritized groups such as LGBTQIA+, women, and racial minorities). To attain dignity it is imperative to dispute the LDS Church’s social norms, deconstruct their faith, and challenge their leaders' bigotry. Thus, while the LDS Church sees its norms and covenants as central to salvation and the stability of society, Ex-Mormons narrate these same norms and covenants as instruments of abusive power that distribute human value to some and withhold it from others. The parties are stuck in what Oliver Ramsbotham (2011) calls radical disagreement, and their disagreement produces a discursive trap—what one sees as their primary method of overcoming abusive power, the other sees as an abuse of power. Therefore, the parties are stuck in a state of conflict wherein neither can pursue their moral interests without producing the other's grievance. The focus group interviews illustrate this occurs before the loss of faith and may drive the loss of faith as well as interpersonal conflict.