Matty Matheson on Growing Up Mormon and Being Excommunicated

Episode Summary

Main Topics Discussed

• Matty Matheson's upbringing in a deeply Mormon family in Nova Scotia.
• His family's subsequent excommunication or departure from the church, initiated by his father, upon moving to Ontario.
• The strict rules and repression of his Mormon childhood, including no Coca-Cola, only G-rated movies, and mandatory tithing (10% of even a $2 allowance).
• The almost immediate transition to drug and alcohol experimentation (e.g., "blotter acids") once the family left the church around ages 12-13.
• Matheson's early skepticism about Mormon doctrine, particularly the concept of three levels of heaven, and his personal belief that he wouldn't be "eternal with his parents" due to childhood kleptomania.
• The perceived difficulty and duration of truly leaving the Mormon church due to the vast amount of family and ancestral information they retain.
• An incident involving his sister, who had a child out of wedlock, leading to missionaries serving "papers" and a confrontation with his older brother.
• A critical discussion comparing Mormonism to other religions, deeming it the "wackiest" next to Scientology.
• Skepticism surrounding Joseph Smith, the founder, and the idea of a 14-year-old creating a religion.

Key Insights & Memorable Moments

• The surprising revelation that Matty Matheson, known for his vibrant and often rebellious persona, was raised in such a strict religious environment.
• The profound impact of the sudden release from repression, leading to a rapid plunge into counter-cultural activities: "I was like oh cool we're not mormons anymore let's do some blotter acids."
• Matheson's early philosophical struggle with the idea of heaven and his feeling of being "unworthy" of eternal family due to minor childhood misdeeds.
• The intense family reaction to the church's intervention with his sister, culminating in his brother's aggressive defense against the missionaries.
• Matheson's candid reflections on asking his father "why" they joined Mormonism later in life, highlighting the common adult questioning of childhood beliefs.

Notable Quotes or Revelations

• "My family's mormon, were all excommunicated."
• "I never had a coca-cola I never saw a pg rated movie we only watched g-rated really."
• "Once you got excommunicated from the church they just well we took ourselves my dad I don't know if excommunicates the right word left the church."
• "I was like oh cool we're not mormons anymore let's do some blotter acids."
• "The idea of heaven just like at a young age I strongly felt like there was no heaven."
• On Mormon underwear: "My parents are like you know they did the whole thing with the underwear and they're married forever and like [__] underwear is wild daddy."
• "That is the wackiest religion. It's the wackiest right? Yeah I know of course I'm a part of it it's like other than scientology I was baptized it's the wackiest one."
• Regarding Joseph Smith: "I just can't imagine a 14 year old that's not full of [__]."

Overall Themes

• Religious Upbringing and Disillusionment: The episode delves into the profound and often contradictory experience of growing up in a highly structured religion, only to eventually question and depart from its tenets.
• Repression and Rebellion: A central theme is the direct link between extreme childhood repression (no soda, specific movies) and the subsequent, almost immediate, embrace of rebellious behaviors and experimentation upon gaining freedom.
• Family Dynamics and Faith: The narrative highlights how family decisions shape religious involvement, the internal and external conflicts arising from religious strictures (e.g., sister's papers, brother's defense), and the lasting impact on family relationships.
• Skepticism and Personal Belief: Matheson's early and consistent questioning of religious doctrines, particularly heaven and the origins of Mormonism, underscores a journey of developing personal conviction independent of inherited faith.