At 9 Years Old, My Mormon Mom Said God Wanted Her to Sacrifice Me

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Athena Grimes grew up in mainstream Mormonism under a mother who, Athena says, used “personal revelation” to justify extreme control, isolation, pun*shment, and ab*se—including telling nine-year-old Athena that God required an “Abraham experience” in which she would die, leading Athena to plan her own funeral and say goodbye to her family. Years later, after joining the military, getting married, entering therapy, and eventually leaving Mormonism, Athena began recognizing the religious framework that had been used to control her, and ultimately made the decision to cut contact with her parents and reclaim her life.

Watch our follow up live stream with Athena: https://youtube.com/live/nAtJf8GFKr8

Find and support Athena!

IG: https://www.instagram.com/athena.grimes_/
TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@athena_grimes
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@Athena_grimes


Chapter Marks

00:00:00 — Intro: “God Told Her I Had to Die”
00:02:05 — Athena's Extreme Mormon ChiIdhood
00:03:32 — Athena's mother's extreme Mormonism
00:09:19 — CW: Mentions of SA & CA, “My Mother Was Cruel. My Father Was Indifferent.”
00:15:31 — CW: Mentions of CA, Obscure Rules, Isolation & Physical Pun*shment
00:20:13 — Athena’s Mother's “Revelations"
00:23:22 — Mom's “Abraham” Revelation
00:27:19 — Surviving while confined and controlled
00:29:32 — Sibling Triangulation & Public Humiliation
00:36:00 — CW: CA, Hom*phobia, Rules around dating Being “Broken” Into Obedience
00:41:51 — CW: Su*cidal Ideation, Joining the military
00:43:18 — Joining the Military & Finding Strength
00:49:00 — Mom Reveals She “Never Actually Believed”
00:55:47 — CW: CA, Marriage & still being controlled by her mother
00:57:25 — Marriage, Therapy & Learning to Say No
00:59:46 — Leaving the church
01:04:00 — Untangling Ab*se From Mormonism
01:08:27 — How the relationship evolved & coming out
01:11:00 — Breaking the Family Control Cycle
01:17:27 — Cosplay, fitness & life now
01:18:00 — Going No Contact
01:23:08 — Final thoughts & Linda listen
01:24:06 — “You Are Not Alone” & Life After Control


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