Cultish From Mormonism to Christ the Story of Cody Smith
Apr 1, 2026
Cody Smith, raised in Riverton, Utah, who left the LDS community and traveled from atheism to New Age practices before finding born-again Christianity. He recounts early spiritual experiences, intense doubts and mental-health struggles, homelessness and suicidal crises, immersive New Age trainings and spirit-guide encounters, and the parallels he sees between different belief systems.
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Childhood Sleep Paralysis After Baptism
- Cody Smith experienced recurring sleep paralysis and shadowy figures beginning the night after his baptism at age eight.
- He describes being immobilized, terrified of basements, and these episodes returning periodically through his teen years, prompting deep questions about his faith.
'Spiritual Attack' Explanation Deepened Doubt
- Church leaders framed Cody's negative experiences as 'spiritual attack' and advised more prayer and scripture reading.
- That standard explanation deepened his doubts because leaders couldn't give concrete answers, highlighting leadership's gap between assurance and pastoral competence.
Teen Questions Met With 'Deeper Doctrine'
- As a teen, Cody pressed leaders for doctrinal clarity and found contradictions across LDS texts, which they dismissed as 'deeper doctrine.'
- That lack of clear answers contributed to his family's gradual, sporadic falling away from active church life.