Brian Acord shares a powerful and emotional journey of leaving a high-demand religion. Growing up in Utah, surrounded by Mormons, Brian's life was deeply intertwined with the church. Everyone he knew was a church member, and he felt pressured to conform to its teachings. Brian shares his story of deepening his involvement in the church and eventually questioning its teachings, leading to his departure. After leaving the church, he felt lost and empty and found himself abandoned by former neighbors and friends who were still part of the community.
“I went into a depression that lasted several years. This is even hard to explain because overnight, I lost my ward family. 350 families. None of them reached out to me. I'm living here. I see them all out my window. Every window I look. And there are people that I coached lacrosse with for eight years that I served on the Bishop Brick for years. And the high priest group leader, I served side by side with them 20-30 hours a week for 10 years. I've never heard from them since then. They live seven houses away, seven houses. I thought we were friends. I thought we had a relationship, a true relationship.”
The conversation delves into the core values that drove Brian's involvement in the church, including a desire to help others and love thy neighbor. This episode offers a candid look at the complex emotions involved in leaving a religious community and finding one's identity outside of it. Brian's story reminds us that it is okay to question the status quo and that our identities are not defined by the communities we belong to. His journey of self-discovery is a powerful example of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of connecting with others.
Brian hosts his podcast, Strangers You Know, where he aims to give his listeners a window into the lives of people from all walks of life. Through deep and meaningful conversations, he deconstructs various aspects of life, unraveling the complexities of human experience.
Brian is an entrepreneur, educator, coach, and community advocate. He has worked with over a dozen startups, non-profits, Fortune 100 companies, and technology startups. Brian has taught business courses at multiple universities and currently teaches the Everyday Entrepreneur Program to refugees and underserved communities. He is a certified coaching trainer for USA Lacrosse. Brian is also a mentor for several dozen startups and is involved in community organizations such as Common Thread Utah and the Nomad Alliance, where he serves on the Board of Directors and Immigration and New American Integration task force, respectively.
Connect with Brian: https://www.strangersyouknowpodcast.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianacord/
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